The Bachelorette Australia - Richie Strahan - #2 *Sleuthing Spoilers*

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Em Ruscianos video with Richie from yesterday
https://www.facebook.com/EmRuscianoOfficial/videos/1001676706558107/

I really wonder at what point Sasha wanted to leave. When Sam confirmed in the Popsugar interview that she was much more upset about sending Richie home than Michael, Richie saying that Sam and he had discussed where they would live and the future and how heartbroken Richie still appears to be (he also said this yesterday on Studio 10), I do think there was a time where Sam gave consideration to Richie as F1.

AEF wrote:I really wonder at what point Sasha wanted to leave. When Sam confirmed in the Popsugar interview that she was much more upset about sending Richie home than Michael, Richie saying that Sam and he had discussed where they would live and the future and how heartbroken Richie still appears to be (he also said this yesterday on Studio 10), I do think there was a time where Sam gave consideration to Richie as F1.

ITA. I think that if anyone else was going to be F1 it was totally Richie.

Sasha said during half-way of filming he wanted to leave. Well that would have been when Richie had his date. And then right after Richie had his date Sasha got a second date.

I suspect that he got that second date because he wanted to leave and the story in the media that a frontrunner would leave were probably based on truth but Sasha didn't leave. I remember that cocktail party when Richie had received his rose and showed the guys the photo of him and Sam as old people and Sasha was looking intently at that photo and even Davey said that was the most real date there and the one everyone would want. And then that night Sasha walked out the room when there was no RC (Davey was eliminated). I think that is when he had the "meltdown".

It seems to all line up. Especially since Sasha got that second date right after Richie's date. And Sam certainly was smitten with Richie on that date (it was only after her 2nd date with Sasha that one could see she had made her choice). Interesting though that on her FD she said to Richie she doesn't know if he feels about her the way she felt about him -- liking him as much -- and he wasn't willing to fully let his guard down then either which makes sense and makes me think production/crew kept Richie in the dark and at that time Richie never knew about any kiss between Sam and Sasha either so he probably thought, as he said, that he would be the last guy and would win. It was like he was the F2 (but let go sooner and Sam confirmed this in that Popsugar intreview).

I think Sasha knew it was only between him and Richie. Michael was there for the drawing board, imo, and based on Sam herself saying it was harder to say goodbye to Richie than to Michael and she didn't want to take Richie to FRC since knew she was picking Sasha and it wasn't fair of her to do that to Richie. Plus from the inside info I had for a while Michael knew all along he wasn't going to be F1 and Sam didn't want him but he stayed for the TV exposure and they did what they had to do to have an F2 who wasn't as invested. Sam also said that one of her negotiations was that she could let guys go home when she chose to.

It's almost like Richie was F2 but at the F3 spot. Sam was more focused on Richie when she gave that 2nd rose to Michael than she was on Michael.

If this is not a "Richie's the next Bachelor" pic I don't know what is.  :cutesmile!:

These guys have to know already Richie has the gig. It's the same what happened with Ben H when they were taking photos with him and supporting him.

It's like they are happy/congratulating for Richie and Richie being on The Project saying he is "kinda considering" taking the gig   and then the very next night Sasha and Sam say Richie is the next Bachelor   .

@richie_strahan

It is interesting isn't it. There were obviously lots of chats and one on one time that Richie and Sam spent together that we never saw. I think that Sam knew she had an immediate chemistry with Sasha and with Richie she had an immediate connection. She changed after Richie's date, it was visibly obvious, it was business from there on in. She let Davey go immediately. I think it was at this point that Sasha had his meltdown. It was becoming obvious that there were two types of men in the house and the camp that Sasha was in was dwindling. It was Davey leaving that the balance tipped and only Sasha and Dave were left. Perhaps Sash felt confused and threatened. Davey leaving and Sam and Richie's date being such an obvious success I can see this occurring. Sam perhaps at this point was leaning both ways and trying to make her decision, you have to wonder if Sashas breakdown forced her hand (and I'm not saying it swayed her but just forced her to make a decision). For Sam she has a guy who has his walls up and one who is ready to walk, and only a few weeks to make a decision. She takes Sasha on the next date to see if it's more than chemistry and she has private time with Richie afterwards which we never saw, but know that there was kissing involved. She was going back and forwards trying to decide. IMO Richie was definitely F2, and IMO the finale just cemented Michael as the proxy, they would have had hours of footage and they use the ones that were not flattering even having Sam's sister ask him if he was a smooth talker. As for Sash and Sam I do hope it works out for her sake, she deserves happiness. I just personally cannot warm to Sasha and I don't know why. I hope I'm 100% incorrect though

I think the painting/car date with Sasha was either a thank you for staying or let's give him everything he likes so he relaxes and sees there is a connection that makes it worth staying

AEF wrote:I think the painting/car date with Sasha was either a thank you for staying or let's give him everything he likes so he relaxes and sees there is a connection that makes it worth staying

IA. That whole date was made and catered for Sasha and not for Sam. It was to highlight him and make him feel good and it worked. It also makes sense why production and the official Bach account tweeted "Go Sasha!!" at the first episode. They wanted it to work.

So I think, as I thought before we knew who F1 would be, that Richie was the dark horse who swept Sam away and made everything "REAL". It was then I think she had to make that choice of building on her connection with Sasha (who had his date weeks prior) or with Richie who was slower burning and he was not her physical type. I think that is why she had to reestablish a connection with Sasha because she was probably blown away at how she was feeling on her date with Richie. I mean, she grabbed his face to kiss him while he was talking!! She gave him the signs that SHE was interested in HIM and initiated that.

So in some ways she had to stop that completely and focus on her initial connection with Sash even though I do think she felt for Richie and she was honest about that and explains a lot of her sadness/bitter-sweetness about it especially watching their date and being videoed. She had a definite crush on Richie but it was the physical wasn't the same as what she had with Sasha which was instantaneous.

Richie was definitely smitten with Sam... it was pretty obvious the way he was around her was how she was with Sasha in the beginning. Richie just got off the bench too late in the game as Heather said in her blog so it was too late. But I don't think it would have made a big difference.. Sam had already chosen Sasha night one, I think she just was surprised she could still have feelings for another guy (Richie).

I do think she still cares for him and knows his heart was broken. I am sure production and crew told her. And why Sam was more focused on Richie than Michael. I showed my husband that part and he said, "Wow, that guy Michael must have realized he wasn't going to be F1 when she looked past him to Richie and was more upset about Richie". Her whole face was contorting and she was blowing her cheeks/mouth trying to breathe to keep from breaking down when she let Richie go. One could almost see that she knew she was breaking his heart and felt horrible about it. And Sam has been Team Richie since before the show even aired, liking the photos of him and being a support all along. It makes sense because I think it is quite obvious Richie really genuinely was falling for her and liked her.

I think it was no wonder Richie was so tongue tied around Sam. He would have felt the stress that must have enveloped Sam when she was around him as she was trying to sort out where her feelings lay.

What a pickle hey. I do think he is genuinely heartbroken and even his friends commenting on offical IG pics indicates a sort of defensiveness IMO. They were probably the ones who had to pick up the pieces. I think the publication reaction to him being f3 has helped him a lot. I'm sure in the months leading up to screening he would have felt a great deal of anxiety as to how he would be preceived. I don't think anyone sees him a a loser in this and this would have helped him enormously.