Are Richmond the next Bulldogs?

[PerthBoy86]

Their run and carry through the middle, team work, speed, ferocity at the contests is very Bulldogs-like. At times you just feel they can overrun teams, like they did against North in the second half last night. Very impressive. Dustin Martin and Dangerfield are the type of players who almost seem to be able to pull their team across the line, like Wayne Carey or James Hird in the late 90s. I think they're in a similar position to what the Bulldogs were last year, could they surprise most people and be a serious contender for the flag this year? I mean realistically. Do you think struggling to win close games has been just bad luck, or is there an art to winning the close ones, which the Dogs got quite good at? Breaking the third longest drought in VFL/AFL history would be great to see.

 

[Brend81]

No

 

[Altum Volantes]

Richmond.

 

[Spiritof82]

They were playing North!!!!!!!

 

[Madtiger2006]

Spot on
We still need to pick up a 2nd tall forward option which I'm sure we'll get done in the trade period. I'd say we will get 1 in the trade period and 2 in the draft. Can we go all the way with 1 tall forward and 5 quicks this year? Hard to tell but we need to make the finals first

 

[Saintly2]

Richmond are going well.

Tore my team apart last night.

There's a long way to go yet, but I hope Tigers reach high honours to break the trend.

 

[Spoken4]

No, the Bulldogs win finals. End of thread.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Spot on
We still need to pick up a 2nd tall forward option which I'm sure we'll get done in the trade period. I'd say we will get 1 in the trade period and 2 in the draft. Can we go all the way with 1 tall forward and 5 quicks this year? Hard to tell but we need to make the finals first

Yep, that's the main missing link, although the Dogs also won the premiership without a major big key forward.

 

[Bokonon_]

I'm guessing they would rather be Richmond, all things considered.

 

[Great8]

Just can't see it TBH. Will make finals and with a bit of luck top 4 but not sure they can win a final let alone a couple with this lot. Still lacking another KPF

 

[Aramis]

Quite possibly, needed to win some of those close ones a few weeks back..... I feel they lack that steel required in the last minutes of close games.
They could definitely get up though.

 

[Bazza97]

I think they will finish in the top 6 and at least get a home elimination final but I can't see them being serious contenders. This year is probably the best opportunity for the Tigers to finish in the top 4 considering it is pretty open but even if they do I wouldn't be too confident on them being one of the top flag contenders. If they do make it to the PF, then I think anything can happen but we will have to wait and see and Richmond do need to show that they are capable of winning finals.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Quite possibly, needed to win some of those close ones a few weeks back..... I feel they lack that steel required in the last minutes of close games.
They could definitely get up though.

Do you think they'll take any lessons out of it? Probably play the footage to death and strategise what they could do in the close ones.

How many close ones can you have a year?

Perhaps they need to be able to really put teams away? I think their biggest win was Carlton by about 50 from memory?

 

[Aramis]

Do you think they'll take any lessons out of it? Probably play the footage to death and strategise what they could do in the close ones.

How many close ones can you have a year?

Perhaps they need to be able to really put teams away? I think their biggest win was Carlton by about 50 from memory?

Im not sure, I thought they would have learnt after the 1st time or the 2nd.... but yeh....
They definitely have a good vibe about them and I think they are playing with confidence. I made a post before the run of games against Ade, WB, Freo and GWS that they needed at least 1-2 wins for them to be strongly considered a chance.

The way the cards fell they cant really hang their hat on any of those matches and say with conviction "we pipped the contenders"
When September rolls around and the heat goes up it will come back and haunt them...
Bulldogs were beating other contenders from memory.

 

[I Lost My Keays]

Calm down buddy

 

[blaisee]

shhhh

 

[Bokonon_]

Im not sure, I thought they would have learnt after the 1st time or the 2nd.... but yeh....
They definitely have a good vibe about them and I think they are playing with confidence. I made a post before the run of games against Ade, WB, Freo and GWS that they needed at least 1-2 wins for them to be strongly considered a chance.

The way the cards fell they cant really hang there hat on any of those matches and say with conviction "we pipped the contenders"
When September rolls around and the heat goes up it will come back and haunt them...
Bulldogs were beating other contenders from memory.

Bulldogs weren't really beating other Contenders. It's nonsense to expect this year to be like last year anyway.
They are top 4 and like every other club it's form at the end of the year that counts.

 

[ep2018]

No because their finals baggage will be hanging over their heads big time. Even worse if they finish in the 4 and lose first week.

 

[schmuttt]

Bulldogs weren't really beating other Contenders. It's nonsense to expect this year to be like last year anyway.
They are top 4 and like every other club it's form at the end of the year that counts.

Richmond are 1-4 against top 8 sides this year (Solitary win against WCE at the MCG), Bulldogs beat Sydney/Adelaide/WCE/North last year. I'll start rating the Tigers when they beat some decent sides. The Tigers can't hold a candle to the depth of the Dogs in 2016 either, they've had a dream injury run so far.

 

[Bulldog1954]

Bulldogs weren't really beating other Contenders

The Dogs did beat other finalists in Sydney, Adelaide, West Coast and North throughout the regular season last year.

I would love to see Richmond make the finals and hopefully win one. Would be surprised if they made the prelims but it's obviously a very even season so you never know.

 

[SterlingArcher]

The Bulldogs 2016 are the new Geelong 2007.

Every club that has struggled early in the year but been talented gets talked about as "can they do a Geelong 07 turn around" by their fans.

Every club with a long time between drinks and a few wins will now be compared to the Dogs.

 

[Bokonon_]

The Dogs did beat other finalists in Sydney, Adelaide, West Coast and North throughout the regular season last year.

I would love to see Richmond make the finals and hopefully win one. Would be surprised if they made the prelims but it's obviously a very even season so you never know.

That's one top 4 side last year, and again this is about 2017.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Finally Perthboy makes a good thread

 

[Bokonon_]

Richmond are 0-4 against top 8 sides this year, Bulldogs beat Sydney/Adelaide/WCE/North last year. I'll start rating the Tigers when they beat some decent sides. The Tigers can't hold a candle to the depth of the Dogs in 2016 either, they've had a dream injury run so far.

It's technical though. They are in fact top 4 after losing close games, and at least one against us they shouldn't have lost. I dont know if their genuine contenders or not. It's too early to tell for any club I think.

 

[schmuttt]

It's technical though. They are in fact top 4 after losing close games, and at least one against us they shouldn't have lost. I dont know if their genuine contenders or not. It's too early to tell for any club I think.

They are top 4 because they've had a dream draw. Happy for them to prove me
wrong but they're in the 7-10 bracket of sides imo.