Why won't Richmond win the flag in 2021?

[Luv_our_club]

Some Reasons for the Tigers:
They are the same team - but now with Chol and CCJ proving themselves.
Riewoltd of 2021 looks like the Jack of 2017.
The teams outside the 8, like the Saints and GWS, are stumbling.
If I was Melbourne or WB or the Lions, I would be very scared right now. Why shouldn't they be scared? Tigers are flag favorites for me.

What do you think has changed?

 

[Angus Young]

They are warming up.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

The same script as 2019 and 2020 seems to be unfolding. It may end differently but boy it feels familiar.

 

[Rich01]

Doesn’t look like they will finish top 4 so there are 5 reasons.

Melbourne.
Geelong.
Port in Port.
Brisbane in Brisbane.
Sydney in Sydney.

All these sides have improved their best 22 vs last year. Richmond is going through a small period of transition as they struggle to get their best team on the park.

All the above teams are as good, if not better than the Richmond side on their given day at the moment.

Richmond will hopefully be in and around this group of sides at the pointy end, and the team will then need to click to win the flag.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

Gotta beat some good teams first. Not a good trend with the losses to the teams above them. Really need to pull the finger out and beat the Eagles this week

L - Geelong
L - Melbourne
L - Brisbane
L - Port Adelaide
L - Sydney
W - Western Bulldogs

 

[Gavin Excell]

Can still finish top 4 though not much room for error

 

[HairyO]

If they do get to the top 4 they are as likely as any other.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Get some wins against the higher teams during the regular season and there is no reason why their finals experience cannot help them win another premiership. They do seem more vulnerable this year, but they are also suffering a bit from injuries more than usual too.

 

[HG Pennypacker]

they feel like a veteran NBA team that just coast through the regular season and flick the switch for the finals.

top 4 would help but honestly I don’t think it matters for them. They can beat any team at any location.

having said all that the dees look very much like a premiership team, particularly with that backline. I’m still tipping Richmond until they officially can’t win

 

[darcytiger]

We’re 7-5.

This point in 2017, 7-5
This point in 2019, 7-5

 

[Swanks McSwankserton]

Our best players are past their primes, the younguns aren't there yet, whole side looks a lot patchier too, especially the back unit

 

[kendrick]

I think Melbourne will be similar this year to Essendon of 2000... They are just hungry and full of confidence..

But I do think most teams in the 8 would put Richmond down 1st as the opponent they would be least confident against.

Martin becomes superhuman in the finals... He just drags the whole team along with him... I think he finds the regular season boring... Haha

 

[The 747]

Some Reasons for the Tigers:
They are the same team - but now with Chol and CCJ proving themselves.
Riewoltd of 2021 looks like the Jack of 2017.
The teams outside the 8, like the Saints and GWS, are stumbling.
If I was Melbourne or WB or the Lions, I would be very scared right now. Why shouldn't they be scared? Tigers are flag favorites for me.

What do you think has changed?

The reigning premier is always close to favouritism the following year. The query is just that as they have lost quite a few games there is not much margin for something to go wrong. All premierships benefit from an element of luck.

 

[juss]

-have been beaten by most of the good teams
-aging players more and more injury prone
-signs of the gameplan not being as effective this year
-unlikely to finish top 4
-other teams improved more in the off season
-younger and hungrier teams with more to prove than us
-cant maintain staying at the top in the AFL forever

 

[PerthBoy86]

I know they've started slow the last couple of seasons but they do look to have dropped a bit. Still a good chance, but there wasn't a team as dominant as Melbourne in those years. Even if they dominate like in 2018 a lot of things can go wrong. Just being off in one game is enough.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Can’t win at the MCG, which is where the GF is played.

 

[mcgarnacle]

Winning big game experience. They excel here above all the current contenders.

I reckon it's difficult to continually get yourself up for every single match if you're Richmond, particularly early in the year. They've won 3 premierships in 4 seasons, early season probably doesn't have the importance as the end of season does and mentally it's difficult to keep yourself up every single week for 4 or 5 seasons. Other teams may have improved, but also, they're out to get Richmond because they are still the benchmark of the comp.

They may begin to start rolling now knowing every game is a big game to make the finals, and I wouldn't take them lightly once they're in there. Discount them at your own peril.

Or they could be Hawthorn 2016.

Isn't that the beauty of sport? We don't know.

Let the season unfold and see what happens.

 

[schmuttt]

Certainly they are the team I’d least like to play in the finals.

 

[Kangapirate]

Premiership favourite until they actually get knocked out for mine, they’ve earnt that.

Only thing is they appear more prone to cop a bundle of goals quickly as they did in the last quarter, very un Richmond like, then again not many teams can respond in turn and make it a percentage booster.

 

[Ambrosia]

Think they are a huge chance still. They have no long term injuries and quite clearly have one of the better squads in the league.

Combine that with the belief that come with already having won 3 flags and you’ve got a very dangerous side.

 

[Jamurp]

I'd be terrified of facing Richmond in any final this season, finishing outside top 4 may make it difficult to go deep though, but you have to wary of them.

 

[Xtreme]

Older
Slower
No good-er

The competition..... their rivals have improved, while they have regressed. They'll still figure in finals, but will be knocked out in the Elimination final or semi final week.

 

[BringOn2017]

It all depends on injuries.

If we have all or most of our players back and for example we play Melbourne in a prelim and they have May out, well the stars have fallen for us again in 2021.

Reverse the situation and 2021 may be Melbourne's year.

(Just using Melbourne as an example as they are the best team so far, could replace them with Brisbane, Geelong etc

 

[queensberryrules]

Currently, they are not playing consistently well, and their defense across the ground is much less effective this year.

They are always vulnerable to leak a bunch of goals in a rush, they are not able to control games.

Contra Dees, even when playing poorly they don't leak lots of goals. Absolutely overrun against Lions, half time less than 4 goals behind.

 

[Power Raid]

Tigers are my punt for the flag but the gap between them and lions, dees, cats and dogs is small

it is all about September......not May