Wayne Carey: Richmond are clear favourites for another premiershipWayne Carey
The Age
25 July 2019Through the heartache of Alex Rance’s knee injury and the struggles that came with losing so many key personnel this season, Damien Hardwick has discovered a different blend.
From adversity has come depth and confidence.
We know Richmond lost a few handy depth players in the off-season but forced changes through injury this year have revealed some talented, ready-made replacements.
With a host of stars returning in recent weeks we’re finally starting to see the power of this Tiger machine.
Coming off an interrupted pre-season, Tom Lynch had a bigger turning circle than the Queen Mary, and while he was kicking his two or three goals every week, his impact wasn’t all that great.
Even when he bagged six goals against Port Adelaide in round four it didn’t really feel like a commanding performance.
Fast forward to his game against the Power last weekend and he seemed a different player. He looked ominous and, if not for failing to finish off his work a few times, would have had an even bigger afternoon.
Lynch was much more mobile, and sharp below his knees. It was arguably the type of form that earned him All-Australian honours on the Gold Coast, before he suffered a knee injury.
His partnership with Jack Riewoldt is already dangerous, despite the fact they’ve hardly played any footy together, and that will only improve.
They’re smart enough to know when to rotate one deep and one further up the ground.
Mabior Chol has also added another dimension to the Tigers setup, with his ability to hit the scoreboard and play second fiddle in the ruck.
While Shaun Grigg was an integral role-player, basically as a follower in the club’s premiership year, I can’t help but think a combination of Toby Nankervis and Chol could be better.
Then there’s the revelation that’s been Sydney Stack. Firstly, he does the basics so well and this sometimes gets lost among the flashier parts of his game.
Most importantly, he’s composed and hits targets. The flair and x-factor he has is almost a bonus.
It’s the form of those guys, in particular, which has ensured the likes of Josh Caddy have been made to fight their way back at VFL level.
Caddy was unlucky to miss the All-Australian team last year and is clearly in the Tigers' best 18.
But right now, who do you take out? It’s a luxury for the club’s match committee to have that pressure for spots being applied from underneath.
Added to those fresh faces, I sense a real hunger.
The memories of a preliminary final defeat don’t get erased the next time you play the team that beat you. They sit with you forever.
For the leaders of this club, there will always be an element of revenge when they play Collingwood, particularly given Richmond would have believed they were the better team going into that prelim after such a dominant year.
The likes of Trent Cotchin and co. will know they don’t get an unlimited number of shots at another premiership.
Even with free agency, it’s tough to sustain the level of being the game’s best team for any more than three years. For the Tigers this is year three.
Depending on a number of factors including form, injury and circumstances outside their control, there may not be another shot.
It’s that motivation which should have other teams in the competition wary.
On Friday night, the opponent is Collingwood.
The Magpies, at their best, are capable, but they’ll need to produce a performance even better than when they won on the road against the Eagles - because the ‘Tiger Train’ is gathering steam.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/wayne-carey-richmond-are-clear-favourites-for-another-premiership-20190725-p52aru.html
