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RICHMOND captain Trent Cotchin has emerged the morning after the Tigers ended their 37-year flag drought with four hours' sleep and feeling "grateful" to be part of history.
The 48-point Grand Final victory over minor premier Adelaide completed the AFL's second fairytale in as many years, following the Western Bulldogs' storied triumph in 2016.
Richmond slipped from three consecutive finals appearances to 13th last year, before rebounding to end coach Damien Hardwick's barren post-season run on the way to premiership glory.
"We just had to tinker a few things, and history's been made now and we're so grateful for being a part of it," Cotchin told Channel Nine.
"The greatest thing, I reckon, after a win is going for that first coffee in the morning the next day.
"But I did want to enjoy it, read the paper, smile, reminisce for a short period of time and then come and enjoy it with our fans here today."
The Tigers' famed pressure, credited with being the key factor in their extraordinary rise, again came to the fore, ultimately delivering 73 of their 108 points from Crows turnovers.
"I mean that's what you go into games trying to (do) – take something away from the opposition," Cotchin said.
"The guys executed so well, and they have done for the majority of the year, but in particular the last four to five weeks. That's what we pride ourselves on and I think it's a credit to the 22 playing.
"But even the way our VFL group played through their finals campaign and beyond that, it just shows the system we've been so confident in and we know it works. It's been a pleasure to be part of."
But Cotchin said he was unlikely to join teammate and close friend Dustin Martin in celebrating the popular victory with some body art.
Martin, who became the first VFL/AFL player to win the Brownlow and Norm Smith medals and a premiership in the same season, is set to travel overseas with retired Pie Dane Swan.
"He's actually pretty good at staying in touch, Dus, when he's overseas," Cotchin said with a grin.
"He typically FaceTimes me at all different hours, but it's always actually a pretty enjoyable conversation to have. I'm always fresh and he doesn’t look so fresh.
"The thing that (encapsulates) Dusty so much is as respectful as he is to the Norm Smith Medal and the Brownlow and so forth, he was quick to put those away and just wear his premiership medallion around his neck with pride.
"As he said to so many of the boys, that's the one he wanted most – and I think that sums him up as a person and a player and why we love him so much."
