- Oct 2, 2008
- 8,898
- 18,482
- AFL Club
- Richmond
- Other Teams
- Brothers of Destruction
Round 6 2017 - The Richmond Football Club entered Adelaide Oval, in front of 51,069 fans - five wins on the trot.
All at the MCG of course, oh, except one other win against Brisbane at the GABBA... but we will get to that later. The Tigers booted six opening term goals whilst the Crows landed five. Two of the seasons three undefeated teams of the 2017 season dazzled us up until quarter time. It was a high scoring, free flowing blitz. Richmond seemingly embraced the occasion.
Adelaide then nailed 13 of the next 15 goals. A 76 point drubbing. The Tigers were annihilated by the eventual minor premiers and out right premiership favourites. These two sides wouldn't meet again until the 2017 Grand Final, and thats where this myth truly manifests itself. For how could a team, especially the lowly basket case Richmond, how could they turn this around? There has to be a reason and to this very day, the neutral media 'expert' and big footy troll had it all figured it - Richmond have an advantage playing football on a different patch of grass. Surely it couldn't be that this side is good? Could it?
Tex Walker had a vacant seat on the plane - for the premiership cup to return to the city of churches. The side was highly fancied, destroying the cats and giants on their way to their third Grand Final berth. Former champion Mark Riccuito boasted that Adelaide never lose Grand Finals. This Adelaide behemoth hadn't put one foot wrong. Whilst the Tigers? Well, theyre Richmond and the penny surely would drop at some point? Richmond would do Richmond-y things.
Fast forward to the Grand Final itself, the intensity was at fever pitch and Nick Vlastuin was the first to give the neutrals what they all expected next in this neverending narrative. He fumbled the hot potato into the lap of the smooth moving Eddie Betts, who broke the dam wall only five minutes into the game.
But he didn't.
Riewoldt took a hanger, missing three gettable shots.
Rance, Grimes, Vlastuin and Astbury blanketed this imposing Crows forward line - deemed the most dangerous of all, with superstar Walking Texas Ranger, The Texan of Adelaide, Tex Walker leading his troops.
Dustin Martin morphed into the minotaur - the Greek Mythological half man, half bull. He was unstoppable.
The Tigers crushed the Crows. An unbelievable 124 point turn around.
The media narrative shifted when the fairytale concluded. Richmonds incredible MCG record became the new narrative, the Crows salty - like the Nile River, wanted a 2 of 3 finals series, even a few of them played in Adelaide. This is proof within itself that it wasn't only the media that became sceptical over Richmonds sudden ascendency - it was people within the footy bubble too.
The Tigers have had to overcome many doubts.
Can Richmond win without the Big four? The team with the weakest depth is now the team with the strongest depth. If the narrative could be spilt into two categories, 90% of discussion was the discussion about the lack of depth, 10% on the quality of depth and not one person admitting fault. Lou Richards was an endearing media personality because he made bold predictions, but also ensured he was kept accountable if he was wrong. It was entertainment, slapstick comedy. Sam Newman much the same, he would wear a tutu if he was proven wrong.
The media vultures of 2020 dont care for accountability, they simple throw s**t at the wall, hope it clicks and hope it stinks. There is no spotlight shon on them.
Once the Tigers proved their depth, the new criticism was based around the travel.
In 2020, The Tigers remain the only undefeated team in the Queensland Hub. Unbeaten at the GABBA since 2004. If 2020's premiership comes to Tigerland- with only two MCG games, then officially we can rule a line through another myth that's sole focus is to discredit and take away from a champion team in a country plagued by Tall Poppy Syndrome.
In 2021 - Richmond will need to win in China, to prove they can win with depth, interstate and overseas. The myth doesn't disappear, it only changes narrative.
All at the MCG of course, oh, except one other win against Brisbane at the GABBA... but we will get to that later. The Tigers booted six opening term goals whilst the Crows landed five. Two of the seasons three undefeated teams of the 2017 season dazzled us up until quarter time. It was a high scoring, free flowing blitz. Richmond seemingly embraced the occasion.
Adelaide then nailed 13 of the next 15 goals. A 76 point drubbing. The Tigers were annihilated by the eventual minor premiers and out right premiership favourites. These two sides wouldn't meet again until the 2017 Grand Final, and thats where this myth truly manifests itself. For how could a team, especially the lowly basket case Richmond, how could they turn this around? There has to be a reason and to this very day, the neutral media 'expert' and big footy troll had it all figured it - Richmond have an advantage playing football on a different patch of grass. Surely it couldn't be that this side is good? Could it?
Tex Walker had a vacant seat on the plane - for the premiership cup to return to the city of churches. The side was highly fancied, destroying the cats and giants on their way to their third Grand Final berth. Former champion Mark Riccuito boasted that Adelaide never lose Grand Finals. This Adelaide behemoth hadn't put one foot wrong. Whilst the Tigers? Well, theyre Richmond and the penny surely would drop at some point? Richmond would do Richmond-y things.
Fast forward to the Grand Final itself, the intensity was at fever pitch and Nick Vlastuin was the first to give the neutrals what they all expected next in this neverending narrative. He fumbled the hot potato into the lap of the smooth moving Eddie Betts, who broke the dam wall only five minutes into the game.
But he didn't.
Riewoldt took a hanger, missing three gettable shots.
Rance, Grimes, Vlastuin and Astbury blanketed this imposing Crows forward line - deemed the most dangerous of all, with superstar Walking Texas Ranger, The Texan of Adelaide, Tex Walker leading his troops.
Dustin Martin morphed into the minotaur - the Greek Mythological half man, half bull. He was unstoppable.
The Tigers crushed the Crows. An unbelievable 124 point turn around.
The media narrative shifted when the fairytale concluded. Richmonds incredible MCG record became the new narrative, the Crows salty - like the Nile River, wanted a 2 of 3 finals series, even a few of them played in Adelaide. This is proof within itself that it wasn't only the media that became sceptical over Richmonds sudden ascendency - it was people within the footy bubble too.
The Tigers have had to overcome many doubts.
Can Richmond win without the Big four? The team with the weakest depth is now the team with the strongest depth. If the narrative could be spilt into two categories, 90% of discussion was the discussion about the lack of depth, 10% on the quality of depth and not one person admitting fault. Lou Richards was an endearing media personality because he made bold predictions, but also ensured he was kept accountable if he was wrong. It was entertainment, slapstick comedy. Sam Newman much the same, he would wear a tutu if he was proven wrong.
The media vultures of 2020 dont care for accountability, they simple throw s**t at the wall, hope it clicks and hope it stinks. There is no spotlight shon on them.
Once the Tigers proved their depth, the new criticism was based around the travel.
In 2020, The Tigers remain the only undefeated team in the Queensland Hub. Unbeaten at the GABBA since 2004. If 2020's premiership comes to Tigerland- with only two MCG games, then officially we can rule a line through another myth that's sole focus is to discredit and take away from a champion team in a country plagued by Tall Poppy Syndrome.
In 2021 - Richmond will need to win in China, to prove they can win with depth, interstate and overseas. The myth doesn't disappear, it only changes narrative.
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