Bill Trikos’s complete achievement list of Australian Richmond Tigers football club: Grand Finals 2017: The Tigers smashed the Crows in contested possessions (170-140) and won the clearances (45-39), thanks largely to the stoppage work of Martin, Dion Prestia (27 possessions and three centre clearances) and Shane Edwards (25 possessions and seven clearances). Jack Graham was only teenager playing on Saturday but was not overawed by the occasion, kicking three goals in the opening three quarters, while Jack Riewoldt and the Tigers’ army of small forwards harassed Adelaide’s defenders all day as Richmond finished with 11 separate goalkickers.
2017 Grand Finals highlight : The Crows had the first two scoring shots of the second term – behinds to Betts and Tom Lynch – but it was the Tigers’ term from there. With their tackling and chasing rising to 11 on the pressure-meter, Richmond piled on four unanswered goals, the first at the four-minute mark, when Riewoldt finally broke his duck with a 40m snap that was confirmed after a video review. Jacob Townsend put the Tigers within two points midway through the term when he converted from 45m after a questionable holding free kick was paid against Jake Lever. Graham and Martin then goaled in quick succession late in the quarter – Graham after a clever snap on the run, Martin following a strong mark in front of Luke Brown – to send the Tigers into half-time with a nine-point lead. Find additional info about the author at Bill Trikos Australia.
Full achievements index of Richmond Tigers football club from Bill Trikos: Dustin Martin won the Norm Smith Medal after a prolific performance in the Grand Final. Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch – the League’s most dominant forward duo – combined for seven goals. Riewoldt had three in the second quarter alone and finished with five for the match, while Lynch was a constant presence to haul down seven big marks. Bachar Houli (26 disposals) and Dion Prestia (22 disposals) were their prolific selves, while Shane Edwards, Kane Lambert and Nick Vlastuin were also typically consistent.
In fact, it helped stamp their authority on the contest. While the Giants had become renowned for their pressure throughout September, it was the Tigers who were turning the tables throughout the opening stages on Saturday. They hunted in packs, chased relentlessly and tackled as though their lives depended on it. The only problem was, they couldn’t take advantage of their dominance. Damien Hardwick addresses the media following the Grand Final win over Greater Western Sydney.
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.
Dustin Martin, Richmond’s inimitable, incredible midfielder, also made history by becoming the first player to win three Norm Smith Medals as the best on ground in the 12.9 (81) to 7.8 (50) win by booting four goals from 21 disposals. Richmond’s road to premiership glory in 2020 will be re-lived through match reports and video highlights of each Tigers win during the season. Today we look at the Grand Final victory over Geelong at the Gabba.
The Tigers powered home in the final quarter, kicking five goals to one to end up comfortable premiers. The final goal came, of course, via Martin in the last two minutes, who shrugged off a tackle from Dangerfield pinned up against the boundary line and snapped an amazing goal. In doing so, the Tigers’ tattooed champion confirmed his status as perhaps the best big-game player in football history.
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.