The Tigers are just two games away from their first premiership win since 1980 and the Eaglehawk Newsagency owner is making it clear who he supports.

He has erected a banner on High Street and made a Tigers tribute behind the counter.

“I’m a third generation Richmond fan. My dad was a life member, his father before him. Both were from Richmond, born and raised. So the club taps roots that are very deep,” he said.

“Now my kids are fourth generation Richmond supporters.”

Mr Trainor said it would be awe-inspiring for his children should the Tigers play in the grand final.

“We do need to beat GWS tomorrow. I’m sure we can do that. If we can then break a 37 year drought it would be phenomenal,” he said.

“Melbourne and most of Victoria will be a sea of yellow and black.”

Mr Trainor was in the stands to watch the Tigers demolish the Cats in the first week of the finals and said there were so many fans he could feel the vibrations coming through the stand.

“That was fantastic. The atmosphere was stunning,” he said. 

“If the roar from that game is eclipsed tomorrow and then again at the grand final, well, it will be the fans getting the team over the line.”

Mr Trainor said Richmond’s appeal was in the club’s history.

“It’s an old-school Melbourne club with working class roots. It’s a gentrified inner city suburb now but back in the day it was called Struggle Town. They were blue collar, tough, parochial people full of character,” he said.

Mr Trainor said there were parallels between Richmond and Eaglehawk.

“That’s why I like Eaglehawk so much. It reflects a lot of the character that I remember about Richmond when I was a kid,” he said.

Richmond takes on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday. The winner will play either Adelaide or Geelong in the AFL Grand Final.