AS SOON as the ball left his boot, Richmond's unlikely hero Sam Lloyd knew he had kicked the after-the-siren matchwinner to keep the Tigers' season alive.

His teammate Ben Griffiths had told Lloyd to take three breaths as the siren sounded with the ball in the 26-year-old sharpshooter's hands.

He was nervous but went through the routine, telling himself to keep his head over the ball and hoping training and muscle memory would take over once he began to walk into goal.

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As soon as Lloyd kicked the ball his mind went into celebration mode.

"To be honest, I thought 'This is going in,' straight off the boot," Lloyd said.

"I hit it pretty sweetly."

As it sailed through Lloyd became the first player to achieve every footballer's boyhood dream since Brisbane Lions utility Ashley McGrath kicked a matchwinning goal after the siren at the Gabba in round 15, 2013.

It was the 38th recorded time a player has won his team the game with a goal after the siren, and the ninth time at the MCG.

Only Jordan McMahon (in the famous 2009 game against Melbourne), Blair Campbell (against South Melbourne in 1966), Paul Sarah (against St Kilda in 1981) and Doug Strang (against Carlton in 1932) had kicked an after-the-siren matchwinner in Richmond colours before Lloyd.

His elated coach Damien Hardwick gave Lloyd, who was dropped from last year's elimination final, a big hug and joked he was glad Lloyd was the player with the vital kick.

All hail King Lloyd

Lloyd said he would have backed any of his teammates to kick the goal too if put in the same position and he was ecstatic with the result.

From Deniliquin, the mature-aged recruit, who came under notice in the VFL with Frankston, said his parents would be disappointed they weren't at the game to see the moment live, but he imagined they would have enjoyed it nonetheless.

"I'm sure it will be a pretty good feeling back at 'Deni'," Lloyd said.