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Analysis Senior spine leaves Richmond in good stead
- Thread starter THE THIN MAN
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- Jul 15, 2014
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I'll start off here by saying that I agree with Wallace in that many of Richmond's core Premiership players are older and more experienced than the Bulldogs were and therefore are better placed to defend their title.
Having said that, I feel like he raised up something that many others raise up that I don't necessarily agree on. That is, our supposed "softer" double-ups and "softer" start last year being a factor in us winning the Premiership. Thing is:
1. We have gone 7-10 against our double ups, losing to Fremantle, St Kilda and GWS. That is not capitalising greatly on the "softer" double-ups.
So, swapping the non-finalists like Fremantle and St Kilda for finalists like Adelaide and Geelong would probably not make much difference as we only played those two away in the H&A season and have already showed in the finals that we can beat them at the MCG.
2. To address the "soft start" part "boosting our confidence", We started off with Carlton, Collingwood, West Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in the first 6 rounds of the 2017 season. We went 5-1.
Compare that to the same rounds of the 2016 season: Carlton, Collingwood, Adelaide, West Coast, Melbourne, Port Adelaide. We literally went 1-5 despite the teams we played being identical with the exception of playing Port Adelaide instead of Brisbane. Mind you, Adelaide and West Coast were finals sides in both years while the rest of our opponents were not in the years that we played them in the first 6 rounds.
Guess what our scheduled start is for the first 6 rounds of the 2018 season?
Carlton, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Melbourne and Collingwood.
Yep, pretty much the same opponents as 2017 again with the exception of Hawthorn instead of West Coast. Either this "soft" opening to the 2018 season sets up our 2018 season yet again, or it won't, proving that it was us being good and not the quality (or lack of quality) of our opponents that set up our 2017 season as the start is almost the same.
Having said that, I feel like he raised up something that many others raise up that I don't necessarily agree on. That is, our supposed "softer" double-ups and "softer" start last year being a factor in us winning the Premiership. Thing is:
1. We have gone 7-10 against our double ups, losing to Fremantle, St Kilda and GWS. That is not capitalising greatly on the "softer" double-ups.
So, swapping the non-finalists like Fremantle and St Kilda for finalists like Adelaide and Geelong would probably not make much difference as we only played those two away in the H&A season and have already showed in the finals that we can beat them at the MCG.
2. To address the "soft start" part "boosting our confidence", We started off with Carlton, Collingwood, West Coast, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide in the first 6 rounds of the 2017 season. We went 5-1.
Compare that to the same rounds of the 2016 season: Carlton, Collingwood, Adelaide, West Coast, Melbourne, Port Adelaide. We literally went 1-5 despite the teams we played being identical with the exception of playing Port Adelaide instead of Brisbane. Mind you, Adelaide and West Coast were finals sides in both years while the rest of our opponents were not in the years that we played them in the first 6 rounds.
Guess what our scheduled start is for the first 6 rounds of the 2018 season?
Carlton, Adelaide, Hawthorn, Brisbane, Melbourne and Collingwood.
Yep, pretty much the same opponents as 2017 again with the exception of Hawthorn instead of West Coast. Either this "soft" opening to the 2018 season sets up our 2018 season yet again, or it won't, proving that it was us being good and not the quality (or lack of quality) of our opponents that set up our 2017 season as the start is almost the same.
Hopefully the Tigers realationships are as they appear and are stronger than the Dogs. If they do get challenged, this will unite them instead of fracturing like it did with the Dogs. They look like a very cohesive unit without too many aloof members, hopefully 2018 is an improvement upon 2017!!
Righto plough we get it, out of the million draft picks you had you got a few right, and it was only the rest you stuffed up.
Dr Tigris
Brownlow Medallist
That we have a good group of mature leaders, with outstanding KPs is true, and fairly obvious.
That our fixture will be harder the year after we win the Premiership is also true, and also obvious.
We should be able to keep it up in 2018. Lots of improvement in the team. So, all good for Terry. hopefully he's right ... for once.
That our fixture will be harder the year after we win the Premiership is also true, and also obvious.
We should be able to keep it up in 2018. Lots of improvement in the team. So, all good for Terry. hopefully he's right ... for once.
We are not Footscray, whatever happened to them in 2017 will have no bearing on what happens to us in 2018 and beyond, sick of getting referenced to them TBH with discussion to our 2018 defence.
Portland Tigers
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Yeah you are right Tiger Toffee our destiny is in our hands not any other clubs bad habits.
Dr Tigris
Brownlow Medallist
Plus given the players have mentioned how they took the Dogs win to show that they could win, they should take the Dogs crap 2017 to show how you can slip if you don't keep on keeping on. What took you to the top, is the start of staying on top. Excellent abject lesson on how not to defend the title there to learn from.
Add Higgins into this team and Shai Bolton, cant see us not going back to back
Let's face it, we have another soft draw in 2018, we only play teams that finished below us.
Let's face it, we have another soft draw in 2018, we only play teams that finished below us.
- Oct 29, 2017
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Exactly. Well said.
TigerKnights
Team Captain
I think a lot of pundits underestimate our depth. Which we have clearly added to last night. Short, Miles, Markov, Bolton, Conca, Griff and C Ellis are all capable to varying degrees of seasons equal to or better than some of the GF 22. But TW right our spine is our core strength which not only differentiates us from the dogs but most other clubs. Dusty and Rance are verging on not just greats of RFC or generation of footballers, but all time of the League, not many clubs have those sticks in their current golf bag.
I just wana see cotchin continue his finals form. Was immensely good. Our core is very obviously our strength. Our spine improved tremendously with nankervis and astbury and jack staying fit.
Got the youth to back it up and play deep into finals again hopefully.
Got the youth to back it up and play deep into finals again hopefully.
I actually think our second tier players have narrowed the gap to our star players. Who would have though that Astbury would be taking the oppositions best tall defender and Grimes the best small defender every week leaving us the luxury of playing Rance as a floating defender?! In the past our defense WAS Rance. Now if he goes down I am confident that we can cover his absence.
Similarly when Jack was injured our forwardline still worked and even if Cotchin or Dusty did not play we have quality midfield coverage.
Now Dusty, Rance, Jack and Cotchin are still invaluable players to our team and can be the difference to winning and losing in a tight contest but I am excited that our second tier players continue to improve, provide competition for spots and can collectively cover anyone. Makes for a premiership team now doesn't it!
Similarly when Jack was injured our forwardline still worked and even if Cotchin or Dusty did not play we have quality midfield coverage.
Now Dusty, Rance, Jack and Cotchin are still invaluable players to our team and can be the difference to winning and losing in a tight contest but I am excited that our second tier players continue to improve, provide competition for spots and can collectively cover anyone. Makes for a premiership team now doesn't it!
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