Richmond’s huge supporter base stayed away in its droves on Saturday night for the Tigers’ match against GWS. Photo: AFL MEDIA

Rarely do Richmond people let slip an opportunity to remind you that their heavyweight club boasts more than 100,000 members.

The “Tiger Army”, which has grown rapidly in line with recent on-field success, is supposedly one of the largest and most passionate supporter bases in Australian sport.

On the weekend, that so-called army was reduced to something more like a two-bit gang.

Saturday night was a crucial game, with the injury-hit Tigers’ premiership defence sitting on a knife’s edge heading into the clash with GWS.

Yet fans who usually turn up in droves at the MCG decided to turn up their noses at the Marvel Stadium fixture.

Fewer than 20 per cent of those Richmond members bothered to venture four kilometres across town to Docklands, where they would have been nice and dry under the roof.

Excuses? There are none; or at least none that wash.

CEO Brendan Gale’s widely-publicised comments during the build-up to round nine about Richmond fans being frustrated by the scheduling ultimately proved self-fulfilling.

The fans were given an easy out, of sorts, and they took it and ran.

While most stayed home, the dedicated few who made up Richmond’s smallest home crowd since 2004 were rewarded with an instant classic.

They witnessed yet another Dustin Martin masterclass, unheralded Liam Baker stepping up in a depleted midfield and a thrilling comeback from almost five goals down.

The Tigers hit the front late in the final term when Daniel Rioli put a tough week behind him by accepting a kind bounce and producing a classy finish.

They held on when Dylan Grimes played goalkeeper on the last line of defence, getting a touch on Tim Taranto’s dribbled shot that could have pinched a dramatic win for the visitors.

If Hugo Ralphsmith turns out to be a superstar, how many will claim in future years they were there for his debut?

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Those who actually were there heard something from the stands on the final siren, but the famous “yellow and black” roar wasn’t even at half-strength.

For that, the collective Richmond fanbase should be embarrassed.

Gale said moving a home game away from the MCG costs Richmond “hundreds of thousands of dollars.”

A portion of the blame for that economic hit should lie at the feet of supporters who could have, but didn’t, show up.

It should be noted a large number of supporters have forked out for memberships and merchandise, and we can’t be too critical of the average punter at a time when many have done it tough financially.

But if they’re spending money at MCG home games, there’s no reason they can’t do it at Marvel Stadium – especially if their best excuse is along the same lines of coach Damien Hardwick’s admission that he “hates” going there because it lacks a bit of soul.

Of course, in a perfect football world, all clubs would play all of their home games at their preferred home venue.

The AFL contracts that mandate a certain number of games be played at the league-owned Marvel Stadium each season would be torn up or re-worked (Gale was right on that front).

But for now, if MCG tenant clubs have to share a minor burden and play one home game each against a travelling opponent at Docklands per year, they should suck it up.

Richmond still gets more games at its home ground each year than most of its rivals.

In 2021, the Tigers will play at least 14 matches at the MCG.

Included are two away games against co-tenants, one against part-timer Essendon, another “away” game against Geelong, plus any finals where they don’t play interstate.

Premiership threats Brisbane, Port Adelaide and West Coast – not to mention all the other non-Victorian clubs – would kill for that sort of fixture.