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Votes and Notes this week by Lauren Clearihan (@LozzzaC)

Walking up from Punt Road, fresh from a Richmond VFL win, sunshine and blue sky welcomed Tiger fans to the MCG. Today is such a different day, with Richmond already locked in the 8, all the Ninthmond jokes have well and truly been put where they belong, in the bin.

The jungle drums are beating and the lights are on, and today we are home, daring to dream of finals and a top 4 finish.

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First Quarter

Polka Dot beanie on for good luck and because it’s freezing and we’re kicking to the city end. Townsend opens the scoring with a goal.

Grimesy’s lays a tackle over the boundary. How far he has grown, from being a one trick pony with the golden fist, (you must punch everything) to becoming such a complete player almost like Alex Rance V2.

Grigga marks and goals. Saints have a lot of the ball (it was a lot of behinds and I don’t really have any interest in St Kilda) but it’s kind of hard to work out if this is the same Saints that played us back in Round 16 in the comfort zone of Etihad.

Go to Town, because after a great passage of play Jacob has his 2nd. And I realise that I don’t actually care if St Kilda has changed, I just want us to have changed, I mean any effort had to be better than that game.

Poncho activation time. St Kilda scores, not great here at the moment.
Ponchos everywhere are activated and Dusty tears the roof off the sucker and scores.

Light rain turns to a steady shower and Dusty is everywhere all of a sudden.

18 points lead at quarter time, I’d tap that. Oh and did I mention that it’s freezing, I may have frostbite from taking notes.

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Second Quarter

Edwards misses and it’s still in the 50 and Grigga soccers a goal. And then The Pres. (Prestia) causally swings on his right and scores a goal which somehow remarkably remains untouched as it bounces out of reach over the line for a goal. (I think that’s worth paying him a lot of money for, that was nice).

Ripping tackle by Rio, unrewarded, what a rip off and he’s winded (so much grimacing, but great to see teammates go to his aid). Meanwhile amidst all the medics rallying around Rio, Classic Towners, kicks another goal. Remind me where he’s been all year?! No, seriously, he is so calm around goals and a fantastic kick, why were we not playing him over Tyrone?????

And then there’s that other Jack guy, been a bit quiet but had all of the arms and legs over him. Yes, we have the better Riewoldt, and Jacky boy scores his first.

Exciting steal by Lambert, mark by Edwards and we head forward again but only for a rushed behind.

The new Jack, (do we have a nickname for Jack Graham?) Let’s just call him Jack II, and he marks on the chest and goals. 58-8. Gosh I love this version of Richmond and it’s nice to get back at the Saints after the embarrassment of Round 16.

Another Jack marks this time Billings for the Saints. Dusty’s dodgy handball turnover and Saints score. Jade Gresham is everywhere kicking his first and then a minute after his second.
All of a sudden the “Wake up Richmond” cries come from the crowd.

Everyone hating on Carlisle because he’s wearing that ugly white long sleeve jumper and he’s pretty much wanting to relive the Mayweather vs McGregor fight on every Richmond player.
Cotch lays a tackle and it’s holding the ball. Hello El Capitan. Cotch goals, we all relax a bit.

Fair bit of play in the back line, and it is at this point I have a Nick Vlastuin appreciation moment as he paces calmly along the backline and kicks the most precise of passes. He is so strong, a fierce competitor and has killer ball skills under pressure.

Saints do some more footy stuff and then Tosh turns the corner and hits up the Butler and we are all served with a goal on the half time siren. Crowd applauds. Rich 71 lead Saints 27 44 points up at half time. Crowd seems pretty happy with that.

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Third Quarter, “The Premiership Quarter” (Spoiler alert: Definitely no premierships were won in this quarter and we didn’t win the quarter).

Kick to kick cancelled. Massive boooooos from the crowd.

Quarter starts of with a Bruce goal. Wow hello Richmond, are you out there? We are totally faffing around with the football when we get it.

Somehow frees are a plenty for Josh Bruce today, he seems keen to win a Logie for Best Actor, and earns another free as he jumps 5 hours too early, but luckily for us he misses everything. We can’t seem to get it out of the Saints forward 50. Game has turned scrappy. Saints goal and Richmond appear to have gone to sleep. All the things we were doing in the first half have gone. Cotch has his head ripped off, not once, but twice and it’s called holding the ball. Good times, not. Crowd starting to come to life. More frees to St Kilda and it’s 16mins into the quarter and still no Richmond goal.

Bruce gets another free but misses.

Finally, Jacky Boy marks and pumps it home from outside 50. Sweet relief. And that was a good goal.

Yet another free to Bruce, he kicks forward, and there’s a mark and goal to the retiring Nick, cousin of Jack. It’s a back to back Riewoldt cousin goal fest. Gosh you’d be happy to be in the Riewoldt family with these two guys. Saints score again and uh oh Richmond, it’s 24 points the diff.

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Everyone is starting to get Jack of all the Jacks and Jades for St Kilda. Also does anyone play for St Kilda who has more than 4 letters in their name? Koby, Jack, Jack, Jake, Jade, Jack, Jack, Nick?
The Butler fails to deliver a goal and the crowd scream “Lock it in”. The now infamous Mosquito fleet have gone AWOL.

Richmond’s discipline and support system is extremely poor in this quarter. One goal to four not good enough. Too many loose players.

Rich 79 to Saints 54, too close for my liking, 25 point lead to the Tiges.

Fans grimacing. Hate being well beaten in a quarter.

And we are doing so many dumb things.

I want top 4 you guys.

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Final Quarter

We’re kicking home to the Punt Road End.

Kick the footy someone. Apparently at this point in time no one wants to have a shot.

Next minute, lookout, there’s a don’t argue, and there it is, a Dusty special.

And then it’s Dusty again soaring along the boundary hitting up Townsend.

Dusty runs off to the interchange and receives a standing ovation.

Are we bribing him with love and adoration? Um hell yes.

Townsend goals. Again everyone high fives, seriously Dimma is this part of a secret plan we aren’t privy too? BECAUSE IT’S AWESOME.

The good Richmond is back. And there we all have it, an I love Alex Rance appreciation moment.

His polar opposite appears in Jake Carlisle, what rubbish he dishes up sometimes.

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Saints miss and it’s at this point I don’t even care. And they miss again.
I honestly have no feelings for saints. But then Saints hit the post and the crowd scream “Get it out of there”.

Another Don’t Argue and Martin let’s go a pass to Grigga and he goals on the run.

Everyone hating all of the Saints and the umpires and Richmond play unaccountable footy as Gresham scores and kicks his forth.

Prestia has it again and The Pres. makes something from nothing and he has his second.

Jack marks, goals and congrats on reaching 50 goals for the 2017 season, meanwhile Dusty gets his second standing ovation as he goes to the interchange.

Cotch comes to the bench and gets a standing ovation too. Cotch appreciation moment – how far has he come since last year! That is a statement not a question. He is an amazing human. Crowd collective swooning.

50m penalty and Towners has it. Classic Towners now has 5 goals and that rounds out 2 games for a total of 11 goals.

Saints goal but it’s all yellow and black now as the crowd realise we will be Top 3 and we have snared two chances to win a final.

Another Saints goal.

Did I mention Richmond are top 4? Let’s talk more about the Tiges.

Dusty receives another standing ovation.

A Dusty chant goes up around the ground.

Siren. Pack up your ponchos because it’s time to celebrate.

Saints guy goals after siren no one cares.

We win by 41 points, but again no one cares.

Song starts – everyone shares pure joy as they high five, embrace and sing the song.

I just can’t help but quote Lord of the Rings “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us”– Let’s make the most of opportunities and if the Bulldogs can do it – then why not us?

Why not?

Richmond are third on the ladder, with a final at the MCG and a double chance.
Let’s Dare to Dream.

In any weather, Go Tiges.

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The Votes

5 Dusty – With 3 Richmond Adoration/Bribery/Standing Ovations, The Ian Stewart Medal, 36 disposals and 2 goals and innumerable don’t argues and goal assists.

4 Cotchin – Also the receiver of a Richmond Standing Ovation, I love this man. A Captain’s goal but he’s just so tough, he can handle the pressure thanks to finally having support from his teammates. The amount of times he was tackled excessively, he just goes and goes.

3 Jacob Townsend – Um Hi Towners, where have you been all of our lives? Dimma’s secret weapon goes again with a bag of 5 today, 11 goals in two weeks.

2 Prestia – The Pres. was puffing out that barrel chest – and maybe just maybe he plays better without his best friend Josh Caddy (sorry Josh I do miss you). The Pres. is hitting his stride just in time for finals – the time off has done him the world of good.

1 Dylan Grimes – You have come so far this season.

Honourable mentions: Grigg, Rance and Neil Balme for coming back to Richmond.

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Leaderboard

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