{{short description|Australian rules footballer, born 1913}} {{for|the American basketball player|Richie Saunders (basketball)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}} {{Infobox AFL biography | name = Richie Saunders | image = | fullname = Richard William Saunders | birth_date = 8 August 1913 | birth_place = Brunswick North, Victoria | death_date = {{death date and age|1978|2|14|1913|8|8|df=yes}} | death_place = Heidelberg, Victoria | originalteam = Brunswick Juniors | height = 178 cm | weight = 81 kg | position = | statsend = 1936 | years1 = 1933–1934 | club1 = Richmond | games_goals1 = {{0}}8 (0) | years2 = 1935–1936 | club2 = Fitzroy | games_goals2 = 16 (0) | games_goalstotal = 24 (0) | careerhighlights = }}
'''Richard William Saunders''' (8 August 1913 – 14 February 1978) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Richmond and Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Saunders, originally a Brunswick junior, played two seasons at Richmond.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Holmesby|first1=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim|title=The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers| publisher=BAS Publishing|year=2007|isbn=978-1-920910-78-5}}</ref> In both seasons, Richmond made the grand final, but Saunders didn't feature in either finals series.<ref name=AFLTables>{{cite web |url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/R/Richie_Saunders.html |title=AFL Tables: Richie Saunders |website=afltables.com}}</ref> He won the 1934 Gardiner Medal, for his performances in the seconds.<ref>''The Argus'',[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10989567 "Gardiner Cup To R. Saunders"], 19 September 1934, p. 11</ref> He crossed over to Fitzroy in 1935 and played 13 games that year and a further three in 1936.<ref name=AFLTables/>
== Family == Saunders was the son of Ern Saunders, who played VFA football for Collingwood and South Melbourne Football Clubs before serving as head trainer of University and Richmond football clubs.<ref>''Table Talk'', "Men who have never played the game!", 7 September 1933, p. 35.</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{AustralianFootball|richie+saunders/5652}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saunders, Richie}} Category:1913 births Category:1978 deaths Category:Australian rules footballers from Melbourne Category:Richmond Football Club players Category:Fitzroy Football Club players Category:People from Brunswick, Victoria Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen
{{AFL-bio-1913-stub}}