'It bloody gave me goosebumps': Nick Vlastuin on the Richmond roar and the signs of a changed clubSeptember 9, 2017
Riley Beveridge
FOX SPORTSRICHMOND had been here before.
A handy lead, a promising performance and the prospect of a finals victory on the cards.
But unlike previous years, this time things were different.
On Friday night, the Tigers held their nerve, even when challenged by a talented Cats outfit.
They ended 16 years of September heartache to stroll into a preliminary final, dismantling Geelong and laying down a marker for their future ambitions with a 51-point win.
It was the sign of a changed club.
From being on the verge of capitulation 12 months ago, with off-field problems almost masking a season of disappointment on it, to being on the cusp of a Grand Final.
And with the Tiger Army behind them, it’s easy to buy into the belief that anything is possible.
“We’d been hearing all week that we hadn’t beaten Geelong in 18 goes or something,” Richmond defender Nick Vlastuin told foxfooty.com.au after the match.
“The last time we played them in a final, they smashed us by about 100 points. All of that.
“Then the Tiger roar when we were running out, it bloody gave me goosebumps.”
That roar was deafening.
Damien Hardwick suggested after the game that around 60,000 of the 95,028 inside the ground were Tiger fans. He might have been too conservative.
And now, Richmond won’t have to leave. Victory ensured that every match they play for the remainder of the season will be at the ‘G — something that proved motivation before the game.
“We always know the Tiger faithful is going to show up,” Vlastuin said.
“We know now that we’re not leaving Melbourne, so that’s going to be pretty exciting.
“Even when Geelong ran out, the boos were louder than the cheers. They showed up tonight.
“We love playing at the ‘G and we play pretty well here. There’s a lot of space for our quick young boys, so it’s a huge result to be staying here.”
Vlastuin, in his own right, played a pivotal role in the victory.
He finished with 19 disposals from 10 marks on Friday night, marshalling the defence and taking a couple of courageous grabs going back with the flight.
His calming goal midway through the third term also steadied the ship when things were getting nervous. From there, it seemed there would only ever be one winner.
“I wasn’t sure when we could start enjoying it,” Vlastuin laughed.
“We saw the security guards come out and we kicked a couple of goals. I was looking around at the boys, but we weren’t sure.
“It’s just such an awesome feeling.”
Vlastuin represents a composed figure in a suddenly very mature Richmond defensive unit.
The 23-year-old, much like David Astbury and Dylan Grimes, is enjoying a career-best year.
Together, the back line helped steady the ship when it mattered most on Friday night, halting a Cats outfit that drew level early in the third term and looked like running over the Tigers.
“They got two late ones (just before half time) and that made the game a bit more nervous,” Vlastuin said.
“They can get a couple of quick ones and all of a sudden they have some momentum back.
“We felt them coming. They just started to win it around the ball, with Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood and Mitch Duncan running the show.
“But it was just awesome for our team to not give up a couple more quick goals and give them any momentum again.
“When the momentum switched back our way, we capitalised and that was great.”
But Vlastuin won’t dare to dream. Not yet, anyway.
“We’re just going to enjoy tonight,” he said.
“I haven’t even thought about the next game. It’s just great for the Tiger faithful and great for the boys, after a really tough year last year.
“Who would have thought?”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/it-bloody-gave-me-goosebumps-nick-vlastuin-on-the-richmond-roar-and-the-signs-of-a-changed-club/news-story/a43a6d63729f6e3e2d55ad3dfcddfb20
