TIGERS RUN HAS BEEN GREAT RIDE

Riewoldt philosophical at success

A THIRD AFL premiership in four years has thrust Richmond into the “greatest team” discussion but Jack Riewoldt will never forget the “low point” of the 2016 season.

The Tigers confirmed their status as the powerhouse of the competition by defeating Geelong last Saturday night, fulfilling chief executive Brendon Gale’s lofty ambitions set a decade ago.

And while basking in the achievement, Tasmanian Riewoldt doesn’t have to look far back to be reminded of how it could have been so different.

After 2016 in which Richmond finished 13th with an 8- 14 record — having lost six consecutive games from rounds 2- 7 and ending the year with a 113- point drubbing by Sydney — the future of coach Damien Hardwick and a number of players was clouded. But the club attached itself to a brand in 2017 – one which has swept it into the midst of a dynasty.

“It is always good to reflect and Trent ( Cotchin) and I actually probably talk about it at length a bit, really and reminisce where we have come from,” Riewoldt told the Tassie Sport Lounge podcast.

“Probably four years, fourand- a- half years ago post 2016 was the real low point for a lot of people at the club.

“The jungle drums were beating, unfairly I think, on ‘ Dimma’ ( Hardwick) and his coaching role at the club all through the back end of 2016 right through to 2017.

“There were a few people out there in media land who were hoping for blood.

“We started 2017 with a bang, we had a bit of a different game plan and it succeeded, and it set us up.

“It could have easily gone the other way and we lost the first five and the story would be a lot different. We found something that worked for us, we attached ourselves to it and here we are four years later, three premierships down and arguably one of the best teams to have played in the modern era.”

The 2020 season has been like no other, unfolding in the midst of a pandemic during which all Victorian clubs were based in hubs in Queensland from early July.

Coupled with a reduced, 18round home and away season some critics questioned whether the premiership would come with an asterisk.

But Riewoldt has no doubt which of his three flags he savours the most. “Clearly winning the premiership in probably the trickiest year to get through and navigate has been probably ... the most satisfying,” he said.

THE Tigers have also announced Tasmanian Fraser Turner, drafted with pick 58 in the 2018 draft, has been delisted