Dynasty dream is still alive.
If the Tigers can claw their way back to secure the 2020 premiership, they would rank among the great teams of all time.Ash Browne
AFL Record
Finals Week Two
October 9-10, 2020The word 'dynasty' is being thrown around lately when it comes to Richmond.
Would three flags in four years elevate the Tigers to dynasty status?
It says here it would. The Tigers would comfortably walk in the company of all the truly great teams in League history, such as the Melbourne outfit that won five flags between 1955 and 1960, the Carlton 'mosquito fleet' that won three of four flags between 1979 and 1982, Brisbane's three-peat premiership teams from 2001 to 2003 and both of Hawthorn's golden eras, the 1983-1991 group that landed five flags and Alastair Clarkson's three-peaters ((c) Bruce McAvaney) that saluted from 2013 to 2015.
Perhaps only the Collingwood team of 1927-30 stands above all of those.
Jock McHale's men, who became known as "The Machine", are officially rated by sports historian Sam Walker in his 2017 book 'The Captains Class' as one of the greatest sporting teams of all time anywhere in the world.
What the Tigers need to do now is overcome similar hurdles to some of those aforementioned teams, for whom the third flag was the hardest to win.
The Machine pretty much rolled its way through those four flag-winning seasons.
But in 1929, the Magpies went through the home and away season without losing a game, only to be comprehensively - on the scoreboard and in the clinches - beaten up by a physical Richmond in the semi-final.
They reversed that result in the Grand Final a fortnight later.
The following year, Collingwood lost to Geelong by 26 points in what, under the system of the time, was the Grand Final.
But there was a challenge system in play which gave the first-placed team the right to a rematch if it lost the flag decider.
The Pies got to play the Cats again and there was high drama in the lead-up with legendary coach Jock McHale, bed-ridden all week with pleurisy and influenza, unable to attend the game and it took a stirring half-time address from club secretary Bob Rush to inspire the Pies from 21 points down at half-time to win by 30.
Melbourne skated through the 1955 and 1956 finals series without problems, but 1957 created problems.
Lack of discipline and a touch of hubris (sound familiar Tiger fans?) engulfed the Demons in the second semi-final, which they lost to Essendon, and they had to win the flag the hard way, having to get through Hawthorn in the preliminary final before overcoming the Bombers in the Grand Final.
The Blues of 1982 also scrapped their way to dynastic status, having to play all four weeks of the finals series and deal with distractions such as superstar Wayne Johnston's Tribunal hearing before winning their third flag in four years.
The Lions of 2003 lost to Collingwood in the qualifying final and had to beat Port at home, the Swans in Sydney and the Pies back at the MCG to win the flag.
Nigel Lappin's broken ribs diagnosis, as tipped off to the world by teammate Jason Akermanis, was a huge additional issue for Brisbane.
In 2015, Hawthorn, mired in controversy over skipper Luke Hodge's drink-driving charge, lost the qualifying final to West Coast at Subiaco, and had to win three finals from there to claim that third flag, including another trip to Perth to play Fremantle.
So what the Tigers are facing from now is not uncharted territory.
Football history teaches us that the final obstacle to all-time greatness is usually the highest and hardest to overcome.
With Tom Lynch to return and stark reminders from their coach to temper their ill-discipline, three straight wins and a place in football immortality still awits.
https://issuu.com/lifestyle1-media/docs/afl_record_-_finals_week_2
