Contenders and Pretenders 2019 ( edited - Page 32 current discussion ) Are Richmond now the team to beat?

[Occidental]

Brisbane are a lock for finals. They have about 6-7 youngsters who have all improved en masse, together with Neale and they are transformed.
Top 4 not out of the picture, but that may be a stretch due to wear & tear over the season.

 

[JackOutback]

Young teams are much more likely to have ups and downs during the season. Reckon Brissy are firming for top 8, but I wouldn’t be putting any cash down on top four.

 

[4tone]

Don't worry, Richmond won a flag in 2017 and according to BF, we never beat anyone good.

You beat collingwood that year

 

[telsor]

You beat collingwood that year

They didn't even play finals.

 

[Macpotata]

GWS made a statement today. Fantastic win.

 

[Milanista28]

Beating last year's premiers + Port who were previously undefeated isn't good enough?

We need to beat this year's most overrated team in Essendon as well? I guess that can be done too.

Better luck next time.

 

[footy75]

Pies at 1-2 are contenders. Brisbane at 3-0 aren't?

yes that's right

 

[Macpotata]

A few people have seen they've jumped the gun on Richmond. One of the best backs against the wall wins I've ever seen.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

GWS made a statement today. Fantastic win.

We got 4 points us the reality. After a couple of awful losses at Geelong the last two years it was nice to get a win. We lose to Freo next week and we're back where we were though.

 

[Lsta062]

We got 4 points us the reality. After a couple of awful losses at Geelong the last two years it was nice to get a win. We lose to Freo next week and we're back where we were though.

Oh no, it's definitely a statement game in my opinion. Beating a side like Geelong at KP is tough and these kind of games are the ones GWS would drop in the past so it's been a good response by them given the injury the copped early to Ward.

 

[NonPhixion]

GWS made a statement today. Fantastic win.

Yep. GWS are a really good team. I honestly rate them the second best team right now. Absolute class in the middle with Coniglio and Kelly. Whitfield compliments well, probably the best half back/wing player atm and then Cameron up front to kick goals. Have to feel for Ward though. As an opposition supporter he’s one of the easiest players to respect

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Oh no, it's definitely a statement game in my opinion. Beating a side like Geelong at KP is tough and these kind of games are the ones GWS would drop in the past so it's been a good response by them given the injury the copped early to Ward.

I dont rate grounds much as a factor. I also think the side that lost the SF by 10 points last year is tough enough to overcome adversity. We'd beaten the Pies at the G in the H/A as well.

It was a very close gane and GAJ nearly pulled it off for them a couple of times.

But generally if people didn't keep up with where our team currently is they may have been surprised. I'm happy but not really surprised.

 

[Lsta062]

I dont rate grounds much as a factor. I also think the side that lost the SF by 10 points last year is tough enough to overcome adversity. We'd beaten the Pies at the G in the H/A as well.

It was a very close gane and GAJ nearly pulled it off for them a couple of times.

But generally if people didn't keep up with where our team currently is they may have been surprised. I'm happy but not really surprised.

I rate it highly when talking about KP. That's a ground not many Victorian sides win in let alone non-Victorian sides.

Let's just say that Geelong in KP is the hardest trip any non-Victorian and Victorian side can make in Victoria.

 

[hk89]

I rate it highly when talking about KP. That's a ground not many Victorian sides win in let alone non-Victorian sides.

Let's just say that Geelong in KP is the hardest trip any non-Victorian and Victorian side can make in Victoria.

It is a handy home crowd advantage, probably the only true home crowd advantage for any vic side when playing another vic side. However their formidable record really has a lot to do with the fact that they tend to get the low drawing fixtures down there, and that has tended to skew the teams they get down there. GWS are good now, but they've had a lot of years of playing GC and GWS down there, when both were s**t. They've lost 3 in a row against Sydney down there.

Lets not forget they've also been one of the more dominant teams of the last 10-15 years, winning a few flags over that period. They've won a lot of games at a lot of different grounds. There is no doubt the crowd helps them lift, but they're insanely good record down there is somewhat padded by (relatively speaking) ordinary opposition. Having said that, they would have had an even better home ground record had they played Hawthorn down there during the curse period

I think you see similar results for Hawthorn down in Tassie. Even when we were at our peak I felt nervous down there playing better opposition, despite the 'fortress tasmania' label. I actually don't think the ground suits us that well, but we have a good record because we were often matched with relatively weak teams more often than not, with the tougher home games much more often played at the G (imagine how much worse our tassie record would have been from 2008 to pre-finals 2013, had we played Geelong down there over that time!).

For non-vic teams travelling to Victoria, I don't think Geelong home ground vs MCG makes much difference. They are going to get a hostile crowd either way, and the unfavourable away team umpiring decisions that more often than not flow from that. It is probably a bigger advantage for Geelong when playing other Vic sides given the relatively small numbers of opposition fans they'll get in Geelong compared to Geelong's MCG scheduled home games.

 

[Quinz]

Think people have been far too quick to write off the Tigers. They'll have Dusty Cotch and Reiwoldt back in 2-3 with a bit of luck. If they can grind out one or two wins against Sydney Port or Melbourne it's still early enough to turn it around.

2-2, fresh Dusty this week, Cotch and Riewoldt maybe the week after...

 

[Zoom]

The Richmond fear is so good.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

The Richmond fear is so good.

Yeah

Not scared if the Tigers I have to say.

 

[dean33]

A few people have seen they've jumped the gun on Richmond. One of the best backs against the wall wins I've ever seen.

That’s fine, happy to get the 4 points and move to next week. We’ve found a few players as well in Stack, Ross and Bolton. Balta while still very raw could be anything as well. Happens every year people look at the evidence from a 2-3 game sample rather than what’s happened the previous couple of years. Everyone shooting down our game plan and all teams had worked it out.... we play like we did yesterday while getting those senior players back in the side and we’ll beat the majority of teams, we ain’t dead yet.

 

[Zoom]

Yeah

Not scared if the Tigers I have to say.

Keep telling yourself that x

 

[telsor]

Yeah

Not scared if the Tigers I have to say.

(yet another) Giant mistake...

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

Tigers have injuries at the moment, if they had a full strength team they'd be scary good.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

(yet another) Giant mistake...

Naaah

We have no reason to fear you this year. I get your backline probably won't be in dissaray in round 17. Hartwig really blinked against us though and it's hard to turn around a big loss in the H/A season. It doesn't often happen.

 

[Socrates2]

If Richmond can make the finals we can still win the flag especially if Rance can come back for finals which is not impossible.

 

[dave123]

I think Richmond have enough talent across the list to cover the loss of stars against average teams. It will be interesting to see how they go against the better teams if they are missing stars.

That said West Coast won the flag without gaff and Shepherd..and Nic Nat

It can be done

 

[lmach]

Tigers have injuries at the moment, if they had a full strength team they'd be scary good.

Maybe for any team not named West Coast or Collingwood.