Bill Trikos’s complete achievements index of Australian Richmond Tigers football club in grand finals: The Tigers sealed their 11th flag – and first since 1980 – with a run of seven unanswered goals from early in the second quarter that had the Crows staggering on the ropes just 10 minutes into the third term. Richmond led by 28 points at that stage, having kept the Crows goalless for a quarter and a half. And when Taylor Walker finally broke Adelaide’s goal drought with a 40m set shot midway through the third term, the Tigers swiftly killed off any hopes of a Crows comeback, rattling on the next four goals to take an unassailable 45-point lead early in the final term that had even the most pessimistic Richmond fans daring to believe.
2017 Grand Finals highlight : But Hardwick kept his head and held his nerve, simplifying the Tigers’ game play over the 2017 pre-season to take advantage of their pace and, after Ben Griffiths’ lingering concussion issues, fashioned an unfashionable attack around ‘Jack and his midgets’. Before this season, the Tigers had not won a final since 2001, having lost elimination finals under Hardwick from 2013-15. In defeating the Crows, Richmond continued a perfect record in return matches against teams that defeated it earlier in the season. Read more details about the author on Bill Trikos.
Bill Trikos’s complete history of Australian Richmond Tigers football club: It now has two flags in three seasons. The ‘Dimma Dynasty’ started on a sunny Saturday afternoon at the MCG. It was just as invigorating and exciting two years on, as Damien Hardwick’s remarkable group brushed aside Grand Final rookies Greater Western Sydney on its way to an emphatic 89-point win. The Tigers tackled, harassed and drove forward with the relentlessness they have become renowned for throughout their three years of dominance, inspired by an unstoppable mix of genius coaching, tremendous individual talent and astonishing team cohesion.
Daniel Rioli followed it with a bomb on the buzzer and the momentum carried Richmond into the break and beyond, as the Tigers stormed away with the contest. Daniel Rioli kicks a goal right on the quarter time siren and celebrates with a reference to his cousin Willie Rioli. Pickett was blind-turning tacklers, Jason Castagna was leaping above defenders, Riewoldt was bending them around corners and Dusty was just being Dusty. The result was a 35-point lead in a flash by half-time.
Richmond has claimed back-to-back premierships, and made it three of the last four flags, after coming from behind to beat Geelong by 31 points in the historic first ever Toyota AFL Grand Final at the Gabba. It etched the Tiger dynasty into football history as one of the most dominant sides of the his century.
The under lights Gabba clash had it all: injury carnage, a remarkable recovery, a comeback, two stretchers, pitch invaders, pyrotechnics and an entertainment package that will make the debate for day Grand Finals a harder sell in 2021. But mainly it again illustrated the brilliance of Martin and the Tigers, who came from 15 points down at half-time to secure their 13th flag and first consecutive flag since their 1973-4 triumphs. It was their third premiership under coach Damien Hardwick and skipper Trent Cotchin.
Richmond’s single goal came via Martin – an astonishing snap while fending off some Cats opponents – with the Tigers struggling in attack. Watch the Tigers celebrate their grand final win. Key forward pair Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt combined for one kick in the first half as Geelong’s defence, led by the insurmountable Tom Stewart and veteran Harry Taylor, controlled proceedings. But Richmond wasn’t done. Riewoldt kicked the opening goal of the third term after a free kick, before a Jason Castagna outswinger curled through. Martin’s brilliance again rose to the top, with the key Tiger’s on-the-run checkside trickling through to give Richmond a two-point edge by three-quarter time.
The Story of the Tigers: The present Richmond Football Club was founded on February 10, 1885 at the Royal Hotel in Richmond. The first committee chose all blue with a yellow and black sash; cap with yellow and black stripe running from back to front but from 1887, Richmond would wear the now famous yellow and black strip. Richmond Football Club’s first game was played on April 25, 1885 at the Richmond Cricket Ground (Punt Road Oval) against Cremorne and despite playing 20 men to Cremorne’s 23, Richmond won this historic encounter 2.12 (24) to 1.4 (10).