"BATTLE-HARDENED" Richmond is relishing its elimination final raid on 'Fortress Alberton' – provided captain Katie Brennan nails the coin toss.
Sunday's game against Port Adelaide will be the first time the Tigers play in Adelaide since they joined the AFLW in 2020.
On Wednesday, they sent football department staff to scout the Alberton Oval facilities.
Port boasts a big homeground advantage, with more than 4000 raucous Power fans cheering them home last Sunday in the comeback win over Greater Western Sydney.
An extra couple of thousand fans are expected at the ground on Sunday and it is becoming reminiscent of Alberton's SANFL glory days, when it was one of the most feared away trips in the league.
But first – if the conditions are windy, Brennan has some club history going against her.
When Trent Cotchin won the toss at Adelaide Oval for the 2014 AFL elimination final against Port, he infamously had the Tigers kicking into a strong wind.
The Power made a roaring start and had the game won by quarter-time.
"Tell me more – I will have to follow up," a grinning Brennan said on Thursday when asked about that match.
Richmond had its revenge, beating Port at Adelaide Oval in the 2020 preliminary final on the way to the AFL premiership.
Regardless of history and Alberton's challenges, Brennan is relishing their finals return.
Richmond's only AFLW finals were a straight-sets exit in season seven.
"No doubt we're doing our research behind the scenes and prepping incredibly well – but also just coming back to us, coming back to our strengths, coming back to the footy we know we can play," Brennan said.
"We're just excited to play. There's no better feeling than finals footy and passionate fans and just the opportunity to be alive at this time of the season.
"It's something we'll embrace. We've played in front of some crowds before and it will be no different.
"So we'll just look to bring our strengths, to focus on us."
Richmond has had a solid run into the finals, with games against Geelong, Melbourne, Essendon and Hawthorn that Brennan called "heated".
They also beat Port earlier this season – the last time the Power lost before their six-game winning streak.
"We feel like we're sitting in a really good place. We've played, in our eyes, probably top-four, top-six teams coming into this and we've had some games that are high-pressure," Brennan said.
"We've been able to grow our game in different areas and faced some high-pressure situations. We feel like we're battle-hardened and that we've grown every week because of that.
"We're bullish about our season."
Brennan was in some doubt a fortnight ago with an ankle injury, but she has kept playing and the former Western Bulldogs star will reach 50 games for Richmond on Sunday.
"It's been managed a little bit along the way. It's fine, it will be perfect for Sunday," Brennan said of her ankle.
