Round 1 Saturday, March 15 - Suns vs Tigers @ Metricon @ 6:40pm on Seven
Round 2 Thursday, March 27 - Tigers vs Blyes @ MCG @ 7:45pm on Seven
Round 3 Saturday, April 5 - Dogs vs Tigers @ Etihad @ 1:45pm on Seven
Round 4 Friday, April 11 - Tigers vs Magpies @ MCG @ 7:50pm on Seven
Round 5 Thursday, April 17 - Lions vs Tigers @ Gabba @ 7:50pm on Seven
Round 6 Sunday, April 27 - Tigers vs Hawks @ MCG @ 3:20pm on Seven
Round 7 Sunday, May 04 - Cats v Tigers @ MCG @ 3:20pm on Seven
Round 8 BYE
Round 9 Saturday, May 17 - Tigers v Demons @ MCG @ 1:40PM on Foxtel
Round 10 Saturday, May 24 - GWS v Tigers @ Giants Stadium @ 1:40pm on Foxtel
Round 11 Saturday, May 31 - Bombers v Tigers @ MCG @ 7:45pm on Seven
Round 12 Sunday, June 08 - North Melbourne v Tigers @ Etihad @ 7:10pm on Foxtel
Round 13 Saturday, June 14 - Tigers v Freo @ MCG @ 1:45pm on Seven
Round 14 Friday, June 20 - Tigers v Swans @ MCG @ 7:45pm on Seven
Round 15 Saturday, June 28 - St Kilda v Tigers @ Etihad @ 2:10pm on Foxtel
Round 16 Saturday, July 05 - Tigers v Lions @ MCG @ 1:45pm on Seven
Round 17 Sunday, July 13 - Tigers v Port @ Etihad @ 1:10pm on Foxtel
Round 18 Friday, July 25 - Eagles v Tigers @ Patersons @ 6:40pm on Seven
Round 19 Saturday, August 02 - Tigers v GWS @ MCG @ 4:40pm on Foxtel
Round 20 Friday, August 08 - Tigers v Bombers @ MCG @ 7:50pm on Seven
Round 21 Saturday, August 16 - Crows v Tigers @ Adelaide Oval @ 7:10pm on Seven
Round 22 Sunday, August 24 - Tigers v St Kilda @ MCG @ 4:40pm on Foxtel
Round 23 Friday, August 29 - Swans v Tigers @ ANZ @ TBC
I'm calling it early. Tigers for top 4 :D
Play twice: bris, ess, gws, st.k, syd
Sydney the only top 8 team we play twice
Quote from: quinny88 on October 31, 2013, 11:09:41 AM
Play twice: bris, ess, gws, st.k, syd
Sydney the only top 8 team we play twice
Ninth place locked....lol... ;D
CLUBS YOU PLAY TWICE Brisbane Lions, Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda, Sydney Swans and Essendon.
PROS Play only one top-four team twice.
CONS Lack of blockbusters, due to only playing Collingwood and Carlton once
HIGHLIGHTS First Sunday night match against North Melbourne in round 12, and first trip to ANZ Stadium to play the Sydney Swans in round 23.
TOUGHEST RUN Play North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Sydney Swans between rounds 12 and 14, although all the matches are in Melbourne.
TRAVEL Six games outside Victoria, made up of two games in Sydney and one in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth and Adelaide
GAMES AGAINST 2013 TOP 6 10
Draw treated you guys kindly really looking to giving it to you in the Easter Thursday game.
CLUBS YOU PLAY TWICE Brisbane Lions, Greater Western Sydney, St Kilda, Sydney Swans and Essendon.
PROS Play only one top-four team twice.
CONS Lack of blockbusters, due to only playing Collingwood and Carlton once
HIGHLIGHTS First Sunday night match against North Melbourne in round 12, and first trip to ANZ Stadium to play the Sydney Swans in round 23.
TOUGHEST RUN Play North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Sydney Swans between rounds 12 and 14, although all the matches are in Melbourne.
TRAVEL Six games outside Victoria, made up of two games in Sydney and one in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth and Adelaide
GAMES AGAINST 2013 TOP 6 Sydney Swans (twice), Hawthorn, Fremantle, Geelong, Carlton, Port Adelaide.
GAMES AGAINST 2013 BOTTOM 6 St Kilda (twice), Greater Western Sydney (twice), West Coast, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne.
WHAT WE (AFL site) SAY A very favourable draw, which increases the pressure on the Tigers to finish near the top of the ladder in 2014.
I'd love top 4, and it's a huge possibility with this draw... But as said above - it means we're gonna have pressure on us, so it might be interesting to see how we cope with the expectations.
I'm gonna say 5th... but I certainly won't complain if we finish higher. ;D
Jeez 2012s Adelaide of 2014?
QuoteTOUGHEST RUN Play North Melbourne, Fremantle and the Sydney Swans between rounds 12 and 14, although all the matches are in Melbourne.
If thats the toughest run...
I think we've got a decent draw.
Adelaide got a lot easier draw in 2012, Ric. They played Gold Coast, GWS and Port twice :o
I dunno it looks pretty easy
Quote from: JROO8 on October 31, 2013, 11:23:16 AM
I think we've got a decent draw.
Adelaide got a lot easier draw in 2012, Ric. They played Gold Coast, GWS and Port twice :o
Saints are as bad as GC from 2012. You have them twice
You have GWS twice
Melbourne = Port. You have them once
Bulldogs are only marginally better. You have them once
Quote from: Ricochet on October 31, 2013, 11:27:41 AM
Quote from: JROO8 on October 31, 2013, 11:23:16 AM
I think we've got a decent draw.
Adelaide got a lot easier draw in 2012, Ric. They played Gold Coast, GWS and Port twice :o
Saints are as bad as GC from 2012. You have them twice
You have GWS twice
Melbourne = Port. You have them once
Bulldogs are only marginally better. You have them once
You can't really say that. We have to play these teams at least once.
That's like saying Freo have an easy draw they play Melbourne, GWS, St.Kilda once so they have an easy draw.
I don't think our draw is that easy and the competition is pretty even, probably around 12-14 teams could make the 8 next year.
Let's not sugarcoat it JROO, there's no denying it's quite favourable.
Quote from: NigeyS on October 31, 2013, 11:37:53 AM
Let's not sugarcoat it JROO, there's no denying it's quite favourable.
Yes it's favourable, but it's not on the same level as Adelaide's draw a few years back.
And you can't say because we play Melbourne and Weatern Bulldogs once each, it's an easy draw.
Quote from: JROO8 on October 31, 2013, 11:44:12 AM
Quote from: NigeyS on October 31, 2013, 11:37:53 AM
Let's not sugarcoat it JROO, there's no denying it's quite favourable.
Yes it's favourable, but it's not on the same level as Adelaide's draw a few years back.
And you can't say because we play Melbourne and Weatern Bulldogs once each, it's an easy draw.
I don't think we should be comparing it though. We're not Adelaide.
I genuinely believe we have the potential to be 8-2 after Round 11 - with losses only to the Cat and Pies.
Quote from: JROO8 on October 31, 2013, 11:31:21 AM
Quote from: Ricochet on October 31, 2013, 11:27:41 AM
Quote from: JROO8 on October 31, 2013, 11:23:16 AM
I think we've got a decent draw.
Adelaide got a lot easier draw in 2012, Ric. They played Gold Coast, GWS and Port twice :o
Saints are as bad as GC from 2012. You have them twice
You have GWS twice
Melbourne = Port. You have them once
Bulldogs are only marginally better. You have them once
You can't really say that. We have to play these teams at least once.
That's like saying Freo have an easy draw they play Melbourne, GWS, St.Kilda once so they have an easy draw.
I don't think our draw is that easy and the competition is pretty even, probably around 12-14 teams could make the 8 next year.
In 2012 the bottom 6 were Brissie, Port, Bullies, Melbourne, GC, GWS. Adelaide had...
Gold Coast (x2)
Bulldogs
GWS (x2)
Port (x2)
Brissie
Melbourne
The bottom 6 this year were WCE, Gold Coast, Bullies, Saints, Melbourne, GWS. Tigers have...
GWS (x2)
Saints (x2)
GC
Bullies
Melbourne
WCE
9 games against bottom 8 sides compared to 8 games. Pretty similar
The club has broken it down well here (http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2013-10-31/analysis-of-2014-richmond-fixture).
to put it into context, it's a significantly easier draw than the giants get.
Guys it means nothing. Adelaide had an easy draw last year to and they didn't even make the finals with it.
Teams will jump up and down. Teams last year would have thought playing port twice would be a bonus but it wasn't..
We got a good fixture and I'm happy. Still doesn't make up for the BS fixture we were handed year after year before last season despite not having played finals for over a decade. Now people wanna say the AFL are giving us a hand out ::)
Quote from: quinny88 on October 31, 2013, 12:34:19 PM
Guys it means nothing. Adelaide had an easy draw last year to and they didn't even make the finals with it.
Teams will jump up and down. Teams last year would have thought playing port twice would be a bonus but it wasn't..
We got a good fixture and I'm happy. Still doesn't make up for the BS fixture we were handed year after year before last season despite not having played finals for over a decade. Now people wanna say the AFL are giving us a hand out ::)
Adelaide finished second with their easy draw, I'm pretty a use.
I agree with you, this is the first time we're playing one of the expansion times twice in a season.
I think people are more frustrated with the random nature of the "easy draws" that happen each year rather than which club actually gets it.
I mean, there's more than one club that was in Adelaide's and Richmond's position's last year and this year, so why are their draw significantly easier? Why do clubs get shafted in the same ladder standings like North and Richmond (i dunno if u did but you said it so :P )
Quote from: JROO8 on October 31, 2013, 12:37:36 PM
Quote from: quinny88 on October 31, 2013, 12:34:19 PM
Guys it means nothing. Adelaide had an easy draw last year to and they didn't even make the finals with it.
Teams will jump up and down. Teams last year would have thought playing port twice would be a bonus but it wasn't..
We got a good fixture and I'm happy. Still doesn't make up for the BS fixture we were handed year after year before last season despite not having played finals for over a decade. Now people wanna say the AFL are giving us a hand out ::)
Adelaide finished second with their easy draw, I'm pretty a use.
I agree with you, this is the first time we're playing one of the expansion times twice in a season.
Yeah that was in 2012 but they got an easy fixture last year to and didn't make the 8. Oh and guess what, they got another easy one this year to lol seems like a pattern forming.
And yeah exactly right roo. You would know as well as me that for years we had to play a bunch of the top 8 teams in the first part of the season and our year would be over before it started. Glad we're finally getting an easier run
I like it 8)
Quote from: Ziplock on October 31, 2013, 11:55:21 AM
to put it into context, it's a significantly easier draw than the giants get.
That's cos you can't play yourself once, let alone twice :P
Quote from: Toga on October 31, 2013, 11:10:27 PM
I like it 8)
Quote from: Ziplock on October 31, 2013, 11:55:21 AM
to put it into context, it's a significantly easier draw than the giants get.
That's cos you can't play yourself once, let alone twice :P
yeah I know :P
even taking that aside, we play 2 from the top 8 twice, including one from the top 4 :P
Quote from: Ziplock on October 31, 2013, 11:50:20 PM
Quote from: Toga on October 31, 2013, 11:10:27 PM
I like it 8)
Quote from: Ziplock on October 31, 2013, 11:55:21 AM
to put it into context, it's a significantly easier draw than the giants get.
That's cos you can't play yourself once, let alone twice :P
yeah I know :P
even taking that aside, we play 2 from the top 8 twice, including one from the top 4 :P
But GWS will play Sydney twice every year, so you can't complain about that :P
Rated as the softest draw for next year :P
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-01/the-inquirer-the-2014-fixture
Quote from: Toga on November 01, 2013, 09:46:14 AM
Rated as the softest draw for next year :P
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-01/the-inquirer-the-2014-fixture
So anything less than Top 4 this year for Richmond would be a fail.
Quote from: Toga on November 01, 2013, 09:46:14 AM
Rated as the softest draw for next year :P
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-01/the-inquirer-the-2014-fixture
Only by a point. :o
I read yesterday the Dogs had the softest, that was before this was released obviously.
Quote from: Ringo on November 01, 2013, 10:20:33 AM
So anything less than Top 4 this year for Richmond would be a fail.
I dunno Ringo, I would be happy with anything inside the top 8 to be honest.
We're a fairly inexperienced team still compared to the other top-end teams I think, so I think just making the finals should be our goal, top 4 would be a bonus, but shouldn't be our grading for a pass/fail... A finish outside the top 8 would obviously be a fail though.
Quote from: Toga on November 01, 2013, 10:47:37 AM
Quote from: Ringo on November 01, 2013, 10:20:33 AM
So anything less than Top 4 this year for Richmond would be a fail.
I dunno Ringo, I would be happy with anything inside the top 8 to be honest.
We're a fairly inexperienced team still compared to the other top-end teams I think, so I think just making the finals should be our goal, top 4 would be a bonus, but shouldn't be our grading for a pass/fail... A finish outside the top 8 would obviously be a fail though.
Exactly. We've played finals once in over 10 years. I don't think the seasons a fail if we don't make top 4 . It's not like Sydney, hawthorn, freo and Geelong are just gonna become useless all of a sudden
Mean while Libba and Cotchin are locked :)
Quote from: Toga on November 01, 2013, 10:47:37 AM
Quote from: Ringo on November 01, 2013, 10:20:33 AM
So anything less than Top 4 this year for Richmond would be a fail.
I dunno Ringo, I would be happy with anything inside the top 8 to be honest.
We're a fairly inexperienced team still compared to the other top-end teams I think, so I think just making the finals should be our goal, top 4 would be a bonus, but shouldn't be our grading for a pass/fail... A finish outside the top 8 would obviously be a fail though.
Just stirring as I can not see Freo, Hawthorn or Sydney really slipping. Geelong may slide from Top 4 creating a vacancy. With the draw you guys have seriously now I think any thing outside the Top 6 would be a disappointment, Top 4 would be a bonus but I think 5 or 6 is a realistic goal. (Will be Top 8 however when we beat you twice Ha. Ha.)
I actually also think anything but top 4 is a fail. With that draw you should be able to lock in a double chance and basically a Prelim. Top 8 isn't the end of the world but history shows you really need to make the top 4 to win it. And a draw like this doesn't come around every year. Time to take advantage of it
Cotchin a much better shot at the brownlow this year I'd say
Come on tigers top 4 it is then! Pumped for the season to start already. Booking flights to the gold coast for round 1 ;D
We play the Dees and Pies in the NAB Challenge, not sure if this has already been stated elsewhere.
Quote from: Ricochet on November 01, 2013, 11:32:09 AM
I actually also think anything but top 4 is a fail. With that draw you should be able to lock in a double chance and basically a Prelim. Top 8 isn't the end of the world but history shows you really need to make the top 4 to win it. And a draw like this doesn't come around every year. Time to take advantage of it
I wouldn't call it a fail if we don't get top four. We're still a young side, but we are getting better each year, so top four isn't out of the question at all. There's still some good sides about that will be fighting for top four as well (Geelong and Collingwood to name two) so if we do get it it will be massive for us.
We do have a nice draw though, so I agree that we have to take advantage of it. I'm glad we don't play the Blues first up this year, though GC away is going to be a tricky test in itself. I think that's a really important game for us too, so it's important we can get off to a winning start.
This is going to our most important season for a long time though. We literally can't afford to go backwards (not making the 8) because we have a good list and wasting a year like that would just be terrible for the club and fans. I'm more than confident we will make the eight, but this is Richmond, so you just never know.
The 'young side' excuse is wearing a bit thin, young core maybe. We're the 8th oldest list in the comp and Champion Data rates us as the 4th best. Focus on finals first but not getting top 4 is a dissapointment.
We're right in the middle really. We still have some young players that are only going to get better, but we're also getting into a phase where our list is perfectly placed to make regular finals appearances for many years to come, with the off chance we can grab a premiership in that time.
I'm not using it as an excuse either, as we finished 5th at the end of the home and away season last year (and really should have made 4th had we beaten Carlton when we were in control of that match at quarter time), I'm just saying that we should expect us to make a few mistakes during the year, and weshould probably expect to lose a game or two against sides we are favourites in. We still have a lot of learning to do, but we are getting stronger each year, and a top 5-6 finish is a must, and if we manage to land 4th then that's even better. We shouldn't be hell bent on making top 4 though. If it happens it happens, but our season won't be a failure if we don't get it.
It's exciting times for us right now, but we also shouldn't be getting ahead of oursleves either.
Quote from: TheAnt on December 04, 2013, 08:58:20 PM
The 'young side' excuse is wearing a bit thin, young core maybe. We're the 8th oldest list in the comp and Champion Data rates us as the 4th best. Focus on finals first but not getting top 4 is a dissapointment.
This is inflated with some old recruits though like Stephenson. The team that actually plays each week though is still very young. Consider Richmonds best players and most of them are 25 or under. Still not an excuse but top 4 is very hard. Sydney, Hawthorn and Fremantle would be everyone's top 3 in no particular order and then there's a bunch of teamsfighting for 4th.. so you're saying their year is a fail if they don't finish above all of Geelong, Collingwood, Essendon, NorthMelbourne etc.. Going to be very hard.
I actually think that Richmond will finish top 4 but really they could finish as low as 8th such is the closeness of the comp at the moment
What Teejay's just said has basically been my whole argument since people started saying anything but top 4 in 2014 is a disappointment. There are like six teams vying for 4th. Yes, we have a draw which should aid our chances, but if just miss out, it mightn't necessarily be because we weren't good enough, but one of those other teams like the Pies, Cats or Roos played better.
Quote from: NigeyS on December 04, 2013, 11:37:31 PM
What Teejay's just said has basically been my whole argument since people started saying anything but top 4 in 2014 is a disappointment. There are like six teams vying for 4th. Yes, we have a draw which should aid our chances, but if just miss out, it mightn't necessarily be because we weren't good enough, but one of those other teams like the Pies, Cats or Roos played better.
They might be better teams but they have a significantly harder draw than Richmond. For predicting top 4/8/whateva, you have to look at how good the team is compared to those they play not the other good teams in that bracket.
If I was on the board (which Im clearly not lol) I would look at it this way.
- Richmond finished 5th this year
- With a young group of 22-30 of regular starting quality
- While also getting quality games into some first and second year players
- With a significantly easier draw in 2014
- With the addition of some recuits/depth, without losing any quality
As a board member I would expect improvement... and improvement is a top 4 finish for 2014. This would be the aim, missing that aim would be a fail (for 2014).
Quote from: Ricochet on December 04, 2013, 11:59:57 PM
Quote from: NigeyS on December 04, 2013, 11:37:31 PM
What Teejay's just said has basically been my whole argument since people started saying anything but top 4 in 2014 is a disappointment. There are like six teams vying for 4th. Yes, we have a draw which should aid our chances, but if just miss out, it mightn't necessarily be because we weren't good enough, but one of those other teams like the Pies, Cats or Roos played better.
They might be better teams but they have a significantly harder draw than Richmond. For predicting top 4/8/whateva, you have to look at how good the team is compared to those they play not the other good teams in that bracket.
If I was on the board (which Im clearly not lol) I would look at it this way.
- Richmond finished 5th this year
- With a young group of 22-30 of regular starting quality
- While also getting quality games into some first and second year players
- With a significantly easier draw in 2014
- With the addition of some recuits/depth, without losing any quality
As a board member I would expect improvement... and improvement is a top 4 finish for 2014. This would be the aim, missing that aim would be a fail (for 2014).
Winning a final would be improvement. Not making top 4 isn't the end of the world. Do you think they will make top 4 rico?
And what's a "significantly harder draw" there's no such thing. It's only a matter of a couple of games. And who's to say how the teams they play twice will be travelling at the time they play them? You would say a team has an easy draw if they play Gws the demons and the saints all twice, but it's not if at the time of next year all of those teams are in red hot form and go up the ladder. You beat who you come up against each week. There's no easy games in football. If they make top 4 it will be because they deserved it. If they don't it's not the end of the world. They will want to win at least 1 final this time around though for the season to be a pass
Quote from: TeeJay on December 05, 2013, 12:12:10 AM
Quote from: Ricochet on December 04, 2013, 11:59:57 PM
Quote from: NigeyS on December 04, 2013, 11:37:31 PM
What Teejay's just said has basically been my whole argument since people started saying anything but top 4 in 2014 is a disappointment. There are like six teams vying for 4th. Yes, we have a draw which should aid our chances, but if just miss out, it mightn't necessarily be because we weren't good enough, but one of those other teams like the Pies, Cats or Roos played better.
They might be better teams but they have a significantly harder draw than Richmond. For predicting top 4/8/whateva, you have to look at how good the team is compared to those they play not the other good teams in that bracket.
If I was on the board (which Im clearly not lol) I would look at it this way.
- Richmond finished 5th this year
- With a young group of 22-30 of regular starting quality
- While also getting quality games into some first and second year players
- With a significantly easier draw in 2014
- With the addition of some recuits/depth, without losing any quality
As a board member I would expect improvement... and improvement is a top 4 finish for 2014. This would be the aim, missing that aim would be a fail (for 2014).
Winning a final would be improvement. Not making top 4 isn't the end of the world. Do you think they will make top 4 rico?
Not the end of the World but if a GF is the aim next year then history shows a top 4 is nearly a must.
Yeh i do man. Might not be the 4th best side next year but they should finish top 4.
Quote from: TeeJay on December 05, 2013, 12:17:26 AM
And what's a "significantly harder draw" there's no such thing.
Take Geelong for example.
- 6 games against bottom 6: West Coast, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney.
- 8 games against top 6 (not including themselves): Hawks (x2), Fremantle (x2), Sydney, Collingwood, Port, Richmond
- 6 interstate trips
- and they're the only side not to play any bottom six teams twice.
Compared to Richmond
- 8 games against bottom 6: St Kilda (x2), Greater Western Sydney (x2), West Coast, Gold Coast, Western Bulldogs, Melbourne.
- 7 games against top 6 (not including themselves): Sydney (x2), Port, Fremantle, Geelong, Hawks, Collingwood,
- 6 interstate trips
- and they only play one top 4 team twice
So 2 extra "easy games" against Saints and GWS (I count that as two extra W's), and play one less top 4 team.
A difference of 3 games = potentially 12 points and significantly easier draw for Richmond.
Quote from: TeeJay on December 05, 2013, 12:17:26 AM
And what's a "significantly harder draw" there's no such thing. It's only a matter of a couple of games. And who's to say how the teams they play twice will be travelling at the time they play them? You would say a team has an easy draw if they play Gws the demons and the saints all twice, but it's not if at the time of next year all of those teams are in red hot form and go up the ladder. You beat who you come up against each week. There's no easy games in football. If they make top 4 it will be because they deserved it. If they don't it's not the end of the world. They will want to win at least 1 final this time around though for the season to be a pass
Agree it's hard to know how teams are travelling at the time and injuries, etc. But this is why its a prediction/goal/aim/ whateva we wanna call it.
Quote from: TeeJay on December 05, 2013, 12:12:10 AM
Winning a final would be improvement. Not making top 4 isn't the end of the world.
If I was 'the board' as you put it Rico, as Teejay has said, I would say winning a final would be improvement. Last year, it was to make finals and we did that. This year, it's a near certainty that we will. However, regardless of whether we finish 1st, 4th or 8th... after what happened this year, I would think the 'aim' is to make finals (regardless of the position) and then win a final. Although, we do have a fairly generous draw, so if we didn't capitalise on that, I think it would be more of a disappointment than a fail.
Trust me the Club would not consider finishing 6-8th then winning a final as improvement. That would suggest you have lost against a lot of teams that are below Richmonds level.
Quote from: Ricochet on December 05, 2013, 10:36:06 AM
Trust me the Club would not consider finishing 6-8th then winning a final as improvement. That would suggest you have lost against a lot of teams that are below Richmonds level.
Depends what level you put Richmond on.
We're not on the elite level yet (Sydney, Fremantle, Geelong, Hawthorn)
We come in on the next level I think and really as far as I'm concerned it's a lottery at this stage for the next 4 positions between Richmond, Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Westcoast and Adelaide. Every one of those teams will expect to play finals but not all of them can. It's an extremely tight competition and I think even with our softer fixture we could finish anywhere between 4-8 and to be honest id be happy with anywhere from 4-6 provided we won a finals match.
I don't know any Richmond supporter that would class the season as a fail if we didn't make the top 4. Having a couple of extra winnable games than other teams helps but none of those top sides are going to be bothered. They get the toughest fixtures because they are the best teams. The competition this tough, a lot of people are calling it that North will finish top 4 too. They also have a very favourable fixture. There's not room for everyone.
I will be stoked if we make top 4 and let's be honest.. If we finish 4th were a chance for the flag as any top 4 team is
As another supporter club I agree with you Quinny
All most clubs ask to improve on the previous year when climbing the ladder and in Richmonds case the next step is to win a final rather then finish in the top 4. If you finished top 4 and went out in 2 is that any more successful than finishing 5th and winning a final say.
As an aside I see it difficult for you to make Top 4 as the vagaries of the draw assist some clubs and disadvantage others.
I'm looking at this and seeing probably about six definite wins.
A few 50-50 games too though.
At the bye, we'll be 2-5.
We'll need about 12 wins to make the 8, so that means we need to win about 4 50-50 games along with the definite ones.
Also, big losses like this plus the likely inevitable one next week mean that our percentage is going to get probably raped, and when we're battling against a number of teams for about two spots in the 8, so I really can't see us making the 8.
That realisation absolutely kills me, and I should probably be more optimistic, but all things considered... it's not looking as peachy as we pictured it would be.
I wasn't ever confident on us making the 4 like people were so inclined to think, but I thought we would still be in line to make the 8. Our start to the season has been very very poor though and I don't think we deserve to be playing finals footy anyway, unless some big changes are made.
I like Dimma as a coach, think he's done great things for the club but he needs to adapt his gameplan to suit certain situations... We aren't going to get anywhere playing one-stream footy so I hope if we aren't going to play in September that we at least start developing a game plan that suits the team for the rest of the year and have another good tilt next year.
Not writing us off yet but things need to change if we are to challenge for a spot in September.
Jack was our only target today, and he missed a few chances.
Our defense did okay for the first half only.
The fringe guys had a mixed bag today.
Arnot's pressure wasn't what it has been, Lloyd was good without being great, Nippa had some good and bad moments, Ricky didn't have a good game, Astbury was very good, McDonough didn't have much impact as the sub, even Hampson didn't do much at all.
We've got three main guys to come back in over the next few weeks. Lids, Ivvy and Tross. Their influence will be critical. We're obviously a much better team with them in the side, but I'm afraid our poor start to the season has put us a bit too far behind the 8-ball to claw our way back.
The gap between our best players and the next lot is too big.
There's a chance we could sneak in to the 8, but the likelihood isn't great.