One-Eyed Richmond Forum

Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on March 07, 2018, 06:02:25 PM

Title: The Age 'experts' all tip Richmond to make finals again but not finish 1st
Post by: one-eyed on March 07, 2018, 06:02:25 PM
Where will your AFL team finish in 2018?

The Age
7 March 2018


Richmond

Experts' picks    RANK

    Jake Niall           3rd
    Michael Gleeson 6th
    Peter Ryan        2nd
    Jon Pierik          4th
    Daniel Cherny   8th
    Warwick Green  7th

Why they can make the eight


The reigning premiers do not have a game that is based on trickery, nor a unique formula that will be unpicked over the summer and unravel in the winter. They have players to come in that were made to wait last year and have lost no one of substance in the off season. They're the real deal. - Michael Gleeson

Why they can't make the eight


Last year, everything they needed to go right went right. Even the things that went wrong turned out to be for the best. They had no other significant injuries, a rare thing. One or two this year, and things look different. Their high-intensity, effort-based game requires hunger. Do they still have it, or do they have a hangover? - Michael Gleeson

What Jake Niall thinks

The momentum of 2017 should continue, since the Tigers have few injuries, are bursting with belief and emancipated by success.They have a proven territorial method and can win it again. But it's a high-wire act, since the lengthy loss of any one of four players - Dusty Martin, Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance or Jack Riewoldt - would likely sink the ship.

Gains

Liam Baker - Rookie Draft,
Noah Bolta - NAB AFL Draft,
Jason Castagna - promoted rookie,
Callum Coleman-Jones - NAB AFL Draft,
Derek Eggmolesse-Smith - Category B rookie,
Jack Higgins - NAB AFL Draft,
Ben Miller - NAB AFL Draft,
Patrick Naish - father-son,
Ivan Soldo - promoted rookie

Losses

Jake Batchelor - delisted,
Todd Elton - delisted,
Taylor Hunt - delisted,
Ben Lennon  - delisted,
Ivan Maric - retired,
Steven Morris - delisted,
Chris Yarran - delisted

Who will win the flag?

Is 2018 finally the year of the Giant? According to three of our experts, it is. The expansion club has been tipped to finish first by a majority, second by one exprt and third by another. No one expects them to finish lower than sixth. There's one vote for GWS' cross-town rivals Sydney to finish top, and one for last year's losing grand finalists, Adelaide. Not one expert has picked Richmond to finish first, but all our experts have tipped them to make the eight.

Will Melbourne finally make the finals?

After heartbreak in round 23 last year, only two of our experts expect the Dees to miss out again and finish ninth. Two experts have them finishing fourth, one fifth, and one finishing eighth. Jake Niall says they have probably the best list among Victorian clubs and tick a lot of boxes.


Which other teams will make the eight?


Geelong are understandably a popular choice. Tipped to finish as high as second, not one of our experts has them finishing lower than seventh. Similarly, Port Adelaide have not been ranked outside the top eight by any of our experts. Only two experts expect the Bulldogs to bounce back after a disappointing 2017, but everyone expects the Bombers will make the bottom part of the eight. The Hawks and the Saints are predicted to finish around mid-table.

Who will win the wooden spoon?


Gold Coast are the favourites among our experts to take bottom spot on the ladder, with three predictions for the spoon. But two of our experts think North Melbourne will finish bottom, while Fremantle are also expected to do poorly. While Carlton were not picked by anyone to finish bottom of the ladder, they are generally expected to do poorly, with most expecting them to finish 17th and only one expert picking them to finish higher than 15th. Brisbane are roundly expected to improve on their efforts from last year, but only by a few places.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/where-will-your-afl-team-finish-in-2018-20180307-p4z379.html