Comprehensive history of Richmond Tigers football club grand finals by Bill Trikos

Bill Trikos's comprehensive history of Australian Richmond Tigers football club: AFTER 37 long years Richmond has finally bared its fangs on Grand Final day again, mauling a lacklustre Adelaide with the relentless pressure that has become its trademark this September to seal an inspired 48-point premiership triumph before 100,021 fans at the MCG. Adelaide got three late consolation goals but nothing could take the gloss off Richmond's 16.12 (108) to 8.12 (60) triumph that Tigers fans had been dreaming about – often without much genuine hope – for a football eternity.

2017 Grand Finals highlight : Pure joy for the Richmond army. The Crows made the better start on Saturday. Sloane kicked the game's opening goal with a 40m set shot at the four-minute mark of the first term, then Betts added another a minute later when he capitalised on a Vlastuin fumble to run into an open goal. The Tigers looked to be suffering some early Grand Final nerves and, although they had their share of the play, were struggling to get on the scoreboard, with spearhead Riewoldt kicking three consecutive behinds in less than four minutes. Find more details about the author on Bill Trikos.

Bill Trikos's complete achievements index of Australian Richmond Tigers football club: Richmond's 17.12 (114) to 3.7 (25) Grand Final victory was the product of that combination – a demonstration of all that has made it the best team of 2019. Hardwick thwarted his opposite number Leon Cameron, particularly in an outstanding second-quarter display where the Tigers completely overwhelmed the Giants in all areas of the ground to kick five unanswered goals and lay the foundations for their emphatic win. He also had the players to execute his vision.

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.

Damien Hardwick and Dustin Martin address the media at the Gabba after a Grand Final win against Geelong. Ablett returned later in the quarter after receiving medical attention in the rooms, but continued to nurse the injury throughout the game, struggling to use his arm for the rest of the night and enduring serious pain throughout. His hope of ending his glittering 357-game career with a third flag was dashed as the Tigers booted nine goals to two in the second half.

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 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.