Richmond on track for AFL club membership record with huge pre-Christmas numbers

Richmond is on target to break new ground with its early membership numbers pushing the Tigers into uncharted territory. And they’re not the only club looking to rewrite their record books.

Richmond supporters at Punt Road Oval go wild after their team wins the 2017 AFL Grand Final. Picture Tony Gough

Richmond is on track to set a membership record in 2019 as the Tiger army continues to swell.

The club on Friday hit 74,110 signed-up members for next season, significantly more than the same time last year when it took until December 23 to reach the 70,000 milestone.

The boon comes on the back of signing former Gold Coast forward Tom Lynch during the AFL’s free agency period, which has helped Richmond be installed as $5 premiership favourite with bookmaker TAB.

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The Tigers finished with an AFL-record membership tally of 100,726 this year, accounting for close to a tenth of the league-wide total of 1,008,494 members.

The Tigers are still riding the success of their 2017 success. Pic: Phil Hillyard

Essendon is also on track to post a record membership figure, the Bombers already with 51,383 signed up fans — about 2000 more than the same time last year.

Carlton has 39,268 members as its prospects begin to look up after a wooden-spoon season this year.