ALL aboard the Richmond September train. It’s bound for glory.

As the Tigers’ AFL team continued preparations for a huge preliminary final at the MCG next weekend, its VFL side continued a dream finals run on Saturday afternoon, upsetting and thumping the Box Hill Hawks in a preliminary final.

It means Richmond will take on the winner of Sunday’s preliminary final between Williamstown and Port Melbourne in next weekend’s VFL grand final at Etihad Stadium.

While the Tigers’ best 22 at AFL level seems settled — many of the Tigers’ AFL players were at North Port Oval watching on — several fringe players on Saturday pushed their respective cases for senior selection.

Round 18

Coach Damien Hardwick, who was also at the ground, would’ve been thrilled with ruckman Shaun Hampson, who covered plenty of ground and competed strongly in the air to take four contested marks.

“Unbelievable performance from the big man,” premiership Hawk Campbell Brown told Channel 7.

Midfielder Anthony Miles, who finished outright fifth in the JJ Liston Trophy on Monday night, was again among his side’s leading ball-winners, along with Sam Lloyd, Oleg Markov and Corey Ellis.

Richmond's Sam Lloyd gives Box Hill’s Mitchell O'Donnell the slip. Picture: Michael Klein Source: News Corp Australia

Electric small forward Shai Bolton showed glimpses of why he’s been unleashed in the AFL teams a few times this year, while Jake Batchelor’s composure deep in defence was profound.

The array of impressive individual performances for the Tigers leaves Hardwick with some possible selection headaches ahead of next weekend’s preliminary final.

“If there was an injury, Damien Hardwick would be really confident of bringing in five or six players,” Brown said.

“He’d be happy to bring in Conca, Lloyd, Batchelor, Bolton, Corey Ellis.

“That’s what wins you games of finals — depth.”

Conversely, it was a bitterly disappointing performance from the Hawks after sitting on top of the VFL ladder for most of the season.

Without suspended key forward Ty Vickery, the Hawks struggled to find a target inside forward 50.

However the game was won and lost at the contest, with the Tigers annihilating the Hawks in contested ball.

Box Hill’s loss was soured by a late injury to Max Warren, a former North Melbourne listed player.

Warren landed awkwardly on his ankle in a marking contest in the dying minutes of the fourth term and was carried from the ground.

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