Tigers in a league of their own

RICHMOND, Damien Hardwick, Marlion Pickett and Dustin Martin are remarkable proof of how dramatically fortunes can change in the AFL.

After taking over Swan Street on Saturday night, tens of thousands of Tigers fans reconvened at the club’s Punt Rd headquarters yesterday to continue premiership celebrations.

The 89-point grand final thrashing of GWS is their second flag in three years, confirming Richmond as the latest AFL dynasty.

With Alex Rance and Sydney Stack also returning from injury next season, Tiger time will continue.

Just three years ago, Richmond were in crisis and Hardwick looked closer to being sacked than guiding his side to a premiership.

Hardwick went to Harvard for a leadership course, Neil Balme was brought in as football manager and within a year, the Tigers had broken their premiership drought.

Hardwick now joins great friend Alastair Clarkson as the only current AFL coaches with multiple flags.

Just four months ago, Picket needed surgery on a finger injury and his hopes of being drafted to an AFL club again looked shot.

But Richmond went with Pickett in the mid-season draft and the 27-year-old father of four, who did jail time as a teenager, has already repaid their faith.

He became only the sixth AFL player to debut in a grand final and looked like a poised veteran, even earning Norm Smith Medal votes.

Martin became the only AFL player to win two Norm Smith Medals, play in two premiership teams and win a Brownlow Medal.

His best-afield performance in Saturday’s grand final again demonstrated the unstoppable power of the Tiger star.

And so, on Saturday night, Martin was second in line behind his captain and friend Trent Cotchin as the Tigers conga-lined their way off the MCG and onto the club celebrations.