We continue our special post-season series revealing the thoughts of Richmond’s latest premiership heroes on that wonderful one day in September 2017. Today, it’s the turn of hard-running Tigers defender Brandon Ellis . . .
Grand Final lead-up
“It was pretty surreal. I wasn’t too nervous . . . I was just more excited than anything. I was probably a bit more nervous playing GWS (in the preliminary final). But after we got over that we were in the ‘Granny’ (Grand Final) and we sort of had nothing to lose. So we just gave it our best shot and came out on top. The feeling still hasn’t sunk in. It’s bloody unbelievable.”
The Grand Final parade
“I was sitting with ‘Broady’ (Nathan Broad). We live together . . . he just can’t get away from me. I didn’t realise how big the parade was. I’d never been to one before . . . had never been to a Grand Final before. It was a pretty good turn-out by the Adelaide supporters, but obviously we outnumbered them because we’re the biggest club in the AFL. It was such a good experience.”
The big game itself
“They (Adelaide) were on pretty early. They got a three-goal lead in the first quarter, but we stuck to our process, stuck to applying a lot of pressure. Our second quarter was awesome, our third quarter we just blew them out the water, and the last quarter was just a bit of fun.”
His role for the day
“I play that high half-back role, and just try and be really good defensively and help out the other boys . . . I played on Charlie Cameron a bit. It was good that Broady had him in the first quarter, so he wasn’t able to get away. I think he had a pretty sore ankle.”
At the final siren
“I was on the bench . . . I was spewing. I wanted to try and get on and actually finish on the field. But as soon as the siren went, I bolted down to the Punt Road end, where all the boys were and just hugged everyone. It was so good.”
Significance of being a Richmond premiership player
“I guess I just fulfilled my childhood dream. Ever since I was a kid, I would have loved to win a flag. To even make the Grand Final was going to be bloody hard . . . not many people get to experience that. But to be able to win a premiership, it’s bloody awesome. And we’ve got the hunger to hopefully go and win it again . . . The feeling, you can’t even describe. I wish we could feel that every year.”
Personal Tigerland journey
“It’s gone really quickly. We’ve had a lot of ups and a lot of downs. It was pretty hard losing those three elimination finals . . . But the turnaround the Club’s had in the last 12 months has been great, with what they put in place, how they just simplified the game plan, and how close the boys have become. This year was just so much fun. It wasn’t easy, but it was just so enjoyable.”
Belief boosted by the Geelong qualifying final win
“We got the monkey off the back and then the boys, I think, just believed it even more. And as soon as we came up against GWS in the prelim., we knew we had their measure. We just had to stick to the process. Coming up against Adelaide, I was pretty nervous, but then they were coming to our home ground . . . We’d won 10 out of our last 12 games there, so we were really confident.”
First sensing the team could go all the way
“Soon as we beat Geelong in that first final . . . We released the shackles and went out there all guns blazing, and that was it.”
The might of the Tiger Army
“They were unbelievable. Don’t underestimate how much they mean to us, and how much energy they bring and they give us, when we hear them roaring . . . It literally does give us a lot more energy. So bring on next year, Tiger Army.”
