Alex Rance’s desperate fist and Richmond backline mates stopped Adelaide attack all day
AS ADELAIDE threatened to blow open the Grand Final there appeared not the ‘Hand of God’, but ‘The Fist of Rance’ and it helped guide Richmond to the promised land.
IT was a desperate fist which swung it.
Not one of the rollicking Richmond goals, or a famed Dustin Martin ‘don’t argue’, but an Alex Rance spoil which triggered this seemingly once impossible premiership.
The kind of heroic Grand Final act that - when these Tigers finally come around to watching the replay - coach Damien Hardwick will surely stop the tape and start clapping.
MATCH REPORT: TIGERS BREAK PREMIERSHIP DROUGHT
NORM SMITH: DUSTY COMPLETES HISTORIC PERFECT SEASON
JON RALPH: HOULI BIG MOVER IN GRAND FINAL RANKINGS
Adelaide was 12 points up early in the second term when a low-ball bound for Taylor Walker’s chest was speared inside-50m.
But just as the Crows’ skipper seemed certain to swallow it and take another set shot from straight in front, there appeared not the ‘Hand of God’, but ‘The Fist of Rance’.
You might not find it on a premiership poster, but this desperate, lunging spoil came to his club’s rescue at probably the only time Richmond looked vulnerable in this match.
Jack Riewoldt capitalised with a curling snap from near the boundary line down the other end, as the Crows defenders went to sleep on the goal line.
And the rest is history.
It was the biggest question coming into this game, whether Richmond’s backline could stop the awesome scoring machine that was Adelaide’s attacking set-up.
They have piled the pain on the opposition all year, the Crows.
And in that second term there were five or six times when not only did Rance come up with a spoil in a marking contest or force the ball over the line, but the whole Tiger defence came up trumps.
In tennis terms, the battle down that end of the ground was 6-0, 6-0.
Yes there were some shaky moments early when Nick Vlastuin turned the ball over and was found wanting in a marking contest, and was then probably looking for a hole to hide in.
But together they recovered, and the Rance fist was the catalyst.
The Tigers kept the Crows goalless in the pivotal second term, and restricted them to only 60 points for the match – Adelaide’s lowest score of the season on their biggest day.
Dylan Grimes owned Eddie Betts again, David Astbury took Taylor Walker and Josh Jenkins to the cleaners and Rance enhanced his reputation once more.
Even when the Crows kicked back to back goals to start the last quarter, there was Rance floating back again and reeling in another intercept mark which put an end to Adelaide’s enthusiasm.
Those three Tiger defenders all ran for each other and embraced each other with fists full of jumper as soon as the final siren rang out.
You could see there was genuine love there.
He could be the greatest key defender of the modern era, Rance, after inching closer once again to three-time Cats’ premiership full-back Matthew Scarlett.
You can imagine the Tiger faithful toasting his decision to stay at the club two years ago as the fan base sang deep into the night down Swan St.
He was considering giving up footy altogether, but is now on his way to becoming a Tiger immortal.
What a sliding doors decision, in this yellow and black fairytale.
Originally published as Alex Rance’s desperate fist and Richmond backline mates stopped Adelaide attack all day