Tigers Roaring run not done yet

Richmond Football Club, for better or worse, is always the focal point of any story they’re involved in.

This is largely thanks to a supporter base that rates off the charts when combining the axes of long-suffering and passionate. The rest of the football world thrills to build the Tigers up in order to delight in the catastrophic failure that will follow as surely as night does day.

It is schadenfreude of the highest order.

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Sydney fans were put off by all the attention Richmond was receiving in the lead-up to their clash last week. What about us, they asked. We’re only sitting on top of the ladder and have won 16 of our last 17.

Sorry, Swans fans. Nothing will make you feel more irrelevant in the Australian Rules heartland than coming up against a resurgent Richmond aiming for nine wins in a row and a fairytale finals berth.

Much has been made of the number of consecutive wins the Tigers had to put together to scrape into eighth spot, but little of the circumstances.

Five times they had to beat a side above them on the ladder. Five times they started underdogs. Three interstate trips were undertaken and conquered.

Clawing back a deficit at the 25-minute mark of the last term after conceding five straight goals to Adelaide. Withstanding the onslaught of an incensed West Coast once Tyrone Vickery had gone all ‘tigers of old’ on Dean Cox.

It’s easy to look back from the lofty perch of finals and determine that Richmond didn’t beat much on their run, but when you’re three out of 10 half a season after finishing fifth on the ladder, every molehill is a mountain.

To rise up on nine consecutive occasions to make the finals from their perilous position is nothing short of extraordinary – unprecedented in the history of the AFL – and miraculous enough. But what about other circumstances that had to go the Tigers’ way?

Richmond wouldn’t have made the finals if Adelaide hadn’t given up a two-goal last quarter lead against North Melbourne in Round 22 or if West Coast hadn’t found a way to lose to Essendon after being 34 points up in the third term in Round 21.

In fact, between them, Adelaide and West Coast gave up five last quarter leads during the Tigers’ run. Any one of them, if converted to wins, would have sounded the death knell for Richmond’s surge to finals.

The other beauty of the Tiger streak is that the major challenges have had an increased degree of difficulty along the away. An out of form Port in Melbourne. A moderate West Coast in Perth. A warm Essendon on Friday night at the MCG. A hot Adelaide in their hometown. Top of the ladder Sydney in Sydney.

Now for the biggest challenge yet, trying to tame Port’s power.

Despite their fifth position on the ladder, Port are ranked third in both defence and attack. They run hard forward and even harder back. Their ball movement is frenetic and dizzying to the opposition. Everything about them is high-octane, particularly on the Adelaide Oval.

The Power’s forward options are plentiful and dynamic. The backline are unheralded but effective. Their midfield bats deep in both brains and brawn, skill and toughness, inside hardness and outside flair.

Stopping all of them is impossible. Dulling their effectiveness is the only recourse.

Robbie Gray is Tiger enemy Number One, and must be contained at all costs. Opposition coaches generally aren’t up to the task, as evidenced by him taking out their award this season.

Richmond did well to keep him to only fifteen touches last time around. Pity about the four goals though. If he doesn’t get you through the midfield (and he will), he’ll get you on the scoreboard (and he will anyway).

But the Tigers are roaring, and flying high on confidence.

The midfield has been strong and willing, led by the physicality of Ivan Maric, inspiration of Trent Cotchin and stoppage power of Anthony Miles.

Brandon Ellis has gathered enough weight of possession to launch himself into the All-Australian squad of 40, Nick Vlastuin grows before our very eyes each week and Nathan Foley leaves no stone unturned with every action performed for the betterment of the team.

The defence has been meagre, with Alex Rance drawing on every fibre of his being to get his team over the line, supported by the experience of Chris Newman and Troy Chaplin, hardness of Steve Morris and Jake Batchelor and run of Bachar Houli.

Jack Riewoldt has had a career best season, shorter on goals than in previous years but longer on grit and work ethic. Ben Griffiths is finally displaying more than glimpses of the talent we’ve all heard about and the move of Brett Deledio forward has been long overdue, but something of a masterstroke nevertheless.

If Richmond can get their customary fast start, and stay in the game deep into the final quarter, they have the most feared one-on-one weapon in the league to secure the result. Dustin Martin is his name, and kicking match-winning sealers is his game.

Surely winning nine elimination finals in a row is the best preparation for a 10th.

You back the golfer with the best play-off record when the situation arises, don’t you? The one that consistently delivers the goods under the severest pressure?

The miracle run of the Tigers is not over yet. There is still magic to be made this season. Watch out Perth. The Richmond noise is coming your way next.