RICHMOND'S resurgence has even brought a smile to the face of Brett Deledio, after his departure from the club last year in search of greener pastures at Greater Western Sydney.

Deledio played 243 games with the Tigers but only three of those were finals - none of them ended well for him.

Richmond finished 13th last year, a result that led to an aborted board challenge and fresh questions over coach Damien Hardwick's future.

Deledio had fallen out of love with the game and requested a trade to GWS.

One year on, the 30-year-old and his former side are both potentially three victories away from winning a premiership.

"I left Richmond last year and we had a really ordinary year," Deledio said.

"But I'm just rapt for my close mates and the people I know involved at the club. It's great they get to taste finals again.

"I'm up here at a new club and we're in the same position, in the top four, and have given ourselves a double chance, which is great.

"If we meet, may the best team win."

The finals series begins with the Giants facing Adelaide next Thursday, September 7 at Adelaide Oval, while Richmond and Geelong clash a day later at the MCG.

Deledio admitted September had been a pretty miserable month since the 2004 NAB AFL Draft, when the Tigers secured him with pick No.1.

"I try to eradicate most of them," he laughed, when asked about memories of his three elimination final defeats with Richmond.

"Ninety-four thousand people, tingles down your spine and that sort of stuff.

"But as a team, we were pretty ordinary in all three finals.

"You always want to be known as a big-game player and that's now what I want to do."

A chronic calf injury delayed Deledio's GWS debut and looked set to derail his entire season.

But the versatile veteran returned in round 20 to play the past four matches, finding his niche as a forward and getting more of the ball on every occasion.

"I probably underestimated how hard it was going to be: first game back, new team, 12 months out," Deledio said.

"I feel a lot more comfortable with every game ... I'm recovering from games really well, which is probably the most pleasing part."