Richmond's spine ranked 8 out of 10 (SEN)

[one-eyed]

GRADING ALL 18 AFL CLUBS' SPINES GOING INTO 2023

Andrew Slevison
SEN
27 October 2022



FB:     Robbie Tarrant
CHB:   Noah Balta
C:       Dion Prestia
CHF:   Tom Lynch
FF:      Jack Riewoldt

Veteran Robbie Tarrant is one of Richmond’s main key defenders, waxing with Noah Balta who is an emerging defensive weapon.

That duo can be intertwined with the likes of Nick Vlastuin, Nathan Broad, Dylan Grimes and even youngster Josh Gibcus who are all capable of playing key defensive roles.

Dion Prestia is the club’s most important midfielder and wins a slot in the spine even though his stature is more like an olden day rover. For this purpose he is the starting centreman such is his ability to extract the ball from stoppages and run both ways effectively.

Tom Lynch was a colossus in 2022, narrowly missing out on the Coleman Medal to finish with 63 goals while taking the most average contested marks per game in the league. He was also unlucky not to make the All-Australian 22.

300-gamer Jack Riewoldt keeps on keeping on and kicked 40 goals in 2022. It was the 11th time he has returned 40 or more goals in a season. What he might be lacking in physically as the years tick on, he certainly makes up for with his unmatched footy IQ.

Grade: 8/10

-----------------------------

Carlton        9
Geelong       9
Brisbane      8
Gold Coast   8
Richmond    8
W.Bulldogs   8
Sydney        7.5
Collingwood 7
Melbourne   7
North Melb.  7
Fremantle    6.5
Adelaide      6
GWS           6
Port Adel.    6
St Kilda       6
Essendon     5
West Coast   5
Hawthorn     4.5

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/10/26/grading-all-18-afl-clubs-spines-going-into-2023/

[JP Tiger]

So our spine rated an 8, which is probably about right since we don't deserve a higher rating.  Geelong scored a 9 which is also about right, the reigning premiers should be rated higher than us. 
But how did Carlton score a 9 then?     

[Damo]

So our spine rated an 8, which is probably about right since we don't deserve a higher rating.  Geelong scored a 9 which is also about right, the reigning premiers should be rated higher than us. 
But how did Carlton score a 9 then?     

Seriously?
Carlton's spine is amazingly good.
Weitering - STAR
Young - great season
Cripps - Brownlow
Curnow - Coleman
McKay - gun big forward

Not sure how that spine isn't worthy of a 9?????

I hate Carlton the most of any team, but make no mistake, they are coming ...

[WilliamPowell]

So our spine rated an 8, which is probably about right since we don't deserve a higher rating.  Geelong scored a 9 which is also about right, the reigning premiers should be rated higher than us. 
But how did Carlton score a 9 then?     

Seriously?
Carlton's spine is amazingly good.
Weitering - STAR
Young - great season
Cripps - Brownlow
Curnow - Coleman
McKay - gun big forward

Not sure how that spine isn't worthy of a 9?????

I hate Carlton the most of any team, but make no mistake, they are coming ...

Agree Damo,

Reckon the 2 big key forwards gets them a 9.

Curnow stays on the park = bonus

McKay's going to the number 1 KF in comp for the next decade. He will only get better.

And yes it pains me to say it

[JP Tiger]

So the side that finished 12th have been rated as equal to the premiers? 

Should we rate teams on their potential or by their results?  Choose one ...

The coulda-shoulda-woulda-mighta rating system counts for little when a team can't even make the finals  ....   

[WilliamPowell]

So the side that finished 12th have been rated as equal to the premiers? 

Should we rate teams on their potential or by their results?  Choose one ...

The coulda-shoulda-woulda-mighta rating system counts for little when a team can't even make the finals  ....

Get your point

But the article, table is about a teams spine not the entire side.

Carlton's spine is excellent, the rest of the side has holes which is one o the reasons they finished 12th. McKay is great example of how important he is to them. Wheels fell off when he got injured

[Damo]

So the side that finished 12th have been rated as equal to the premiers? 

Should we rate teams on their potential or by their results?  Choose one ...

The coulda-shoulda-woulda-mighta rating system counts for little when a team can't even make the finals  ....

Finished 9th not 12th
Lost last minute the last two weeks , which cost them a finals spot

The last two minutes in the Collingwood Carlton game was my highlight for the season

[Tiger Khosh]

So our spine rated an 8, which is probably about right since we don't deserve a higher rating.  Geelong scored a 9 which is also about right, the reigning premiers should be rated higher than us. 
But how did Carlton score a 9 then?     

Seriously?
Carlton's spine is amazingly good.
Weitering - STAR
Young - great season
Cripps - Brownlow
Curnow - Coleman
McKay - gun big forward

Not sure how that spine isn't worthy of a 9?????

I hate Carlton the most of any team, but make no mistake, they are coming ...

Agree Damo,

Reckon the 2 big key forwards gets them a 9.

Curnow stays on the park = bonus

McKay's going to the number 1 KF in comp for the next decade. He will only get better.

And yes it pains me to say it

Disagree on McKay. Don’t even think he’s the best KF on his team let alone the best in the comp for the next 10 years. Question marks on curnows body which he managed to overcome this season, but when on the park think he has a lot more strings to his bow than McKay.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

He might not be the most consistent but he’s the most dangerous. He had 5 shots on goal in that last qtr vs us at the G when the rain stopped and almost single handedly won them the unloseable game (even for us).
He’s also about to turn 25 so I’m guessing that there’s upside to come.

[the claw]

Lol  if McKay was a tiger no one would be questioning him.

The worry for us is that spine has two 30yr olds and two 34 yr olds now compare that to Carltons.
I think anyone who thinks they are not far away just has the hate blinkers on.

The worry is they have been quietly aquireing good young mids with good picks when they click and join a very good core group in Cripps, Kennedy, Cerra, Walsh, Hewitt then they will be ready to challenge if arent already.

[Damo]

Lol  if McKay was a tiger no one would be questioning him.

The worry for us is that spine has two 30yr olds and two 34 yr olds now compare that to Carltons.
I think anyone who thinks they are not far away just has the hate blinkers on.

The worry is they have been quietly aquireing good young mids with good picks when they click and join a very good core group in Cripps, Kennedy, Cerra, Walsh, Hewitt then they will be ready to challenge if arent already.

Yep
They are on the way
And as I love mentioning, I couldn’t hate a side more

Carlton can most definitely contend this year .. only injuries stopped them from being top 6 and possibly top 4 this year

And they will only improve

Anyhow , I’d swap our spine for their spine .. end of story for me in relation to this thread .. because it’s the spine being discussed .. not best 22

[JP Tiger]

So the side that finished 12th have been rated as equal to the premiers? 

Should we rate teams on their potential or by their results?  Choose one ...

The coulda-shoulda-woulda-mighta rating system counts for little when a team can't even make the finals  ....

Finished 9th not 12th
Lost last minute the last two weeks , which cost them a finals spot

The last two minutes in the Collingwood Carlton game was my highlight for the season

Right you are, Carlton finished 9th, not 12th.  The settings on the AFL site ladder did me in there! 
However, Carlton finished 6 games & 36 percent (8 ladder places) behind Geelong.  That is a massive difference, not accounted for by the last two games that you mentioned.  The difficulty here is to define whether it is just the players in the respective spines that make such a difference, or whether its just the players list. 

The best I can say on that point is that where the spine goes, the body follows. 

Is this evidence of experience/leadership issues in Carlton's spine when compared to Geelong's?  Possibly.  All the more reason why these two sides & their spines are worlds apart. 
This is the main reason why I can't agree with rating their spines as equal. 

[Damo]

So the side that finished 12th have been rated as equal to the premiers? 

Should we rate teams on their potential or by their results?  Choose one ...

The coulda-shoulda-woulda-mighta rating system counts for little when a team can't even make the finals  ....

Finished 9th not 12th
Lost last minute the last two weeks , which cost them a finals spot

The last two minutes in the Collingwood Carlton game was my highlight for the season

Right you are, Carlton finished 9th, not 12th.  The settings on the AFL site ladder did me in there! 
However, Carlton finished 6 games & 36 percent (8 ladder places) behind Geelong.  That is a massive difference, not accounted for by the last two games that you mentioned.  The difficulty here is to define whether it is just the players in the respective spines that make such a difference, or whether its just the players list. 

The best I can say on that point is that where the spine goes, the body follows. 

Is this evidence of experience/leadership issues in Carlton's spine when compared to Geelong's?  Possibly.  All the more reason why these two sides & their spines are worlds apart. 
This is the main reason why I can't agree with rating their spines as equal.

I don't think you are quite grasping the concept ...

5 players from a list of 44 players is what makes up the spine ...

Quite simply, the spine of Carlton's is ELITE . BUT, Geelong's 10th to 22nd player on any given week is superior. Thus the difference in output this year between the sides.

But considering this is the ranking of the spines, I have zero problem with Carlton's rating. One thing I am very confident on is that you didn't even read the players listed before your initial comments.

I will ask you this, forget Geelong for a moment. Focus on the other 16 teams and tell me who has a better spine than Carlton...

stuff me, I'm sticking up for a mob I despise , I want to vomit 

[the claw]

Geez if its a ranking just between Geelongs spine and Carltons im taking Carltons.

ffs Wietering has been an A grader for how long.
McKay won the coleman in 2021
Curnow won it this year
Cripps has been the dominant inside mid in the comp for years and was rewardes with the brownlow.
The only one who is not an A grader , and based on his year this yr give him time is Young.
The scary part is the talls are aged 23 thru 25 and Cripps is 27 they can only get better.

[Damo]

Geez if its a ranking just between Geelongs spine and Carltons im taking Carltons.

ffs Wietering has been an A grader for how long.
McKay won the coleman in 2021
Curnow won it this year
Cripps has been the dominant inside mid in the comp for years and was rewardes with the brownlow.
The only one who is not an A grader , and based on his year this yr give him time is Young.
The scary part is the talls are aged 23 thru 25 and Cripps is 27 they can only get better.

Agree
It’s a scary spine

And ranking the spines is the point of the article