Richmond juggernaut will be hard to stop, just like Western Bulldogs of 2016

IT TOOK me a while to accept it, but the way Richmond is playing is too similar to last year’s premier to ignore, writes MATTHEW LLOYD. And the result could be the same.

Richmond’s Dylan Grimes, Brandon Ellis and Dystin Martin celebrate a goal against Geelong. Picture: Mark Stewart

THE momentum and belief that the Richmond Football Club has reminds me of the premiership-winning Western Bulldogs of last year.

The modern-day game is saturated with structures, tactics and analysis, but all that stands for nothing if you don’t play with unity, passion, heart and desire.

The Tigers have all of that in spades and with no injuries to speak of, it is going to take a very good side to stop this Richmond juggernaut.

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The best game plan in the world will look horrible if you don’t have effort and the simplest plan one can look state-of-the-art if the players fully buy in and never deviate. It took me only 60 seconds into Richmond’s qualifying final against Geelong to see that the Tigers were on a mission and that the club’s poor recent finals record was not going to be a burden.

Trent Cotchin was an inspiration with his attack on the ball and the man, and that became infectious for the rest of his team.

Richmond is playing with an infectious team spirit led by captain Trent Cotchin.

I wrote earlier in the year that Richmond would be on top of the ladder if it had Joel Selwood as its captain because the Tigers kept losing the close ones and Selwood wouldn’t have let that happen.

Three months on and Cotchin played one of the great captain’s games. Cotchin has always been a good player, but he has never looked like a natural leader. However, this year he has been sensational and he deserves success for the hard yards he has put in to lead his club through difficult times.

Cotchin wrote an article in the Herald Sun on May 1 which detailed how he contemplated relinquishing the captaincy at the end of last season and how he had always had the shield up, armour on and never opened himself up to his teammates. He wrote that his struggles and weaknesses had remained private as he tried to be the perfect person and player.

Cotchin spoke of how it dawned on him at Richmond legend Neville Crowe’s funeral that he needed to let his guard down and open himself up more to his players to allow him to build a much stronger bond with his teammates.

That connection the players now have has also coincided with an instant improvement on-field where Damien Hardwick has allowed his team to play with more freedom and greater instinct.

I have been slow to come around to Richmond because, like many others, I didn’t have confidence they could maintain the rage.

I thought the same thing about the Western Bulldogs last September.

Confidence, belief and a manic mindset towards the ball and the opposition can take you a long way. Even further than more talented opposition, as the Bulldogs proved last season.

Who could have believed that a spine consisting of Joel Hamling, Fletcher Roberts, Tom Liberatore, Tom Boyd and Zaine Cordy could be good enough to overcome West Coast, Hawthorn, Greater Western Sydney and Sydney on the way to premiership glory.

Small forwards Dan Butler and Jason Castagna aren’t afraid to make mistakes. Picture: Michael Klein

A thriving culture is made up of so many intangibles that when you discover them and live by them, they empower you. It doesn’t become about the names on paper. It’s those traits and characteristics which the Bulldogs had last year and the Tigers have now that allow a side to play out of its skin. It’s so powerful to be part of.

In the 2016 finals series, the Western Bulldogs averaged 75 tackles per game, 16 more inside-50s than their opposition and had the ball in their forward half of the ground for 14 minutes more than their four opponents.

Against Geelong, Richmond laid 92 tackles, had 19 more inside-50s than the Cats and had the ball inside their forward half for 10 more minutes than Geelong.

It was those numbers that eventually broke Geelong and resulted in a seven-goal-to-one final quarter.

This is very real for the Tigers and I genuinely believe they are in the box seat to become this year’s premiers.

A hungry and healthy list, the right side of the draw and two remaining games at the MCG is an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often, but Richmond has earnt the right to be where it is.

Originally published as Richmond juggernaut will be hard to stop, just like Western Bulldogs of 2016