Richmond Back2Back Premierships 2019/2020
Booklet showcasing artwork created by Jamie Cooper to commemorate Richmond's Back-to-Back 2019/2020 Premiership victories.
Booklet showcasing artwork created by Jamie Cooper to commemorate Richmond's Back-to-Back 2019/2020 Premiership victories.
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B A C K 2 B A C K<br />
PREMIERSHIPS<br />
<strong>2019</strong>/<strong>2020</strong><br />
RICHMOND FOOTBALL CLUB<br />
The creation of an iconic artwork<br />
by Jamie Cooper
INTRODUCTION<br />
To celebrate its <strong>2019</strong>/20 AFL Back-to-Back Premiership<br />
victories, <strong>Richmond</strong> Football Club commissioned renowned<br />
Sports Artist Jamie Cooper to create a significant artwork to<br />
commemorate this historic achievement. A great deal of hard<br />
work both on and off the field has gone into creating this<br />
defining era in the Club’s history and so, it was felt that<br />
it deserved to be immortalised in oils.<br />
In the artist’s own words:<br />
‘ For footballers of all levels the ultimate moment is when the final siren<br />
sounds in a Grand Final and the realisation of what has been achieved<br />
sinks in. Pure joy, relief and a lifetime dream come true are all rolled into<br />
one. Back-to-Back AFL <strong>Premierships</strong> are rare and the result of a lot of<br />
hard work from so many. I’ve attempted to distil two seasons, hundreds<br />
of thousands of collective hours from the whole Tiger family, fans,<br />
Club staff and the entire senior list, into the players from the two<br />
premiership teams and their emotions in THAT VERY MOMENT. Sifting<br />
through thousands of images, I’ve collated a scene that captures players<br />
in<br />
their own personal moments of triumph. The result, I hope is…<br />
… PURE TIGER JOY.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
The following is a journey<br />
through the process, from<br />
the Artist’s creative viewpoint,<br />
the Club’s perspective plus<br />
many insights and feedback<br />
from the players themselves.<br />
2
DAVID ASTBURY<br />
‘ This image was taken from well after the<br />
final siren in <strong>2019</strong>. David had donned<br />
the Club cap and scarf and was actually<br />
holding the Premiership Cup in his right<br />
hand. I’ve brought him back out onto the<br />
field just in his playing gear. It was the<br />
expression on his face that captured me.<br />
Such unbridled joy. I wanted someone up<br />
close to the viewer as if he could leap off<br />
the canvas and invite us in.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
1<br />
DYLAN GRIMES<br />
‘ Sometimes I find the perfect shot,<br />
requiring little if any artistic license.<br />
The only thing I had to do was change<br />
the angle on his foot to help it sit<br />
better on the turf from the viewer’s<br />
perspective. It was actually taken from<br />
a photo as the final siren went in<br />
<strong>2019</strong>. I thought it appropriate that he<br />
was beside fellow key backmen Balta,<br />
Vlastuin and Astbury.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
NOAH BALTA<br />
Noah became a Premiership Player for the first time in the <strong>2020</strong> win and,<br />
turning 21 the day before the Grand Final, is the youngest member of the<br />
team. He has quickly become a <strong>Richmond</strong> star and a pillar in defence.<br />
‘ I wanted Noah seen as a ‘giant’ figure in<br />
defence. Even though new to the team,<br />
his physical presence was significant<br />
in lifting the smaller players around him.<br />
This image was originally of him up on<br />
the fence after the game holding the<br />
cup in front of an ecstatic crowd. His<br />
outstretched arms and the angle looking<br />
up at him from below emphasise his<br />
intimidating stature.’<br />
2<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
NICK VLASTUIN<br />
‘ Nick is seen in the actual moment at<br />
the final siren time in <strong>2019</strong>. His focus<br />
sends us further into the painting.<br />
He is positioned alongside his fellow<br />
Tiger defenders, symbolically forming<br />
an impregnable wall.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
DION PRESTIA<br />
An incredible talent of the <strong>Richmond</strong><br />
Football Club, Dion joined the Tigers in<br />
2017. That same year, <strong>Richmond</strong> went on<br />
to break a 37-year Premiership drought.<br />
Coincidence? You can decide.<br />
3<br />
Dion quickly became a mainstay in<br />
the Tigers’ midfield, displaying great<br />
finesse and unique ball handling skill.<br />
Several sublime performances during<br />
<strong>2019</strong>, capped off by providing pivotal<br />
performances in the <strong>Back2Back</strong><br />
premiership victories, earned him the<br />
Jack Dyer Medal.<br />
‘ I loved this dynamic, on the run pose of ‘the<br />
human meatball’. It brings the viewer toward<br />
the centre of the painting and creates a nice<br />
sweeping movement across the scene. I also<br />
like seeing the players’ numbers, as this is such<br />
a part of their identity. This image was taken<br />
after his goal in the 3rd quarter in <strong>2019</strong>.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
‘ It’s amazing to be on a list with names<br />
like Riewoldt, Cotchin and Martin who are<br />
such champions of the <strong>Richmond</strong> Football<br />
Club. I think I was just really proud of what<br />
we were able to achieve as a team, and<br />
personally despite having setbacks like<br />
injuries, getting traded and moving away<br />
from my family. To win the Club B & F in<br />
the same year as a Premiership, it really<br />
makes it all worthwhile. I cried on Best<br />
and Fairest night.’<br />
Dion Prestia
NATHAN BROAD<br />
‘ Total artistic license for no<br />
particular reason here. I just<br />
wanted to create some interaction<br />
between the players. This was<br />
a shot of Daniel Rioli and Jayden<br />
Short embracing during the GF<br />
in <strong>2019</strong>. I have subbed Nathan<br />
in for Rioli (as I needed Daniel<br />
somewhere else) to create the<br />
two backmen sharing the love.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
4
5<br />
JAYDEN SHORT<br />
Jayden is a consistently high performing<br />
player, putting in outstanding efforts week<br />
after week. After facing a tough <strong>2020</strong>, not<br />
only because of the obvious challenges posed<br />
by the pandemic, it was especially tough for<br />
Jayden, sadly losing his father early in the<br />
year, leaving him unsure as to how he would<br />
cope with it all. Short showed great resilience,<br />
citing the incredible support from everyone at<br />
the Club. He went on to have an amazing year,<br />
with a near best on ground performance in the<br />
<strong>2020</strong> Grand Final and winning the <strong>2020</strong> Jack<br />
Dyer Medal. This capped off an emotional yet<br />
fulfilling year for this great young player.<br />
‘ Jayden is embraced, through a bit of artistic license,<br />
by fellow back man Nathan Broad. This image was<br />
taken from a home and away match in <strong>2019</strong>, but<br />
created a great interaction with another player which<br />
I thought was important to the scene. I’ve placed him<br />
in his <strong>2020</strong> Grand Final gear to symbolise his near<br />
best on ground performance that day and his Jack<br />
Dyer medal win in the same year.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
‘ Winning the <strong>2020</strong> Premiership was an<br />
amazing feeling, not really something<br />
I expected to be honest. A really amazing<br />
feeling and very humbling. It’s pretty<br />
hard to believe, it doesn’t really feel<br />
real. We won it last year (<strong>2019</strong>) and<br />
you always want to repeat that feeling,<br />
and to be able to get it done again was<br />
incredible. What better way to end that<br />
challenging year. Amazing.’<br />
‘Hub life in <strong>2020</strong> had its challenges,<br />
but I tried to have a positive outlook<br />
on it, trying to make the most of a bad<br />
situation, to turn it into a good one.<br />
Obviously, I’d left my family and my<br />
girlfriend back home. I did miss them<br />
of course but I just tried to make the<br />
most of being with the boys, coaches<br />
and staff.’<br />
Jayden Short
TOM LYNCH<br />
‘ Depicted here celebrating his<br />
goal in the last quarter in <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
Perfect angle, pose and joyous<br />
expression for this final siren<br />
moment. He went straight in.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
6
SHAI BOLTON<br />
‘ Shai is seen leap-frogging over Shane<br />
Edwards to get into the action at the<br />
centre of the painting. It was just a<br />
nice dynamic pose, creating interesting<br />
interaction and movement between the<br />
players. Jumping for joy!! It was taken<br />
from the final siren moment in <strong>2019</strong>.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
7 BRANDON ELLIS<br />
‘ To create a believable scene from<br />
several disparate images, a variety<br />
of poses and angles are needed.<br />
This makes the moment look more<br />
natural and interesting. This image of<br />
Brandon is also taken from the final<br />
siren moment in <strong>2019</strong> and helps form<br />
the ring around the central image of<br />
skipper Trent Cotchin. I also enjoy<br />
seeing a player’s number.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
8<br />
JOSH CADDY<br />
‘ Captured in those first few seconds after<br />
the final siren in <strong>2019</strong>. The side-on pose<br />
was perfect to help form a ring of players<br />
around skipper Trent Cotchin.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
JACK RIEWOLDT<br />
9<br />
‘ Every successful side has a core of quality<br />
leaders. Jack has done the hard yards, playing<br />
several roles up forward as this group developed<br />
over the past decade. He has gone from young<br />
buck to elder statesman, being one of the longest<br />
servants for the Club from this group, and rightly<br />
belongs at the heart of this scene with fellow<br />
elders, Trent Cotchin and Dusty Martin. His five<br />
goals in the <strong>2019</strong> GF saw him one of the best on<br />
ground. This image was taken from one of his two<br />
goal celebrations in the <strong>2020</strong> GF. I’ve tried to<br />
create a sense of him rushing towards Trent as<br />
the realisation sets in.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
SHANE EDWARDS<br />
‘ Another great image from THE MOMENT.<br />
The final siren in <strong>2019</strong> where the players<br />
swarmed the Captain. I just had to flip<br />
him to face the other way. As a long<br />
serving player for the Club and such<br />
a great performer in both <strong>Premierships</strong>,<br />
I wanted him central in the painting.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
The <strong>Richmond</strong> Football Club’s longest ever<br />
serving Captain, a Brownlow medallist, threetime<br />
Club Best and Fairest and <strong>Richmond</strong>’s<br />
only ever three-time Premiership captain.<br />
Captain at 22, Trent was destined for great<br />
things at Tigerland. Eight years on, it is safe<br />
to say he has delivered. Through his leadership<br />
both on and off field he was able to guide<br />
every one of the 25 players depicted in this<br />
historic piece, to Premiership glory.<br />
TRENT COTCHIN<br />
10<br />
‘ This image of him at final siren time in <strong>2019</strong> is the<br />
heart of the painting. Who could deny him success<br />
after so many years of loyalty? Maligned externally<br />
early on in his captaincy, all voices have been silenced<br />
by his ability to keep learning and growing in his<br />
leadership role. A terrific mentor and example both on<br />
and off the field, this dedication to being better has<br />
earned him respect throughout the AFL and brought<br />
along with it three <strong>Premierships</strong> as Captain and a<br />
Brownlow Medal… to date. I also wanted him to be<br />
close to the two other senior players that I see as<br />
the Big Three. Himself, Dusty and Jack Riewoldt.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
On <strong>2019</strong><br />
‘ It was just so special and a little bit surreal<br />
really. I’m incredibly grateful to our group and<br />
the 22 players that go out there each week,<br />
and to their families and all the sacrifices<br />
that they’ve made.’<br />
On <strong>2020</strong><br />
11<br />
‘ It’s hard not to get emotional when you<br />
speak about the care and love we have<br />
for each other. It fosters really special<br />
relationships that go beyond just being<br />
part of a football club. They’re relationships<br />
that you hold onto forever. The memories<br />
are incredibly special, but it’s the stories<br />
from the journey that mean the most to us<br />
as a group. This year [<strong>2020</strong>] has been like no<br />
other that I’ve ever experienced. I was pretty<br />
emotional after the game [<strong>2020</strong> Grand Final].<br />
The <strong>Richmond</strong> Football Club is more than<br />
just a footy club. I’m incredibly grateful<br />
to be part of such a unique and proud<br />
organisation. To play a small part in it is<br />
unique and humbling and something that<br />
I’ll always be very proud of.’<br />
Trent Cotchin
BACHAR HOULI<br />
A quintessential <strong>Richmond</strong> man, Bachar encapsulates the culture of the <strong>Richmond</strong><br />
Football Club in every way. Through both his Bachar Houli Academy for young and<br />
emerging players and the Bachar Houli Foundation, he works in our community<br />
to nurture it and develop a brighter future for everyone involved. A fair player in<br />
every sense of the word, Bachar has solidified his position within the starting team<br />
through years of hard work, leadership and wisdom, cultivating in three Premiership<br />
medallions. Most notably in his <strong>2019</strong> campaign, Bachar was impossible to ignore<br />
on the field, amassing a team-high 26 disposals and six tackles. His performance<br />
earned him a deserved place in the <strong>2019</strong> All-Australian team.<br />
12<br />
‘ With Bachar I have taken A LOT of artistic license. I wanted him<br />
central as he has been such a great performer for the Tigers<br />
through several finals campaigns. Although externally he perhaps<br />
doesn’t get the kudos of the likes of Cotchin, Martin and Co, within<br />
the team he is rated appropriately highly. I found this shot from<br />
the 2017 Grand Final which technically disqualifies it from the<br />
brief being the <strong>2019</strong>/20 wins… BUT… it’s MY painting so I went<br />
with this image of him leaping into the air in triumph. It enabled<br />
me to add a completely different airborne pose to add variety to<br />
the scene. I also thought it kinda resonated with his style of play.<br />
Central to all the success around the midfield but happy to work<br />
away in the background doing his bit for the team without fanfare.<br />
A true player’s player.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
Reflecting on <strong>2020</strong><br />
‘ To be able to celebrate the <strong>2020</strong><br />
win with all those people who were<br />
in the hub for 110 days or so was<br />
really special, but I felt like there was<br />
something missing. Clearly the thing<br />
that was missing was the Tiger Army.<br />
There’s a big difference between<br />
30,000 and 100,000. If I’m completely<br />
honest, I’m still so humbled and<br />
grateful to be a part of it.’<br />
13<br />
‘ These are the moments you cherish<br />
forever. They are very special times.<br />
I’ll reflect more once I go home,<br />
probably opening my safe, taking the<br />
other two medals out, look at them<br />
and realise that I’ve been very fortunate<br />
to be part of three <strong>Premierships</strong> with<br />
the greatest football club out there.<br />
A football club that is huge on culture,<br />
huge on connection and so I am very<br />
proud to be a Tiger for life.’<br />
Bachar Houli
DUSTIN MARTIN<br />
An awe-inspiring, undisputed<br />
superstar of the modern game,<br />
Dustin Martin has been hailed<br />
as possibly one of the greatest<br />
players to ever grace a football<br />
field. He has gone where no one<br />
else has gone before in becoming<br />
a triple Norm Smith Medallist by<br />
delivering three ‘Best on Ground’<br />
performances in every single<br />
Grand Final he has participated in.<br />
Instrumental in both of the Back<br />
to Back <strong>Premierships</strong>, Martin has<br />
single-handedly left his unique<br />
‘Don’t Argue’ impression on the<br />
game, inspiring an entire new<br />
generation of footballing strategy,<br />
which has all opponents asking the<br />
question: How do we stop Dusty?<br />
14
On <strong>2020</strong><br />
‘ It was tough, being stuck in the hub. I kept coming back to how grateful I was to be able to go out and<br />
play every week. I think it’s important to sit in that space of gratitude, knowing we’re all able to do<br />
what we love.’<br />
‘ <strong>2020</strong> was so hard being away from the MCG and us still able to win some of the games we did, like<br />
against Port in Adelaide and being down at half time against the Cats. It was a real sense of fulfilment<br />
after the year, because of the grit we showed.’<br />
What was going through your head at half time in the <strong>2020</strong> GF?<br />
‘ I can’t really remember but I just knew if we stuck to the way we play, stayed calm because we’d been<br />
in that position before; down at half time, and we’ve proven that we can finish strong. The grit we<br />
showed to come back and win the game, it was just a really special one.’<br />
15<br />
How hard has it been not having your Dad here to witness you win any of those live?<br />
‘ It’s been a massive challenge. I love my dad and he’s made me the man I am today. It’s my dream to<br />
have my old man and the rest of my family up in the stands to watch the Tiges win another Premiership.’<br />
Do you ever look back at the last four years and pinch yourself?<br />
‘ It’s funny, life moves so fast, so I think its super important to sit down and reflect. I remember being on the<br />
Goldie (Gold Coast) after three weeks of celebrating and I just sat on the balcony. I took a moment to reflect<br />
on it all, sending out a few texts, reaching out to teammates asking, can you believe what we just did?’<br />
Dustin Martin<br />
‘ Dusty’s finals performances are beyond compare, quite literally in the history of AFL football.<br />
I wanted to focus on the now iconic gesture he has developed over the past few years. The<br />
jumper stretching celebration after yet another Grand Final goal. The moment I am thinking<br />
of is his last quarter snap in <strong>2020</strong>, which sealed the win and his third Norm Smith Medal.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
TOBY NANKERVIS<br />
‘ Look at the expression on Toby’s face and<br />
the intensity of his pose! This is what it’s<br />
all about. This image is from the exact<br />
moment the final siren sounded in <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
In reality he was rushing to a kneeling<br />
Trent Cotchin, but I have moved him<br />
(as Trent is already surrounded) to match<br />
up with Liam Baker who was suitably<br />
posed to face him.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
16
KANE LAMBERT<br />
17<br />
‘ I’m always looking for a different pose<br />
that expresses the thrill of victory. Often<br />
I will steal an image from another<br />
moment if it expresses that feeling I’m<br />
looking for. This one of Kane Lambert<br />
scoring his third quarter goal in <strong>2019</strong> gives<br />
that impression. The intense thrill and<br />
release when seeing the ball go through<br />
the sticks is similar to that unbridled joy<br />
of the final siren (when you win!). I loved<br />
this image of Kane winding up to give a<br />
mighty fist pump. But I’ve put him in the<br />
<strong>2020</strong> gear just to give a better balance<br />
of the two years.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
MARLION PICKETT<br />
Perhaps one of the most inspiring stories in AFL<br />
football’s long history, is that of Marlion Pickett.<br />
As a young man, he faced difficulties spending<br />
time in youth detention. As an older man he<br />
faced adversity through time in prison, however<br />
despite this, Marlion never forgot the game he<br />
loved. At 27 years of age, while playing in the<br />
Western Australian Football League (WAFL)<br />
he caught the eye of <strong>Richmond</strong> who wanted<br />
to bring him over to Tigerland, even though<br />
he was injured. He was brought in, came back<br />
from injury and was awarded the best player<br />
award in <strong>Richmond</strong>’s VFL Premiership victory.<br />
The very next week, his life-long dream to play<br />
AFL football was realised, as Marlion became the<br />
first player in 67 years to make his AFL debut in<br />
a Grand Final. He put in a pivotal performance<br />
and scored a debut goal which sent the entire<br />
Tiger Army into raptures. A year on from this,<br />
Marlion achieved a second Premiership honour<br />
with the <strong>Back2Back</strong> Premiership after playing<br />
only 20 senior games.<br />
18
19<br />
‘ Some moments pick themselves.<br />
Debuting in the <strong>2019</strong> Grand Final<br />
was amazing enough, but Marlion<br />
kicking his first goal in the third<br />
quarter was a dream come true.<br />
It was a beautiful moment for the<br />
whole team who came rushing in<br />
to congratulate him. One of the<br />
first on the scene was Daniel Rioli,<br />
who I’ve recreated here to share<br />
Marlion’s moment. I also added<br />
this image of Kamdyn McIntosh,<br />
ecstatic about his <strong>2020</strong> GF first<br />
quarter goal to create a nice little<br />
scene of joyous Tigers. Kamdyn’s<br />
side-on pose lent itself to joining<br />
with the other two, especially since<br />
in reality it was Rioli who he was<br />
embracing in that image I used.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
How hard was it for you to overcome being sent to prison?<br />
‘ It was one of the hardest times of my life. Having to leave my kids and<br />
my partner, not being there for their first birthday and Christmas…<br />
I missed out. I started from the bottom, rock bottom, and now I’m here.<br />
If you’re willing to change and follow your dreams, really chase them,<br />
anything can happen.’<br />
How did it feel when you were drafted by <strong>Richmond</strong>, despite<br />
your injury at the time?<br />
‘ With my broken finger, I thought my hopes of getting drafted were gone.<br />
Then my name got called, Jess ran out the front door and left me sitting<br />
there, scratching my head, I think she was more excited than I was!’<br />
During a 2012 documentary Marlion was posed this question:<br />
What do you think you will do once you are released?<br />
‘ Hopefully I can make the AFL, it’s been my dream since I was a young<br />
kid. Yeah, hopefully it comes true.’ – Marlion in 2012, while still serving<br />
his time in Wooroloo prison. Seven years before the <strong>2019</strong> Grand Final.<br />
What was it like to kick a debut goal in a Grand Final,<br />
in front of 100,000 fans at the MCG?<br />
‘ I kicked it to Dusty, it looked like he was going to have a shot, then<br />
I saw him looking my way so I started walking into space. It was<br />
really selfless what he did, to give a first gamer a shot on goal. The<br />
celebratory finger in the air was for Jess’ (Marlion’s partner) brother,<br />
he said he was going to come over (from Perth) to come and watch<br />
my first game.’ Sadly, Marlion’s brother-in-law passed away weeks<br />
prior to this moment.<br />
Marlion Pickett
DANIEL RIOLI<br />
‘ Daniel is seen here celebrating his first quarter goal in<br />
the <strong>2019</strong> GF with other single goal scorers, McIntosh (<strong>2020</strong>)<br />
and Pickett (<strong>2019</strong>). I wanted as much player interaction<br />
as possible and these three separate images from<br />
two different times and years, melded together perfectly.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
KAMDYN MCINTOSH<br />
Since his debut in 2015 Kamdyn has become<br />
a two-time Premiership player. A hard-working<br />
defensive pillar, using his everlasting engine<br />
to inject energy into every moment. His inspiring<br />
big second efforts and the shining example<br />
he is to the rest of the team has found him<br />
a beloved place within this <strong>Richmond</strong> family.<br />
After missing out narrowly for selection<br />
in the <strong>2019</strong> Grand Final Kamdyn was<br />
determined to prove his worth and through<br />
his aforementioned hard work, earned himself<br />
a starting spot in <strong>2020</strong>’s historic Grand Final<br />
victory. His efforts were also recognised<br />
by being awarded the Kevin Bartlett Medal<br />
(5th place in the Club Best and Fairest).<br />
20
What did it mean to you to win the <strong>2020</strong> Premiership, knowing that you<br />
missed out on selection the year before?<br />
‘ The feeling of the siren sounding was unreal. I wasn’t even thinking to be honest.<br />
I was all caught up in the emotion. It had just been such a long year, it just felt amazing.<br />
A highlight was definitely kicking a goal in the Grand Final, after playing in 2017 and<br />
not kicking a goal then, and not having the opportunity in <strong>2019</strong>, it was awesome.’<br />
How did it feel to win the Kevin Bartlett Medal in such a challenging year?<br />
‘ I can’t go past getting up on stage and winning the Kevin Bartlett Award as well as<br />
winning the Grand Final this year. I had a lot of questions of whether I would even<br />
play this year, so to be able to put that award around my neck, I did not expect it,<br />
it was amazing.’<br />
21<br />
During his acceptance speech it was clear how meaningful the award<br />
was to him, as he held back tears while speaking.<br />
‘ Some people may think the word family gets thrown around at football clubs all the<br />
time but it genuinely is a family here. It’s something that we’ve been working on for<br />
several years. The culture we have now is so different to how it was in my first year<br />
and to have seen it progress is crazy to me. It genuinely is like a family here. There’s<br />
no way I would’ve been able to get back in the side, win the Kevin Bartlett Award,<br />
the Premiership or any of that if it wasn’t for this playing group, the coach and the<br />
staff behind the scenes. I can’t thank them enough.’<br />
Kamdyn Macintosh
JACK GRAHAM<br />
‘ I chose this image of Jack purely as it suited the<br />
compositional requirements of the painting. He is<br />
bursting into the scene from the right-hand edge,<br />
along with Castagna, Baker and Soldo to create a<br />
dynamic rush of energy that draws our eye directly<br />
into the painting. Pure artistic license here. The edges<br />
of the painting are so important in engaging the viewer<br />
and inviting us in. Note the line from both ends of the<br />
canvas, with players in the foreground trailing back<br />
and in, all the way to Bachar in the middle floating<br />
above the central circle of players around the Skipper.<br />
Bachar is looking down at them so our eye, after<br />
zooming in from the edges, leads to him and is then<br />
reflected down to the heart of the painting.’<br />
22<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
JASON CASTAGNA<br />
‘ As with Graham, this image was chosen as it perfectly<br />
frames the right-hand edge of the painting. His<br />
diagonal pose is so dynamic as he leans into the<br />
scene, drawing our eye with him towards the action<br />
in the centre of the scene. It also symbolises his third<br />
quarter goal in <strong>2020</strong> that brought the Tigers within<br />
striking distance of the Cats and led to the eventual<br />
onslaught in the last quarter that overran Geelong.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
LIAM BAKER<br />
‘ Liam’s image was taken from a celebration he was<br />
having with Dusty after Martin’s last quarter goal in<br />
<strong>2020</strong>. But the angle of his pose was perfect to match up<br />
with Toby racing towards him. I always want to create<br />
as much interaction as possible in these scenes, so I use<br />
a lot of artistic license to tell the story.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
IVAN SOLDO<br />
23<br />
Ivan’s outstanding performance in the <strong>2019</strong><br />
Grand Final saw him kick a goal as a ruckman,<br />
and become a Premiership player in only his<br />
21st game of AFL football.<br />
‘ In designing this fictional moment, there is a lot<br />
of design and construction that goes into player<br />
positioning. If you notice, both ends of the painting<br />
have players running into the frame, bringing our eye<br />
toward the centre of the painting. Its like ‘all roads lead<br />
to Rome’. I want your eye to journey across the painting<br />
from either side and lead toward Trent at the heart of the<br />
painting. I chose this image of Ivan as he towers above<br />
the others, leading us further into the scene. This image<br />
is of him after kicking the ‘sealer’ just before 3 quarter<br />
time in <strong>2019</strong>, putting the Tigers 62 points up.’<br />
Jamie Cooper
DAMIEN HARDWICK<br />
On the <strong>2020</strong> Premiership<br />
‘ What a season <strong>2020</strong> has been and what a football team<br />
we have. We had 100,000+ members and the might of<br />
the entire Tiger Army cheering us on all the way. That is<br />
as powerful a force that you can hope to have supporting<br />
you and we’re so grateful for it. I want to congratulate<br />
the entire Club, that includes every supporter and all<br />
staff, for what we have achieved this year. It’s incredibly<br />
sad that so many of our staff members won’t be with us<br />
next year, you’ve been a wonderful part of what we’ve<br />
achieved, you’ll be missed, we wish you well, and you<br />
will always be a part of this club. To our members and all<br />
our supporters around the country, we play for you and<br />
we hope that we’ve been able to put a smile on your face<br />
this year. This was a year like no other, we’ll never forget<br />
what we achieved together but more importantly, I can’t<br />
wait to see where the journey takes us next.’<br />
24<br />
‘ It is a great feeling, it’s been an enormous year, it’s been<br />
a challenging year there’s no doubt about that, but we<br />
feel incredibly privileged to have been a part of it and<br />
come up on top in a tough game and against a great<br />
opponent in Geelong.’<br />
Damien Hardwick
A man who has sewn his journey into the fabric of the <strong>Richmond</strong> Football Club.<br />
‘Dimma’ has taken his team to heights not reached for decades, breaking a 37-year<br />
Premiership drought in 2017. He had no intention of slowing down either, going on<br />
to lead the Tigers in becoming one of the greatest football sides of the modern era,<br />
performing at the highest level and sustaining it over multiple years. He has buried<br />
his roots deep into the club’s spiritual home at Punt Road and solidified his place as<br />
a legend of the <strong>Richmond</strong> Football Club, with the <strong>Back2Back</strong> Premiership campaigns<br />
of <strong>2019</strong>/20. A now three-time Premiership coach in just the past four years, he is the<br />
architect of a high energy, crowd encapsulating brand of <strong>Richmond</strong> Football, earning<br />
himself a Coach of the Year Award and three Jock McHale Medals.<br />
25<br />
‘ The brains behind the brawn. Dimma watches on from the<br />
boundary applauding his players. He is flanked in the crowd<br />
by CEO Brendon Gale and President Peggy O’Neal, whose<br />
off-field leadership has been just as significant in creating<br />
the dynasty that is well and truly here… and not over yet.’<br />
Jamie Cooper<br />
Note several other club identities and<br />
celebrity fans cheering on in delight,<br />
representing all Tiger fans that have<br />
waited a long time to see such an era<br />
of dominance at Tigerland.