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AFL legend Tom Hafey dies

Football great Tom Hafey has died aged 82.

Hafey was born in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond and was to become one of its team's star coaches.

He played 67 games for the Tigers between 1953 and 1958.

Hafey then coached the club during a golden era taking them to four premierships in 1967, 1969, 1973 and 1974.

He later coached Geelong, Collingwood and the Sydney Swans during a career that spanned 22 years.

Hafey was renowned for his personal fitness and his commitment to the footballers who played for him.

He had an operation to remove a brain tumour in March this year but was later admitted to hospital with complications.

Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale says the Tigers are mourning the loss of the club legend.

"This is an extremely sad day in Richmond's history, to have lost a giant of the Club in Tommy Hafey," Gale said.

"His coaching achievements at Tigerland are legendary and he was a constant source of inspiration to the Yellow and Black.

"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."

The Tigers will organise a special tribute for Hafey at Saturday's game against Melbourne.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou says Hafey was an inspiration to some of the game's greatest players.

"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.

"Tom built a feared side that claimed four flags from five Grand Finals.

"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."

PERTH’S fashion world is reeling after the shock death of fashion designer Ruth Tarvydas.

Ms Tarvydas was found dead on the street outside her East Perth apartment at about 8am this morning.

The fashion icon opened her first boutique in the 1960s.

But her fortunes took a devastating turn last year when her company, RTI, was liquidated, just 12 months after she was forced to close the doors of her high-profile King Street boutique.

She maintained a store in Claremont thanks to the generosity of landlord John Bond.

Ms Tarvydas was best remembered for designing Rebecca Judd’s famous red dress that she wore to the 2004 Brownlow Medal beside now-husband and AFL footballer Chris Judd.