The second of four key forwards recruited by Richmond from Tasmania (the others being Royce Hart, Matthew Richardson and Jack Riewoldt), Roach was an enormously popular player whose career did not quite live up to expectation because of injury and constant shuffling of his position by the club.
As a junior player at Westbury in Tasmania, Roach won state representation and he was selected to play senior football for Longford in 1975, aged only 16.
Richmond talent scout Harry Jenkins, who had discovered the by-then legendary Royce Hart, rang the Tigers with a succinct message: "I got another one for you."
In the off-season, new Tiger coach Tony Jewell urged Roach to continue his weight training with the lure of the regular full-forward position.
Capable of goaling from a long way out, Roach raised standards among key forwards by regularly employing his non-preferred foot when kicking and often handballed to a teammate in a better position even when within scoring range.
In the ensuing years, video of the mark has been played countless times on television while a photograph of Roach sitting atop a pack of Hawk defenders was reproduced as posters, bags, men's ties and even as a carpet pattern.
The milestone was reached two games before the finals against Melbourne at the MCG, typically, with a long drop punt from inside the centre square that followed a strong mark on the lead.
Continuing this form the next year, Roach won the inaugural Coleman Medal for the VFL's highest goalkicker during the regular season.
This worked very well until Taylor, seemingly set to kick a century for the year, was injured mid-season in a meaningless night fixture.
In the semi-final against Carlton, Roach was switched to centre half-forward at the start of the game, catching the Blues off-guard and he was a great player in a strong win.
With the club plunged into turmoil by player discontent and numerous transfers, Roach stayed loyal to Richmond, but Taylor was preferred as the full-forward for 1983–1984 with only moderate success.
Although the Tigers struggled badly, Roach tied for fourth place (coincidentally with Brian Taylor) on the VFL's goalkicking table with 80 goals.
In 1988, under new coach Kevin Bartlett, Roach played just three games for the year as a defender, and his key forward position was given to youngster Jeff Hogg.
All the while he continued to maintain strong links with Richmond, living in the suburb and he had a great thrill when his son Thomas was drafted to the Tigers under the father–son rule, in 2004.