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Hey guys. I got asked to write a little piece by a local independent magazine about the Tigers a couple of weeks ago. Here is what I wrote for those interested:
September.
The month that sends the footballing world into overdrive. The same month that is a culmination of 10 months of planning, hard work and sacrifice for those select few good enough to venture forwards in their search for the most prestigious piece of silverware the AFL has to offer, and a chance to etch their name into footy folklore.
It is also a month that for the most part, a legion of loyal, die hard supporters had not been a part of for a decade. It is a month that, for over three decades has rarely been seen by the once proud Richmond Football Club. Save for the old timers and those who reminisce on video tapes, not many of the current day Richmond supporters were alive to see the powerhouse their side were in the late 1960's and throughout the 1970's, spurred on by the legendary (and now late) coach, Tom Hafey.
Dubbed as the "Hafey Years" by Richmond aficionados, it soon became the club's greatest era in their long and proud history. Fast forward three decades later, and fans still hang their hats on that as the best moments of the Richmond Football Club. A sad indictment on what was to unfold to this once powerful club in the aftermath of the 1982 Grand Final loss to bitter rivals Carlton.
Players were poached from the Tigers, and in an effort to flex it's muscle the Tigers then set about poaching other players. Thus began what is widely regarded as the defining moment in the decline of one of the VFL's oldest, and most successful clubs. The catalyst from being club powerhouse to near bankruptcy and shafted to the wilderness of Australian Rules Football.
So, it is little wonder why, 12 months ago, with the Tigers having sewn up a finals berth with a few rounds to play, that it as not just the Richmond Faithful who were up and about, but the entire city of Melbourne. Yellow and Black was the flavour of the month, for the first time since 2001. The club was heading in the right direction. "Richmond in the finals is good for football" seemed to be the general consensus.
Essendon were ejected from finals, and replaced by Carlton, the team that is widely regarded to have been the turning point in fortunes of the Richmond Football Club. A team that had the wood over the Tigers in their recent encounters, and a team that knew how to shut the Tigers down. What unfolded in the first half of that game, from a Tigers standpoint were great signs for the Tigers. The hard, fast, uncompromising football that had seen them win 15 games in the Home and Away season saw them command a healthy lead, despite a hamstring injury to Reece Conca.
However, Richmond fans had seen this before. Up by a handful of goals against Carlton, only to see the Blues run over the top of them in the second half. This very scenario had occurred just weeks before the finals campaign, and almost happened in their round 1 encounter. The Tigers seemed to always choke when it came to leading against Carlton. The second half was Deja Vu for the Tigers. Brandon Ellis, who was close to being best on ground in the first half, had been completely shut out, denying the Tigers any form of momentum or run. The Blues clamped down the Tigers running game style and thanks to Nick Duigan and Chris Judd, the Blues once again ran over the top of a Richmond team who had choked, much to the amusement of the wider footballing public.
The off season, promised by the Tigers staff and players, would be uncompromisingly tough, in an effort to remedy the disaster of the elimination final. That was what the club forced down our throats in every club media release, and player interview in the leadup to season 2014. What eventually transpired over the course of the first 14 rounds of 2014 left many Tigers supporters and members angered, sure, but disappointed as the all too familiar false dawn looked to be rearing it's ugly head upon the folk with allegiances to the Yellow and Black.
And then it happened. After sitting in 3-10 and percentage off being in last position, the Tigers surged in the second half of the season. A number of finite disappointment so despised by Punt Road brethren now became a number of infinite hope for those same people. That number, is 9. As the Tigers surged late in 2014, it started the cacophony of 9th jokes from the majority of footballing public. Hell, as a Richmond supporter and being 3-10, 9th was something that, despite having that distinct Richmond feel about, I would gladly have accepted. It boiled down to round 23, after the Tigers scraped into the top 8 for the first time the previous week against eventual Wooden Spooners St. Kilda.
A win against the Swans would secure the Tigers their first consecutive finals appearances since their back to back Premierships in the mid 1970's. A win would dash the hopes of fellow finals aspirants West Coast and Adelaide and would abruptly end their season.
Tackling the Swans in Sydney would be the Tigers biggest test. No Ben McGlynn, No Josh Kennedy and the late news of Lance Franklin being omitted gave the Tigers a little glimmer of hope that this season could still be alive, for another week, at least. And so it unfolded. The Tigers burst from the gates quickly, piling on several unanswered goals and comprising a big enough lead to keep their dream alive. A late flurry of missed opportunities by the Swans, followed up by a contested mark to retain possession by Ben Griffiths was enough to seal the win for the Tigers and a back to back finals appearance for the Yellow and Black.
Hope began to build. With that win, it was certain the Tigers would have to travel to Adelaide Oval to take on the struggling Power, who despite being on top of the ladder for a fair amount of time, had not been in great form in the second half of the year, polar opposites to the Tigers fortunes, as chance would have it. The Tiger Army began to roar. It was to come up against a club they had the wood over. A club they had not lost to for some time.
And then it happened. The game seemed lost early in the week amongst comments made in their previous encounter to a clash jumper bungle from the AFL. When the game rolled around, the Tigers supporters were out in full force. Buses were hired, planes were chartered all to ferry the loyal and diehard Tiger Fanatics to the City of Churches in the hopes of seeing even more September Action.
Hopes of such action for the Tigers were all but dashed at quarter time. Opting to kick against the strong and swirly breeze saw the Power absolutely roll the Tigers in the first quarter. A Blitzkrieg of hard, two way running, pressure and hardness at the contest that left the Tigers shellshocked and psychologically paralysed for the rest of the game. Unlike 12 months previous, the Tigers never even stood a chance. Yet again, the Tigers had failed in finals.
September.
A month that offered hope and a chance at glory, but instead delivered nothing but ridicule and heartache. It is a month that, in the last 2 years, has inflicted pain and emotional scarring onto an already beaten and broken supporter base. A month that almost had a reverence that not many Tiger Folk could understand. A month that will have left a bitter taste in everyone associated with the Richmond Football Club from staff and players to the newest supporter. A month that we, as part of the Richmond community despise and hope to erase from our memory.
A month that, in 6 months times will complete the circle and again offer us hope and the chance at glory.
September.
September.
The month that sends the footballing world into overdrive. The same month that is a culmination of 10 months of planning, hard work and sacrifice for those select few good enough to venture forwards in their search for the most prestigious piece of silverware the AFL has to offer, and a chance to etch their name into footy folklore.
It is also a month that for the most part, a legion of loyal, die hard supporters had not been a part of for a decade. It is a month that, for over three decades has rarely been seen by the once proud Richmond Football Club. Save for the old timers and those who reminisce on video tapes, not many of the current day Richmond supporters were alive to see the powerhouse their side were in the late 1960's and throughout the 1970's, spurred on by the legendary (and now late) coach, Tom Hafey.
Dubbed as the "Hafey Years" by Richmond aficionados, it soon became the club's greatest era in their long and proud history. Fast forward three decades later, and fans still hang their hats on that as the best moments of the Richmond Football Club. A sad indictment on what was to unfold to this once powerful club in the aftermath of the 1982 Grand Final loss to bitter rivals Carlton.
Players were poached from the Tigers, and in an effort to flex it's muscle the Tigers then set about poaching other players. Thus began what is widely regarded as the defining moment in the decline of one of the VFL's oldest, and most successful clubs. The catalyst from being club powerhouse to near bankruptcy and shafted to the wilderness of Australian Rules Football.
So, it is little wonder why, 12 months ago, with the Tigers having sewn up a finals berth with a few rounds to play, that it as not just the Richmond Faithful who were up and about, but the entire city of Melbourne. Yellow and Black was the flavour of the month, for the first time since 2001. The club was heading in the right direction. "Richmond in the finals is good for football" seemed to be the general consensus.
Essendon were ejected from finals, and replaced by Carlton, the team that is widely regarded to have been the turning point in fortunes of the Richmond Football Club. A team that had the wood over the Tigers in their recent encounters, and a team that knew how to shut the Tigers down. What unfolded in the first half of that game, from a Tigers standpoint were great signs for the Tigers. The hard, fast, uncompromising football that had seen them win 15 games in the Home and Away season saw them command a healthy lead, despite a hamstring injury to Reece Conca.
However, Richmond fans had seen this before. Up by a handful of goals against Carlton, only to see the Blues run over the top of them in the second half. This very scenario had occurred just weeks before the finals campaign, and almost happened in their round 1 encounter. The Tigers seemed to always choke when it came to leading against Carlton. The second half was Deja Vu for the Tigers. Brandon Ellis, who was close to being best on ground in the first half, had been completely shut out, denying the Tigers any form of momentum or run. The Blues clamped down the Tigers running game style and thanks to Nick Duigan and Chris Judd, the Blues once again ran over the top of a Richmond team who had choked, much to the amusement of the wider footballing public.
The off season, promised by the Tigers staff and players, would be uncompromisingly tough, in an effort to remedy the disaster of the elimination final. That was what the club forced down our throats in every club media release, and player interview in the leadup to season 2014. What eventually transpired over the course of the first 14 rounds of 2014 left many Tigers supporters and members angered, sure, but disappointed as the all too familiar false dawn looked to be rearing it's ugly head upon the folk with allegiances to the Yellow and Black.
And then it happened. After sitting in 3-10 and percentage off being in last position, the Tigers surged in the second half of the season. A number of finite disappointment so despised by Punt Road brethren now became a number of infinite hope for those same people. That number, is 9. As the Tigers surged late in 2014, it started the cacophony of 9th jokes from the majority of footballing public. Hell, as a Richmond supporter and being 3-10, 9th was something that, despite having that distinct Richmond feel about, I would gladly have accepted. It boiled down to round 23, after the Tigers scraped into the top 8 for the first time the previous week against eventual Wooden Spooners St. Kilda.
A win against the Swans would secure the Tigers their first consecutive finals appearances since their back to back Premierships in the mid 1970's. A win would dash the hopes of fellow finals aspirants West Coast and Adelaide and would abruptly end their season.
Tackling the Swans in Sydney would be the Tigers biggest test. No Ben McGlynn, No Josh Kennedy and the late news of Lance Franklin being omitted gave the Tigers a little glimmer of hope that this season could still be alive, for another week, at least. And so it unfolded. The Tigers burst from the gates quickly, piling on several unanswered goals and comprising a big enough lead to keep their dream alive. A late flurry of missed opportunities by the Swans, followed up by a contested mark to retain possession by Ben Griffiths was enough to seal the win for the Tigers and a back to back finals appearance for the Yellow and Black.
Hope began to build. With that win, it was certain the Tigers would have to travel to Adelaide Oval to take on the struggling Power, who despite being on top of the ladder for a fair amount of time, had not been in great form in the second half of the year, polar opposites to the Tigers fortunes, as chance would have it. The Tiger Army began to roar. It was to come up against a club they had the wood over. A club they had not lost to for some time.
And then it happened. The game seemed lost early in the week amongst comments made in their previous encounter to a clash jumper bungle from the AFL. When the game rolled around, the Tigers supporters were out in full force. Buses were hired, planes were chartered all to ferry the loyal and diehard Tiger Fanatics to the City of Churches in the hopes of seeing even more September Action.
Hopes of such action for the Tigers were all but dashed at quarter time. Opting to kick against the strong and swirly breeze saw the Power absolutely roll the Tigers in the first quarter. A Blitzkrieg of hard, two way running, pressure and hardness at the contest that left the Tigers shellshocked and psychologically paralysed for the rest of the game. Unlike 12 months previous, the Tigers never even stood a chance. Yet again, the Tigers had failed in finals.
September.
A month that offered hope and a chance at glory, but instead delivered nothing but ridicule and heartache. It is a month that, in the last 2 years, has inflicted pain and emotional scarring onto an already beaten and broken supporter base. A month that almost had a reverence that not many Tiger Folk could understand. A month that will have left a bitter taste in everyone associated with the Richmond Football Club from staff and players to the newest supporter. A month that we, as part of the Richmond community despise and hope to erase from our memory.
A month that, in 6 months times will complete the circle and again offer us hope and the chance at glory.
September.
