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Collingwood legend Lou Richards dies aged 94

THE family of Lou Richards say they are proud the footy legend has been offered a state funeral. Tributes continue to flow for the premiership captain, gutsy rover and cheeky television and newspaper star.

Mick Warner
4 min read
May 9, 2017 - 10:43AM
Lou Richards state funeral offer

THE State Government has offered a state funeral to the family of Collingwood legend Lou Richards.

Richards passed away peacefully yesterday at a Melbourne nursing home. He was 94.

“Lou Richards was a legend of our game and an iconic figure for Victoria,” a government statement says.

“The Government has offered a state funeral to Lou’s family.

“The family is considering this offer — it will be their decision.”

Daughter Nicole Morrison told 3AW she would speak with other family members before making a decision.

“I think that would be really proud to think that someone ... who grew up in Collingwood and lived most of his life in Abbotsford would be offered at state funeral,” she said.

“I think that would be a great honour and I’m really thankful for the Premier for offering that to us. We are very, very proud of that.”

The AFL last night hailed Richards for his towering contribution to the game.

The AFL said Richards sat in the company of Ted Whitten and Ron Barassi as one of the largest figures — on and off the field — in the history of Australian football.

An emotional Magpies president Eddie McGuire said “no man has done more for our game than Lou Richards”.

“He was a quintessential Collingwood man who spoke to the entire football world,” McGuire said.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the game owed a huge debt to Richards.

He played 250 games for Collingwood, including captaining the 1953 premiership side, and was an inaugural member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

But it was in the media that Richards found even greater fame.

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The Herald Sun publishes a special tribute to Lou today. Get your copy at newsstands or subscribe

Today’s Herald Sun.
Today’s Herald Sun.

LOU THE LEGEND: SPECIAL COVERAGE

LOU RICHARDS: THE LITTLE BLOKE WHO ROSE ABOVE THE PACK

DEVOTED FATHER: DAD WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT ALL UP FOR FAMILY

LOU WAS KING OF VICTORIA AND LOVED BY ALL: MIKE SHEAHAN

THE SHOWMAN: LOU’S DARES DRAW A CULT FOLLOWING

THE HEART AND SOUL OF COLLINGWOOD

LOUIE THE LIP BLAZED A TRAIL

LOU ‘WILL ALWAYS BE A COLLINGWOOD PERSON’: EDDIE MCGUIRE

TIMELINE: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LOU RICHARDS

Lou Richards: A remarkable life
3/09/2002: Lou Richards.
VIEW GALLERY

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He worked on TV, radio and in print to help revolutionise coverage of the VFL and AFL with the Sun, forerunner to the Herald Sun, and television for Channels 7 and 9.

Richards’ Sun columns introduced colour and delight with his nack for bestowing new names for stars of the day.

North Melbourne ruckman Mick Nolan became “The Galloping Gasometer”, Carlton back-flank luminary Bruce Doull, “The Flying Doormat”.

Magpie tank Rene Kink was “The Incredible Hulk”, Peter Daicos was “The Macedonian Marvel”, then there was Geelong spearhead Larry “the Lamb” Donahue and Fitzroy’s Bernie “Superboot” Quinlan, while Paul Van der Haar was “The Flying Dutchman” of Windy Hill.

Most notably of all, Richards gave Leigh Matthews the “Lethal” moniker by which he is known to this day, and Kevin Bartlett was “Hungry”.

“The AFL, our players and our clubs all benefit from the massive interest in our game around the country that is driven by media companies, and their desire to report every happening to our fans, along with trying to entertain them,” McLachlan said.

“Lou Richards was the original driving force of the media’s expanding interest in our game, particularly with the emergence of television from the late 1950s, and his time as host and match-caller for the Seven Network developed a style that has often been copied but never bettered.

“Everyone in our industry, who is fortunate to earn a living around the game we love, has the likes of Lou Richards to thank for his work ethic, his love of the game, his willingness to both poke fun at himself and others and his one-off originality.

“As a player, he captained his club to a premiership and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and the Collingwood Hall of Fame.”

People from the Premier to TV broadcasters have also shared tributes.

Daniel Andrews tweeted: “What he lacked in height, he made up for in fight.”

While Kevin Bartlett tweeted: “Sad to hear of the passing of Lou Richards Collingwood and media icon who entertained a generation of footy fans thanks for the memories.”

Collingwood tweeted: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the Richards family. Lou, and his family, will forever be a part of the Collingwood story.”

Lou Richards on the<i> Sunday Footy Show </i>in 1996.
Lou Richards on the Sunday Footy Show in 1996.

Channel 7 producer Gordon Bennett, who worked with Richards on League Teams and World of Sport, said: “It was Lou and Ron Casey that pushed Seven’s football to the forefront and made it so popular”.

“The fans all loved Lou. He was their hero. Even though he was a Collingwood player, people from all teams loved chatting to him.”

Channel 7 Melbourne managing director Lewis Martin said Richards was a “television pioneer”.

”His legacy can be seen today in sports entertainment television.”

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LIFE AND TIMES OF LOU RICHARDS

PIE MEMORIES: COLLINGWOOD GREATS ON CLUB’S FINEST MOMENTS

COLLINGWOOD 125th BIRTHDAY SPECIAL: BEST 25 PIES PLAYERS

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The Collingwood legend and TV personality paved the way for many others in the football world.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/collingwood/collingwood-legend-lou-richards-dies-aged-94/news-story/cd949d52f6263e1d1652a9da47378941