Beers, blazers and The Boss: Inside Tigers’ celebrations after second flag in three seasons

There were a few bleary eyes at Punt Road on Sunday. As the Tigers’ premiership party rolls on, we went straight to the source to find out just how Richmond’s flag celebrations played out and what Bruce Springsteen had to do with it.

As for the conga line, Tom Lynch wasn’t so sure. Picture: Getty Images

As Richmond players basked in their premiership glory in the club’s boardroom on Sunday, the beers flowed and the laughs did too.

T-shirts emblazoned with the Herald Sun’s Mark Knight’s premiership cartoon were handed around and medals clinked on glasses with playing jumpers from the day before worn proudly, still bearing the dirt and grass stains from the MCG triumph.

The players and club officials had partied on after Saturday night’s official function at The Pullman Hotel, heading to Queen Street nightspot daHa, which sits 15 floors up in the Melbourne CBD.

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These were Richmond’s so-called “Blood Brothers”, who belted out tunes on the middle of the hallowed turf once the game was run and won.

Star debutant Marlion Pickett had forgotten his guernsey, donning a club jacket instead, also without his medal after gifting his prize to his wheelchair-bound father Thomas who swallowed his flying fears to jet in for the game.

Forward Jack Riewoldt was resplendent in a personalised yellow and black suit jacket he’d had hanging in the cupboard awaiting such a special occasion.

Riewoldt donned a personalised get-up on Sunday. Picture: Getty Images)

It was gifted to him following his 2017 wedding by Oscar Hunt tailors, who were also responsible for his wedding kit, and still fit perfectly for the second flag triumph two years later.

So how did the celebrations play out post-game? We caught up with a handful of Tigers to find out.

WHO WON THE POST-MATCH NORM SMITH MEDAL AS BEST ON “GROUND”?

NATHAN BROAD: Dusty for sure. Liam Baker went all right, too. With Dusty, the key is not to try and go with him. Stay well clear.

KANE LAMBERT: Dusty. Or Liam Baker. But did he go the duration? He’s got a few days to go.

DION PRESTIA: Dustin.

TOM LYNCH: Liam Baker.

WHO WAS THE SHABBIEST ON SUNDAY MORNING?

BROAD: Josh Caddy.

LAMBERT: Caddy. He’s not even here!

PRESTIA: Caddy.

LYNCH: Josh was actually good. He was all right. Probably Liam Baker.

WHICH PLAYER WILL PARTY ALL WEEK?

LYNCH: I guess I’ll find out. I haven’t had a week on the beers with the boys yet. I reckon Dave Astbury — he’s a good country boy, so I think he’s a good stayer.

WHAT WAS THE SONG OF THE FLAG?

BROAD: We sung Blood Brothers in the middle of the circle on the MCG.

Richmond players linked arms and belted out Bruce Springsteen once the MCG was empty. Picture: Getty Images

PRESTIA: And then the Vengabus after that.

LYNCH: It’s been a bit of a theme all the way through — Blood Brothers — and Dimma has played it all throughout the year. So we played that. It’s not the greatest song in the world, but it was pretty cool to play in the middle of the MCG. I don’t know what Trent (Cotchin) was thinking (with the conga line). I wasn’t really about that, but oh well.

THE MOST RE-ENACTED ON-FIELD MOVE AT THE AFTER PARTY?

BROAD: Probably Grimesy’s staging again. He did that twice. He might win an Oscar at this stage.

WHO CAN DANCE AND WHO CAN’T?

LYNCH: I definitely can’t. Jayden Short definitely goes all right.

As for the conga line, Tom Lynch wasn’t so sure. Picture: Getty Images

WHOSE NEIGHBOURS NEED TO BE WORRIED THIS WEEK? WHERE WILL THE PARTY HUB BE?

LYNCH: Maybe mine (in Richmond). I’m the closest to the club. (Channel 7 reporter) Mark Stevens lives in my street so he said ‘keep it down this week’. I said ‘I can’t promise anything’. Maybe Dusty’s.

WHERE WILL YOU KEEP YOUR MEDALS?

LAMBERT: Mum had mine. But she got robbed. They didn’t take it, but she’s hidden them all now, so she’ll probably hide this one as well.