The grand final we had to have

GEELONG and Richmond have met in a preliminary and qualifying final over the past three years, and now rival coaches Chris Scott and Damien Hardwick say the footy world is getting the grand finalithadtohave.

The Cats and Tigers will meet in their first grand final since 1967 when they clash at the Gabba tonight, with Richmond closing in on an official dynasty and Gee long eyeing a fairytale finish to Gary Ablett Jr’s career.

Hardwick said he had allowed himself a moment to dream of a third flag in four years but not at the expense of taking his eye off the ball.

“You can sit there and dream as much as you like but the fact of the matter is you have to do a hell of a lot of work to get there – we give ourselves an opportunity and we’ re excited ,” he said.

“Whoever’s system stands up the longest will come away with the thing (premiership cup) in front of us, but I think from an overall perspective it’s going to be a great game offooty .”

Scott declared Richmond had been the AFL benchmark.

“I’ve said over and over again, they’ve clearly been the best side of the past three or four years … but the idea that only three or four teams could win it, which was where the competition used to be, is just crazy,’’ he said.

Asked whether Ablett’s swan song was a motivating factor for the Cats, captain Joel Selwood said“verysmall”.

“And that’s no disrespect to him, but Gaz came out at the start of the year and allowed everyone in the football world to know this is (his last season) and hopefully I speak for everyone that we’ve celebrated him the right way,” Selwoodsaid.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin replied: “I like Gaz, but not that much though .”