Better luck next year: Why Richo reckons no Victorian team will win the flagGlenn Valencich
7news
7 July 2020 1:13 pmRichmond’s premiership odds have tanked - but as they enter an interstate hub, triple All Australian Matthew Richardson has declared the Tigers aren’t alone.
“Just holistically, I don’t think a Victorian team is likely to win it now,” the Channel 7 footy commentator says.
Ravaged by injury and supporting two players who chose to look after their family at home, Richmond will make at least six changes to their side this weekend.
Dual premiership skipper Trent Cotchin, Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia and Toby Nankervis will all miss the game against Sydney with injury.
Prestia and Nankervis have remained in Melbourne to undergo surgery and recover, while Bachar Houli and Shane Edwards have also stayed home with their partners and children.
Fellow contenders Collingwood have left Victoria with their own headaches after two losses on the trot and star midfielder Steele Sidebottom banned for another three games.
“If you have a look at it, the three most likely teams at the moment for mine are interstate teams,” Richardson told 7NEWS.com.au.
“They have a huge advantage with all the Victorian teams being in hubs and not having the ability to play at home.”
Who’s aiming high?After the Tigers burned AFL experts by winning last year’s premiership minus the injured Alex Rance, Richardson believes the team won’t immediately turn their attentions to 2021.
“You never write a season off - they’re one game off being in the top four,” he said.
“It’s one of those years where I don’t think any team’s going to go through the season and only have three or four losses.
“It just looks like it’s going to be really tight, the ladder, so if you can hang around that 50-50 mark at least and get some of your premiership players back towards the end of the season then you’re still a chance.
“But the positive to that is you’re going to get some games into some younger guys, have a look at them and see how they’re placed for the future.”
While Richmond’s odds crash, Richardson has pinned the rising GWS Giants and West Coast as the big winners out of the AFL’s move out of Victoria.
Perhaps only Geelong can claim they’re Victoria’s real hope, Richardson says, a case that could be strengthened against his flag favourites Brisbane on Thursday night.
But the Lions will prove his belief in them if they can claim the win in Sydney.
“They’ve played all of their games at the Gabba and clearly at the Gabba they’re just about unbeatable,” Richardson said.
“If the Brisbane Lions can win at the SCG on Thursday night then they really, really deserve to be the team to beat this year.”
https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/matthew-richardson-explains-why-a-victorian-team-wont-win-2020-afl-grand-final-c-1150093
