Even the walk towards the train station felt different. Around every corner, another piece of Richmond paraphernalia. Cars with Tigers flags attached. Richmond jumpers, polo shirts, hats and scarves, from various eras, some with out-of-date sponsors, being worn by the swarm of fans heading for Richmond station.
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The day was brighter than usual. A September sort of bright. A change of apparel provider meant the Tigers' yellow has been brighter too this year. It has mirrored their fortunes.
Between the green of Yarra Park, there was the yellow and black of the fans. The eye caught glimpses of orange. A lone Giants fan? Sometimes. But much of the orange belonged to someone, or something else. The MCG ground staff: orange. Barricades between the concourse and the car park: orange. Inside the ground there were a few bays behind the goals in the Ponsford Stand. In essence, they were orange specks in this vast Richmond universe.
The roar when the Tigers came onto the ground turned heads. And that was only in the warm-up. The boos for the Giants were of similar intensity. There were still more than 20 minutes until the bounce, and the ground was almost full, although as tends to happen, the back rows at the top of the MCC members' stand were largely empty.
The Great Southern Stand however, bathed in late-afternoon sunshine, was a sight to behold as the Tigers charged towards their cheer squad before the eruption of "Yellow and Black" in their anthem. Tigers great Matthew Richardson got a cheer as he walked around the boundary line, giving a thumbs up to the fans.
Then it began. The noise differential would surely have tested MCG records, if such things were kept. Many of Steve Johnson's touches were booed, Brett Deledio copped similar treatment, not that he had the ball much.
The scenes changed again as day turned to night, with goal after Richmond goal in the third quarter providing cathartic moments for this long-suffering fan base. High-fives, hugs and even full-blown kisses were exchanged. It is happening. The Tigers are heading for a week, for which they've waited a generation.
