Semi-final, 1995 - Richmond vs Essendon

Richmond has pulled off a mighty comeback to record the club's first finals win since 1982, defeating Essendon in the second semi-final by 13 points.

The Tigers found themselves down by 31 points 10 minutes into the third quarter, but an astonishing seven unanswered goals took the Tigers to a 12.14 (86) to 11.7 (73) victory.

Victory.

No strangers to being the underdogs, Richmond went into the game the less fancied side despite their strong season, and in the early going that seemed to be an accurate call.

The Bombers kicked the first two goals of the game, with a 17-year old Matthew Lloyd getting amongst the action while being manned by fellow teenager David Bourke, who was back in the Richmond side.

Richmond needed a lift, and quickly, which came to fruition following a delightful long running goal from Matthew Knights which got the Tiger army up and firing.

Knights was everywhere, and although Essendon still looked to have the game in control, whenever they got a run on, it would be the left footed dynamo who would pull his side back into the contest.

This was typified by his second running goal, streaming through the middle, moving so quickly that Ryan O'Connor who was chasing him pinged a hammy, and hammering it home from outside 50 for another team lifting goal.

Soon after, he took a speccy from an Essendon kick in but his shot on goal on this occasion unfortunately hit the post.

Justin Charles marked and goaled from the pocket after the quarter time siren to pull the Tigers back within a point, but some worrying signs crept in for his side after that.

If not for yet another piece of individual brilliance from Matthew Knights, who literally bounced his way from the centre square, to the wing, to half-forward and then inside 50 for his third goal, the Tigers may have been in some serious strife.

The Bombers put the foot down in the second and all of a sudden were out to a five goal lead at halftime which Richmond fans wondering if this was going to be a straight sets exit for their first finals series since 1982.

The Tiger fans were growing increasingly restless, so much so that they gave leader Brendon Gale, who wasn't having the best day, bronx cheers when he had his first kick of the day during the third term.

But then, something crazy happened. Nick Daffy goaled after being held without the footy to stem the flow of Bomber goals, and then the Tigers took off.

What helped, rightly or wrongly, was the physicality of full-back Scott Turner. During the third term he laid a heavy bump on Gary O'Donnell which ruled him out of the game, and then followed up with another heavy hit on David Grenvold that left him a little dazed as well.

The Bombers all of a sudden became a bit nervous with the footy and the Tigers took full advantage, with the aforementioned Turner kicking a wonderful goal out of the ruck in the pocket after being moved forward, followed soon by Chris Naish streaming into goal to make it a 12-point game.

When Daffy flushed a shot on goal from the very next centre bounce from about 65m out, the Tigers faithful erupted as the momentum continued to swing violently in their teams favour.

With the game on a knife's edge, Chris Naish expertly roved a contest at half forward and snapped a ripping goal around his body to give Richmond a one-point lead heading into the final quarter.

The final quarter was all Matthew Rogers. The young, slender forward had already had a good game around the ground, but he hit the scoreboard in a big way early in the last quarter, taking two excellent marks and goaling from both of them to allow the Tigers fans to dream big.

From there, and after a scrubbing goal from Scott Turner, Richmond held off the Bombers to record a famous win against their old rival.

When the final siren sounded, coach John Northey came out of the box swinging his jacket above his head, akin to the coach he just bested Kevin Sheedy, which was apparently a promise to his players if the side got up.

For the Tigers, Matthew Rogers played arguably his best game for the club. Not just kicking two critical goals in the final term, but also leading all disposal winners for Richmond with 23, to go with 8 marks.

Midfielders Matthew Knights and Wayne Campbell were also solid without necessarily playing full four-quarter games, but Knights' exploits early was the main reason for Richmond still being in the game in the first half.

Scott Turner was a game turner when swung forward, while Jamie Tape was his usual solid self in defence and played a key role in dropping back in front of oncoming traffic.

The win would be one that Tiger fans, even to this day, dine out on as one of the greatest wins the club has recorded in modern history.

 Stats for the game courtesy of AFL Tables

A Fighting Fury player ratings - click here for explanation

Matthew Rogers	10
Matthew Knights	8
Wayne Campbell	8
Scott Turner	6
Jamie Tape	6
Chris Naish	6
Greg Dear	5
Duncan Kellaway	4
Justin Charles	4
John Howat	4
Nick Daffy	3
Stuart Maxfield	3
Paul Broderick	2
Michael Gale	2
David Bourke	2
Nathan Bower	2
Chris Bond	1
Stuart Wigney	1
Mark Merenda	1
Ashley Prescott	1
Brendon Gale	0