Michael Richardson

Recruited from Swan Districts in the WAFL, Michael Richardson arrived at Collingwood in 1983 with a reputation as a dynamic, goal-kicking rover. He made an immediate impact at Victoria Park, earning All-Australian selection and topping the Magpies' goalkicking in his debut season with his lightning speed and natural goal sense. However, his time in black and white ended abruptly midway through the 1986 season; amid the club's severe financial difficulties, Richardson refused a proposed 20 per cent pay cut and was subsequently cleared to Essendon. He played out the remainder of the year with the Bombers but struggled to settle, later admitting he never felt fully accepted by the playing group.

Richardson found a fresh start as an inaugural member of the Brisbane Bears in 1987, moving north to become a key figure in the club's foundation years. While he had made his name as an attacking rover, he reinvented himself in Queensland as a versatile utility, often deployed across half-back where his reading of the play and disposal skills were vital for the fledgling side. He played 81 games for the Bears—finishing top-four in the best and fairest twice—before being delisted at the end of 1990 and returning to Western Australia to finish his career with Swan Districts and West Perth.