2018 AFL Preview | Richmond’s Best 22By Luke Sicari
SEN
23 January 2018As we begin 2018, SEN will be dissecting each AFL club’s Best 22 leading into Round 1. We continue the series looking at how Richmond is shaping up.
The Tigers will enter this season with a very familiar line-up, which isn’t a bad thing, as it’s filled with premiership heroes.
After the historic flag in 2017, Damien Hardwick is now faced with the challenge of exceeding the standard his squad set last year, and it starts with ensuring the ferocious forward pressure is maintained.
Richmond’s success was underpinned by the swarming group of small forwards compromised of Daniel Rioli (whose status for Round 1 is unknown), Jason Castagna and Dan Butler, with Jacob Townsend a late season bolter.
If that contingent can uphold the frantic pace we became accustomed to last season, it will go a long way towards the Tigers going back-to-back.
The only concern with Richmond’s attacking structure is that it is same that it was 12 months ago, and that’s with Jack Riewoldt being the only key forward.
Ben Griffiths’ sudden retirement could prove costly, but they did draft three tall forwards in Callum Coleman-Jones, Noah Balta and Ben Miller.
At the other end of the field, the defensive framework is settled.
Alex Rance is one of the game’s greatest ever defenders, David Astbury was rarely beaten one-on-one, the smalls are reliable and the duo of Bachar Houli and Kamdyn McIntosh provide penetration from the halfback line.
In the midfield, Hardwick still has plenty of riches, none being more valuable than Dustin Martin.
Coming off one of the game’s most dominant individual seasons in history, it’s expected the 26-year-old will be the same on-field force. Whenever he is around the footy, the Tigers have a chance to win.
Trent Cotchin is an elite talent, Dion Prestia is an interior bull, while Nick Vlastuin and Brandon Ellis are coming off career-best campaigns.
An interesting note with this Richmond side is they’re primed for another premiership, when assessing the age profile of their cream.
While the Western Bulldogs of 2016 and Hawthorn of 2008 won flags with young cores, the Tigers’ nucleus can’t be considered the same.
Martin, Rance, Cotchin and Riewoldt are all 26 or over, so any talk of a premiership hangover due to inexperience should be dismissed. You’re only as good as your best players, so that quartet need to ensure there isn’t a drop in effort and hunger from the club’s role players.
Note: This Best 22 is for Round 1, thus not including the suspended Nathan Broad. The injured Daniel Rioli has been included, as there is still a chance he plays in the season opener against Carlton.Best 22:B: Dylan Grimes, Alex Rance, Jayden Short
HB: Bachar Houli, David Astbury, Kamdyn McIntosh
C: Nick Vlastuin, Dustin Martin, Brandon Ellis
HF: Shane Edwards, Josh Caddy, Kane Lambert
F: Dan Rioli, Jack Riewoldt, Jacob Townsend
FOLL: Toby Nankervis, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia
INT: Shaun Grigg, Jason Castagna, Jack Graham, Dan Butler
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/01/22/2018-afl-preview-or-richmond's-best-22/
