Richmond CEO Brendon Gale has put the Tigers’ disappointing elimination final loss to Carlton into perspective.

Gale shares the pain of the Yellow and Black faithful at a missed opportunity, but remains extremely upbeat about the Club’s future.

“It’s a very, very, very bitter pill to swallow, particularly losing to Carlton,” Gale told “The Age” chief football writer Caroline Wilson.

“That’s just to say there’s a very fierce rivalry between us, between the players and between our supporters, and right now they have every right, as I do, to feel very disappointed in the result and in the performance . . .

“In the whole scheme of things, to have played the football we have during the year, we know we are heading in the right direction.

“It has been a significant achievement, a very important mark in this journey.

“Hopefully, you will see another big step next year.

“I can’t wait for us to be back.  To have witnessed what we did at the start of the game on Sunday – it’s intoxicating . . .

“We would hope, and we would expect, to play successive finals next year (for the first time since the mid-1970s).

“We are building consistently, but we know we are not there yet.”