Your Greatest Tiger memory ever…

[Tigertough1974]

I was 6 in 1980, as great as that period was i was to young to enjoy.

Flew back from HK for 2017 GF, best sporting moment of my life, so many memories of the night before with old friends (lived abroad now for 19 years) at The London, so many on the day and the last few years.

For me the realization and the hugging and tears started with Grigga's handball over the top to Lambo who put us in an almost unlosable position... Right then and there we had broken the curse that i often felt was real..

Amazing memory and very thankful.

 

[taztiger4]

When we ran out for the 2017 Prelim will take some beating.

Best non game day experience was walking to Ticketek agency @ Rod Laver the Monday before 17 GF to collect my tickets, I was shaking like a leaf & had tears in my eyes

 

[tigertim]

30/9/2017.

 

[5SKULL5]

#1
Standing on beer cans as a kid in the then open spaces behind the City end goals in 1973 on GF day.
Watched my Tigers win Under 19's, Reserves and Seniors all on the one day.
#2
Marking the ball that Michal Roach kicked his hundredth goal v Melb in 1980 again at the open space City end.
I turned around to run off with the ball down the stairs, only to find 2 huge coppers standing there, so i had to boot the ball back.

 

[Ridley]

2017 GF. The whole finals series was remarkable but this was the culmination, the zenith. When I was a kid Richmond was the club; we were an absolute powerhouse of the VFL. Then after 1982 came 37 years of heartache and being the butt of jokes for everyone else in the AFL. So to finally achieve the ultimate after so long was ecstasy.

The last and only GF I had seen us play live was 1982. I went with my dad. In 2017 I took my son. Unfortunately my dad was long gone but my wife was also there as well as a great mate I have been going to the footy with for over 20 years. My brother and sister weren't sitting with us but we met them in the stands after the game. The last quarter was a blur; a dream. There were many tears shed; I can't recall after which goal they started when I finally let myself believe. Maybe Butler's? Or Prestia's?

The after game celebrations were brilliant; first the Killers at the ground then the walk down Swan Street eventually ending up at the Rising Sun. What a remarkable day. It still lives on watching the replay of the game where we saw ourselves sitting in the crowd. And that sensational documentary "Break the Fall" which showed different camera angles and we saw ourselves on quite a few occasions; we saw ourselves go absolutely nuts when Dusty outmarked Brown from the centre clearance just before half time.

What a day.

 

[TrialByVideo]

Firstly, thanks @Scoop for starting this thread because I've thought about my favourite memory often and how lucky I was that it helped forge my love of Richmond..... but in reality it is probably more about the love I have for my mum.
Mum had 'migrated' from country WA at 17 and decided the Tigers, having the same colours as her home state, were the team to support.
That's my lucky part!
Every time I've stood on what's left of the terrace at Punt Rd, I've thought of a freezing night cuddled up with her as 44 gallon drum fires burned away, waiting for that early morning moment when 1967 final tickets went on sale.
As a 7yr old kid I had no idea the sacrifices my mum, having been left deserted with 3 young children, would have made even to afford those tickets and though they were standing room in probably the worst spot at the G, the joy of being there with her on grand final day still remains.
That's my love part! Thank you mum, I love you ❤

 

[Tenacious]

I was at the 2017 GF.

At half time I got up to stretch my legs and break the intensity of watching the game and feeling cautiously optimistic about our chances.

As I looked along the aisle, about 10 seats to my left, an old fella in a Tigers scarf was doing the same.

Our eyes met and he said "We've got 'em rattled, haven't we?"

Despite all the noise and people moving around, I could see and hear him clearly. It was like we were in a vacuum, almost a religious vision. And suddenly I just knew we really did have them and that we were going to win.

I nodded and said, "yeah mate, I reckon we have".

I then spent the rest of half time wishing for the game to restart cause I just knew we were going to win. And I spent most of the last quarter wanting the game to go on forever.

Great story. Did you catch up with the old bloke again after the game?

 

[Whacker]

So many!!!

#1 - 1973 GF. Had been to the '72 GF and watched us kick the second highest score ever in a GF, only to lose by 27 points to Carlton (thereby cementing a life long hatred of that *smile* team) with Jezza, Walls and Nicholls kicking 19 between them. Went to the '73 GF with my 2 best mates at the time, one a Tiger the other a totally mad Blues supporter who wore a signet ring with CFC on it. Early in the first qtr at the Punt Rd end, Fowler runs through Nicholls and you could hear it around the ground. My CFC mate is standing up crying alternating between saying "Get up Big Nick, get up!" and "You bastard Fowler". We were never going to lose that match.

#2 - 2017 QF. The noise from the Tiger faithful that welcomed Geelong as they ran onto the G wa such that I wouldn't have been surprised if they had turned around and ran off.

#3 - 2017 PF - the noise when we kicked 2 goals in the first 30 seconds. I can still recall just looking around with wonderment at 90K of the 95K present were wearing yellow and black.

#4 - 2017 GF - sitting in a cafe in Swan St with my 3 adult children just taking it all in and so happy they had finally experienced and understood what it meant to see a Richmond Premiership

 

[Tenacious]

Some great stories here that I can relate to as well including being able recall each of the “recent” 8 flags and attending ‘73 and ‘19 (and ‘82 - not so good)

But the biggest thrill/relief was to have broken what was a 37 year drought for my brothers and I - but which had been a lifetime drought for our collective kids. This bunch of cousins had been Tigers from birth and attended games as members for decades. But many times over the years we elders would sit down after a game and ask ourselves “what have we done to these kids?”.

 

[RYAN4]

Hello my fellow Tigers, after many, many years of reading posts on this site, this is my first post.
As a 17 yo I attended the 1973 Prelim Final.
The great Royce Hart was played off the bench due to a knee issue, Collingwood was dominant in the first half and led by 6 goals at half time, and the pie supporters took great delight telling we tigers about it.
Just as the third quarter started T-Shirt Tommy Hafey let loose Royce from the bench, in his graceful manner Royce ran forward towards our goal, demanding our defender to roost the ball his way, the entire tiger army went crazy, it was an electric moment as Royce (as always) took an elegant mark, then weaved through a few pie defenders,and with the power he possessed in his magnificent left foot slotted a goal (post high) from 50 out.
To elevate my view from my standing room only ticket I was standing on top of discarded beer cans, with my back against a concrete wall, in my excitement l fell from this position onto a few magpie supporters who gave me a whack. I steadied myself on the cans again and watched the great Royce Hart tear Collingwood apart and march the mighty tigers into the GF, which incidentally, despite his knee being worse for wear for the hit out in the Prelim, Royce was magnificent in the GF the following week as we defeated the blues to take the Cup in 1973.

 

[eZyT]

Number 2 is 2 weeks later, Swan St after the PF win over the Giants. There with a lot of family. Went into a pizza place and ordered the special, Tiger Pizza. Black olives with a stripe of pineapple. We all agreed it was the best pizza we ever ate, and a procession of fellow fans who saw us eating it, asked where we got it, and went straight over to order one.

Tremendous.

yeah its a tough field but im going with the 2017 prelim too.

straight after the final siren, I went for a *smile* at The G, and the euphoria was palpable.

I started screaming a hoarse rendition of Tigerland, not caring if anyone joined in.

I was just so, purely, happy.

everyone joined in and the fold back off the stainless steel urinal

gave it a unique sound.

old men and young boys sang with complete abandon.

we were going to the big dance.

2nd and 3rd would be looting Swan ST BWS after the flag and then being gently persuaded out of Richmond by the riot squad at dawn while a few hundred very drunk and euphoric chanted 'wooooooooooo JAAAAAAAASON CASAAAAAAAAAGNE'

we owned the town that September

 

[Sammy Cougar]

Another one here born in the 60s so can thank my Dad for my love of The Mighty Tigers (rest of family mostly Collingwood) taking me to all Richmond Grand Finals before i started going to the footy on my own
67 GF as a kid at the G seeing us win after 24 years , 69 beating The Blues , 73 & 74 back to back , 1980 front row in the cheer squad, 2017 Front Row level 2 behind the goals Punt Road End , 2019 Standing room
Greatest Games for me in no order 1973 Preliminary Final , 2017 Preliminary Final , 2019 Preliminary Final, 2017 Grand Final, 1980 Grand Final, 1994 vs Adelaide at Football Park, 1995 Semi FInal vs Essendon ill stop there i could go on and on
Love This Club The Mighty Tiges Richmond Football Club

 

[eZyT]

When we ran out for the 2017 Prelim will take some beating.

Best non game day experience was walking to Ticketek agency @ Rod Laver the Monday before 17 GF to collect my tickets, I was shaking like a leaf & had tears in my eyes

yeah I was crying at the drop of a hat GF week.

A busker was singing 'take me home country road' at the parade,

and I just burst into tears and blubbered.

a lifetime of emotion.

 

[Scoop]

Firstly, thanks @Scoop for starting this thread because I've thought about my favourite memory often and how lucky I was that it helped forge my love of Richmond..... but in reality it is probably more about the love I have for my mum.
Mum had 'migrated' from country WA at 17 and decided the Tigers, having the same colours as her home state, were the team to support.
That's my lucky part!
Every time I've stood on what's left of the terrace at Punt Rd, I've thought of a freezing night cuddled up with her as 44 gallon drum fires burned away, waiting for that early morning moment when 1967 final tickets went on sale.
As a 7yr old kid I had no idea the sacrifices my mum, having been left deserted with 3 young children, would have made even to afford those tickets and though they were standing room in probably the worst spot at the G, the joy of being there with her on grand final day still remains.
That's my love part! Thank you mum, I love you ❤

This is magic. This is why it’s more than a game.

Always has been about the people you share it with.

The journey. Don’t stop people, keep sharing…

 

[Brian H]

Dusty to Reiwoldt to Prestia goal at the end of the third quarter, second qualifying final vs Geelong 2017.

To that point the whole match had been surreal. We were harder, hungrier and frankly dominant for most of the match to that point but hadn’t capitalized on the score board. Geelong had hit back, kicking multiple goals in a row for the first time all game. At the time it felt like we were on the verge of heartbreak yet again but it wouldn’t be. At the most important moment of the match and to that point the season, in the most un-Richmond like way, we produced the most sublime piece of play I’d ever seen from a Richmond team. Everything after that was innevitable.

Special mention to the Rance spoil on Walker in second quarter of 2017 GF. From that point on we just went to work on them. Completely dominated and in the process broke the Adelaide FC apart. Good times.

I love the Dion goal - probably my favourite ever - because its the symbolism for me for the moment we stood up and became the ferocious tigers again (and it involved dusty - the bloody legend). I also love the Kane Lambert snap in the 2017 GF - purely because I got to hug my wife and kids at the game and screamed "we are bloody to going to win this" - it was something I always dreamed of doing at a GF, but thought I never might.
The celebrations at the cricketers and then Swan St after 2017 GF were the best ever - pure utter joy - I probably hugged scoop and thousands of other Tigers supporters. We sang, danced, drank beer and enjoyed all the things it is to be a Richmond supporter - its something that other clubs will never have.

 

[Scoop]

Dusty to Reiwoldt to Prestia goal at the end of the third quarter, second qualifying final vs Geelong 2017.

To that point the whole match had been surreal. We were harder, hungrier and frankly dominant for most of the match to that point but hadn’t capitalized on the score board. Geelong had hit back, kicking multiple goals in a row for the first time all game. At the time it felt like we were on the verge of heartbreak yet again but it wouldn’t be. At the most important moment of the match and to that point the season, in the most un-Richmond like way, we produced the most sublime piece of play I’d ever seen from a Richmond team. Everything after that was innevitable.

It’s amazing how many people reference Dusty destroying Stewart on the wing as the moment everything changed forever.

When Dusty bounced the ball it spun back head high, it was almost like he and the ball were connected. The brutality of the win followed by the graceful gallop away. For everything Dusty has done, it might be my go to memory for him.

That 2017 finals series was lightening in a bottle stuff. Every week was a moment.

This year will top it if it happens, back in our home, back with our people, lot of work to be done before then tho.

 

[Baloo]

30/9/2017.

There are a few but ultimately it's that date. Despite having tickets I wasn't able to fly due to medical issues. So I sat on a couch on my own and watched the game. When they showed Benny crying I lost it. Even though I made it to the 2019 GF with my boys, the 2017 still makes me tear up thinking about it, like right now. The weight that was lifted when that siren went is indescribable. The fact it was my birthday as well made no difference.

 

[Harry]

The 2017 Swan st after party if I could remember it.

 

[Harry]

First time me and my mates teared up with joy was when Dusty kicked the goal at the start of the last qtr 2017 prelim vs the Giants. We knew we were in the GF at that point.

Richo's call that night - "The tigers are in the grand final. Can you believe it? I can't. But they are".

 

[DavidSSS]

#1
Standing on beer cans as a kid in the then open spaces behind the City end goals in 1973 on GF day.
Watched my Tigers win Under 19's, Reserves and Seniors all on the one day.
#2
Marking the ball that Michal Roach kicked his hundredth goal v Melb in 1980 again at the open space City end.
I turned around to run off with the ball down the stairs, only to find 2 huge coppers standing there, so i had to boot the ball back.

You ever watch the video of the 1973 GF? The commentators go apes*** as I think 3 balls go into that huge standing room area behind the city goals and never come back, have you finally solved the question of who nicked the footies? Where are they now? Always loved the way someone would stuff a footy in their bag, the cops would arrive asking questions, and everyone would shrug their shoulders and talk about seeing nothing

67 GF as a kid at the G seeing us win after 24 years ,

Wow, breaking the drought from 1943 and that was a hell of a Grand Final, well worth watching over and over. Close and hard fought all day. Must have been a great game to be at.

More recently I was rapt to get great tickets for the 2019 PF, 5 rows from the front. At half time the Geelong supporters were up and about, the Richmond supporters were angry after the dive and 50m penalty. The second half was so much fun as we overhauled Geelong. Never had such a good seat at a final, all the Grand Finals I went to in the late 70s and 1980 were standing room.

Even in the bad years we all have some good memories, now is certainly a time to remember and savour.

DS