Richmond in 2018: Another Bulldogs or here to stay?

[Dr Tigris]

Injuries are vital. But also the development of kids like Rioli, Graham and those in the VFL could make the team more dangerous. If experienced players like Hammer and Conca can stay fit that helps. Prestia stays fit and in form. (Caddy learns to kick straight ) And if we can recruit a quality KPF that would be GOLD.

The forward pressure game plan will be stopped. But it largely base don faster and fitter players than other teams. Those physical attributes require time to match.

So looks good for next year.

But, if Adelaide can get more mongrel, and GWS get some mongrel they'll be in it up to their necks. Sydney should be there or thereabouts. The Dogs get their mojo back. Geelong learn to play consistently well. Plenty of teams I can see taking it home next year.

just hope it's back to back though!!

 

[Football Tragic]

Trying to ignore my bias here but -

Richmond's game plan is built on whole ground defense that switches to attack when the ball is in dispute or in our possession. This is also true in our forwardline too. This is where opposition teams fall apart. Most teams build their attack from defense with intercept marks or from turn overs through the middle or, best of all, their F50. Richmond denies the opposition that by defending the backline players and forcing it to ground. When the ball is turned over they back themselves to win the ball back again.

Its a simple game plan based on the strength of the list and its worked. The best thing the coaches did last preseason was to design a game plan based on the strengths of our list and to continue to modify it to focus on our strengths. If other coaches did the same rather than try and copy the better performing teams, they could and would make a similar sort of growth in one year.

Its no use trying to recruit and plan for one sort of game style only to see that become redundant by the time those recruits develop. Better to get the best players you can and make a game plan based on that. If GWS did this they would be unstoppable and if teams such as the Bomber, Saints, Melbourne and Port followed suit we could have a very different make up to the finals next year with each team playing to their strengths rather than always trying to copy others and fix their flaws.

 

[JoondalupJ]

Trust me, there's not much I don't know, just ask.
Seriously though, I feel the 2nd and 3rd tier players had exceptional seasons and don't believe they can repeat those efforts.
ps. this finals series the only winner I selected was Syd over Ess.

?

 

[JoondalupJ]

Trying to ignore my bias here but -

Richmond's game plan is built on whole ground defense that switches to attack when the ball is in dispute or in our possession. This is also true in our forwardline too. This is where opposition teams fall apart. Most teams build their attack from defense with intercept marks or from turn overs through the middle or, best of all, their F50. Richmond denies the opposition that by defending the backline players and forcing it to ground. When the ball is turned over they back themselves to win the ball back again.

Its a simple game plan based on the strength of the list and its worked. The best thing the coaches did last preseason was to design a game plan based on the strengths of our list and to continue to modify it to focus on our strengths. If other coaches did the same rather than try and copy the better performing teams, they could and would make a similar sort of growth in one year.

Its no use trying to recruit and plan for one sort of game style only to see that become redundant by the time those recruits develop. Better to get the best players you can and make a game plan based on that. If GWS did this they would be unstoppable and if teams such as the Bomber, Saints, Melbourne and Port followed suit we could have a very different make up to the finals next year with each team playing to their strengths rather than always trying to copy others and fix their flaws.

Richmond had their own brand, Dogs developed a manic approach and that was it for them nothing left 2017.

I think Richmond have a very deep bond amongst its playing group and Coach, and I think they will be there for a while to come.

They are now up there with the other top 5 or 6, a complete entry into the elite.

Where as I wonder about the Dogs , could they set up the next few years, like Freo, all promise,

and nothing after 2013 ?

 

[Tiger2709]

There are a number of differences, this year was our 3rd in the last 5 years that we have won 15 games so not really new to finals or good home and away seasons, apart from our slip in '16, that is our 4th recent finals series.

We also entered finals in 3rd spot compared to the Doggies in 7th, with the age of our players we should be making the next few finals and from there who knows, its often down to who wants it more.

 

[BlueRenaissance]

Think the comp has really equalised. Each side seems to have a couple of very average players making up their last 4-6 players. For the sides that make finals in a given year, those 4-6 average player play their best year and help that side win the flag. Eventually they revert.

With the way rebuilds work, yes, there are easily identifiable bottom 4 sides but after that, it is crazily even for the remaining group. It's not madness to think Bombers, Doggies, Dees, Port could kill it next season. It's not inconceivable Sydney, Adelaide, Tigers and Cats fall.

Ridiculously even comp,
Ridiculously hard physical grind comp leading to serious injuries killing a team's season
Ridiculously hard running game making it hard to back up
A fixture draw that screws the top 4 making the ladder even closer
A compromised finals series that sees the grand finalists start behind the 8-ball the following season.

I'm expecting 2-4 very big ladder moves (up and down). Tigers and Adelaide could be front and centre but if not them, others like the Cats and Sydney could be the ones to fall.

 

[Flags_In_The_Bag]

Their appetite will still be there to at last make top 6, from there who knows.

 

[Flags_In_The_Bag]

Dogs wooden spoon next year, Tigers just make the finals.

lol you are either a fisherman or just a nimrod.

 

[Grrr]

I may be wrong but I think Richmond surprisingly were the no.1 team for marks inside 50 this season, if not no.1 they we were pretty high up. This sort of dispels the myth that we use the ball helter skelter in the forward line. The Doggies certainly used a scattergun approach to their 2016 year, especially in the grand final where all forward balls came low and hard.
Our forward line pressure was well documented, not so much the marking stat..there was method in the madness.

 

[chunkylover53]

Here to stay.

They haven't come from nowhere they built the list over 8 years and were regular finalists apart from 2016. They have a mature group of leaders and a core group of the leagues best (Martin, Rance, Riewoldt, Cotchin). It makes me sick but I'll probably throw a good chunk at them going back to back.

 

[dean33]

Sydney need to start the year better (obviously) and probably mix it up a bit more tactically.

Fantastic list with a great mix of talented youth and finals-hardened older players. They'll be hard to beat as always.

Sydney always hard to beat during the winter, as soon as it’s spring however...

 

[dean33]

They won't be top 4
Played interstate matches in 2017 against.

Brisbane
Adelaide
GWS
Port
Suns
Freo

Double ups against

Brisbane
Fremantle
Carlton
St Kilda
GWS

Further adding to the Dogs comparison.
After winning the flag

Interstate games

Fremantle
GWS
WCE
Sydney
Adelaide
Brisbane

Double ups

Sydney
North
Brisbane
WCE
GWS

You forgot our matches in September.
Played 2nd won by 51pts
Played 4th won by 36pts
Played 1st won by 48pts

 

[sonnywalters]

Looking back on it now after the dust has settled - I think the Bulldogs win was a much bigger fluke than the Tiges.
The only way I can make sense of the Bulldogs win is that the other sides were all rubbish that year.
At least the Tiges beat a half decent Crows side.
I think the Tiges have a better chance of finishing top 4 next year. Obviously injuries will play a huge part. But overall the Tigers seem more capable based on their playing list and the fact they have 3 or 4 genuine guns.
I know Easton Wood had that one very good year and I think the Bont is good but not that good. The Dogs just really dont have the genuine reliable stars that the Tiges have.

 

[juss]

Clear injury run and we make the top 4.
Dusty or Rance miss a lot of games and we dont. Riewoldt probbly the biggest key to it all.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

Looking back on it now after the dust has settled - I think the Bulldogs win was a much bigger fluke than the Tiges.
The only way I can make sense of the Bulldogs win is that the other sides were all rubbish that year.
At least the Tiges beat a half decent Crows side.
I think the Tiges have a better chance of finishing top 4 next year. Obviously injuries will play a huge part. But overall the Tigers seem more capable based on their playing list and the fact they have 3 or 4 genuine guns.
I know Easton Wood had that one very good year and I think the Bont is good but not that good. The Dogs just really dont have the genuine reliable stars that the Tiges have.[/QUOTE

Time will tell if you are right, but to say beating the Crows was tougher is really underselling the Bulldogs final against GWS at their home (Richmond lost to them there), beating a seasoned finals team Hawthorn with Lewis and Mitchell still playing at the G, and finally beating Sydney, regular grand finalists as less difficult than an inexperienced Crows outfit. A strange comment considering the Bulldogs were the away team in four finals, two interstate.

I believe the competition was so even this year, that the advantage of home finals gave teams an extra edge, to get all finals as home games could win you a premiership and did. If the Grand Final had been played in Adelaide, I believe Adelaide would have won, if the Tigers played their final against Geelong at Kardinia the Cats would have won. Like all premierships it takes a bit of luck to happen, this was Richmonds. The Bulldogs luck was getting three important players back for finals.

 

[THE_GUN]

Richmond finished top 4
Richmond beat the other 3 teams that finished top 4 convincingly to win the premiership

We were extremely lucky with injuries and believe it or not i think all the close losses did richmond wonders when it came down to finals and not wanting to lose.

Things that should hold richmond in a good situation and not sure if it works out that way but think they are well placed
Richmonds VFL team just missed out on winning the VFL grand final by less than a kick after the siren and were favourites to win it with kids playin

Most wouldnt have even heard of the kids that played in the VFL team this year in
Moore,Chol.Short,Menadue,Markov,Stengle,Bolton,Soldo,Ellis,Garthwaite all these players are under 21 and we will add another 6-7 players that will be 18 year old's

Richmond won the Premiership but will have probably 1 of the youngest list in the AFL next year if not the youngest

 

[La Dispute]

Here to stay.

They haven't come from nowhere they built the list over 8 years and were regular finalists apart from 2016. They have a mature group of leaders and a core group of the leagues best (Martin, Rance, Riewoldt, Cotchin). It makes me sick but I'll probably throw a good chunk at them going back to back.

A much better overall team, and their A-graders are some of the best players per position in the league (Martin C, Rance FB, Riewoldt FF etc).

A fully fit Prestia over a whole season will make a big difference too.

 

[Madtiger2006]

Griff will finally get a good run and come good.

 

[Martyn_30_]

Looking back on it now after the dust has settled - I think the Bulldogs win was a much bigger fluke than the Tiges.
The only way I can make sense of the Bulldogs win is that the other sides were all rubbish that year.
At least the Tiges beat a half decent Crows side.
I think the Tiges have a better chance of finishing top 4 next year. Obviously injuries will play a huge part. But overall the Tigers seem more capable based on their playing list and the fact they have 3 or 4 genuine guns.
I know Easton Wood had that one very good year and I think the Bont is good but not that good. The Dogs just really dont have the genuine reliable stars that the Tiges have.

The Bulldogs beat 4 teams in the finals that had won at least 16 games throughout the home and away season, this year no team won 16 games.


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[dean33]

I think the tigers are better placed at defending their crown next year however for those thinking the dogs fluked the flag last year you have no idea. Teams don’t fluke premierships full stop. You don’t suddenly just wake up and appear in a grand final, the dogs September last year was outstanding, they had to do it the hard way and they deservedly were crowned champions. Just as we were deserved premiers this year. They had a few things go wrong for them this year and their hunger level wasn’t at the same level. For the tigers to back it up next year we will have to have another good run with injuries however I like our fixture, we are very good at the g and we increase from 11 games to 14 games there. At the end of the day if we maintain the hunger and rage we did through the last 6 weeks of the season we will again br there at the very pointy end.

 

[JoondalupJ]

So you saying the premiership team with one of the best midfields and defences and a dangerous forward line(who may snag a tall next week) have 20% chance to make the 8? You sure about that?

No mate , he/she is not sure!
Most of these predictions are one of two things, either sour grapes, or the lack of knowledge of the actual game and form.

 

[Madtiger2006]

The dogs got theirs just in time before the backline were past their used by date. Murphy and Boyd just retired and Morris will next year. Our backline have another 5 good years left in them. We have more stars in the middle and more quicks up forward. All our talls are fit again for next year. We missed them this year and had to play a small forward line and still won the premiership. We'll have several quality tall forwards to choose from with our picks 17, 20 and 25. We have one of the best backlines and midfields in the league. We have a dangerous forward line with a couple of talls available plus we'll draft developing talls for the future. Top 4 will be the aim. WTF would you not have us in the top 6 at least? At least you will be saying we could drop without looking like an ignorant jealous knob

 

[gordo2016]

Looking back on it now after the dust has settled - I think the Bulldogs win was a much bigger fluke than the Tiges.
The only way I can make sense of the Bulldogs win is that the other sides were all rubbish that year.
At least the Tiges beat a half decent Crows side.
I think the Tiges have a better chance of finishing top 4 next year. Obviously injuries will play a huge part. But overall the Tigers seem more capable based on their playing list and the fact they have 3 or 4 genuine guns.
I know Easton Wood had that one very good year and I think the Bont is good but not that good. The Dogs just really dont have the genuine reliable stars that the Tiges have.

If only the Saints could fluke a few more home and away wins they could make the finals. Then they could fluke a couple of finals wins against rubbish teams and make it to the GF. Then they could even fluke a win in the GF. Easy: then they have their first flag in 53 years. All you need is a couple of flukes and anything is possible. The game is all about flukes.

 

[sonnywalters]

The Bulldogs beat 4 teams in the finals that had won at least 16 games throughout the home and away season, this year no team won 16 games.


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Not trying to pick a fight.
But does that say more about the evenness of the comp or the quality of the teams? Hard to say.
The Tiges winning margins in the finals were very high.
They essentially destroyed the other sides. They were miles ahead in the last two months.
Doggies were also a level ahead in the finals as well.

 

[sonnywalters]

If only the Saints could fluke a few more home and away wins they could make the finals. Then they could fluke a couple of finals wins against rubbish teams and make it to the GF. Then they could even fluke a win in the GF. Easy: then they have their first flag in 53 years. All you need is a couple of flukes and anything is possible. The game is all about flukes.

Yes yes. I apologise. Poor choice of words.
The Dogs was NO FLUKE. NO doubts. It was earnt through 320 minutes of finals footy.
So there is that said.
I guess I just mean from a bigger picture scenario. Doggies got their timing rather sweet and got on a roll at the right time.
Are the Dogs the Hawks of 08? Possible. Still early to say.
I am just not entirely convinced about the list at this point. You need Wood and Libba to come back to their best.
I mean guys like Macrae and Hunter have their best days in front of them.