3rd biggest story of 2019 according to the AFL website.
Is it a dynasty? The Tigers of old, too strong and too boldRichmond continues to make a mockery of what is supposed to be the era of equality.
A second premiership either side of the Tigers' preliminary final run in 2018 – when they were hot flag favourites – was enough to ignite talk of a dynasty.
They not only defeated the Giants in the Grand Final but hammered them by 89 points.
And there is no reason to doubt Richmond's ability to add to its haul next year, even with the shock retirement of champion defender Alex Rance, who missed all bar one game in 2019.
In fact, not even a raft of injuries to key players – Rance, Jack Riewoldt, Trent Cotchin, David Astbury, Kane Lambert, Shane Edwards and Toby Nankervis, to name just a few – or a Dustin Martin suspension could derail the Tigers.
They resumed from the bye in ninth place with a 7-6 record, then bucked general convention in bringing seven players back in one hit.
Damien Hardwick's men never lost again, winning 12 straight matches, including three finals, to confirm their status as the best team since Hawthorn's 2013-15 flag three-peat.
Part of why Richmond was so good was its ability to take educated risks, with 2017 premiership hero Jack Graham's preliminary final injury presenting another such opportunity. After Sydney Stack had already worked out. There were much safer options than Marlion Pickett but Hardwick took a punt on him and it paid off magnificently.
Pickett narrowly fell short of the Norm Smith Medal, which instead went to superstar Martin for the second time in three years. At his best, there is arguably no finer player in the game right now than the 2017 Brownlow medallist but this club is going every bit as well.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/364568/the-50-biggest-stories-of-2019-5-1
