AS RICHMOND prepares to celebrate one of its greatest heroes on Saturday, a handful of Tiger champions gathered for a quiet moment at Punt Road Oval on Tuesday to welcome the newest member of their exclusive club.
Dustin Martin's triple premiership teammates Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Shane Edwards joined fellow Richmond greats Kevin Bartlett and Francis Bourke at the club's home for a photo opportunity to commemorate Martin's milestone 300th game on Saturday.
That illustrious group came together beneath the statue of Richmond's first 300-game champion - the incomparable 'Captain Blood', Jack Dyer - for a picture that immortalises all seven players to have reached that milestone in yellow and black.
The combined playing CV of those seven men is stunning: 24 premierships, 18 club best-and-fairest awards, four Norm Smith medals (three of them Martin's) and two Brownlow medals across a total of 2,268 games to date.
Tuesday's historic photo marks the beginning of a week of celebration that will culminate on Saturday's twilight fixture when Martin will run out against Hawthorn for his 300th game.
It's a milestone that Richmond has applauded often in recent years, as Riewoldt, Edwards and Cotchin all reached the mark, but Saturday will be different.
Few players in history have had the impact on their clubs that Martin has made at Punt Road, and his colossal contribution will be cheered by every supporter with even a hint of yellow and black running through their veins.
