I think a lot of the last 30 years of poor results was due to the VFL/AFL expanding & handing out massive advantages to the new clubs. The moment the hand outs stopped we rose to the top again.
There were plenty of times we were our own worst enemy, hopefully we have put those days behind us. That is our major objective in the future - to make sure we don't implode & go back to being the 'bad old Richmond'.
Football clubs are constantly changing, we have a great organization right now but it can't last forever. Constant change will see to that.
Our fortunes always float on the personnel we have year by year, we wont always have Benny or Balmey or Peggy with Dusty, Cotch & Grimes on the field, it will always change & sometimes for the worse.
We have it right at the moment & are enjoying the best period of our whole existence, but change is the only constant in life & in football! Our present crew can never pass on all that they have learned to their successors (there wouldn't be a challenge to rise to if it went on forever), the next crew wont fail to learn the lessons of the past but they might find themselves dealing with an impossible situation that could never be avoided. We will rise & fall as always, regardless.
I can only wonder how Hafey, Hart & G.Richmond would've handled a global pandemic such as the one Dimma, Cotch & Peggy are dealing with now? And what if the AFL decide to add another 8 teams to the competition & we don't see another quality junior player or top draft pick for another 20 years? Could we blame the next coach, captain & president for failing to learn the lessons of the past as we tumble down the ladder?
I am damn proud of our club right now, but I will still be equally damn proud of our club if we finish in the bottom half for the next 20 years. That is the only constant in football - the belief that our supporters hold in our hearts that no matter how bad things are on any given day, we will always bust our guts to rise back to the top!
Go Tigers!