Rodney Dangerfield
Doesn’t matter
It’s round 7 already can you believe? And this week sees the 8th placed Tigers take on 14th placed Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
3 years ago if somebody told you that this would be the clash between the 2016 and 2017 premiers you’d have been wheeled away in a straight jacket, and rightly so!
It seems like only yesterday and yet as is the way in today’s footy also seems so long ago. The dogs were thought to have either arrived way before they were ready and stole one by some, just in rare form at the right time by others and have struggled since.
The naysayers all nodded knowingly when Richmond then followed suit in 2017 and waited anxiously for the same struggle yet the tigers went on to be arguably an even better team until an unfortunate demise in the Preliminary Final.
Just weeks before that there was some very encouraging signs by the bulldogs when they ran Richmond to a very narrow loss.
https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/23/rich-v-wb
Where are they now?
In typically topsy turvy fashion the Dogs have hit a flat spot after a particularly promising start to the season, whereas Richmond have done the opposite being battered by injury and with their credentials questioned early, they’ve steadied nicely and along the way unearthed some very exciting talent.
Jack Ross seems like a veteran after 2 games, Noah Bolton is some sort of rare species and then there is this kid nobody wants.
Sydney Stack wandered into Punt Rd with not a lot to lose and much to gain. It’s well documented he moved in with Dimma and put his head down but what many don’t know is his special relationship with his chosen Mentor. Here is a sneak look at some of the dialogue between the two kindred spirits.
“Hey Towner what’s up bro? I love how you play footy.. will you teach me the way of the Towner?”
“I like what I see young Stacky. Come with me to the Town of hurt and together we will cause carnage. First you must work on the double fist pump.”
“Hey Towner, hope you like it bro I gave it a good shot”.
“Ah yes my son, you are ready. Next we will study the bump. Many think they can bump Stacky but the Towner way is to try to knock them over the fence”.
“You like that Towner?”
“Ah yes Stacky, Towner got a stiffy and what’s more you’ve already skipped to the next step which is smashing Melbourne “hard men”, but there is no such thing. You’re way ahead young fella.
Go forth with Towner’s blessing and May we one day cut a swathe together on the MCG”.
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2018-04-24/round-5-townsend-crunches-jones
https://www.foxsports.com.au/video/afl/afl/sydney-stacks-into-viney!727892
“You the man Towner!
Fascinating stuff I’m sure you’ll agree. The following I have seen this week is interesting indeed.
“Hey Towner I’m thinking of getting a dog. As the master of all knowledge I ask, how do you discipline a bulldog?”
“Stacky Teach your bulldog basic obedience commands such as "Sit," "Stay" and "Down.”
Not sure what to read into that from Towner..
Oh yeah.. the game!
Richmond continue to have their horrid injury run with champion forward Jack Riewoldt once again out for an extended period joining the like of other champions Rance and Cotchin. David Astbury will also be touch and go with an ankle injury.
Still Richmond have appeared to have coped extremely well and even expanded their depth exponentially through necessity.
The dogs for their part have their own promising stable of young stars like Richards, Naughton and Smith, their still promising types who tasted success almost too early causing unreal and unfair expectations Jack Graham, Dan Butler style and their always reliable team of huge ball winners in Bont, Macrae and Hunter, and of course the great Sam Lloyd.
The dogs to my way of thinking initiated what we we love and are so familiar with at Punt rd now.
Fast, ferocious footy, lightning handball, an insane work rate to outnumber at contests and torrid forward half pressure.
For whatever reason they haven’t been able to sustain it and have experimented quite drastically positionally.
Early this season there were signs but it’s just dropped off for periods, however they are still a dangerous foe.
Richmond are generally pretty reliable in that you know exactly what you’re going to get.
On this occasion I’m expecting a 22 point victory to the tigers.
3 years ago if somebody told you that this would be the clash between the 2016 and 2017 premiers you’d have been wheeled away in a straight jacket, and rightly so!
It seems like only yesterday and yet as is the way in today’s footy also seems so long ago. The dogs were thought to have either arrived way before they were ready and stole one by some, just in rare form at the right time by others and have struggled since.
The naysayers all nodded knowingly when Richmond then followed suit in 2017 and waited anxiously for the same struggle yet the tigers went on to be arguably an even better team until an unfortunate demise in the Preliminary Final.
Just weeks before that there was some very encouraging signs by the bulldogs when they ran Richmond to a very narrow loss.
https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/23/rich-v-wb
Where are they now?
In typically topsy turvy fashion the Dogs have hit a flat spot after a particularly promising start to the season, whereas Richmond have done the opposite being battered by injury and with their credentials questioned early, they’ve steadied nicely and along the way unearthed some very exciting talent.
Jack Ross seems like a veteran after 2 games, Noah Bolton is some sort of rare species and then there is this kid nobody wants.
Sydney Stack wandered into Punt Rd with not a lot to lose and much to gain. It’s well documented he moved in with Dimma and put his head down but what many don’t know is his special relationship with his chosen Mentor. Here is a sneak look at some of the dialogue between the two kindred spirits.
“Hey Towner what’s up bro? I love how you play footy.. will you teach me the way of the Towner?”
“I like what I see young Stacky. Come with me to the Town of hurt and together we will cause carnage. First you must work on the double fist pump.”
“Hey Towner, hope you like it bro I gave it a good shot”.
“Ah yes my son, you are ready. Next we will study the bump. Many think they can bump Stacky but the Towner way is to try to knock them over the fence”.
“You like that Towner?”
“Ah yes Stacky, Towner got a stiffy and what’s more you’ve already skipped to the next step which is smashing Melbourne “hard men”, but there is no such thing. You’re way ahead young fella.
Go forth with Towner’s blessing and May we one day cut a swathe together on the MCG”.
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2018-04-24/round-5-townsend-crunches-jones
https://www.foxsports.com.au/video/afl/afl/sydney-stacks-into-viney!727892
“You the man Towner!
Fascinating stuff I’m sure you’ll agree. The following I have seen this week is interesting indeed.
“Hey Towner I’m thinking of getting a dog. As the master of all knowledge I ask, how do you discipline a bulldog?”
“Stacky Teach your bulldog basic obedience commands such as "Sit," "Stay" and "Down.”
Not sure what to read into that from Towner..
Oh yeah.. the game!
Richmond continue to have their horrid injury run with champion forward Jack Riewoldt once again out for an extended period joining the like of other champions Rance and Cotchin. David Astbury will also be touch and go with an ankle injury.
Still Richmond have appeared to have coped extremely well and even expanded their depth exponentially through necessity.
The dogs for their part have their own promising stable of young stars like Richards, Naughton and Smith, their still promising types who tasted success almost too early causing unreal and unfair expectations Jack Graham, Dan Butler style and their always reliable team of huge ball winners in Bont, Macrae and Hunter, and of course the great Sam Lloyd.
The dogs to my way of thinking initiated what we we love and are so familiar with at Punt rd now.
Fast, ferocious footy, lightning handball, an insane work rate to outnumber at contests and torrid forward half pressure.
For whatever reason they haven’t been able to sustain it and have experimented quite drastically positionally.
Early this season there were signs but it’s just dropped off for periods, however they are still a dangerous foe.
Richmond are generally pretty reliable in that you know exactly what you’re going to get.
On this occasion I’m expecting a 22 point victory to the tigers.
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