The crowd at this Saturday’s Richmond v Hawthorn clash at the MCG could be the biggest-ever for a match between these two teams.

It was back in Round 12, 1980, at the MCG, that the record attendance for a Tigers-Hawks encounter was established – 57,572.

Since then, only twice have matches between the two sides attracted crowds of more than 50,000 – 52,562 in Round 21, 1994 at the MCG, and 52,189 in Round 14, 2001, also at the ‘G.

That 2001 clash was the last time Richmond and Hawthorn were both in the top eight when they met (the Tigers were third and the Hawks fourth).

The only other occasion that a meeting of the two sides has drawn a crowd of more than 50,000, was in Round 17, 1970 at the MCG – 55,740.

This relatively low overall record attendance for a Richmond v Hawthorn game is largely due to the somewhat amazing fact that the two teams have never played in a final against each other.

That’s even more remarkable when you consider that in the 10-year period from 1971-1980, the Tigers and Hawks collected six premierships between them (three apiece).

With Richmond currently in sixth place on the league ladder, and Hawthorn on top, so deep into the season, that record attendance of 57,572 could well be broken.