Ruckman Ivan Maric had a massive final term to help lift Richmond to a memorable 18-point win over Essendon under lights at the MCG on Friday night.
Maric took a number of crucial marks in a big last quarter and capped a brilliant second half performance with a goal after the full-time siren to put the icing on the cake of a famous Tigers win.
It was first time since 1995 that the Tigers have won six games in a row and it suddenly catapults them into the finals mix ahead of a season-defining trip to the city of churches next weekend against the Adelaide Crows.
It was be a topsy turvy game with momentum swings all night.
Not until the Tigers booted the first two goals of the last term through Shane Edwards and Nathan Gordon did a clear leader emerge.
Jack Riewoldt, who had a battle royale with Bombers defender Cale Hooker all night, sent home the Tigers sealer with a fast-twitch, left footed reverse torpedo that somehow floated through for a goal.
It put the Tigers ahead by three kicks and from there it was their game to lose.
Big man Maric then came to the fore.
The former Calder Cannon is becoming the reliable go-to big man that every club yearns to have in their side.
The Keilor product was able to have a steadying influence over a young team that could have panicked late on.
Brett Deledio’s influence late on in the game was crucial.
Deledio was unleashed into the midfield to good affect in the last term after spending much of the opening three quarters as a dangerous forward.
While the opening three quarters were up and down for the Tigers, they were able to collectively get it together in the last term.
Young guns Anthony Miles and another ex-Cannon Brandon Ellis were outstanding.
Miles had 14 first term touches en route to 28 for the game, including a team high 12 contested possesisons.
Ellis also had 28 touches, working hard on the spread to get 21 of them uncontested.
Has the suspension to Ty Vickery been a blessing for youngster Ben Griffiths?
The centre half forward was outstanding in his presenting and clunking the ball overhead.
Richmond is rolling, but has it left its run too late to feature in the finals?
Time will tell, but at least the Tiger army is up and about, and it’s an exciting team for western suburbs football fans to follow with local stars Maric, Ellis and former Western Jets Bachar Houli (Spotswood) and Steven Morris (Altona) in the line-up.
