RICHMOND PREVIEW
The Age
March 9, 2014
Leaping Larry:
There are two kinds of Richmond fans - incarcerated and "assisting police with their inquiries". Err, that is, insane optimists and pathological pessimists. And one of the latter is telling you if, in 2014, the Tigers are finally, generally expected to "step up", you can pretty much dust off the esculator to the sub-basement.
Prediction: 10th
Garry Lyon:
Needed some convincing that they were genuine last year but they proved it throughout the season; 15 wins was a fantastic return and I just sense that, rather than feeling fulfilled, they are genuinely hungry still. Beat Hawthorn and Freo in the second half of the year. They would love 25-30 goals from Shaun Hampson.
Prediction: 5th
Matthew Lloyd:
If 2013 was all about playing a final for Richmond, 2014 is about going on and winning one. The Tigers are using the ball better which is helping them to defend better, and the playing group as a whole has bridged the gap between their best and worst on a far more consistent basis. Last year's finals loss to Carlton would have stung, and the expectations for Richmond are much higher now than they were 12 months ago.
Prediction: 7th
Rohan Connolly:
Richmond was good enough to finish the regular season fifth in 2013. Are the Tigers good enough to take that further? I'm still to be convinced. For the Tigers, much will depend on whether three players in particular - Brandon Ellis, Reece Conca and Nick Vlastuin - can go to another level. One thing the Tigers can definitely depend upon, however, is a draw my analysis rated the fourth-handiest in the AFL, when the fixture was released last October. Richmond plays just one 2013 finalist twice, and five of its six road trips are against teams that finished outside of the eight. Nice work if you can get it, and significant enough to squeeze them into my eight.
Predicition: 8th
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2014 LADDER PREDICTIONS
Connolly Lloyd Lyon Larry
1. Fremantle 1. Fremantle 1. Sydney 1. Hawthorn
2. Sydney 2. Sydney 2. Fremantle 2. Fremantle
3. Hawthorn 3. Hawthorn 3. Hawthorn 3. Sydney
4. Geelong 4. Essendon 4. North Melb. 4. Coll'wood
5. Coll'wood 5. Geelong 5. Richmond 5. Essendon
6. North Melb. 6. North Melb. 6. Geelong 6. Geelong
7. Essendon 7. Richmond 7. Port Adel. 7. North Melb.
8. Richmond 8. Coll'wood 8. Coll'wood 8. Carlton
---------------- --------------- ---------------- ----------------
9. West Coast 9. Port Adel. 9. Essendon 9. Port Adel.
10. Carlton 10. Carlton 10. West Coast 10. Richmond
11. Adelaide 11. Adelaide 11. Gold Coast 11. Adelaide
12. Port Adel. 12. West Coast 12. Carlton 12. West Coast
13. Gold Coast 13. Gold Coast 13. Adelaide 13. Gold Coast
14. W.Bulldogs 14. W.Bulldogs 14. W.Bulldogs 14. W.Bulldogs
15. Melbourne 15. Brisbane 15. Brisbane 15. Brisbane
16. Brisbane 16. Melbourne 16. Melbourne 16. Melbourne
17. St Kilda 17. St Kilda 17. St Kilda 17. St Kilda
18. GWS Giants 18. GWS Giants 18. GWS Giants 18. GWS Giants
