AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has given Richmond’s success-starved army of supporters a cheeky reminder their 37-year wait for an AFL flag hasn’t ended yet.
The Tigers will host a preliminary final next week and are just two victories away from clinching their first title since 1980.
“Contrary to popular belief in Melbourne, Richmond actually haven’t won the premiership; I know it feels like that broadly everywhere,’” McLachlan said in Sydney before the semi-final between Greater Western Sydney and West Coast.
“Kevin Bartlett is already claiming they will win the premiership in a gold jumper and that will clash with their silver premiership medallions, apparently it’s a colour clash, but they haven’t won (yet).
“If Richmond don’t win the premiership, I’m probably going to move up here to Sydney to escape the aftermath.
“Having said that, if they do win it I may move up here as well to escape the aftermath.”
McLachlan was impressed by the masses of Tigers supporters that watched their side overwhelm Geelong in last week’s qualifying final at the MCG.
He compared them to the White Walkers from the hit television series Game of Thrones.
“There’s 100,000 of them, they can’t seem to be killed, that’s what it felt like,” McLachlan said.
Minor premiers Adelaide will host the other preliminary final and McLachlan couldn’t resist having a little dig at normally dour Crows coach Don Pyke, after their big win over GWS last week.
“They were so good that it’s been reported that even Don Pyke was seen smiling for half a second,” McLachlan said.
He noted Crows supporters also relished the dramatic ending of local rival Port Adelaide’s season in their extra-time home loss to the Eagles.
“Maybe the only people as happy as the Eagles fans were the Crows fans who told me it was their favourite Port Adelaide loss ever,” McLachlan said.
“They certainly barrack hard in South Australia.”
Leonard
Guest
Would footy, us, the game and its clubs, all be better off if the AFL;'s CEO was heard of little and seen even less? (His middle name isn't Kochie is it?) And if the 'AFL' itself did less pee-cee spruiking for the fad de jour, and more dealing with the game's and the League's real problems? Like, for example, why fans of the two competing clubs can't get into the MCG on their One Day of the Year? And, how come every second jerk can get GF tickets to raffle, hawk, flog and prostitute, but dinky-di footy fans can't?
Mattyb
Guest
It's tigertime Gilligin,and the sooner we accept it the easier it will be to cope. Tigertime will be a tsunami,people need to either hop on board the bandwagon and ride the wave or be crushed by its weight and enormity. We have already seen Geelong fans try to deny what is unfolding,and they were left battered,bruised and embarrassed.
fabian gulino
Roar Rookie
One word to Gil and they AFL,its tiger time.
phil.osopher
Guest
What he didn't say: Contrary to popular belief, GWS do have supporters and I personally know both of them.