Richmond have serious crack at back-to-backBy Anthony Colangelo
The Age
26 June 2018 RICHMONDRecord: 10 wins, 3 losses
Grading: AThe mid-year bye provides a time for clubs to reflect on their season to date and debate whether to plot a new path for the remainder of the campaign.
Summer expectation: How could Richmond supporters have any expectations given what happened in 2017, and given the way they (deservedly) basked in their premiership glory over the break? Well, with the Western Bulldogs' example clearly in the rear-vision mirror, they would have been hell-bent on avoiding a collapse and obsessively focused on improving and not resting on their laurels, despite the rarefied air they enjoyed after that famous Saturday last September.
The story so far: The Tigers are playing brilliant football. It's ruthless stuff, seen in the way they used fourth-quarter bursts to dismantle good sides like Collingwood, Geelong and Melbourne. They are deservedly premiership favourites and look all but certain to finish in the top two and play a home qualifying final. They haven't lost at the MCG in over a year. The way they defend, harass and attack on that ground is formidable. The one knock is their interstate form, but when you're a top-two team and unbeatable on the 'G that's kind of irrelevant. Trent Cotchin, some would argue, has gone to another level this year.
The surprise: Josh Caddy. Who would have picked him to be in the Coleman Medal race come round 14? Recruited as a midfielder, Damien Hardwick has deployed him as a second "tall" forward of sorts, next to Jack Riewoldt. He has played that role to devastating effect, and has provided a point of difference in a diminutive forward line. Jayden Short has also broken into the team from outside of the premiership 22 and is having a very good season. Surprisingly, Dustin Martin has been slightly off, but he did set a ridiculously high bar in 2017.
What's ahead: Five of the Richmond's last nine games are at the MCG, with perhaps their biggest test of the season coming this week against Sydney at Etihad Stadium. The Swans have a strong record at Docklands. Their two remaining interstate trips should be wins – Gold Coast and GWS – while their toughest MCG fixtures are blockbusters against Geelong, Collingwood and Essendon.
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