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Today will see Adelaide play Richmond in the AFL grand final. While this is the biggest stage either team has been on for a while, it’s of course not their first meeting.
All the wash-up from the 2017 AFL Grand Final
» Match Report: Tigers are premiers
» BUCKLAND: Richmond go from rabble to flag
» Six talking points from the match
» Richmond Tigers player ratings
» Adelaide Crows player ratings
» Watch video highlights from the match
» Re-live the match with our live blog
1991 R13
The Crows and Tigers meet for the first time in the AFL, in the Crows’ first season. The two sides could barely be split for the first three quarters of a low-scoring contest, with Adelaide leading by one point at the final change. However, a six goal to nil final term saw the newcomers record a 38-point win, their first win at the MCG.
The game though would be marred by claims from the Crows of violence in the stands towards their fans from Richmond supporters, which were ultimately dismissed by the AFL and Victorian Police.
1993 R16
Adelaide thrashed Richmond by a club record that still stands, 139 points. It was their third win in a row against the Tigers by over 90 points. Tony Modra booted a personal best, 13 goals, making it 23 for the season against Richmond after booting ten in the Crows Round 1 win at the MCG.
Leading by 49 points at the main break, the Crows kicked 15.8 to 1.2 in the second half with Tony McGuinness, Mark Bickley, Greg Anderson and Scott Lee all tallying more than 35 possessions.
Andrew Jarman and Nigel Smart kicked three goals apiece, but the star was Tony Modra who had the better of four opponents during the afternoon to finish with 13.4 from 24 disposals and ten marks, as well as collecting the three Brownlow votes.
1997 R2
The Tigers upset the Crows at the MCG in Malcolm Blight’s second game as coach, but it was comments from the eccentric figure after the game that made the headlines. In a post-match interview, Blight blasted ruckman David Pittman, labelling him ‘pathetic’. Pittman went possessionless for the game and managed just five hit-outs opposed to Brendon Gale.
Blight then went on to criticise the clubs culture and commitment. “You can understand why they finished 11th, 12th and 11th. I don’t think the Adelaide Football Club knows this is for real….”. However, he saved his most scathing remark for Pittman. “[He would be] the most pathetic ruckman I’ve ever seen in my entire life in footy.”
The Crows trailed by 41 points during the second term, but managed reduced the margin to one, before the Tigers steadied with the final four goals in the game. Pittman wouldn’t figure in the Crows’ next two matches, but returned in Round 5 to play every game of the season – bar the preliminary final when he was suspended – as the Crows went on to win their first premiership.
1997 R17
Robert Walls’ hellish 18 months as Richmond coach came to an end following a 137-point loss to Adelaide at Football Park. After taking over from John Northey at the end of the 1995 season, which had seen Richmond make a preliminary final, Walls had managed just 17 wins from 39 games. The Tigers were sitting in lowly 15th with just five rounds of the season remaining when the club terminated his contract.
Walls though, wouldn’t exit quietly, slamming the Richmond Football Club, saying that he was doomed from the moment he walked in the door. “People were hungover by the ’95 season when they won a lot of close games against teams that finished in the bottom half… the expectations surpassed the abilities of what’s there.”
Eight goals in each of the first two quarters had Adelaide on 100 points at half time and they would eventually rack up 29.11 (185) – their highest score in club history at the time. Darren Jarman booted seven goals while Mark Bickley and Brett James had 32 and 31 disposals respectively.
1998 R8
The Tigers recorded a famous win at Football Park when they upset the reigning premiers by 13 points, but it was once again Malcolm Blight whose antics stole the show. The Crows led by 19 points at three quarter time, but the Tigers stormed home with a seven goal to two final term.
With four minutes remaining in the game, Blight decided that he had had enough, departing the coaches box and walking the boundary line down to the changerooms.
2002
Two-time premiership star Kane Johnson departs the Crows to join his boyhood club Richmond. Johnson advises the club during the 2001 season that he was intent on returning to Melbourne, with the move happening ahead of the 2003 season.
The Crows agree to the trade, with Richmond’s Jason Torney involved in the exchange, along with a host of draft picks. Johnson would later captain the club for four seasons from 2005 to 2008, while the draft picks acquired by the Crows would play a role in disgraced Kangaroo Wayne Carey joining the club.
2006 R8
Richmond pulled off the seemingly impossible when they upset the ladder-leading Crows by three points at Docklands. The Tigers had managed just three wins for the season and had been thrashed by 20 goals the previous week by Sydney but under coach Terry Wallace, employed a super flood against an Adelaide side who were the premiership trendsetters a third of the way through the season.
The Tigers prevented the Crows from getting forward of the centre and once they had the ball proceeded to chip the ball around to sideways and backwards. The Bowden brothers – Joel and Patrick – had 62 disposals and 35 marks between them as Richmond aimed to frustrate the Crows.
Richmond led by 17 points at the final change, but as the game opened up in the final term, Adelaide were expected to run over the valiant Tigers.
However, Richmond held on to a famous three point win – their first over the Crows since 1999. The Tigers’ game plan divided the AFL community with Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy slamming Wallace over his ‘basketball tactics’. However, Sydney coach Paul Roos praised Wallace and went on to say it was strange for a coach to be criticised in winning a game of football.
2012 R14
Adelaide and Richmond meet for the final time at Football Park. The Tigers race out to a 33 point quarter time lead, with six of the final seven goals of the term. Taylor Walker boots the only three goals for Adelaide, while Jack Riewoldt has three for Richmond. The Crows respond with the opening three goals of the second term, but in a game of changing momentums, the Tigers still lead by close to four goals midway through the third term.
Trailing by just five points at three quarter time, the Crows hit the front for the first time in the opening seconds of the last quarter. Kurt Tippett boots three final quarter goals as the Crows pile on six goals to two and run out 19-point winners.
Taylor Walker puts the final nail in the Tiger coffin waltzing into an open goal to boot his fifth with only seconds remaining. Scott Thompson picks up the three Brownlow votes with 32 disposals and ten tackles, while Shane Tuck and Dustin Martin, with three goals from 20 possessions, are the best for Richmond.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith).
2014 R21
Brett Deledio inspires his side to a ten-point win over Adelaide at Adelaide Oval as the Tigers continued to make a late run for an unlikely finals berth. Having sat 3-10 at the midway part of the season, Richmond’s win over Adelaide was their seventh in a row, lifting them up to ninth on the ladder and just percentage behind the Crows who were sitting in eighth spot.
In a game played in driving rain, Deledio had 29 possessions and booted two goals as the Tigers staved off a late Adelaide charge. Richmond got the early jump and shortly before three quarter time in a low-scoring contest, they still held a 25-point lead.
However, five consecutive goals to the home team either side of the break had Adelaide in front for the first time in the game and they looked set to steal a vital win.
The Tigers though booted the last two goals of the game, first through Nathan Gordon and then Dustin Martin who won a crucial one-on-one contest deep in the forward line to kick the sealer. Damien Hardwick would later describe the win as one of his best in charge of the club.
Richmond would go on to win their final two home-and-away games to qualify for the finals, but would crash out in the first week, thrashed by Port Adelaide.
2017 R6
Adelaide and Richmond meet at Adelaide Oval in an early-season blockbuster. The Crows and Tigers were both undefeated following the first five rounds and with Geelong surprisingly losing to Collingwood, the winner would find themselves a game clear at the top of the ladder.
In a frenetic opening, 11 goals were kicked between the two sides with the Tigers holding a nine point quarter time lead. However, from there the Adelaide juggernaut clicked into gear. Rory Sloane continued his strong start to the season with 33 disposals and three goals, while Taylor Walker led allcomers with five majors.
Sam Jacobs was dominant in the ruck amassing 50 hit-outs, providing plenty of ball for the likes of Rory Sloane, Matt Crouch (38 disposals) and Brad Crouch (26). The Tigers could manage just two scoring shots in the next two quarters with Adelaide booting 13 of the next 15 goals and ultimately running out easy 76-point winners.
2017 grand final
Adelaide and Richmond are set to meet for the first time ever in a final, with both sides making the 2017 decider following lengthy grand final droughts. The Crows have made it for the first time since 1998 when they won a second consecutive premiership, while the Tigers break a 35 year drought since their last grand final appearance in 1982.
The Crows have been the benchmark for much of the season having sat on top of the ladder for all but five rounds this season. With two home finals, Adelaide steamrolled the Giants and Cats, while the Tigers, spurred on by a fanatical supporter base, beat the same two opponents to reach the final game of the 2017 season.
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