Richmond CEO Brendon Gale has described the Club’s long-awaited finals appearance this year as “a really important mark in the journey”.

The Tigers made the finals for the first time since 2001 and, although they bowed out in week one of the major September action, Gale believes it was still a crucial part of their overall development.

“We’d talked about building a sustainable platform for the Club, about getting the business right, about building our commercial and financial strength, and we’ve done that . . . we’ve taken some big steps forward,” Gale told ‘Roar Vision’.

“Ultimately, however, it’s about our footy, and we felt a few years ago that would be the biggest stretch, given where we were coming from.  But Damien (Hardwick) has coached to a clear plan, we’ve managed our list to a clear plan and we’ve certainly evolved along the way.

“But we had to play finals this year and not just limp in.  I think it was really important to have 15 wins and to finish fifth (at the end of the home-and-away season).

“Given our result in the elimination final, which is very, very painful, it highlights that we’ve got some shortcomings.

“Sometimes, though, those sorts of losses are the best teachers.  It’s really hard, but they reveal you, and we’ve got some work to do to continue to get better – and we will!”

Gale is clear in his on-field expectations for the Tigers in 2014 . . .

“It’s really important that we back up and we play finals again,” he said.

“We’ve talked about being competitive on a sustained basis – it’s about doing it again and again.

“You don’t just walk into Grand Finals.  You’ve got to get a few campaigns under your belt and expose your players to the pressure and the intensity.

“I would hope, and expect, that we play finals again next year and continue to develop our players.”