The magnitude of Richmond’s achievement since 2017 really hits home with an examination of AFL/VFL history.

Since the competition’s inception in 1897, there had been just 10 previous examples of teams winning three premierships over the course of four seasons before the Tigers accomplished the feat this year, adding the 2020 Grand Final victory over Geelong to their 2017 and 2019 triumphs.

It’s the first time Richmond has achieved what is widely regarded, from an overall team sports perspective, as a dynasty.

Only five other clubs have managed this throughout the past 124 seasons of AFL/VFL football – Carlton (twice), Collingwood (once), Melbourne (three times), Hawthorn (three times) and Brisbane (once).

The Magpies, in fact, won four consecutive premierships from 1927-30, while Carlton (1906-08), Melbourne (1939-41 and 1955-57), Brisbane (2001-03) and Hawthorn (2013-15) all completed flag hat-tricks.

Carlton also captured premierships in 1979, 1981 and 1982, Melbourne in 1959-60, to go with the last of its treble in 1957, while Hawthorn’s 1991 flag success was tacked on to its 1988-89 double.

Richmond has now won back-to-back premierships three times (1920-21, 1973-74 and 2019-20). Only Essendon (four times) has more back-to-back flags in the competition’s history.