Source: Richmond FC via Facebook
As we hit the quarter-way mark of the season, the Richmond Tigers are flying high, having won six out of the first seven matches in the premiership. The reigning champions are looking to go for back to back flags this year, and with the way they’re playing now, it’s going to take something special to stop them.
The bookmakers seem to think that the Tigers are definitely the ones to watch as well, with tipping site Oddschecker finding them as short as $4.75 to lift the trophy once again. The Adelaide Crows are behind them at $6.50, with the Sydney Swans and the Geelong Cats closing the gap at $7.50 and $8.00 respectively.
Apart from the loss in the grand final rematch against the Crows in round two, Richmond have dominated and controlled the game against every other side they’ve come up against. They have already started to distance themselves from the other teams in the competition and other clubs must be starting to wonder how they are going to contain this formidable side when it’s their turn to take on the champs.
It’s not just the fact that have taken all four points from these games, but also the manner in which they go about it. Even though the Brisbane Lions are going to struggle this year to avoid the wooden spoon, the Tigers absolutely destroyed them in round four in a 110-17 demolition in front of their home fans at the MCG.
Source: Richmond FC via Facebook
Then there was their 102-56 win against the Melbourne Demons, who were highly tipped as one of the teams that could break into the top eight this year preseason. The commanding 46-point victory showcased how superior their ball-handling was and how they use it to surge forward and constantly put their opposition under pressure. Melbourne fought hard during the first three quarters and ever got within 13 points after kicking the first goal in the final quarter. But that’s when Richmond found another gear banging in seven unanswered goals to officially make it a rout.
Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin seems to be firing on all cylinders once again after a relatively slow start to the season, and the Tigers’ group of small forwards are proving to be extremely difficult for their opponents to deal with. The evenness of the squad has been a large factor of their dominance on the pitch too, with no real weak links in their outfit.
Durability plays a huge part in any team’s title charge also, something that Coach Damien Hardwick seems to be handling very well with his players. In 2017, the Tigers’ four major stars, Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt and Martin played a staggering 98 games out of a possible 100 between them, playing a massive part in their impressive finish to the regular season. It’s also a real credit to all the coaching and medical staff associated with the club that are developing these players that they’re able to endure the physical aspect of the game from week to week.
Last year, they had some problems with scoring but after the displays we’ve seen so far this season, it looks like Richmond have put that issue to bed. In all six of their victories in the first seven rounds, the Tigers scored more than 100 points, spreading the goal-kicking duties evenly around the team.
Source: AFL Supercoach via Facebook
There is also an incredible depth in the squad at the moment, which will play a huge part as the season progresses. Suspensions to Jack Graham and Josh Caddy, Nick Vlastuin missing the Demons game, and even caption Cotchin missing the Freemantle match with a knee injury, hasn’t affected the side’s ability to perform. Another hurdle they’ve had to face is the absence of young forward Daniel Rioli, who is still recovering from the surgery he had just after the grand final win last year.
But with the depth that the team has, Hardwick has been able to cover these spots with little or no effort. Reece Conca is one of the youngsters that has really stepped up to the plate through the midfield, as well as Jack Higgins who has been applying pressure extremely well up front. And there are still players like Shai Bolton, Conner Menadue, Anthony Miles and Corey Ellis, who can’t even crack into the side at the moment. There is just an unbelievable amount of depth to spare at the club this year.
It’s been a long time since a reigning premier has started the next season so commandingly. You could even see they were on fire during the JLT Community Series preseason. It’s hard to see who will prevail as serious challengers for the Tigers this year, and right now you would have to back them to beat anyone in the competition. They are certainly the team to beat in this year’s premiership.
Tags: Adelaide Crows, AFL, Geelong Cats, Richmond Tigers, Sydney Swans
