AFL great Matthew Lloyd examines how the Tigers went from battlers to premiers
IN the space of 12 months, Richmond went from a basket case to AFL premiers. How did the Tigers do it? MATTHEW LLOYD examines the club’s rise and looks at how rival clubs can respond.
Matthew Lloyd
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“OUR desire to succeed has outweighed our fear of failure”.
That was the answer given by Dustin Martin in our post-match interview on 3AW in relation to how he handled his pre-game nerves in the lead up to the bounce of the ball.
Martin spoke of how process driven the Richmond playing group had become and that their mantra was a theme for the year in their quest for some sustained success and the eventual premiership.
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BRENDON GODDARD: EVERY GRAND FINAL PLAYER RATED
CELEBRATIONS: HOW THE TIGERS PARTIED NIGHT AWAY
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In the time I have been involved in AFL Football both inside and outside the playing arena, Richmond has always been an emotionally charged club. There were highs, there were lows but there was not much in-between.
I have always called it the Richmond rollercoaster as the Tigers would get too carried away with the wins and then too emotional and irrational with the losses.
Brendon Gale would make a wonderful AFL CEO in my opinion because he is both intelligent and level headed and is a great people person. Gale and president Peggy O’Neal seem to complement each other as they have a calmness that Richmond needed and neither of them get caught up in hysteria. Nor does Neil Balme for that matter.
On field, that process and desire to succeed was there from the first minute of Richmond’s final against Geelong and was maintained right until the final siren on Grand Final day.
Like the Western Bulldogs of 2016, Richmond was not the most talented playing squad in the AFL competition but they were the best TEAM. That is so powerful and the belief Richmond had in their game plan and each other conquered Geelong, GWS and Adelaide in devastating fashion. Richmond could not have been any more convincing.
Richmond was the best TEAM in the AFL by the length of the Flemington straight come the business end of the season. The 51, 36 and 48 point margins in the club’s three finals certainly proves that.
Gary Ablett Snr was the last key forward to win a Norm Smith Medal way back in 1989. Key forwards have rarely had a major influence on Grand Final day.
The last two premiers have been benefited by having an unconventional forward line which just creates a contest and then creates havoc at ground level and when the opposition has the ball.
I look forward to seeing how the other 17 clubs structure up in their forward lines next year off the back of just how well the Bulldogs and Richmond have performed when it ultimately counts in Grand Finals on their way to premiership glory.
Richmond played to their strengths and exposed every other side’s weakness in the process.
It has been 37 years in the making and a long time coming but this Richmond premiership side, led by Damien Hardwick, will be remembered for their unrelenting desire to succeed and a bloke called Dustin Martin.
Goldsack v Kennedy could decide GF: Lloyd
TYSON Goldsack is a much-loved player at Collingwood and it would be an absolute fairytale if he was to win a second premiership. But first he must find a way to beat Josh Kennedy, or it could become a nightmare.
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MELBOURNE midfield group is far superior to that of the Eagles but West Coast’s great strength is their height at both ends of the ground. This final can go either way, writes MATTHEW LLOYD.