Burning Questions for 2014: RichmondAuthor: Ben Hocking
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Source: SportsFanCan the Tigers win a final?The Tigers qualified for the finals so convincingly that their exit at the hands of ninth-placed Carlton left their fans with a bitter aftertaste, even after seeing September action for the first time in years. Coach Damien Hardwick promised the faithful they would see finals action at the start of last season, but while he may not be as candid this pre-season, the expectation is that the Tigers will need to break through for a finals victory in 2014. The board hasn't put that pressure on Hardwick, extending his contract until the end of 2016, but that still doesn't mean he won't be feeling the heat if things go south this year.
Fortunately the Tigers have games against Gold Coast, the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions in the first five rounds, which should leave them fairly well-placed, even if they are interspersed with games against Collingwood and bogey side Carlton. One of the most difficult things the Tigers must overcome in their quest to win a final is their round 23 match against the Swans, which sees them forced to travel back from Sydney. While it is by no means the worst road trip in Australia, it is a less than ideal lead-in to the finals, with many a player coming acropper at ANZ Stadium at that time of year.
Can Riewoldt win the Coleman?Last season Hardwick made it one of the goals of the club to become less reliant on Jack Riewoldt. It hampered Riewoldt's chances of winning another Coleman Medal but it did make the Tigers a touch less predictable up forward. Despite the reduced feed coming his way, Riewoldt still managed to bag 58 goals last season, just 10 fewer than Coleman Medallist Jarryd Roughead. Tyrone Vickery, though, was not always up to the job of presenting a creditable second target, something that should change next season.
If Vickery is able to draw his own quality defender, then the Tigers will be comfortable going to Riewoldt more frequently, which could easily see the superstar top the goalkicking at the end of the season. One factor that may work against Riewoldt is the inclusion of off-season recruit Shaun Hampson. Assuming the former Blue plays the majority of the season and wasn't just added to the list as cover for Ivan Maric, he will spend a lot of time as a marking forward and may take some of the balls that would normally be directed Riewoldt's way.
Will the backline stay solid?One of the reasons Richmond was able to win so many games last year was the addition of Troy Chaplin in defence. The former Port Adelaide defender provided some steel but, as has been the case in recent times, injury robbed the Tigers of a stable back six, a crucial component of most good sides. Injuries to promising youngster Dylan Grimes and former skipper Chris Newman cost the side serious momentum last year, just when they were starting to gel together. In previous years, injuries have struck Alex Rance and left the Tigers with a patchwork defence.
If Rance, Grimes and Chaplin can play out the year without any serious injuries, the Tigers look a lot less likely to concede big scores. Add Bachar Houli and his run out of defence and things look sweet. Obviously they can't expect the aging Newman to play all 22 games, but if he plays the majority, including finals, the Tigers are looking in good shape down back.
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