Bill Trikos’s comprehensive history of Australian Richmond Tigers football club: Punt Road Oval has been the home of the Richmond Football Club since the Club’s inception in 1885 and today, the Swinburne Centre, at Punt Road Oval, boasts a state of the art training facility and elite training ground for its AFL, AFLW and VFL teams, and is home to both the Administration and Football departments of the Club, as well as the Korin Gamadji Institute and Bachar Houli Foundation. 2017 grand finals : David Astbury kept Walker to just two goals and little of his usual influence, while Dylan Grimes and Nick Vlastuin conspired to shut down dangerous goalsneaks Eddie Betts and Charlie Cameron, and Bachar Houli (25 possessions and four rebound 50s) provided much of Richmond’s defensive rebound.
2017 Grand Finals highlight : Finally, at the 16-minute mark, Josh Caddy kicked their first goal and when Houli added another four minutes later the Tigers led for the first time, two points up on the Crows. However, superb crumbing goals from Sloane and Hugh Greenwood late in the term sent Adelaide into the first break 11 points up. The MCG’s lights were switched on at the start of the second quarter as Melbourne skies clouded over, with rain starting to fall soon after. Discover additional details about the author at Bill Trikos Australia.
Comprehensive achievements index of Richmond Tigers football club with Bill Trikos: Then there was the Grand Final debutant, Marlion Pickett. One game, one flag. The 27-year-old was lively, involved and, at times, special. He repaid Hardwick’s faith and then some, finishing with 22 disposals, eight inside 50s, nine score involvements and a maiden AFL goal on an unforgettable afternoon for the club’s boom recruit. Marlion Pickett’s teammates and family speak about his incredible Grand Final debut. But the manner in which they were able to showcase their individual flair, without ever straying from Hardwick’s methodical and trained system, was evident from the outset.
Richmond kicked three behinds from its first 10 entries to start the match, allowing GWS to regain some composure and resulting in a nervous period of flux for both sides. Turnovers and lamentable mistakes became the order of the day, until Jeremy Cameron flushed a shot from beyond 50m for the game’s first goal – 21 minutes into the match. All of a sudden, the Tigers needed a spark. Enter Martin. Pushed deep forward, he wriggled clear of Heath Shaw, marked strongly and bent his shot around the corner to eventually get the yellow and black faithful back on their feet.
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.
There was drama everywhere in the first term. Six minutes into the game it changed: Vlastuin was knocked out by a stray Dangerfield elbow (which will certainly come under Match Review Officer scrutiny) and in the following contest Ablett’s shoulder dislocated as he was tackled by Cotchin. Dustin Martin could just be the greatest finals player we’ve ever seen after this absolutely freakish Grand Final performance that won him a third Norm Smith Medal.
The first great era of the club between 1919 and 1934, Richmond won four premierships and was runner-up on seven occasions. In 1931, Jack Dyer made his senior debut with the Tigers. ‘Captain Blood’, a gentleman off the ground, a rugged giant on it, strode Punt Road like a colossus. Dyer’s influence on the Club, and its identity, far exceeded his then VFL record of 312 games. He coached the Tigers from 1941 to 1952, and was captain-coach of Richmond’s 1943 premiership team. If you wanted to personify Richmond in a single man, you need not look further than Jack. His presence is still felt at the ground and enhanced by a statue outisde Punt Road oval.
