Football legend Tom Hafey enjoys his daily morning swim in the chilly waters of Port Phillip Bay. Source: News Limited
RICHMOND has lost its greatest coach after Tom Hafey died today, aged 82.
Hafey, who coached Richmond to four premierships and also coached Collingwood, Geelong and Sydney, passed away after a short battle with cancer.
"This is an extremely sad day in Richmond's history, to have lost a giant of the club in Tommy Hafey," Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said.
PICTURES: REMEMBERING TOM HAFEY
"Tommy means so much to the Richmond Football Club. He has had an enormous influence on so many people connected with the club.
"His coaching achievements at Tigerland are legendary, and he was a constant source of inspiration to the yellow and black.
"Tommy was a fine example of how to get the most out of life — his mantra of hard work, discipline, dedication, persistence, honesty, loyalty, integrity, good health and vitality, was not only the recipe for success on the football field, but success in his wonderful life.
"At this time, our thoughts are with Tommy's wife Maureen, their children Rhonda, Karen and Jo, and the extended family."
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AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou described Hafey as an inspiration.
"Australian Football is mourning Tom Hafey, who numbers among just 14 individuals recognised in our history for service to the game as one of our great coaches. Tom Hafey built teams and clubs to be successful, guided young men to be successful both on the ground and off their ground in their lives and, above all, simply loved our game," Demetriou said.
"Through each of his stints at four clubs, Tom championed fitness, teamwork, morale and dedication, and lived those ideals to the fullest with his personal creed of five Ds that 'Desire plus Dedication plus Discipline plus Determination equals your Destination'."
Tom Hafey played 67 matches for Richmond in the 1950s. Source: Supplied
Hafey was inducted as an Original Member of the Hall of Fame in 1996, as well as being an AFL Life Member.
"Tom's record of 522 games as a senior VFL-AFL coach is exceeded by just four men in history and he was a loyal and trusted friend to thousands across our game, who are feeling his loss deeply today."
Hafey was an average footballer, great coach and father figure to many of the players he mentored from 1966-88.
Hafey was happy to describe himself as a battler in his 67 games for Richmond in the back pocket between 1954 and 1958 (10 goals) after being recruited from Malvern.
And he was too modest to ever speak of his glittering coaching career, but the facts clearly point out he was born for the caper.
Lacking the necessary profile to secure a VFL coaching job on retirement, he coached Shepparton to four grand finals from 1962-65, winning the last three.
The fitness of his players and their desire to play for Hafey had caught the eye of Tiger secretary Graeme Richmond, who appointed him in 1966.
After just missing that year's finals Hafey took Richmond to premierships in 1967, 69, 73 and 74. He resigned after the 1976 season when he believed he had lost the support of powerbroker Graeme Richmond.
Collingwood, which had finished last for the first time in 1976, snapped up Hafey and he took the Magpies to within a point of going from first to last, drawing the 1977 Grand Final before losing the replay to North Melbourne.
Tom Hafey is chaired off the MCG after winning the 1969 Grand Final. Source: News Limited
Losing Grand Finals followed in 1979, 80 and 81 with what some considered a side lacking the quality of some opponents, before Hafey was sacked by Collingwood during the 1982 season.
He then spent three muddling years with Geelong before taking Sydney to the finals in 1986-87, then being sacked at the end of 1988.
He never coached again, finishing with a record of 336 wins from 521 games at a very healthy winning percentage of 64 per cent.
In terms of games coached, Hafey has the equal-best winning percentage of the top 10 with only Jock McHale, Mick Malthouse, Kevin Sheedy and Allan Jeans having sat in charge of more matches.
Hafey with Richmond champion Royce Hart. Source: News Limited
After coaching, he dedicated himself to motivation and fitness, travelling the country where he would put local teams through their paces or speak to schoolchildren about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
His approach to life was highlighted by a positive outlook, beginning with the way he answered his phone. After a caller inquired how he was, Hafey would reply "good and getting better".
He still cut a remarkable physical figure in his 80s, complete with trademark T-shirt and bulging biceps. For almost his entire adult life his day would begin with a run, swim and push-ups at St Kilda beach.
TOM HAFEY
Player:
67 games for Richmond, 1953-58, 10 goals.
Played Richmond Amateurs 1959.
Played Shepparton 1960-65.
Coach:
Richmond coach 1966-76. 248 games for 173 wins, 73 losses, two draws. 20 finals for 15 wins, four losses, one draw.
Collingwood coach 1977-82. 138 games for 89 wins, 47 losses, two draws. 18 finals for nine wins, eight losses, one draw.
Geelong coach 1983-85. 66 games for 31 wins, 35 losses.
Sydney Swans coach 1986-88. 70 games for 43 wins, 27 losses. Four finals for four losses.
Coached Shepparton 1960-65.
Overall Coaching Record:
522 games (fifth most ever) for 336 wins, 182 losses, four draws.
42 finals games (fourth most ever) for 24 wins, 16 losses, two draws.
Richmond premiership coach 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974.
Richmond Team of the Century Coach (1998).
Richmond Hall of Fame Inductee (2002).
Richmond Immortal (2003).
All Australian Coach 1980.
AFL Hall of Fame Inductee 1996 (coach).
Shepparton premiership coach 1963, 1964, 1965.
