Richmond may not be able to get away with using veteran Shaun Grigg (pictured) as ruck relief in 2019. Photo: GETTY IMAGES
RICHMOND
2018 record: 19 wins, 5 losses (3rd)
THE INS
Tom Lynch (Gold Coast), Maverick Weller (St Kilda), Riley Collier-Dawkins (Oakleigh Chargers), Jack Ross (Oakleigh Chargers), Fraser Turner (Clarence), Luke English (Perth), Jake Aarts (Richmond VFL), Sydney Stack (Perth)
THE OUTS
Reece Conca (Fremantle), Sam Lloyd (Western Bulldogs), Anthony Miles (Gold Coast), Corey Ellis (Gold Coast), Tyson Stengle (Adelaide), Ben Griffiths (retired), Shaun Hampson (retired), Nathan Drummond (delisted)
THE STRENGTHS
Plenty. You don’t win 19 games and the minor premiership, a year after winning the flag, if you’re a poor team. Even the very best teams are entitled to an off day, it was just unfortunate for the Tigers that theirs happened in the preliminary final against Collingwood. Richmond had the second-best attack and second-best defence in the competition in 2018, as well as the best percentage (136.1), thanks to their average winning margin of 37 points. There are very few weaknesses in Richmond’s best line-up and the Tigers still have four genuine A-graders in the form of Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt and Trent Cotchin. With the addition of Lynch to the ranks to help out Riewoldt in attack, it would be a brave person to suggest Richmond isn’t the premiership favourite for 2019. The Tiges’ all-ground defence and manic pressure held them in good stead again, up until the penultimate weekend of the year, and coach Damien Hardwick’s ability to turn the side into a genuine team that plays for one another has been very impressive. Despite having the sixth most-experienced list in the AFL, the Tigers also have the sixth-youngest list which bodes well for a sustained period of dominance. Richmond’s incredible efficiency with the ball is highlighted by the fact it ranked 15th for disposals and marks on differentials last season. With Riewoldt as a focal point in attack, the Tigers also ranked second for marks inside 50 in 2018, as well as fifth for tackles.
THE WEAKNESSES
Not many, obviously, after that glowing write-up. But there are a few. Ruck depth is definitely one area where Richmond got badly exposed on preliminary final night as Brodie Grundy ran amok against Toby Nankervis and Shaun Grigg. But interestingly, the Tigers didn’t go out and bolster that department in the off-season. There is a renaissance of the ruckman occurring in the AFL, and with three of last year’s top four teams all relying heavily on their star big men (West Coast – Scott Lycett/Nathan Vardy, Collingwood – Grundy and Melbourne – Max Gawn) if Nankervis goes down next year they will be badly exposed again and forced to rely on the inexperienced Ivan Soldo. As last year’s best teams showed, you can’t get away with having no ruckman, or a plodder ruckman, in the side anymore. It’s hard to say if complacency was an issue in that preliminary final, given how amazingly well Collingwood played, but if it was, surely Hardwick will hammer it out of his playing group this summer. Surprisingly, the Tigers were also ranked last for clearances on differentials in 2018, and while they didn’t seem to rely too heavily on that key area, Hardwick would no doubt want to see some sort of improvement there in 2019.
ONE TO WATCH
He was the most-hyped recruit of the off-season, and all eyes will be on Tom Lynch when he struts out for the first time in Richmond colours next year. The exciting key forward showed plenty of potential in his eight years with the Suns, including an All-Australian jumper, but there is no doubt he has extra levels to get to. And with arguably the best team surrounding him now, there really is no reason he shouldn’t explode in 2019 and take the competition by storm.
UNDER THE PUMP
Brandon Ellis was one of the stories of the finals series when, after playing 18 games in the regular season, he found himself dropped on the eve of the qualifying final against Hawthorn, never finding his way back in the side. It was a rude wake-up call for the talented defender, and perhaps a bit of a message from Hardwick to fix a few things in his game.
BEST 22
B: Nick Vlastuin, David Astbury, Dylan Grimes
HB: Bachar Houli, Alex Rance, Jayden Short
C: Shaun Grigg, Kane Lambert, Shane Edwards
HF: Josh Caddy, Tom Lynch, Jason Castagna
F: Daniel Rioli, Jack Riewoldt, Jack Higgins
R: Toby Nankervis, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin
Inter: Dion Prestia, Kamdyn McIntosh, Jack Graham, Nathan Broad
Emerg: Brandon Ellis, Dan Butler, Ryan Garthwaite, Jacob Townsend
After being dropped heading into the finals, Ellis finds himself as an emergency and he now has to work his way past one of Bachar Houli, Nick Vlastuin or Jayden Short, who have all cemented their spots in the backline. Dan Butler is also an emergency after an ankle injury ruined the final third of his season. Lynch slots straight into the team.
