Celebrity Featured: Tommy Hafey
Artist: Raelene Sharp
About Tommy Hafey
AFL Super Coach Tommy Hafey grew up in Richmond Victoria. Playing for East Malvern in the under 19s, he graduated to the senior side in 1950 - spending three years with the club and winning the Best and Fairest in 1952. This prompted an invitation to train at Richmond, who at this time were in turmoil as legendary coach Jack Dyer had just quit.
After six seasons, Hafey moved out of the city to coach Shepparton where his tenacious attitude to the game, a fanatical devotion to fitness and ability to muster team spirit made his team become one of the highest quality country leagues in Australia- winning three flags between 1963-1965.
In 1966 Hafey became coach at Richmond - bringing an intensity and desire that they needed to reach the top - even going so far as extending pre-season training and adding an extra day to on season training regimes. The hard work paid off as the Tigers became the fittest club in the AFL and by 1971 they reached the finals for five consecutive years.
In 1989, Hafey returned to Melbourne to commentate footy on the ABC, a role he is still involved with. An ambassador of football and a strict advocate for health and fitness in wider society, he speaks regularly to many groups as a motivator and to help with training.
A notable legacy of Hafey's coaching career is the remarkable number of men who played under him at Richmond and what they went on to achieve, these include Kevin Sheedy, Mick Malthouse, Kevin Bartlett and Tony Jewell to name a few.