BARNEY Hunt can barely contain his excitement for the AFL grand final.
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As a life-long supporter of the Richmond Football Club, he has a special part of his home dedicated to the Tigers.
After Saturday’s preliminary final win against Greater Western Sydney, he admits he shed a few tears.
“We were all pretty emotional,” he said.
“It was a pretty good day. We are all hanging out for Saturday now.”
The die-hard Richmond fan can’t wait for the Tigers' first grand final appearance against Adelaide Crows in 35 years.
His love for the team began in the early 1970s when he was a boy.
He went to the 1974 grand final when Richmond won against Carlton.
“I’ve always stuck by Richmond even through the dark days,” he said. “I thought maybe next year or the year after we might make finals, but not this early.”
His beloved bar, at his Allansford home he shares with wife Jeanise, is filled with club memorabilia from the past four decades.
“We’ve been here for 20 years and we’ve been setting it up over that time,” Mr Hunt said.
“I love all of it. I’ve been waiting for this moment to come.”
The bar is well-equipped with a pot-belly stove in the middle, and plenty of seats around a big screen television.
He said his favourite player of all time was Matthew Richardson, however his current favourite players were Dustin Martin and Alex Rance. Mr Hunt’s children Felicity, Danny, Melissa and Rebecca all barrack for the Tigers.
“I’ve brainwashed all of them,” he laughed.
He also has seven grandchildren, and has converted all but one to barrack for Richmond.
“I want them to see a win,” he said.
Mr Hunt said he couldn’t convince one grandson to follow the Tigers.
“One bloke I can’t get on board,” he said. “He goes for St Kilda.”
The newest addition to his family is only five-weeks-old and is named Dustin.
Fan favourite Richmond captain Trent Cotchin is free to play in the match, after he was cleared by the AFL match review panel over a bump on the Greater Western Sydney Giants' Dylan Shiel.
Tigers teammate Brandon Ellis was also cleared after a bump on Lachie Whitfield in the fourth quarter.
The AFL Fans Association says more than 95,000 Richmond and Adelaide fans will miss out on grand final tickets, despite the AFL increasing club allocations to 34,000. The association has previously lobbied for the allocation to be 50,000.
Rachael Houlihan
Deputy editor at The Standard. Former Warrnambool City Council and general news reporter. Send me news tips: rhoulihan@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
Deputy editor at The Standard. Former Warrnambool City Council and general news reporter. Send me news tips: rhoulihan@warrnamboolstandard.com.au
