Grand intentBy Peter Ryan
afl.com.au
Wed 26 Sep, 2012RICHMOND has reason to take heart from this year's Grand Final match-up.
The Tigers beat both the Sydney Swans (by 29 points in round seven) and Hawthorn (by 62 points in round nine) at the MCG in 2012, yet, as everyone knows, finished 12th after losing eight games by a margin of less than 20 points.
Despite there being little for the Tigers to celebrate by season's end, those two wins were a good sign for the future.
In fact, if you want to get carried away, it's worth noting that each year since 2003, one team that has beaten that year's Grand Finalist has reached the premiership decider the following year.
Rest assured, no-one inside Tigerland is getting carried away though.
The Tigers have beaten at least one of the Grand Finalists during the home and away rounds in six of the past 13 seasons, and only made one finals series in that time.
In 2006, Port Adelaide treaded a similar path to the 2012 Tigers when it finished 12th but it defeated both Grand Finalists, the Swans and Eagles, as well as the preliminary finalist, Adelaide, during the home and away season.
Port Adelaide made the Grand Final the following season.
Its captain that year, Warren Tredrea, now a commentator on Triple M, said winning against quality opposition was a little indicator that you are on the right path.
"There is no doubt if you beat a top team it certainly galvanises the group if you have had a tough year. If you can draw on those experiences and say 'hey, we've beaten the premier or we've beaten the top two teams - why can't we do it against the rest', so it gives you some hope," Tredrea said.
The Tigers' win against the Swans in round seven was not entirely unexpected, as Richmond has not lost to them at the MCG since 2009. But, it was still full of merit.
The Swans had an average of 26 games more experience per player, yet the Tigers jumped them with five goals (and 11 scoring shots) to zero goals (two scoring shots) in the first quarter.
The Tigers' secret on that day was their ability to win the uncontested ball, spreading better than the Swans and outrunning them. At quarter-time Richmond had 81 uncontested possessions compared to the Swans' 25 and the game was as good as over.
The Swans hit back but the Tigers steadied and finished the game ahead on the scoreboard as well as winning contested and uncontested possessions. They had a massive 130 more disposals than the Swans on the day.
Richmond was very good at getting out of the blocks all season, winning 15 first quarters, yet its second quarters hurt it all year. It won just five second quarters for the season.
One of the second quarters it won was against Hawthorn in round nine. It allowed the Tigers to take a 23-point lead into half-time.
On that occasion it went on with the job, with Steve Morris curtailing Cyril Rioli, Alex Rance doing the job on 'Buddy' Franklin and the midfield feeding Jack Riewoldt who kicked six goals. By game's end the margin was 62 points.
Most of the Tigers' scores in both games came from turnovers, a reflection of their organised team defence. It was matched in the scores from clearances, an area it can focus on in 2013 as somewhere to improve.
Trent Cotchin earned three Brownlow votes for best on ground in both games, as the Tigers earned 83 Brownlow votes for the season, the equal fifth polling club behind the top four teams on the ladder. Richmond polled 49 votes in 2011 and 37 votes in 2010, another indication of its ladder position not reflecting its improvement.
Cotchin was a key part of a midfield that kept propelling the ball forward, with the Tigers winning the inside 50 count against the Hawks 67 to 52. It was the most inside 50s Hawthorn conceded in a game in 2012, one of only four times it lost the inside 50 count. The other three occasions were against Collingwood in round 1, Sydney in round 5 and Geelong in round 19.
Of course Geelong can lament lost opportunity too as it beat Hawthorn twice in 2012 and was one win, one loss against the Swans, and had 42 more inside 50s in the two games against the men in red and white.
The Hawks only lost one game for the season after Richmond dismantled them and that was when Geelong's Tom Hawkins kicked a goal on the siren to steal the game in round 19.
In the end that ability to grind out tough wins was the difference between Richmond and the top teams in 2012. Its system was good enough but its ability to stick to it for four quarters week after week was not.
The challenge as they try to push up the ladder next year is an ability to make the right decisions in the key moments. In that sense history only matters if the lessons are learned.
But as its supporters watch Saturday's Grand Final, they can take some solace that its best in 2012 matched the best.
And hope that one day soon Richmond will fighting once again for a spot in a Grand Final.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/148505/default.aspx
