Richmond’s tremendous triumph over North Melbourne in the 1974 Grand Final, to make it back-to-back flags, wasn’t the end of the Tigers’ quest for more football glory that year. The Championship of Australia, to be held at Adelaide’s Football Park, featuring the premier teams of the VFL, the SANFL, the WANFL (now known as the WAFL) and a Tasmanian League representative side, was Richmond’s post-season target. The Tigers had won the Championship of Australia twice previously (1969 and 1973) and, as The Age newspaper’s football writer Mike Sheahan reports, they were determined to take the title again in 1974.

Richmond’s glorious success last Saturday slipped into the past last night, but the weekend celebrations were vividly remembered.

The triumphant Tigers were back in training, but their renowned enthusiasm and sparkle was missing.

The sweet taste of success turned slightly sour as the players faced their first test since last Saturday’s premiership and the subsequent celebrations.

Even demanding coach Tom Hafey was caught up in the casual atmosphere as his players went through the motions at Yarra Park.

Richmond was preparing for the Australian championships to be played in Adelaide next week.

But Hafey remains hell bent on success.

“Carlton is the only Victorian team to have been beaten in the series and we’re not going to be the next one,” he said.

Training started shortly after 5 p.m. with a series of exercises.

The pace increased steadily with a session of passing and then competitive work, but it was obvious that the big one, the VFL Grand Final, was over.

The absentees from the premiership 20 were ruckman Mike Green, who apparently has retired again, half-back Kevin Morris (influenza) and full-back Dick Clay.

Reserves players Noel Carter, Gerald Betts, Stephen Taubert and Eric Leech also are in the squad for Adelaide.