Embed from Getty Images

Until those glorious weeks of September 2017, all my generation had ever known was pain. Born in the 1980s, our first memories are generally of the bankrupt club languishing on the bottom of the ladder. We’d go through alternating cycles of mediocrity and irrelevance, with only Richo to brighten our spirits every week. Finals seemed to be the domain of other more competent clubs. But it did not stop me from imagining, from dreaming, from hoping, that one day, the premiers might well be Richmond.

Then it happened, so suddenly, so beautifully. Everything I’d ever dreamed of arrived from nowhere. It took me almost a day to hit me, sitting on the wing of Punt Road Oval, watching the replay, with tears streaming down my cheeks. We’d done it and Richmond were premiers!

As I reflected on the journey of a lifetime, supporting this wonderful club, suddenly a fear struck me. Now that we had reached the promised land, would any of this feel the same again?

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Fast forward eighteen months, and a season that had started with plenty of promise had seemingly collapsed in the blink of an eye through a combination of injury, poor form and suspension. Port’s midfield is actually pretty stacked, I begin to prepare myself for a ten goal plus loss. Wines, Powell-Pepper, Rockliff, Boak. With Ryder and Lycett going in tandem against Nank all afternoon, feeding them. This is going to get messy. Or so I thought.

Embed from Getty Images
I love that we asked Sheds to captain. It’s been such a joy to watch him grow as a person, as a leader, ever since he arrived at Punt Road all those years ago. It took him 13 games before he played in a winning side, and an eye watering 205 before playing in a winning final. Now he’s a premiership player, an All-Australian and forever will now be a captain of the Richmond Football Club.

He wins the toss. Reassuringly for me, watching far away on television, he kicks to the opposite end of the ground to what Cotch did all those years ago. It’s a good omen, I say to myself, trying to reassure myself, even if I have no idea what way the wind might be blowing.

We bravely throw eighteen-year-old debutant Jack Ross into the centre square for the first bounce of the game. We’re rewarded when he wins the first clearance, leading to a mark to Lynch inside 50. He misses, but we look up for this most difficult of challenges. Frustratingly though, Port goal through Brad Ebert on their first foray forward.

The remainder of the first quarter plays out as I expect. Port are on top, although their lead is a modest 8 points. Our effort was commendable, but Port were able to control the ball for most of the quarter and caught us on the counter a couple of times. The highlight of the quarter is unquestionably Noah Balta’s intercept and run through the middle of the ground setting up Josh Caddy’s second goal.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

In the second quarter, we look the Tigers of Old – that is the Tigers of late 2017. Our pressure across the ground is fantastic, and we move the ball quickly and aren’t afraid to smash the ball forward. It feels like a glimpse into our future as well, as Jack Ross dominates the quarter, and has 15 touches to half time. Bolton shows all of his considerable talent. My favourite moment is Ross winning a tough clearance, dishing the ball out Balta, whose 70-metre kick ends up with Bolton in the pocket, who snapped the goal. I certainly hope the three of them play plenty of footy together, we’re all in for a lot of fun over the next few years if that is the case.

The siren rings out to signal half time. I’m proud, every bit as proud as I was during September 2017. We may be behind but the effort has been phenomenal. It had been an impressive half from a young team. I tweet out two words “I believe.” I do. But deep down, I think about all those young Tiger legs out there. Surely, eventually, they will start to fade.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Port make the initial running in the 3rd quarter, but both Ryder and Ebert miss opportunities to make us pay. Ryder does however nail a shot from outside 50 to extend the margin somewhat. But then, the momentum swings, suddenly and decisively. Thanks to some good work in tight by Higgins and Stack, Rioli is able kick long to Lynch alone inside 50. Lynch runs into an open goal, and is foolishly pushed after he had kicked – a double goal and from nowhere we are in front.

Sydney Stack is next to bob up, getting a skilful crumb and the ball out to Baker, who snapped truly. Just one minute later we’re on the board again through Lynch, snapping a goal after a Higgins shot fell short. Our midfield is suddenly on top and our forward is functioning beautifully.

I can scarcely believe it. We’re dominating the play. We’re 15 points up. I begin to truly believe.

Then it happens.

Kamdyn McIntosh had been good. Under no pressure at half back, he decides to uncharacteristically pass it backwards inside defensive 50. The kick falls short and puts Broad under tremendous pressure, eventually bouncing between his legs. Sam Gray swoops on it and kicks an easily yet undeserved goal. It feels like a significant moment.

Poor Kamdyn. Within 60 seconds, he would again be under pressure, punching a ball out of bounds. He was pinged for delibrate. Another goal ensures. In a blink of an eye, all the work is undone; momentum is back with the Power. I expect them to overrun us now.

Embed from Getty Images
Toby would step up. It’s amazing to think he has only played 51 games in the yellow and black and 63 overall. He already feels to me to be one of the leaders of the club. We need a goal. After a free from a ruck infringement, he goes back. I back him in and he delivers. We have a chance.

Port pull one back just before three quarter time. I still fear for our Tiger cubs’ young legs. But I’m bursting with pride as the players run to the huddle.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Rioli opened the scoring in the final quarter, following a sensational kick from Menadue. But his gettable set shot missed. A small buffer would be built up after Lynch drew a 50 on the wing and converted his shot from just inside the 50.

Momentum would soon swing again. Balta tackled Drew hard close to the Port goal and was most unfortunate that the ball slipped out just a little to early, and Port were back within a kick. Stack, who’d backed up his sensational debut well, kicked out on the full without any pressure allowing Port a forward 50 entry which they were able to turn into a Wines goal. Port were back in front. It appeared that our brave fight was about to come to an end.

Digging deep, we’re able to snatch the lead back. Some slick hands from Bolton released Lambert who kicks long to Caddy and Lynch. Caddy brought it to ground, Lynch held it up long enough for Caddy to go for a long range soccer effort, it bounced, and bounced and bounced through for a goal! Eight minutes to go and we are ahead.

Embed from Getty Images

Grimes, who had played a quarter for the ages, finally made an error. After yet another spectacular intercept mark, his clearing kick could only find Dan Houston still inside our defensive fifty. Under considerable pressure, he put Port back in front. It’s now going to hurt more, I think to myself, that we got this close.

Almost immediately, hope is restored. We win the clearance; Lynch created the contest and brought the ball to ground. Castagna’s handball finds McIntosh. He’s on the wrong foot. It doesn’t matter. The snap is ugly yet perfect and bounces through the middle. Oh boy, redemption is sweet! Tiges back in front!

There are four minutes to be played out. Agonisingly, the majority of time would be played out in Port’s forward fifty. Fourth gamer Xavier Duursma, who has the chance to break Port out of jail. No doubt with heavy legs, he shoots from not far out, but on an angle. The kick only scrapes through for a behind. We dodge a bullet.

Our lead is just a single point. There is no margin for error. Sheds takes it upon himself to take the kick out. With Vlastuin’s assistance, we get the ball outside 50. But it comes it comes back in once more. Grimes marks. Again. In the last quarter, when the clearances and the inside 50s started to go against us, it was Grimes who held the dam wall up. It had been effort every bit as good as Rance’s against the Swans in 2014. One hundred seconds was all now that separated us from an equally unlikely triumph. I start to count them off in my head.

Jack Ross’s debut had been as impressive as any I’ve seen. He still had a couple of decisive interventions to play. He won the contested ball on half back. His handpass finds Caddy, who belts the ball forward, finding Baker out the back. Lynch had run hard, and was able to mark inside 50. The shot was no certainty, and in fact, all but a mirror image of his shot in the first minute of the game. But Tiger fans across the country would soon rise as one as our new champion slotted his sixth. We were almost home.
40 seconds to go. We just needed to win a clearance and get a clean possession.

Prestia won the clearance, but puts the ball out of bounds. “Deliberate” cries the crowd. The umpire agrees. 32 seconds. Port kick long down the line. Jack Ross brings down a contested mark. We’ll win it now. I’m hit with a wave of adrenaline. We’ve gone to Adelaide, against a pretty good team, without our four best players and without our two best half backs and we’ve done it! After the start to the season we’ve had, it’s bloody sweet. Certainly one of the greatest home and away wins of the Hardwick era.
The siren sounds and a couple of tears roll down my cheeks. It had meant a lot. I’d missed this feeling, of winning against the odds. My heart is full of pride and love. Most importantly, I realise my worries were unfounded. I realise that all those feeling for the club that I love are still there, and will be with me as long as I live.
Embed from Getty Images

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Benny Votes 

5- Dylan Grimes – Was a colossus in defence, holding Grey and Westhoff and playing the Rance role taking plenty of intercept marks. One for the ages.

4- Shane Edwards – Took to the captaincy like a duck to water, continuing his excellent form. Was simply brilliant off half back. 

3- Tom Lynch – Six goals. Worked hard. Kicked straight. Took his opportunities. Got us over the line with five goals in the 2^nd half.

2- Jack Ross – Twenty-five possessions, winning the ball on the inside and using it well on outside. Another gem we’ve discovered.

1- Toby Nankervis – I could have given this final vote to about 12 different players, but I chose Nank for his lionhearted effort against two quality rucks.

Leaderboard

Edwards 14
Grimes, Lynch 12
Vlastuin 4
Cotchin, Broad, Stack 3
Lambert, Martin, Ross, Nankervis 2
Rioli 1

Embed from Getty Images
We board the bus. I already feel empty. It is my first live game of the season. Normally, there is a familiar combination of excitement, anxiety and hope. Not this time. Just 16 days previously, we were flag favourites. However, what the footy gods giveth, they can quickly take away. Our shot at redemption has felt mortally wounded ever since Alex Rance.

It is the Capital Tigers annual pilgrimage to the footy. I am fortunate enough to have the means to be a flying tiger, where I am semi-regularly able to get down to Melbourne and other cities to join the tribe and watch my team play. For many of us though, this is our only chance for the year, and despite the odds, and my own feelings, there is a sense of excitement in the air.

Our trips to Sydney over the years have truly been the best of times, and the worst of times. Without question, the highlight was 2014 against the Swans, riding a wave of emotion and with the most unlikely finals births in history in sight, the elation of getting five goals up with fifteen minutes and the tense final quarter, interrupted only by Dustin Martin’s running goal. This single moment remained unrivalled even throughout the 2017 finals as a pure moment of energy, excitement and ecstasy.

On the other hand, the utter despair two years later, when the Swans were 20 goals up at three quarter time. At the time, it seemed an entire generation of Richmond talent had been wasted and the promised land may have well been situated somewhere in Andromeda Galaxy. Little did we know…

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Embed from Getty Images

In a post premiership world, it is a little easier to take the fact that we are missing five of arguably our ten best players (Rance, Riewoldt, Caddy, Grimes and Houli) so my expectations are well in check. “I just want to get close to them, to have something to believe in for the rest of the season” I reason.

Nonetheless, within minutes, the season goes from bad to worse. Short, outnumbered deep in defence, courageously makes a contest and holds the ball up, but only to emerge with a distressing elbow injury. What more can go wrong in 2019, I ask myself. (Spoiler alert, plenty).

The refreshing contrast to this is our debutant, Sydney Stack, a player whose very presence on the field represented a significant triumph in itself. An early kick does go out on the full, but it is not long before he has a chance to redeem himself. A 50 metre penalty helps bring the young defender to the edge of what might be possible, and with all the composure in the world, he went back, hit it sweetly and it split the middle. It was a wonderful moment as the players ran from everywhere.

Despite the severe lack of personnel, we are up for the fight, and the effort is good. Rioli, after patchy form in the first two games, slots a brace of goals to announce his return to form, putting us up at quarter time, and despite Short’s injury, the visiting supporters were cautiously optimistic.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Embed from Getty Images

Unfortunately a brain fade from Dusty would start the second quarter, earning him a week’s holiday and costing the Tigers any momentum we would have, gifting the Giants a shot in front of goal. Things would get worse a few minutes later, when Rioli clashed with Phil Davis on the half back flank. Sitting just metres away, the noise it made was horrific and I immediately feared he had cracked a set of ribs. Incredibly, he would return to the ground and would even snag an additional goal – the kid is tough – but clearly he was pushing through the discomfort.

There are bright spots. Tom Lynch, who has a kicking motion better than any player alive who isn’t named Tayla Harris, keeps us in the contest with a couple of goals. Sydney Stack continues to impress down back, both rebounding from defence – no small feat consider he already lost help in this area with Short going down – but with several solid defensive efforts. It is early days, but it appears we have unearthed a gem.

Lynch’s second goal brought us within two goals, but in classic pre-2017 Richmond, we give up a goal on the half-time siren.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Embed from Getty Images

We do our best to hang on during the third. Early on Cotchin disappears; we later discover he is yet another addition to our already lengthy injury list. Lynch keeps us in touch with a couple more goals. GWS stretch our defence and Dimma throws the magnets around, Balta back – he acquits himself well under difficult circumstances – Vlastuin forward and McIntosh is thrown in to ruck at a couple of centre bounces. However, GWS continue to edge away. We enjoy a late quarter run of form, but asides from an opportunistic snap from Lambert, we cannot take advantage and we are unable to get the margin under four goals.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

In the final quarter, it all gets away from us. We are two rotations down, plus Rioli is clearly sore and the intensity of his first game finally, and most understandably, begins to tell on Stack’s young legs. The dam wall breaks and the Giants run rampant, a run of six goals only broken by a piece of Snags Higgins brilliance. Eventually the siren rings out and we have been done by 49 points, and have lost our captain and best rebounding defender. 2019 has not started well.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Embed from Getty Images

We gather our group together and wait for the bus. News of Cotchin’s hamstring filters through. We let out a collective sigh. One of our number is upset, angry at everything from selection, to coaching, to our list management. I think it is a little harsh given we were premiers just over a year ago and the mountain of injuries. Unfortunately the right words fail me, so I let him go, hoping at least he finds it cathartic. Eventually the bus arrives and we quietly pile on for the long journey home.

I myself am not quite sure how to feel just yet. We are only 1W-2L. Just three weeks ago we were flag favourites. West Coast won the flag last year without Naitanui and Gaff. All of our injured players except Rance will be back in a month. I am aware too, that premierships are difficult to win and this disruption makes it harder still. It will help us in the long run to get games into Balta, Garthwaite and Stack, and to try see if we can find some more gems. But I’m finding as each games passes this year, the more I am retreating back to my happy place, those three glorious games of football in September 2017.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Embed from Getty Images

Benny Votes 

5 Shane Edwards – Is it possible he is still improving? A true leader and a well-deserved honour for him to lead the team out next week.
4 Tom Lynch – Worth every cent. Still finding match fitness, but his beautiful straight kicks kept us in it for most of the afternoon.
3 Sydney Stack – Best debut since Dean Polo? Looked great with the ball in hand and stood up defensively as well.
2 Kane Lambert – Battled hard along with Sheds on a day when Cotchin was injured and Dusty did not resemble Dusty.
1 Daniel Rioli – Dan’s back! After two weeks of indifferent form, was back to his brilliant best until slowed down somewhat by that hit. But respect for playing on.

Leaderboard

Edwards 10
Lynch 9
Grimes 7
Vlastuin 4
Cotchin, Broad, Stack 3
Lambert, Martin 2
Rioli, Nankervis  1

Seven hours driving and finally I arrive at the MCG. I’m home. The feeling never goes away. The way the heart flutters that little bit faster whenever you see someone wearing yellow and black. The exchanged nods and “c’arn the tiges”. We’ve all walked the same path, experienced the same highs and lows. It is this sense of camraderie, this sense of belonging, that keeps bringing me back to Melbourne for so many games. Standing at the Punt Road End, as the team runs out on to the field. It is the one place where I truly feel I belong.

Embed from Getty Images

The game finally starts. Then my heart sinks. Before the first goal of the match is scored, Jack Riewoldt is out. Carlisle’s careless and forceful spoil collects him on the head. Even from the stands, it’s clear he has got no idea where he is. My stomach churns a little. Jack is escorted off. He’ll be ok, he’ll be looked after. My mind immediately starts to re-assess the game. One player down. Six-day break from Perth. A lot of tired bodies from a series of physical encounters and short breaks. No Dylan Grimes to keep Jade Gresham in check. Trouble.

Embed from Getty Images

If any one player epitomises what it is to be a modern Richmond player, it’s Kamdyn McIntosh. What he lacks in skill he more than makes up for in heart and effort. He so brilliantly demonstrates this mid-way through the first quarter. Conca kicks long to him on the wing, but he is surrounded by Saints, and it’s Brandon White who is in prime position to mark. McIntosh spoils, then tackles, then lunges, then tackles again, before ultimately winning the footy and getting it out to Dusty. I rise to my feet and start applauding. Frustratingly the opportunity to goal is missed. We’re just a little off.
Embed from Getty Images

We go in at quarter time nine points up. It’s far from the sharpest quarter of our season. But Cotchin is looking very much like the Brownlow medallist that he is, and Jayden Short is dominating off half back, hitting targets at will. But there is an additional concern. Bachar.

When he crossed to Richmond, I immediately fell in love with Bachar. It’s more than his silky left foot. He is not Jacob Townsend. You can see that the physical side of the game, putting his body on the line, does not come at all naturally to him. Yet, for years now, contest after contest, you see him do it anyway. That for me is the definition of courage. I love him for it.
Anyone who watches Richmond closely knows how important Bachar is. The key to defeating 2012-2015 era Richmond was to take him out of the game. Our form tanked for many reasons in 2016, but a significant one was Bachar’s injury. It gave me so much joy to see him play well in last year’s Grand Final, so long overlooked by the broader footballing community, now everyone got to see just how brilliant our half back is.
We were now down two rotations, including our best key forward and our best half back. Modern footy is dependent on rotations and it’s rare for a team to win when two men down for so long. A sense a doom comes over me. It would get worse.

Embed from Getty Images

Enter Snags Higgins. His enthusiasm for the game is so infectious – so infectious in fact it only took the Tiger Army a single game to come up with a nickname for him. While more than deserving to wear our jumper, he has demonstrated a weakness in his set shots. He had marked on fifty. No one expects him to kick the goal. He takes a couple of steps to open the angle a bit, kicks long and straight. It’s a goal. That’s how it looked from the stands. That’s how it looked to the umpires who call it a goal, while sending it for review. That’s how it looks on the replay too. Except for the goal review system is clearly broken, they don’t even bother to review all the angles before overturning the decision. Snags loses his moment and the Tiger Army is ready to riot.

Embed from Getty Images

The momentum then swings. The Saints kick the next four to set up a handy two goal lead. St Kilda fans might be in a minority, but they are making a lot of noise. They are beginning to believe. It reminds of another time, when the shoe would be on the other foot, and we’d be going head to head with a Sydney or a Hawthorn with a mediocre team. Still two players short, I begin to reconcile myself to the inevitable defeat.
But we need not have worried, for we would have an unlikely hero. Nick Vlastuin, who spent much of the first half of 2017 playing as a depressingly ineffectual pseudo key-forward, was recast in the role. But this time he thrived. We all know ice flows through his veins, his 50-metre goal against Geelong in the Qualifying final is testament to this, and he didn’t disappoint, slotting back-to-back set shots to steady the Richmond ship. He’d go on to kick a third and set up another for Josh Caddy once the tide turned back in our favour.

Embed from Getty Images

Dusty, who in my mind has clearly being struggling with some sort of niggle for most of the season, steps up from there. His influence is decisive and far exceeds his two goals. The Saints can’t go with him and we break the game open.
Josh Caddy further makes a mockery of the second-round pick and the fourth-round pick upgrade (which netted us premiership hero Jack Graham) that Geelong let him go for. Caddy played both as an elite forward and a more than adequate midfielder. Six goals, an Ian Stewart Medal and a spot in the top 5 in the Coleman medal is due reward. After Caddy’s fifth goal, which put us four goals to the good, I let out a loud cheer which is equal parts joy and relief. This game had been a hard road. Far tougher than it appeared on paper and the victory had been truly earned. There is still something about this team.
I drive back happy, and immediately start planning my next trip home.

Embed from Getty Images

Votes
5 votes: Josh Caddy
4 votes: Trent Cotchin
3 votes: Nick Vlaustin
2 votes: Jayden Short
1 vote: Dustin Martin
Unlucky: Rance, Nankervis.

Leaderboard