Nearly three weeks after Richmond’s 2013 campaign ended, the pain of that elimination final loss to Carlton still gnaws away at Alex Rance.

And, the much-improved, key Tiger defender doesn’t expect it to go away any time soon . . .

“I know there are a few guys – and I put myself in that group as well – who probably dropped the ball on the day,” Rance said.

“At times we were playing well, but it will sit in my guts for a long time that I didn’t perform to the standard that I wanted to, and help the team get the success that they deserved.

“It’s definitely a game that will burn in my guts for a long time.”

Rance, who took his game to another level as the 2013 season wore on, with a string of impressive performances in the back half, claimed he’d remember this year’s elimination final – for two distinctly different reasons . . .

“Definitely, the amazing support w got from the Tiger Army is one.  It was scary . . . For the future, when we are going to be a fantastic side, playing in front of 90-100,000 for all our finals, it’s something that’ll get us through.  It’ll be the thing that will make us want to be there,” Rance said.

“(Secondly) Obviously, you felt 80,000 hearts drop at the end of the game.

“So, it was heartbreaking, but also very inspiring, to want to keep going and get that again.”