Round 22, 1997

[Punxsutawney Phil]

With a game coming up against the tankers, and their precarious hold on a top 8 position, it has brought back some great memories of the game at Princes Park where we came from 5 goals or so behind and knocked them out of the finals race.

It was our first victory against Carlton at Princes Park since 1977
It surely convinced the board to hand the coaching job to the Giesch for 1998

I was standing with a group of mates behind the goals at the Heatley Stand end, and when Ben Harrison kicked the winning goal in the last quarter, we were going nuts. Expectations were high that with the Giesch in charge, 1998 was going to be a big year for our boys.....

Gee it would be good to knock them over again and ruin their September chances.

 

[LeeToRainesToRoach]

The best possible end to a non-finals season. And Gieschen still has the best record of any Richmond coach since Bourke. :-\

 

[AZZAMOOT]

I was there & yep it certainly lifted hopes for '98.....

I thought we were down by 40+ at some stage.

 

[Rosy]

One of my favourite games to be at.

Lots of injuries with both benches virtually non-existant later in the game.

Prescott was reported for time wasting while he was being stretchered off unconscious. The ridiculous charge was later withdrawn.

Benny marking on the goal square and instead of having a shot he tried to handball over SOS's head to Richo who was between the goal posts.

The hush over the crowd as we caught up and the dead silence as we hit the front was a wonderful contrast to the in your face sledging when the Blooze supporters were confident they had the game in the bag.

Blues fans getting off the tram crying as Tiger fans sang our song in full voice after the game.

 

[Total Tiger]

One of the best atmospheres of any game I've been at. With us being a bit pampered with home games at the G, I used to hate going to the suburban grounds, but there was something about that game being at Princes Park that added to the atmosphere. 3/4 time was electric.

 

[Honeybuns ON FIRE]

Brilliant game of footy! Definitely top 2-3! Get the video out every year at least, my auntie taped it off optus vision as it was at the time! That cheer when the siren went was something else, and the 3 quick goals in the third term still gets me out off the couch and jumping all over the place! Ross Funke split his chin open tackling Matthew Hogg and it resulted in a goal to Matty Rogers straight out of the centre square!! Richmond faithful behind the goals at the "outer" end going mental, i was standing close to the wing, from where blighty let his torp rip, and remember just seeing the fans go up behind the goals.

The best things were
-Carlton ONLY needed to win to make the finals
-THey were something liked 43 points up
-Justin Madden was in commentary and was talking up the blues finals match next week during 2nd term
-It was Sticks Kernahan's last match!! Great stuff. Also Mil Hanna I think. Kernahan most of day off ground with an injury!
-Ben Harrison, EX-CARLTON, kicked the winning goal!

What a great day at the footy! The last TRULY suburban game of football, 35,000 jammed in, very tough, hard match, and we won our last ever match against Carlton at Carlton!