Full Name: MICHAEL ROACH
Date of Birth: 09/10/1958
Height: 193 cm ( 6-4 )
Weight: 92 kg ( 14-7 )
Guernsey: 8
Debut: 21/05/1977, Round 8, Footscray
Last Game: 11/08/1989, Round 19, Carlton
RICHMOND SENIORS
Seasons: 1977-1989
Total Games: 200
Total Goals: 607
Honours: Premiership 1980.
Club Leading Goalkicker 1979 Goals 90, 1980 Goals 112, 1981 Goals 86, 1983 Equal Goals 37, 1985 Goals 89,
1986 Goals 62, 1987 Goals 43.
VFL Competition Leading Goalkicker " Coleman Medal "1980 Goals 112, 1981 Goals 86.
Victorian Representative Team 1979 Games 3 Goals 12.
All-Australian Team 1979.
RICHMOND RESERVES
Seasons: 1977-78, 1984, 1986, 1989
Total Games: 36
Total Goals: 60
Honours: Premiership 1977
BIOGRAPHY
Michael was Richmond’s best post war full-forward. He won theh club Goalkicking award seven times, and won the VFL Goalkicking award twice in 1980 and 1981. In 1980 he was the inaugural winner of the “John Coleman Medal” which is presented to the League’s leading goalkicker. His tally of 607 goals, with Richmond, places him third on the club’s all-time aggregate with only Jack Titus and Kevin Bartlett ahead of him. His goal tally would have been a lot higher had he not missed so many games through injury. He was an athletic player who was very agile, a spectacular high mark and a long accurate right foot kick, although he could kick well with his left foot. He thrilled Richmond supporters with his ability to climb over packs to take a high mark and his 100th goal in Round 21 of season 1980, was the result of a long kick from inside the centre square and proved just one of many highlights during that season. He is the only senior Richmond player, since the war, to kick 100 goals and he holds the club record for the most goals, in senior ranks in one season, 112 goals in 1980.
He was recruited from Tasmanian Club Longford in 1977. In his first year at Richmond, he won the Best First Year Player award, as a wingman, and he was a member of the Reserves’ Premiership side. During his second season, he struggled with form and managed only three games. His career really took off in 1979 when he established himself as a regular senior player finishing that season with 90 goals and running second to Footscray’s Kelvin Templeton for the VFL Honours. He also took the mark of the year with his grab over Hawthorn full-back Kelvin Moore. He was a member of the 1980 Premiership side and the 1982 Grand Final side and was awarded Life Membership in 1986. He represented Victoria three times and Tasmania twice as well as gaining selection in the 1979 All-Australian side. His highest individual goal tally was 11 against Footscray, in 1980 and Hawthorn in 1985 and he kicked 5 goals or more on 30 occasions. He once kicked 8 out of Richmond’s match tally of 11 goals against Collingwood, during a 1985 clash. In 1980 he had great success against Footscray kicking 21 goals in their two clashes. During his football career he kicked 782 goals. He earned the nickname “Disco” due to a prank played on him during the early part of his career by some of his more seasoned teammates. After retiring as a player he served as a specialist coach at Richmond for several seasons and during 1992 he served as a team manager for the Reserves. A happy-go-lucky person, Michael was a very popular character with both teammates and supporters. He returned to Richmond as a kicking coach during the 1994 season. The Richmond Football Club now award the “Michael Roach Medal” to the winner of the club’s Goalkicking award.
PRE RICHMOND
Westbury 1974 ( Honours - Tasmanian Schoolboys Representative Team ) ; Longford 1975-76, Games 36, Goals 79 ( Honours - Club Leading Goalkicker 1975 Goals 35, 1976 Goals 43, League Representative Team Games 2 Goals 7, Tasmanian Representative Team Games 2 Goals 7.
POST RICHMOND
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