It took until his 41^st game, but the goal drought is finally over for Richmond defender Jake Batchelor.

The 22-year-old, who is in his fourth season with the Tigers, kicked his first goal at the game’s highest level, against Fremantle at the MCG last Saturday.

It was at a vital stage in the second quarter, with Richmond staging a stirring fightback to get within one straight kick of the Dockers.

Batchelor put his head over the ball in a one-on-one contested inside the Tigers’ forward-50 area, and was rewarded with a free kick.

He told Richmond great Matthew Richardson how the next few seconds panned out, in an exclusive interview with ‘Roar Vision’ earlier today.

“I was pretty nervous when I was going back off the mark,” Batchelor said.

“I remember Dustin (Martin) telling me to take my 30 seconds.  But I thought if I take any more than 10, the pressure’s just going to build up.

“So, I just went back and tried to remember a little bit of a routine that I’ve got going on, and it just got through.

“I’ve definitely got a routine, but it definitely went nowhere near that.  I walked out about four steps to the left, I reckon, and just prayed to God that it sailed through.”

As is often the case in the modern game, Batchelor headed straight for the interchange bench after kicking his goal, which put the Tigers in front.

“I got to the bench and everything was just rushing through my head . . . the adrenalin was going. 

“It just didn’t feel right.  I felt like I did something wrong.  It kind of clicked about 10 minutes later that I kicked a goal, but then it was straight back on to the job . . .

“I’m sitting at about a two and a half percent strike rate at the moment . . . a goal in every 41 games, so let’s hope I can get a few more.”