Tigers fans show their true colours

IT is one thing to wear your AFL team’s colours in the lead-up to the grand final.

Painting your new house yellow and black takes a whole new level of commitment.

Lifetime Richmond sup- porter Louise Zegveld is not afraid to let her football loyalties be known — and painted her new home on Hobart’s Eastern Shore as a Tiger den.

Mrs Zegveld is one of thousands of Tasmanians anxiously looking forward to this weekend’s grand final clash to see if her beloved Tigers can claim the flag for the first time in 37 years.

Mrs Zegveld said she and her family were facing the weekend with a mixture of nerves and excitement.

“I have been a lifetime fan,” she said.

“My dad was a passionate supporter but passed two years ago. Such a shame he is not here to witness Richmond play in another grand final.”

Mrs Zegveld was born in 1981 — a year after the Tigers won their last premiership.

And while she can’t make it to the MCG on Saturday, she will be cheering them on from her Tranmere lounge room.

“I was really anxious last weekend and now I am happy, excited and so very, very nervous.”

The family is almost ready to move into their new home.

“The house was architecturally designed and we managed to incorporate my passion for the Tigers into the build,” she said.

“It’s a pretty ballsy move as they are not understated colours and the house certainly stands out.”