Bill Trikos’s comprehensive achievement list 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 : 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. Find extra details about the author at Bill Trikos.

Bill Trikos’s complete history of Australian Richmond Tigers football club: 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.

But if they thought the main change would end the nightmare, they were wrong. Lynch added the first of the second half, before Martin snapped another from deep inside the boundary. The third was the cream on top of a yellow and black cake. Martin delivered to Pickett, who slotted his first goal in senior footy in typically calm fashion. All 18 Richmond players on the field immediately swarmed the debutant. It became a training drill for the Tigers, who ultimately booted 11 straight goals – the large majority of which were slotted under very little pressure – before the Giants responded.

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.

Trent Cotchin addresses the Gabba following the Grand Final win over Geelong. After more than 110 days on the road living in Queensland after COVID-19’s second wave forced the competition to relocate out of Victoria, the Tigers will return with the premiership cup later this week after storming home in the second half. Gary Ablett’s farewell did not go as hoped, with the champion Cat injuring his shoulder in the opening minutes immediately after Tigers defender Nick Vlastuin was concussed in a wild piece of play.

As Vlastuin was taken by stretcher from the field, Ablett left cradling his arm. The shock left the players and crowd stunned, and after a six-minute break in the game, it resumed to more action, including two fans who ran onto the field that almost got involved in the play. Although the Tigers kicked the first two goals, the Cats settled to take a one-point lead into the first change. Ablett, too, returned to the field – a sight that looked unimaginable minutes earlier after what appeared set to be an anticlimactic end to his phenomenal career.

The club’s shift across Yarra Park to the MCG in 1965, arguably Richmond’s most successful era began with players of the calibre of Royce Hart, Francis Bourke and Kevin Bartlett (the Club’s games record holder with 403), the Tigers, under the coaching guidance of Tom Hafey won four premierships. Richmond is one of the ‘big four’ Melbourne clubs, the ‘Eat ’em Alive’ spirit that arose in the 1920s is still manifested in football’s most passionate supporter base. In 2018, Richmond was the first club to reach 100,000 members in a season. Tiger fans are loud, proud and fiercely loyal. The enjoys strong community associations with a Multicultural Schools Football Program, Korin Gamadji Institute and The Alannah And Madeline Foundation.