Firstly apologies to anyone they may find this uninteresting, but it's something I have to get off my chest. It has been too many years of frustration and anger.
****
The tale (tail) of a Tiger supporter since our last success.
1980 dawned and the mighty Tiges started to win some games. Me being the ultimate pessimist decided that I dare not go to a game for fear of causing the Tiges to lose, because every time the previous year that I went to a game we lost. So 1980 rolled along and we kept winning. Well I never went to one game that year. Bloody stupid in hindsight seeing as though we haven't even looked like being that dominant since. I was about 16 at the time and I watched the GF at my mates place where there were 4 of us Tiger supporters and 2 scummy Essendon supporters that were going for the Pies. Well as you all know we killed the Black and White filth. I was still nervous that we could lose halfway through the last quarter even though we were up by about 60 points by that stage. (correct me if I'm wrong, my memory is fading). What a sweet feeling!!! Full on unadultered gloating with no fear of reprisals.
The years after rolled on with '82 being a massive disappointment as that bloody female streaker (whilst nice for the optic nerves) ruined the Tiger's momentum and ultimately lost us the game. Carlton ploy definitely. Well then the gloomy dark dim years that seemed to persiste forever. Sacked coach after sacked coach. Every year I looked forward to Rd 1 with great anticipation to see if the Mighty tiges would once again be that all-conquering force. Every year pretty much after that Rd. 1 match I was shattered. Knowing that we would be forced to suffer for another long dark Winter of pain. Absolutely no joy watching the once great Tigers being belted week after week by the likes of the Essendon and the Hawks. Bloody hell we always gave Essendon a good belting, how was this so that we were so insipid.
Each one of these years all I wanted to see was hope for the future, some light at the end of the tunnel. I still vividly remember going to a Friday night game against North in '87 where I think we won and I lost my voice. North were down the nether regions of the ladder with us and were building a team. We were supposed to be doing the same. History shows that they did build an a team and an era. The RFC, nothing but more pain and then the cap in hand era.
Well eventually the club admitted to itself that it needed to back some youth and try and build a team. KB was on board and slowly we started to seem to show some promise. Yep still down the bottom, but seeing some younger players with some promise. They gave him the flick which really was the old Richmond way, but they burned another one of their out and out Tiger sons. Somewhere after that, we were lucky to benefit from the impending demise of the Roy Boys and picked up good gets like Brodders, the Gales and Scotty Turner. Then along came Richo, Cambell, Knighter, Daffy, Maxfield who never got a go. I remember one game at the 'G' where we beat somebody of some importance at the time and you could see that the Tiges had done something special. Butchy Gale was injured at the time and was on the bench. He was shaking from the adrenalin after the game. You could feel the excitement and promise in the air. This was the Northey era if I'm correct. I thought here we go. The Tigers are back, we have a new era. Well we got to the prelim and got outclassed. Yeah we lost a few good players along the way that season, but deep down I knew we would not go all the way. The boys were playing on emotion week in week out. However I thought okay lets build on that season and the skill level and belief will grow, maybe the next year or the year after we can take the big one. Richmond shot itself in the foot and head and got rid of Northey. Today I still ask myself, why?? He left Melbourne because he wanted to coach the Tigers. Not for money or because it was a career, but because he wanted us to build the club again.
Sorry to remind you all but we went South again. Then we hung around mid-table and teased the supporters every year by just missing the eight. Eventually 2001 came along and we tended to play the same as '95. In between these years. After Northey came Walls which I also think was a Carlton ploy to destroy the Tigers. Absolutely convinced of it!! He almost did a good job and as it shows in the media he has no affection for the RFC.
From 2001 we should have been able to build on this so-called era and force. The Tiger Army is bloody restless and hungry. '02 is another disappointing year and I think it really burned a lot of the Tiger faithful. There are only so many times that you can have your heart ripped out, spat on, kicked and then not have the spirit to pad up again.
Yeah we are going okay at the moment, but last Saturday night reminded me that I do not have that unwavering faith in the club. The belief the arrogance that feels so nice. You just have to look at the Bummers and they still have it. They are the RFC's anti-christ. When they were mid-table crap we reigned. Then in the early to mid 80's it changed and the tables were turned. They are now the arrogant team and we are the pretenders. Admittedly they are not the force this year or last, but they still have that belief and arrogance. They can still win the big games at times.
Where are the Tigers? Still hoping to play with the big boys. Let us oh Tiger boys believe in thy self. Bring back the mongrel belief in thy self. Believe that every game is thoust last game and go forth and slaughter. Do not relax for the smallest of moments even if thoust are 60 points up at 3/4 time. To be great one must never stop never ever give up.
Whilst some supporteres have given the Tigers a rest, I can't. This is Richmonds most important time. We have to build another era otherwise we will lapse into another dark, dark hell, that I refuse to allow the Tigers to go into. We are better than that and we are better than last Saturday night's performance. Yes we are no Brisbane, but let's build on the start to the season that we've had and try and have a solid season. Let's win some tough hard games and against the better sides. The games that no-one thinks we can win. Then the belief will come. People can do anything if they really want it. Do the current crop of players really want it?? I don't know, only they can answer that. Graeme Richmond used to get into the heads of each and every player before the coming game and tell them that if they didn't beat their opponent then the RFC would lose. He made them believe that the whole team and the game depended on them and them only. They went out and played like possessed souls and guess what, we won.
Off-field the club has to recognise that it has been negligent with finding and building new exciting talent. If other clubs can do it,the Tiges can as well. It has been too long as cellar dwellers and mid-table nobodies. The Tigers can't afford to allow itself to become the nobodies of the AFL like the Dogs and Saints. Sustained success and eventually Premierships only come after professionalism, hard work and support on all fronts.
Carn the Tiges don't break my heart again.
Eat Em Alive!!!
****
The tale (tail) of a Tiger supporter since our last success.
1980 dawned and the mighty Tiges started to win some games. Me being the ultimate pessimist decided that I dare not go to a game for fear of causing the Tiges to lose, because every time the previous year that I went to a game we lost. So 1980 rolled along and we kept winning. Well I never went to one game that year. Bloody stupid in hindsight seeing as though we haven't even looked like being that dominant since. I was about 16 at the time and I watched the GF at my mates place where there were 4 of us Tiger supporters and 2 scummy Essendon supporters that were going for the Pies. Well as you all know we killed the Black and White filth. I was still nervous that we could lose halfway through the last quarter even though we were up by about 60 points by that stage. (correct me if I'm wrong, my memory is fading). What a sweet feeling!!! Full on unadultered gloating with no fear of reprisals.
The years after rolled on with '82 being a massive disappointment as that bloody female streaker (whilst nice for the optic nerves) ruined the Tiger's momentum and ultimately lost us the game. Carlton ploy definitely. Well then the gloomy dark dim years that seemed to persiste forever. Sacked coach after sacked coach. Every year I looked forward to Rd 1 with great anticipation to see if the Mighty tiges would once again be that all-conquering force. Every year pretty much after that Rd. 1 match I was shattered. Knowing that we would be forced to suffer for another long dark Winter of pain. Absolutely no joy watching the once great Tigers being belted week after week by the likes of the Essendon and the Hawks. Bloody hell we always gave Essendon a good belting, how was this so that we were so insipid.
Each one of these years all I wanted to see was hope for the future, some light at the end of the tunnel. I still vividly remember going to a Friday night game against North in '87 where I think we won and I lost my voice. North were down the nether regions of the ladder with us and were building a team. We were supposed to be doing the same. History shows that they did build an a team and an era. The RFC, nothing but more pain and then the cap in hand era.
Well eventually the club admitted to itself that it needed to back some youth and try and build a team. KB was on board and slowly we started to seem to show some promise. Yep still down the bottom, but seeing some younger players with some promise. They gave him the flick which really was the old Richmond way, but they burned another one of their out and out Tiger sons. Somewhere after that, we were lucky to benefit from the impending demise of the Roy Boys and picked up good gets like Brodders, the Gales and Scotty Turner. Then along came Richo, Cambell, Knighter, Daffy, Maxfield who never got a go. I remember one game at the 'G' where we beat somebody of some importance at the time and you could see that the Tiges had done something special. Butchy Gale was injured at the time and was on the bench. He was shaking from the adrenalin after the game. You could feel the excitement and promise in the air. This was the Northey era if I'm correct. I thought here we go. The Tigers are back, we have a new era. Well we got to the prelim and got outclassed. Yeah we lost a few good players along the way that season, but deep down I knew we would not go all the way. The boys were playing on emotion week in week out. However I thought okay lets build on that season and the skill level and belief will grow, maybe the next year or the year after we can take the big one. Richmond shot itself in the foot and head and got rid of Northey. Today I still ask myself, why?? He left Melbourne because he wanted to coach the Tigers. Not for money or because it was a career, but because he wanted us to build the club again.
Sorry to remind you all but we went South again. Then we hung around mid-table and teased the supporters every year by just missing the eight. Eventually 2001 came along and we tended to play the same as '95. In between these years. After Northey came Walls which I also think was a Carlton ploy to destroy the Tigers. Absolutely convinced of it!! He almost did a good job and as it shows in the media he has no affection for the RFC.
From 2001 we should have been able to build on this so-called era and force. The Tiger Army is bloody restless and hungry. '02 is another disappointing year and I think it really burned a lot of the Tiger faithful. There are only so many times that you can have your heart ripped out, spat on, kicked and then not have the spirit to pad up again.
Yeah we are going okay at the moment, but last Saturday night reminded me that I do not have that unwavering faith in the club. The belief the arrogance that feels so nice. You just have to look at the Bummers and they still have it. They are the RFC's anti-christ. When they were mid-table crap we reigned. Then in the early to mid 80's it changed and the tables were turned. They are now the arrogant team and we are the pretenders. Admittedly they are not the force this year or last, but they still have that belief and arrogance. They can still win the big games at times.
Where are the Tigers? Still hoping to play with the big boys. Let us oh Tiger boys believe in thy self. Bring back the mongrel belief in thy self. Believe that every game is thoust last game and go forth and slaughter. Do not relax for the smallest of moments even if thoust are 60 points up at 3/4 time. To be great one must never stop never ever give up.
Whilst some supporteres have given the Tigers a rest, I can't. This is Richmonds most important time. We have to build another era otherwise we will lapse into another dark, dark hell, that I refuse to allow the Tigers to go into. We are better than that and we are better than last Saturday night's performance. Yes we are no Brisbane, but let's build on the start to the season that we've had and try and have a solid season. Let's win some tough hard games and against the better sides. The games that no-one thinks we can win. Then the belief will come. People can do anything if they really want it. Do the current crop of players really want it?? I don't know, only they can answer that. Graeme Richmond used to get into the heads of each and every player before the coming game and tell them that if they didn't beat their opponent then the RFC would lose. He made them believe that the whole team and the game depended on them and them only. They went out and played like possessed souls and guess what, we won.
Off-field the club has to recognise that it has been negligent with finding and building new exciting talent. If other clubs can do it,the Tiges can as well. It has been too long as cellar dwellers and mid-table nobodies. The Tigers can't afford to allow itself to become the nobodies of the AFL like the Dogs and Saints. Sustained success and eventually Premierships only come after professionalism, hard work and support on all fronts.
Carn the Tiges don't break my heart again.
Eat Em Alive!!!
