The potential end to a 27-year premiership drought has proven too much for one die hard footy fan who went into labour at the stadium during her team’s epic semi-final win.
Ashlee Sanders’ due date coincided with Richmond’s preliminary final with Greater Western Sydney on Saturday, but the Tigers fan rolled the dice and joined a near 95,000-strong crowd at the MCG.
As the two teams traded blows in the second quarter, Ashlee’s water broke, causing a mad scramble with her family escorting her from the ground to her partner who was waiting nearby in the car.
‘He decided he wanted to come out and watch the game with us,’ she told Seven News.
Ashlee Sanders’ gave birth to a health baby boy named Archer during Richmond’s win
Richmond thrashed GWS in front of nearly 95,000 people at the MCG on Saturday
With the Tigers one win away from their first grand final appearance in a quarter century, Ashlee and the family thought attending the game was worth the risk. Her partner, Heath, is an avid Hawthorn supporter and did not attend the game.
Upon the news of her water breaking he raced to the stadium and took Ashlee to the hospital where she gave birth to a healthy baby boy, named Archer. He says he drew the line at naming the baby after Dustin Martin.
‘I put my foot down on that one,’ he said.
He did concede Archer’s future allegiance though, saying the stars were aligned for him to be a Richmond fan.
‘If little Archer was born during a premiership year then I suppose that’s alright.’
Archer’s father, Heath, said he would allow the boy to support Richmond despite being an avid Hawthorn fan
As the two teams traded blows in the second quarter, Ashlee’s water broke, causing a mad scramble with her family escorting her from the MCG (pictured her sister leaving the ground)
Tigers star forward Jack Riewoldt was told of Ashlee’s story at a press conference on Sunday morning following the victory, and joked that she should have stayed to see out the result.
‘She didn’t hang around to watch the game? That’s not commitment, we don’t want those kinds of supporters,’ Riewoldt teased.
Should the Tigers claim their first premiership since 1980 against Adelaide on Saturday, Richmond fans should be thanking their newfound good luck charm.
The newborn was not named after Tigers star Dustin Martin despite his birth coinciding with another match-winning performance from the Brownlow Medallist to-be