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2021 - Richmond
Will chaos versus control bring the Tigers more success in 2021?
Richmond’s frenzied style of football has delivered it three premierships in four years. But do the Tigers need to change things up next season?
After three premierships in four years – including winning the historic night Grand Final in 2020 – the big question is can Richmond claim another flag next season?
Glenn McFarlane takes a look at how the Tigers are shaping up ahead of their assault on the 2021 season.
INS: Samson Ryan (Western Magpies), Maurice Rioli Jnr (Oakleigh Chargers)
OUTS: Jack Higgins (St Kilda), Oleg Markov (Gold Coast), Luke English (delisted), Fraser Turner (delisted), Derek Eggmolesse-Smith (delisted)
COACH STATUS
As a three-time premiership coach at the top of his game, it’s hard to see Damien Hardwick going anywhere anytime soon.
Hardwick is already contracted for next year, but will likely sign on the dotted line with an extension before the start of next season.
Next year will be his 12th season as coach.
He passed Tom Hafey’s games record as Richmond coach this year and will aim to equal the legendary coach’s tally of four premierships in 2021.
He might yet look back on the 2020 flag in the COVID-shortened season as his greatest flag yet, steering the club over a few in-season hurdles.
GAME PLAN
Chaos beat control in the Grand Final and that style has been Richmond’s pathway to three flags and a preliminary final loss across the past four seasons.
The Tigers’ brand holds up in the heat of September (or October if you consider this year), with their average winning margin in finals exceeding five goals.
The game plan hasn’t changed much since that breakthrough 2017 season, but the players keep sticking to the system that works.
They like to outnumber at stoppages and pull a forward, such as Kane Lambert, into the midfield which allows Dustin Martin to head forward.
The Tigers are the second-best in the AFL at taking the ball from defence to attack and they boast the second-best inside 50 differential, often winning repeat entries.
Their pressure element is strong.
TRADE TABLE REPORT
The aim was to keep as many players as they could rather than chasing new faces in the trade period.
While they lost Jack Higgins and Oleg Markov to rival clubs, there was a sigh of relief when Jack Graham rejected a deal to join the Blues.
Higgins will be a loss in that he his a constant ball of enthusiasm and could cause the Tigers some regret if he excels in the St Kilda forward line alongside another ex-Tiger in Dan Butler.
Still, when you win three premierships in four years, you can’t keep a list together forever.
THEIR 2020 DRAFT HAUL
There were limited changes to the Tigers’ playing list with limited draft action.
Most of the focus will be on Maurice Rioli Jnr who could get a small window to show his untapped talent at stages of 2021, but he won’t be rushed.
He is still raw and needs time to develop.
Regardless of whether he plays in 2021 or not, it was one of the great stories of the post-2020 season – the son of Richmond great, the late Maurice Rioli Snr finding a new home at Punt Rd alongside cousin Daniel.
Twenty-year-old Samson Ryan – a Tigers’ fan as a kid – is a long-term ruck project who came through the Brisbane Lions Academy.
He is an investment for the future.
PLAYERS THEY CAN REINVENT
Could the Tigers try something different with best-and-fairest winner Jayden Short, who has been so important rebounding off the half-back-flank?
It would be a bold move to shift Short, given he won the club’s best and fairest in a premiership year, but that’s something the Tigers haven’t been afraid of doing in recent seasons.
He has been a key part of a rock-solid Richmond defence, but given the depth of talent in that zone, Short could be moved up one line and maybe even find a new home on the wing.
His penetrating play and run and dash would be equally suited there and let’s face it, the Tigers already have a defence that is the envy of rival clubs.
The other focus could shift to Mabior Chol and his willingness and ability to shoulder ruck burdens if Toby Nankervis misses any games.
Chol has shown he has the talent, but can look on occasions as if he misjudges the pace and urgency to the game.
READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP
Jake Aarts was stiff not to have a premiership medal around his neck by season’s end after performing so well in 14 games in his debut AFL season.
He just lost his spot at the wrong time, but took it with good grace.
He has won a new deal and can now cement his role as a pressure small forward.
Jack Ross is also contracted until the end of 2022 and can try and lock away a more permanent spot.
This is an extremely tough unit to break into and midway through the year the Tigers would have had expectations that Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones would be pushing for selection, but both have set themselves a long way back.
BEST 22 FOR NEXT SEASON
B: David Astbury, Dylan Grimes, Nick Vlastuin
HB: Jayden Short, Noah Balta, Bachar Houli
C: Kamdyn McIntosh, Dion Prestia, Marlion Pickett
HF: Kane Lambert, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Edwards
F: Jason Castagna, Tom Lynch, Shai Bolton
Foll: Toby Nankervis, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin
Inter: Liam Baker, Jack Graham, Nathan Broad, Daniel Rioli
CHAMPION DATA SAYS
Good: The Tigers led the AFL for both time in forward-half differential and points scored from forward-half turnovers.
Bad: Richmond ranked 15th for both clearance differential (-3.6) and points generated from stoppages (18.6) across 2020.
FINISH THE LAST FIVE YEARS: 2016: 13th. 2017: Premiers. 2018: 3rd. 2019: Premiers. 2020: Premiers
TAB PREMIERSHIP ODDS: $4; Top 4: $1.60; Top 8: $1.10
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
I still remain pretty baffled on how Richmond transformed themselves into a juggernaught post 2016. Dustin Martin obviously went supernova in 2017 and beyond but looking at some of the names in their best 22, I just don't get HOW they're so good.
Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
comrade
I still remain pretty baffled on how Richmond transformed themselves into a juggernaught post 2016. Dustin Martin obviously went supernova in 2017 and beyond but looking at some of the names in their best 22, I just don't get HOW they're so good.
And they have lost players with some experience along the way but still managed to not require a rebuild.
I'm a bit like you, when you look at their list they shouldn't be such a dominate team but if you trust the system and have players willing to execute it you can do wonders
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
They did not have a player called Derek Eggmolesse-Smith! That's brilliant.
I reckon that they will go pretty well again I reckon. Now I feel sickly.
They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
comrade
I still remain pretty baffled on how Richmond transformed themselves into a juggernaught post 2016. Dustin Martin obviously went supernova in 2017 and beyond but looking at some of the names in their best 22, I just don't get HOW they're so good.
Everyone knows what their role is and they play that role well.
They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
They have great system and quality players playing key roles for them. I think it's a bit of a myth that they're not stacked with high quality or elite talent, but that's the narrative the media wants to peddle and that's fine.
Additionally I think the competition has been a bit hit and miss and Richmond have been in the right place at the right time because of that. What they did this year was pretty special under trying circumstances, though getting to play a stupid amount of regular season footy and finals footy at your home ground has definitely helped them in seasons past.
They've got too much quality and system discipline not to be top 4-6 again.
Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
Twodogs
Everyone knows what their role is and they play that role well.
There has to be more to it. All the players in the top 4 sides over the last 10 years 'know their role' and play to it, but why have Richmond jumped above them all?
It has to have more to do with what those roles are and the system that accomodates them.
Our 1954 premiership players are our heroes, and it has to be said that Charlie was their hero.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
comrade
There has to be more to it. All the players in the top 4 sides over the last 10 years 'know their role' and play to it, but why have Richmond jumped above them all?
It has to have more to do with what those roles are and the system that accomodates them.
Before last year I would have said that playing most weeks and nearly all their finals on their home ground was a fairly large chunk of the explanation for their success but last year convinced me they are a quality team.
Of course to be a quality team you have to make the whole better than the sum of its parts and this Richmond team do that better than almost any side I've ever seen. Especially at the sustained level they have over the last 3 premierships they have won.
When you look at them who are their stars? They have maybe 4-5 players that are competition best? They lose a guy like Rance and adjust and win a flag. It must be their method. The guts outside their top players aren't mugs but they aren't superstars either. Vlastuin, Houli, Bolton, Nankervis, Edwards, Ellis. All multiple premiership players but you wouldn't be giving up a first round pick for any of them.
They say Burt Lancaster has one, but I don't believe them.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Hardwick seems similar mold to Dean Laidley and Mark Thompson. Manic when winning, hard faced when not. Hope he holds his stuff together.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
comrade
I still remain pretty baffled on how Richmond transformed themselves into a juggernaught post 2016. Dustin Martin obviously went supernova in 2017 and beyond but looking at some of the names in their best 22, I just don't get HOW they're so good.
The key to me is the stability they have had in their squad. Yes they unexpectedly lost Rance, but they also have 14 3x premiership players (9 of them 28+, offering a lot of experience and setting standards for the group). Houli, Edwards, Riewoldt, Cotchin, Astbury, Martin, Grimes, Lambert, Prestia, Broad, Vlastuin, Nankervis, Castagna and Rioli.
From their 2017 flag, they replaced Rance, Townsend, Caddy, Ellis, Grigg and Butler with Balta, Baker, Bolton, Pickett, Short and Tom Lynch.
That is a VERY solid core to build a team around, and I doubt there are any other sides still comfortably playing so many of their best 22 from 2017. When you have a core group like that, it is much easier to slot in the others and let them play their roles.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
jazzadogs
The key to me is the stability they have had in their squad. Yes they unexpectedly lost Rance, but they also have 14 3x premiership players (9 of them 28+, offering a lot of experience and setting standards for the group). Houli, Edwards, Riewoldt, Cotchin, Astbury, Martin, Grimes, Lambert, Prestia, Broad, Vlastuin, Nankervis, Castagna and Rioli.
From their 2017 flag, they replaced Rance, Townsend, Caddy, Ellis, Grigg and Butler with Balta, Baker, Bolton, Pickett, Short and Tom Lynch.
That is a VERY solid core to build a team around, and I doubt there are any other sides still comfortably playing so many of their best 22 from 2017. When you have a core group like that, it is much easier to slot in the others and let them play their roles.
The Tigers are also very effective in their football management department. An outstanding CEO and former player in Brendan Gale, similarly Neil Balme as Football department Manager who followed with Premierships at Geelong and now Richmond.
Richmond also managed to retain all of its quality Assistant Coaches group when other Clubs through Covid-19 were reducing theirs.
So you have a sprinkling of quality on field experienced leaders combined with a powerful off field combination. They have set the bar for other Clubs to follow.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
I would say Richmond are actually an evolution of our men of mayhem, their manic pressure and fast ball movement are hallmarks of their game and have been the leading game style since Hawthorn's exacting foot skills from 2013-15
If you kicked five goals and Tom Boyd kicked five goals, Tom Boyd kicked more goals than you.
Formerly gogriff
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
BornInDroopSt'54
Hardwick seems similar mold to Dean Laidley and Mark Thompson. Manic when winning, hard faced when not. Hope he holds his stuff together.
Maybe not....
https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/ri...03ff21076ab6ee
"I'll give him a hug before the first bounce and then I'll run into my pack and give them orders to rip him apart."
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
boydogs
I would say Richmond are actually an evolution of our men of mayhem, their manic pressure and fast ball movement are hallmarks of their game and have been the leading game style since Hawthorn's exacting foot skills from 2013-15
Yeah I think they just maintained what we started and couldn’t continue to do.
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Re: 2021 - Richmond
Originally Posted by
BornInDroopSt'54
Hardwick seems similar mold to Dean Laidley and Mark Thompson. Manic when winning, hard faced when not. Hope he holds his stuff together.
Similar mold to Gary Rohan more like it.
The curse is dead.
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