TRENT Cotchin sensed earlier this season Richmond was capable of winning the premiership.
After the disappointment of playing in three consecutive elimination finals losses from 2013-15 and slumping to 13th last season, Cotchin had a feeling the 2017 group was ready to break the club's 37-year flag drought.
"I probably had conversations earlier in the year in bed with my wife, Brooke. I just said there was something special about this group," Cotchin said.
"I don't know why, it was just a feeling I had and we've just continued to grow ever since."
Cotchin's comments underline how quickly Richmond has been able to turn things around since its dismal 2016.
The Richmond skipper had an "open and honest" conversation with long-time teammate Jack Riewoldt at the end of that season, when the dual Coleman medallist said he didn't see himself winning a premiership before he retired.
The Tigers started 2017 5-0 but came back to earth when they were thumped by Adelaide by 76 points in round six and then lost their next three games.
But they regrouped to drop just three more games for the year – to Sydney by nine points in round 13, St Kilda by 67 points in round 16 and Geelong by 14 points in round 21 – to finish the home and away season in third, their first top-four finish under coach Damien Hardwick.
By the time they had notched their first finals wins since 2001, over Geelong by 51 points and Greater Western Sydney by 36 points, the Tiger Army, if not the rest of the football world, shared Cotchin's belief that 2017 was destined to be their year.
After leading by 34 points at three-quarter time, Richmond's fairytale was never in danger of a shock twist as the Tigers kept the Crows at bay in the last term. Not that Cotchin allowed himself to look too far forward.
"I was on the bench with about 10 minutes to go. I thought that was a little bit too long (to think we had the game won)," Cotchin said.
"It was about seven or eight minutes by the time I got back on, I think we kicked one more after that. I just had to soak it up and remain focused on what we needed to do.
"It was more emptiness at the end of the game, just to see how each and every one of the boys reacts, how special it is for them.
"I couldn't be more thankful to be part of the group. It's a special football club."
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