Richmond season preview - afl.com.au

[Gracie]

How many coaches in recent (say the last 15-20 years) have stepped in and had a side in a grand final within 12-24 months? Matthews still took 3 years before he had success at the Lions, he was the only one I could think of. Generally it takes a couple of seasons for a playing group to adjust to a new coaching style, so the question is, do we want to take a step backwards before going forwards?

At least StKilda gave Grant Thomas a couple of decent cracks at the finals with the list he'd inherited and built before they gave him the boot, but they're now only just regrouping after Ross Lyon was appointed.

Neil Craig had an immediate impact at the Crows, but it never got them anywhere

There will be a step back when the older players retire in the next couple of years so getting a new coach when that happened and letting him mould the young players would be a plan.

[Infamy]

How many coaches in recent (say the last 15-20 years) have stepped in and had a side in a grand final within 12-24 months? Matthews still took 3 years before he had success at the Lions, he was the only one I could think of. Generally it takes a couple of seasons for a playing group to adjust to a new coaching style, so the question is, do we want to take a step backwards before going forwards?

At least StKilda gave Grant Thomas a couple of decent cracks at the finals with the list he'd inherited and built before they gave him the boot, but they're now only just regrouping after Ross Lyon was appointed.

Neil Craig had an immediate impact at the Crows, but it never got them anywhere

There will be a step back when the older players retire in the next couple of years so getting a new coach when that happened and letting him mould the young players would be a plan.

I'm not convinced that we will drop back that much from retirements, in fact we've often played better with the younger players. The guys who retire at the end of this year we won't miss that much, so that means another 2 years for our younger players to step up to their level and for Lids, Foley & Cotchin to become elite.

[one-eyed]

Burgan's full ladder prediction

1. Geelong       141 points
2. Hawthorn     141 points
3. Collingwood  141 points
4. Carlton        140 points
5. Richmond    139 points
6. Bulldogs      139 points
7. St Kilda       138 points
8. Port Adel.    138 points
9. West Coast 138 points
10. Adelaide    136 points
11. Fremantle 136 points
12. Brisbane   134 points
13. Essendon 133 points
14. Sydney     130 points
15. North Melb 129 points
16. Melbourne 129 points

[Tiger Tragic]

Bulldogs a bit lower than expectations, Carlton and West Coast a bit higher.