This is a great read by a top bloke!
Will admit I am a little jealous 😎
From The Outer: Tiger Army returnsDylan Leach - President of the Queensland Richmond Supporters Group - provides a look into the experience of the Tigers' home game at the Gabba last Sunday.
By Dylan Leach
It goes without saying that the best on ground for Richmond in Sunday afternoon's game was the 3,606 fans who were ever so lucky to actually be at the Gabba.
Just being able to catch up with fellow members of the Tiger Army, sit in the grandstand, sing the song, yell out “Ball”, voicing one's displeasure at a free-kick being awarded to the opposition, cheering when the Tigers kicked a goal and just the fact we were at the footy was as victory within itself.
Initially, we thought we’d get a taste of it when we were meant to play the Eagles on the Gold Coast... and then 2020 got in the way, resulting in a reshuffle of matches.
When it was announced only a few days later that Richmond was relocating to a South-East Queensland hub, we simply couldn’t believe it.
The Queensland Tiger Army was going from perhaps seeing them once or twice a year against the Lions or Suns to now playing games every week in the Sunshine State.
Not only that, we are in a position to actually attend the matches.
Anyone who is a Tigers fan up here has been spoilt in the past 12 months.
From the Qualifying Final at the Gabba, Premiership Cup visit, pre-season camp/open training on the Gold Coast back in January, the AFLW game against the Suns back in February, and now the first group of fans to see them live since last year's triumph on Grand Final day.
To say we’re lucky would be an understatement.
When the e-mail arrived from the club that Queensland-based members could register for tickets it felt just as exciting as getting Finals/Grand Final tickets in recent years.
If you can just picture the scene when Charlie Bucket gets the Golden Ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, that was the feeling every member of the Queensland Tiger Army felt when we could finally go back to the footy.
Come Sunday morning, the Queensland Tiger Army had that spring in their step.
The weather was rainy and overcast, not on-brand for the Sunshine State, but it didn’t matter.
We were going to the footy to see our team play.
Win, lose, draw - this was a moment to savour.
How were we going to make the Gabba feel like home?
In the week leading up to the game the Queensland Richmond Supporters Group opted to make these adjustments
The Punt Road End is now the Vulture Street End (although that’s actually the broadcast wing of the ground not behind the goals).
The London Tavern was now The Shafston Hotel, the group's official Brisbane pub that’s just a 10 minute walk from the Gabba.
Like how many of the Tiger Army would all meet at the London Tavern before a game at the 'G, we all met at The Shafston who welcomed us with open arms (sorry, elbows) having only re-opened just two days previous.
It goes without saying, the pub set-up was a little different from the 3000+ that packed it out prior to the Qualifying Final last year.
With social distancing in place, this was a very civil Sunday lunch set-up and there were no random parties breaking out outside the pub's car park.
Everyone was glad to actually see each other in person and felt like kids at Christmas due to the simple fact we were going to the footy.
Upon arrival at the Gabba it was truly bizarre.
Seeing the Gabba decked out in Richmond signage on the LED screens was surreal.
The ground announcer proclaiming “Welcome to the Gabba, the new home of the Richmond Football Club” to a huge cheer from the local fans was something I never expected to hear.
The match day experience is different yet pleasant.
To adhere to social distancing, everyone is spaced out on their respective seats and every second row is empty.
Getting in/out of the ground, getting to your seat, getting a pie/beer, going to the toilet, is very easy as stadium management has made sure long lines and being squashed up next to each other doesn’t happen.
There’s a silver lining in a “COVID Safe” Stadium as all the annoying stuff from being at the ground has actually been removed.
Even paying $10.40 for one bottle of water and a pie (with an extra 50 cents for sauce) was a pleasure.
When the team ran out, the roar of the crowd was as loud as what you’d get from 60,000 at the MCG.
The ratio of Tigers fans to Swans fans was around five to one.
The Gabba was Richmond’s home for the day and the Tiger Army up here made them feel like the place was ours.
It goes without saying the actual game itself was a hard watch and quite the slog.
But that wasn’t what this day was about.
I most certainly won’t be watching the replay of the Richmond v Sydney game at the Gabba anytime soon, but I will fondly remember this day when the fans were allowed back to see our team and the Tigers called Queensland home.
The Queensland Tiger Army had a good first-up run on Sunday and look forward to backing it up on Saturday night at Metricon Stadium barracking loud and hard against the Kangaroos.
If we can bag a few more goals, expect the roar to be even louder.
Nothing will compare to when the team and the Tiger Army are reunited at the MCG, but for now, having the boys in a hub with plenty of passionate fans who can come along and barrack in the stands is as good as it can get.
For now, Queensland is home and the boys are in good hands.
For more information on the Queensland Richmond Supporters Group, visit their Facebook page or contact
queensland@rfcsupportergroup.com.
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/743164/from-the-outer-tiger-army-returns
