The Tigers ‘should be on top of the ladder’. Being ‘Richmondy’ might destroy their seasonCatherine Healey
Fox Sports
July 18th, 2022 8:42 pmRichmond would be sitting pretty at the top of the table if not for their 2022 “syndrome” where they let winnable games “slip from their grasp”.
On the ‘Expected Scores’ ladder - based on the results of games using Champion Data’s respected metric which takes into account wayward and super-accurate goalkicking - Richmond and Geelong are equal leaders with 13 wins and four losses.
Melbourne, Collingwood and Fremantle round out to the top five with 12-5 records while Brisbane and Carlton would sit 11-6, and Sydney, on 10-7, would be in eighth.
But after back-to-back losses by four points or less, Richmond’s finals hopes are hanging in the balance.
The Tigers cling to eighth spot on percentage only from chasers the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda.
“They (close out games like) this with their eyes closed,” AFL360’s Mark Robinson said.
“The atmosphere and environment around Richmond has changed – they are not getting it done around the death when they have for three or four years.”
Gerard Whateley said it took the club back to the “Richmondy” days.
“Richmondy was finding perplexing and unique ways to steal defeat from the jaws of victory,” he explained.
“It has reoccurred.
“If you ran the measure of expected scores, Richmond have left four games on the table that their system will say they had in their grasp that they have lost.
“And that’s to say nothing of leading the Swans by 31, St Kilda by 25 and Carlton by 20 in losses.
“This is now a syndrome … this is part of Richmond’s 2022 makeup.”
Since Round 11, the Tigers have suffered four losses of less than 10 points – against Sydney (six points), Geelong (three points), Gold Coast (two points) and North Melbourne (four points).
In the North Melbourne loss, Robinson said there was “unbelievable” errors made by Richmond players in the dying stages that we haven’t seen before.
“The frenzy of football made sane people not think correctly,” he said.
Dylan Grimes got lost, allowing Cam Zurhaar to swoop and kick the winner.
Ben Miller dropped an easy mark and then sent the footy out on the full. Jake Aarts had a total brain fade when he played on inside 50 and was immediately run down, instead of lining up his set shot for the win.
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