BARRETT: Tigers, Pies can cover for big stars as dream Grand Final looms Damian Barrett
AFL.com.au
Sep 8, 2019 5:15PMRICHMOND has long known it would be without Alex Rance in its pursuit of a premiership this season.
Collingwood has now had two days to absorb the fact it will be minus Jordan De Goey in the same pursuit.
It is line-ball whose absence most affects his team.
Collingwood has publicly conceded only that De Goey would be unavailable for the preliminary final. But he is now too great a risk to be considered for the Grand Final, should it win against Brisbane or Greater Western Sydney, for before re-injuring his hamstring in Friday's win against Geelong, he had not played since round 19.
In a dream potential Grand Final match-up, the Tigers and Pies kept themselves on opposite sides of finals possibilities when they both won qualifying finals at the weekend.
Last year, their seasons collided in a preliminary final, a game which some Richmond people bemoan simply for the outcome they never saw coming.
To have their year ended at that stage was something the Tigers hadn't considered after backing up the 2017 premiership with a home and away season that saw them finish two matches and a heap of percentage ahead of all comers.
Then, in its next 'real' match, this season's opener, the club was equally rocked when Rance broke down.
That left the Tigers vulnerable, but they regrouped with authority to cover the five-time All Australian defender, and also for extended patches their captain Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt.
Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale earlier this year said hindsight had taught him that the club was attempting to manage players for a flag tilt in 2018, in contrast to 2017 where "we were hell for leather".
"Our KPIs (key performance indicators) were coming off, we weren't sharpening the saw," he told AFL.com.au in March.
"I went to the room post-game (2018 preliminary final loss to Collingwood) with (coach) Damien (Hardwick) and said, 'credit to Collingwood', but we have to be accountable for what happened'."
They certainly have been that, and haven't lost since round 13. Their win against Brisbane at the Gabba on Saturday night was sparked by six goals from Dustin Martin, whose close to the home and away season and first final has been 2017-like. Which makes it all-time great material.
Collingwood hasn't lost since round 19, when the Tigers beat them by 32 points.
No Rance, no De Goey. And because of the professionalism with which both clubs now carry themselves, no worries.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-08/barrett-tigers-pies-can-cover-for-big-stars-as-dream-grand-final-looms
