Not many Tigers fans are really expecting us to win in Sydney this week BUT, if we do it will be the most significant win since the 2001 semi-final win over Carlton that put us into the preliminary final. Why? Because if do win, we will have beaten last year’s premiers and a team that is favourite to play off in this year’s GF. We will have beaten two sides above us on the ladder in the past two weeks and we will be a genuine finals contender.
Playing Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground is not a must win game, but dare to dream. We are currently 6th on the ladder and we showed last week that we are better than 5th placed Freo - just 2 points ahead of us. We could easily get ahead of Freo by finals time putting us 5th. When Essendon are banned from playing finals footy that puts us 4th. A win this week and we are just 2 points behind Sydney and a genuine top 3 contender.
Sydney is very hard to beat in Sydney and there will be no shame if we lose. But if we do win - that will be something. Respect. Richmond will have arrived.
Winning at the MCG is what really matters and we did that last time we played the Swans in round 7 last year. In fact, as I recall it, we flogged them. While the final winning margin was 29 points – 5 goals, it was all over at half time when the score was Richmond 51 to Swans 19. Only Geelong had a better win last year over the premiers – 34 points in round 23.
Can we do it again – in Sydney? Let’s look at the teams.
From the team that beat Sydney last year, we have the following players out
- Batchelor, Dea, Grimes, King, Miller, Nahas
And the following players in
- Arnot, Chaplin, Pettard, Vickery, Vlastuin, White
(assuming Tuck plays for KIng)
This is a much better side than the side that flogged Sydney last year.
Sydney “outs” compared to last year are:
- Dennis-Lane, Jetta, Johnson, Mattner, McGlynn, Reid, Seaby and Shaw
Sydney’s “ins” are
- Pyke, Rampe, Tippett, Cunningham, Jack, Lamb, Mitchell, Mumford
Sydney’s team is also better but they still have some big players missing including Goodes. We have 20 of our best 22 to pick from. Only Grimes and King are unavailable.
Cotchin is back in Brownlow medal form. Remember that last year he really only kicked into form late in the season scoring 15 of his 26 Brownlow votes from R16. His BOG performance last week suggests he might be doing this again. If last year is any guide, expect another top performance this weekend.
Rance had a breakout game last week and probably got the 2 Brownlow votes. Our defence is now one of the best going around.
Another point worth noting is experience. Last time we played the Swans we had 6 players with 100 games (Deledio, Foley, Jackson, Newman, Tuck and Miller), this week we have 12 (Cotchin, Deledio, Edwards, Foley, Grigg, Jackson, Maric, Newman, Riewoldt, Tuck, Chaplin and White). We are a MUCH better side this year than the side that beat last year’s premiers the last time we played them.
The game against Sydney this week provides us with another opportunity to beat a side above us on the ladder. If we lose against Sydney at the SCG, no one will really be surprised. Many good teams struggle to beat the Swans on their home ground.
But if we win .... but what if we win? The lid will be well and truly blown off. If we win, our biggest challenge, as supporters, over the next few weeks will be not getting sucked into being wound up by all our opponents.
If we win the ROAR really will be back!
Playing Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground is not a must win game, but dare to dream. We are currently 6th on the ladder and we showed last week that we are better than 5th placed Freo - just 2 points ahead of us. We could easily get ahead of Freo by finals time putting us 5th. When Essendon are banned from playing finals footy that puts us 4th. A win this week and we are just 2 points behind Sydney and a genuine top 3 contender.
Sydney is very hard to beat in Sydney and there will be no shame if we lose. But if we do win - that will be something. Respect. Richmond will have arrived.
Winning at the MCG is what really matters and we did that last time we played the Swans in round 7 last year. In fact, as I recall it, we flogged them. While the final winning margin was 29 points – 5 goals, it was all over at half time when the score was Richmond 51 to Swans 19. Only Geelong had a better win last year over the premiers – 34 points in round 23.
Can we do it again – in Sydney? Let’s look at the teams.
From the team that beat Sydney last year, we have the following players out
- Batchelor, Dea, Grimes, King, Miller, Nahas
And the following players in
- Arnot, Chaplin, Pettard, Vickery, Vlastuin, White
(assuming Tuck plays for KIng)
This is a much better side than the side that flogged Sydney last year.
Sydney “outs” compared to last year are:
- Dennis-Lane, Jetta, Johnson, Mattner, McGlynn, Reid, Seaby and Shaw
Sydney’s “ins” are
- Pyke, Rampe, Tippett, Cunningham, Jack, Lamb, Mitchell, Mumford
Sydney’s team is also better but they still have some big players missing including Goodes. We have 20 of our best 22 to pick from. Only Grimes and King are unavailable.
Cotchin is back in Brownlow medal form. Remember that last year he really only kicked into form late in the season scoring 15 of his 26 Brownlow votes from R16. His BOG performance last week suggests he might be doing this again. If last year is any guide, expect another top performance this weekend.
Rance had a breakout game last week and probably got the 2 Brownlow votes. Our defence is now one of the best going around.
Another point worth noting is experience. Last time we played the Swans we had 6 players with 100 games (Deledio, Foley, Jackson, Newman, Tuck and Miller), this week we have 12 (Cotchin, Deledio, Edwards, Foley, Grigg, Jackson, Maric, Newman, Riewoldt, Tuck, Chaplin and White). We are a MUCH better side this year than the side that beat last year’s premiers the last time we played them.
The game against Sydney this week provides us with another opportunity to beat a side above us on the ladder. If we lose against Sydney at the SCG, no one will really be surprised. Many good teams struggle to beat the Swans on their home ground.
But if we win .... but what if we win? The lid will be well and truly blown off. If we win, our biggest challenge, as supporters, over the next few weeks will be not getting sucked into being wound up by all our opponents.
If we win the ROAR really will be back!
would rather Eddie commentate in a pies game 
