Richmond goes from AFL’s second-easiest draw to second-hardest while Collingwood gets dream run

THE numbers are in on the difficulty of next year’s AFL draw and it’s not good news for the Tigers. FIND OUT WHERE YOUR TEAM RANKS

RICHMOND has gone from receiving the second-easiest draw this year to the second-hardest in 2018 in what looms as a major hurdle in its premiership defence.

The Tigers are ranked behind only Fremantle in Champion Data’s draw difficulty ratings while Collingwood’s run has officially been deemed the easiest of the AFL’s 18 clubs.

Richmond faces double-up matches against Adelaide, Geelong, Essendon, St Kilda and Collingwood next season.

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This year the Tigers faced Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda, Carlton, Fremantle and Brisbane twice, winning seven of 10 matches against those opponents.

Under the rankings formula, this year’s runner-up Adelaide was deemed the hardest team to play based on its for-and-against points differential of +639 in 2017, while Port Adelaide, Sydney and Geelong are considered the other hardest opponents.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick and his side will have to defy the odds to go back-to-back in 2018. Picture: Getty Images

Fremantle finished 14th on the ladder this year but has been slated to play three 2017 finalists in double-up matches next year — the equal-most of any side — leading to its top draw difficulty ranking.

By comparison, Collingwood — which finished 13th — will meet only two finalists twice, being Richmond and Essendon.

The Magpies had the seventh-hardest draw in 2017 but have knocked off North Melbourne as having the easiest run next year.

Collingwood is also deemed to have the easiest first six weeks next year, with games against Hawthorn, GWS, Carlton, Adelaide, Essendon and Richmond, all but the clash with the Crows to be played at the MCG.

The Cats and the Bombers have had a win before a ball is kicked in anger for the 2018 season. Picture: AAP

Champion Data says Josh Daicos and the Pies should be pleased. Picture: Alex Coppel.

At the other end of the table, semi-finalist West Coast has been ranked as having the third-hardest draw, while Hawthorn rounds out the top-four despite finishing 12th this year.

Geelong and Essendon are the only two finalists from this year who have avoided playing double-up matches against three fellow 2017 finalists, both only set to face two making for draws ranked 13th and 10th respectively.

Only one of the teams ranked as having the top four hardest draws this year made finals, that side being GWS which finished fourth despite having the second-hardest draw.

Richmond (17th hardest), Port Adelaide (15th hardest), Essendon (14th hardest) and Adelaide (13th hardest) all made the top-eight off the back of favourable fixtures.

Draw difficulty

Ranking (hardest to easiest)	Club	2017 ladder finish (post finals)
1	Fremantle	14th
2	Richmond	1st
3	West Coast	6th
4	Hawthorn	12th
5	St Kilda	11th
6	GWS	4th
7	Melbourne	9th
8	Adelaide	2nd
9	Western Bulldogs	10th
10	Essendon	8th
11	Carlton	16th
12	Brisbane	18th
13	Geelong	3rd
14	Sydney	5th
15	Port Adelaide	7th
16	Gold Coast	17th
17	North Melbourne	15th
18	Collingwood	13th
* Draw difficulty as assessed by Champion Data