Season 2021 review: Richmond gets an "F" (Foxsports)

[one-eyed]

Brutal reviews for AFL’s bottom 10 – and who they must target to bounce back in 2022

Max Laughton
Foxsports
23 August 2021

12. RICHMOND (9-12-1, 97.9%)

Three word analysis

Still feels unbelievable

What went right

There were times when everything felt normal. That third quarter to overrun the Bulldogs in Round 7, for instance, or the comeback win over GWS in Round 9, or even that last-term burst to beat Essendon in the brilliant Dreamtime game in Perth. After that last win, the Tigers were 7-5, and everyone and their mother was tipping the premiers to surge over the second half of the season, thanks to what was on paper the easiest remaining fixture. The Tigers were eighth, two wins clear of Essendon and GWS, and surely they’d be OK … surely.

What went wrong

… they weren’t. The Tigers won just two of their last 10 matches, their worst run since 2014. Injuries didn’t help, with Dustin Martin done for the year after that Round 18 upset of Brisbane (which feels like it was years ago at this point). Hits to the defence meant they couldn’t get their turnover game going, and midfield injuries meant a group that rarely dominated the contested ball was often blown out. But the injuries weren’t so bad as to forgive the premiers completely falling apart, losing to four non-finalists in a row including Gold Coast and Collingwood. In the end, this was the second-worst season for a reigning premier in VFL-AFL history, with only 1998 champs Adelaide dropping further down the ladder the next year. Imagine saying Richmond would finish 12th in your pre-season ladder – you would’ve had your head checked. Yet here we are, and we still can’t explain it.

What they need

Time to recover. Having made the final four in four consecutive seasons, these Tigers are tired, especially after spending months in the Gold Coast hub and playing until late October last season. They need a mental reset and to allow players to get healthy; only four Tigers (Liam Baker, Jack Graham, Jack Riewoldt and Jayden Short) played every game, and 40 players were used overall. They also need to be patient; they have the most 2021 draft assets of any club, and it could be tempting to trade out some of those picks for players, but does this list really need it? They were linked to Adam Cerra at one stage but it looks to be Carlton or Freo for the young midfield gun; is there another midfielder of that quality out there worth dealing for? If not, surely they stay put. It’s hard to imagine these players and this coaching staff, if given a fair run at it in 2022, not contending.

What time is it on the premiership clock?

10pm: The hope at Punt Road is that the dynasty isn’t over, but just on pause. They’re an old list, but not the oldest, and this might’ve been the year that allowed them to get valuable experience into youth and go again. Remember, after Hawthorn’s three-peat, they went out in straight sets and then missed the finals in 2017, but bounced back into the top four in 2018. We could easily see that happening here.

Season grade

F

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-news-2021-brutal-reviews-for-bottom-10-clubs-trade-targets-whispers-rumours-what-went-wrong-grades/news-story/8e5518c25b15c4b1d19a2ea1c160e118