AFL boss takes cheeky dig at Tigers buzz

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has reminded the increasingly confident Richmond fans the Tigers still have some work to do to end a 37-year premiership drought.

Fans of Richmond Tigers

Richmond supporters were out in force for their AFL finals win over Geelong. (AAP)

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has given Richmond's success-starved army of supporters a cheeky reminder their 37-year wait for an AFL flag hasn't ended yet.

The Tigers will host a preliminary final next week and are just two victories away from clinching their first title since 1980.

"Contrary to popular belief in Melbourne, Richmond actually haven't won the premiership; I know it feels like that broadly everywhere,'" McLachlan said in Sydney before the semi-final between Greater Western Sydney and West Coast.

"Kevin Bartlett is already claiming they will win the premiership in a gold jumper and that will clash with their silver premiership medallions, apparently it's a colour clash, but they haven't won (yet).

"If Richmond don't win the premiership, I'm probably going to move up here to Sydney to escape the aftermath.

"Having said that, if they do win it I may move up here as well to escape the aftermath."

McLachlan was impressed by the masses of Tigers supporters that watched their side overwhelm Geelong in last week's qualifying final at the MCG.

He compared them to the White Walkers from the hit television series Game of Thrones.

"There's 100,000 of them, they can't seem to be killed, that's what it felt like," McLachlan said.

Minor premiers Adelaide will host the other preliminary final and McLachlan couldn't resist having a little dig at normally dour Crows coach Don Pyke, after their big win over GWS last week.

"They were so good that it's been reported that even Don Pyke was seen smiling for half a second," McLachlan said.

He noted Crows supporters also relished the dramatic ending of local rival Port Adelaide's season in their extra-time home loss to the Eagles.

"Maybe the only people as happy as the Eagles fans were the Crows fans who told me it was their favourite Port Adelaide loss ever," McLachlan said.

"They certainly barrack hard in South Australia."


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Source: AAP



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