AFL 2021: Mick McGuane says Tigers can extend their dynasty

How long can Richmond continue to dominate? It will depend on how good the kids are. Mick McGuane gives his top five young Tigers.

The challengers have narrowed the gap to Richmond, but the Tigers’ versatility, selflessness and leadership mean they can extend their dynasty era.

So says Collingwood premiership player Mick McGuane, who is tipping Port Adelaide’s hybrid mix of experience and youth and a Joe Daniher-bolstered Brisbane to rattle the yellow-and-black cage in 2021.

Damien Hardwick’s men officially joined the great clubs of the 21st century in October with their third flag in four seasons, after rallying from a 22-point Grand Final deficit to Geelong at the Gabba.

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Richmond captain Trent Cotchin and coach Damien Hardwick celebrate the Tigers’ 2020 premiership. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

The immediate query centred on how much longer this can go on.

Richmond will enter next season with five players aged 30 or older, and all of them key contributors: Jack Riewoldt, skipper Trent Cotchin, Shane Edwards, David Astbury and Bachar Houli.

Cotchin’s already sacrificed his own game in recent years for the greater team good, but it was only triple Coleman medallist Riewoldt who McGuane noticed signs of waning from this year.

“There’s a lot of leadership (in that over-30s group) and on-field organisation is really important – they have it in all three areas of the ground,” McGuane said.

“It’s hard to replace strong leaders on and off the field, but as an outsider looking in, they’ve got their culture right.

“One player out of that five I’ll be watching closely is Jack. His ability to consistently go at the footy (this year) looked a little bit, I won’t say alarming, but not what it was.”

After injuries ravaged the Tigers until the midpoint of their 2019 premiership season, they selected just 33 players at senior level this year, with only Gold Coast (32) and Port Adelaide (30) using fewer.

McGuane saw that more as an indication of a settled line-up and their preference not to rush younger players rather than a sign of decreasing depth.

Riley Collier-Dawkins is waiting in the wings for Richmond. Picture: Natasha Morello/AAP

Highly rated prospects such as Riley Collier-Dawkins, Callum Coleman-Jones and Thomson Dow – all first-round or top-20 picks – have each played three AFL games or fewer.

At the same time, McGuane warned that powerhouse teams needed to know when their ageing stars had passed their use-by date.

“The Brisbane Lions, for example, were a victim of their own success. It’s hard to say to a 31- or 32-year-old Darryl White that your time’s up,” he said.

“You’ve got to read the cues. That’s why ‘Clarko’ (Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson) looked at moving on one or two players a season, because they can’t go on forever.

“You lose 20, 30, 40 games (that could go to youth) if you hang on too long with the veterans – but right now there’s no need for that at Richmond.”

Noah Balta is already an important player down back for the Tigers. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

MICK McGUANE’S FIVE BEST TIGER CUBS

Noah Balta (21 years old) — “He’s an athletic, tall defender who complements Nick Vlastuin, David Astbury and Dylan Grimes. He can play lockdown if Astbury goes down or be a floater to intercept. We also saw him go forward against Port Adelaide (in the finals) and he can be used as a mobile ruckman – he just has so much upside.”

Shai Bolton (22) — “He brings excitement and a real energy around the footy, but he’s also dynamic in the forward line and can hit the scoreboard.”

Liam Baker (23 in January) — “I love his competitiveness as a small defender – he’s just so hungry for it. He complements the smaller types, like Jayden Short and Bachar Houli, and wins a lot of footy. He’s an important cog in the wheel.”

Daniel Rioli (23) — “He had a slow start this year, so maybe he had some issues with the hub and/or wasn’t where he should’ve been, fitness-wise. But he got where he had to be and he’s an important part of the forward 50. He’s embraced his pressure role.”

Sydney Stack (20) — “It’s a combination of skill and hardness (with Stack). You also have to be a competitor and that’s why some survive in AFL footy and others don’t. Sydney Stack appears to have all that in spades.”

Originally published as AFL 2021: Mick McGuane says Tigers can extend their dynasty