Hard-working Richmond ruckman Ivan Maric has explained his unique soccer goal that sealed the Tigers’ stunning success against Sydney at the SCG last Friday night.

With just over two minutes remaining in the contest and Richmond leading by only six points, Maric tracked the ball’s flight deep inside the Tigers’ forward-50 area, watched two Sydney defenders over-run the ‘Sherrin’, and then, in trademark nonchalant style, side-footed it from five metres out into the back of the ‘net’.

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“It was almost like a bit of a Steven Bradbury effort there, where everyone sort of fell over and the ball’s just sitting there and I tapped it in,” Maric, who also is the president of the St Albans soccer club, told Fox Footy post-game.

“The soccer skills just came into it. 

“It’s what I did as a kid . . .”

Maric bounced back from consecutive ultra-tough assignments, against Fremantle ruck giant Aaron Sandilands and West Coast’s high-leaping Nic Naitanui, to be one of Richmond’s best in the victory over the Swans.

“A couple of big weeks there,” he said.

“Look, I just want to keep consistent with my efforts in the ruck, and I don’t think I did that good enough against Nic Naitanui last week.

“So, that’s what I focused on . . .

“I played a fair bit against Kurt Tippett tonight, and he’s a fair unit as well in the ruck.”