4 hours ago, Click_Bate said:

Special shout out to @Axis of Bob who is the only semi-regular poster to not say something completely whack that I can think of over the years. @binman probably fits into this category as well ? ? 

The rest are entertaining though ?

Trust me, there's plenty of rubbish that I've got in my post history. But don't look too hard for it! ?

14 hours ago, Salems Lot said:

This Guy:

"They're actually looking really good, and some of the areas they excel are areas we aren't so strong at.
Gawn will dominate against us, especially if we only play Nankervis. He will need additional support and even then, Gawn is likely to be the best big man on the ground. So they excel in our ruck weakness.

Also without Prestia, their midfield has the potential to smash us inside. Petracca, Oliver, Viney, Jones will be very formidable inside and doing the grunt work. We probably have them on the spread if it gets out, but there's every chance they dominate the clearances so I think their strength there is challenging to one of our weaknesses without the Meatball to help. To mitigate this, one of RCD or Ross has to come into the 22. I think we are going to need that extra player in the mid rotations and hope they are ready to have an impact.

The areas I think we are on top, is that I think our forward line stacks up well, particularly if May misses again. I rate the firepower of Lynch, Riewoldt, Martin plus our rotational smalls compared to their team. Ben Brown could be a danger if he plays, but he could also be coming in for his first game and not have a big influence or synergy yet. I also think our back 6 has the edge, and just need our mids to break even. The danger is if the mids are smashed the back 6 will be under siege and missing Vlastuin still will hurt.

A lot of our forward strategy depends on if May plays. If he doesn't then Jack and Lynch need to play as far away from each other as possible to isolate the other against the lesser KPD, and force Lever to choose one or the other rather than sitting loose and zoning to cover both of them.

We know that in the first 10 or so rounds, Richmond are more of a grind and get results rather than playing our best football. I feel the Demons are on a higher level than that at this point of the season, and so wouldn't be surprised if they get up. The final thing in our favour though is that Richmond do generally turn up in the big games, and while the Demons will not lack motivation, in front of a big crowd (unsure of the capacity limits?) on the big stage Richmond have to have more trust in them.

It's a genuine 50/50 game for mine. IMO we need to split the Demons/Dogs 1-1. It would be a big ask to win both on current form of all 3 sides, but we can't afford to lose both either.

I think this is a better match up for us, and tipping the Tigers to shake some of the early season cobwebs and flex a bit of muscle to win a great contest by 8 points."

A well argued, reasoned and balanced assessment. The type of quality commentary and opinion posted on DL all the time. Must be a demonlander in disguise.

I would love the opportunity to be an arrogant, insufferable, unbearable supporter. Just one flag, please.

12 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

when we win here.

? Hibb to go with Dusty (again) with occasional chop outs from JJ & Kozzie.  Or....JJ runs

Not having a pot shot at you Rusty but its strange that this may actually happen.

So many argued that Hibberd should not be called up. That he was too slow.

Played like he had been playing all year.....was great from the get go compared to all the other inclusions. 

Deserves some praise. You obviously rate him too putting him on dusty.

8 hours ago, jnrmac said:

What? The guy who said Oscar McDonald would never get dropped again?

?

I reckon j Smith will make it.

10 hours ago, Jaded said:

If we win 3 flags in 4 years, I too will turn into an arrogant [censored]. I promise. Just give me those flags!

can’t blame their supporters. I would be the most insufferable [censored] if we won 3 in 4 years. 

1 hour ago, leave it to deever said:

Not having a pot shot at you Rusty but its strange that this may actually happen.

So many argued that Hibberd should not be called up. That he was too slow.

Played like he had been playing all year.....was great from the get go compared to all the other inclusions. 

Deserves some praise. You obviously rate him too putting him on dusty.

I also worried he might have lost a bit of speed off the mark when he came back from a serious injury a few years back LITD but any injury before or during a season is said by many VFL/AFL players to be a big set back vs an injury free pre-season.  No doubt more so as the years pass.  Doesn't take Einstien to know that of course.

But yes, as much as i love Nev and all he has brought and still brings i was calling for Hibb for Nev as soon as he was 100% and ready.

Having Hibb, Rivers & Hunt coming off HB, linking up with the likes of Ed & Gus is going to be a nightmare scenario for oppo coaches & players.

While i'm a big fan i'm only calling for the run with role on Dusty due his prior success here.  His low center of gravity, ability ro scrap, his burst of speed (assuming its not far off his best when he was hot a few years back) and experience should hold him in good stead once again....hopefully!  Would have to be the hardest run with role in footy so he will need assistance if this is what the coaching panel are planning.

P.S. goes without saying he played a major role in our 2018 success.  No reason why that would change when fully fit.  His numbers, for a backman, were off the charts on Sunday!

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by Rusty Nails

9 hours ago, jnrmac said:

What? The guy who said Oscar McDonald would never get dropped again?

?

To be fair, we're never going to drop Oscar McDonald again.

14 hours ago, Rusty Nails said:

A very switched on assessment of where both teams are at.

May is definitely a big out and not having him in could be the difference on the night if the match doesn't break open.

Hope we don't go "too many talls" forward and muck the balance into their defensive favour.

The other areas we need to look at most of the match if possible to try and limit a few of their strengths....

? A defensive sweeper but not the traditional one.  Defensive fat side sweeper slightly goal side (for them) covering their inside run through the corridor, where the Tigers love to run to (in waves) on the break from ball ins.  Small/medium forward as plus one at many of these contests?  Might also open up our forward line a little on the break when we win here.

? Hibb to go with Dusty (again) with occasional chop outs from JJ & Kozzie.  Or....JJ runs with Dusty until he gets picked up by Hibb when he drifts forward.  Bit of tag team needed.  Unlikely to stop Dusty of course, just looking to limit the damage.

? At least one mid goal side of as many contests as possible.  The Tigers looove to handball over their heads backwards and knock the ball forward from contests at any opportunity in congestion.  Controlled chaos designed to gain yardage but also to gain momentum under chaos knocking / handballing the ball forward then swarming on to it/tackling in numbers.  They are going to win their share of these battles as they're so hard to stop but we must try and unsettle/limit the potential damage here and their (chaotic) rhythm.  ANB & Gus?

This ia an absolute must Rusty I agree its a bad weakness of our set up

Like you I wonder why we let it happen. We have to take control. We will beat them on the inside we have to limit their run outside and handballing backwards is one of Richmonds'favourite outlets

13 minutes ago, Kent said:

This ia an absolute must Rusty I agree its a bad weakness of our set up

Like you I wonder why we let it happen. We have to take control. We will beat them on the inside we have to limit their run outside and handballing backwards is one of Richmonds'favourite outlets

After winning three premerships i'm sure every coach & his crew will be more than across their strengths Kent so i have faith they will be covering as best as possible but in the end it comes down to the ability of each player to play the role being asked vs how well the opponent is doing same and bounce of the ball (luck), injuries/niggles picked up in game etc.

So many variables no doubt it's impossibe to counter all of their strengths nor wise to as we would then lose too many strengths of our own doing so.

Then it becomes a gamble pre match.  What / who do you cover, without losing too much of the essence that's seen us on a 5-0 win streak so far?

If it was me, aside from some of the issues i brought up in thst earlier post, i wouldn't be changing too much.  At least not early anyway.  If the game did start to get away from us a little at some point, then of course you need to have a few options ready and pull the trigger if required.

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by Rusty Nails

7 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

After winning three premerships i'm sure every coach & his crew will be more than across their strengths Kent so i have faith they will be covering as best as possible but in the end it comes down to the ability of each player to play the role being asked vs how well the opponent is doing same and bounce of the ball (luck), injuries/niggles picked up in game etc.

So many variables no doubt it's impossibe to counter all of their strengths nor wise to as we would then lose too many strengths of our own doing so.

Then it becomes a gamble pre match.  What / who do you cover, without losing too much of the essence that's seen us on a 5-0 win streak so far?

If it was me, aside from some of the issues i brought up in thst earlier post, i wouldn't be changing too much.  At least not early anyway.  If the game did start to get away from us a little at some point, then of course you need to have a few options ready and pull the trigger if required.

Yes Rusty we have a good crew at the moment

Minimal changes for me also Jones playing loses us some flexibility but Im not going to comment further on that

If May is truly recovered he is in for Petty and maybe I'm 50/50 on Fritter for Brown. Brown did little wrong after a slow start

He is a very reliable player in my view.

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by Kent

10 minutes ago, Kent said:

Yes Rusty we have a good crew at the moment

Minimal changes for me also Jones playing loses us some flexibility but Im not going to comment further on that

If May is truly recovered he is in for Petty and maybe I'm 50/50 on Fritter for Brown. Brown did little wrong after a slow start

He is a very reliable player in my view.

Both Brown & Melksham (after half time? ...missed most of the first quarter trying to park in the G...never again lol) were very good.  Melk found his 2018 form again and certainly proved his worth and justified Goody's faith.  I'm still not sure about his defensive side but he more than made up for it with clsssy ball use and finish.

One thing i have observed with the Tigers, and probably true of most teams of course, they don't appear to perform as well under scoreboard pressure.

Aside from covering Dusty a little, i would not be adverse to us trying to go fully ballistic in the first and put a decent lead up, rather than overly worry about their strengths too early, which effectively gives them the early ascendancy.  That ascendancy would make them very tough to beat IMV.  Would much rather the former at quarter time than the reverse.

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by Rusty Nails

10 hours ago, Altona-demon said:

I want this to be the breakout game where Christian buries Dusty, and all the talk is about Petracca and how quiet Dusty was.  Whether or not it is that career defining game, i'm not sure, but I hope so.  Similarly, I feel like Kozzie has been on the edge of a 5 goal performance for a long long time now (hitting posts, missing gimmes etc), I feel like he could go very big here on the big stage.  I am tipping him to explode in this game. 

Kossie 4+ goals might be a high risk high reward in my multi bet on this one...I have him at 2+. I think there'll be a lot of opportunities unless ?Weid and Tmac dominates and take lots of marks.

They were insufferable after they beat us in the 2017 ANZAC eve game  - before they won their flags.

Their arrogance over on Bigfooty that night was horrid. Even after we we had 1 fit bloke on the bench and had to ruck Watts for most of the night.

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

4 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

Both Brown & Melksham (after half time? ...missed most of the first quarter trying to park in the G...never again lol) were very good.  Melk found his 2018 form again and certainky proved his worth and justified Goody's faith.  I'm stikl not sure about his defensive side but he more than made up for it with clsssy ball use and finish.

One thing i have observed with the Tigers, and probably true of mosy teams, they don't appesr to perform as well under scoreboard pressure.  Aside from covering Dusty a little, i would not be adverse to us trying to go fully ballistic in the first and put a decent lead up, rather than overly worry about their strengths too early, which effectively gived them the eatly ascendancy.  That ascendancy would make them very tough to beat IMV.  Would much rather the former at quarter time than the reverse.

Agree again!

WE have to bring huge pressure and maintain it for 4 quarters 

Saints did it for 1 and a half quarters and matched them but couldn't sustain it

The tigers are beatable if you can and The dees have shown that they are more than capable

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by Kent

They're special at Punt Road

In response to the claim by the National Trust that the grandstand shoould be preserved and not demolished as part of their new development....

"Richmond, however, argued that the retention of the Richmond Football Club at the club’s Punt Road Oval base was of far greater historical significance than the removal of the stand."

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/national-trust-tackles-richmond-tigers-on-grandstand-demolition-20210420-p57kvs.html

15 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

They're special at Punt Road

In response to the claim by the National Trust that the grandstand shoould be preserved and not demolished as part of their new development....

"Richmond, however, argued that the retention of the Richmond Football Club at the club’s Punt Road Oval base was of far greater historical significance than the removal of the stand."

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/national-trust-tackles-richmond-tigers-on-grandstand-demolition-20210420-p57kvs.html

There is only one way they can replicate the size of the MCG sadly...

A smartarse Richmond supporter I know said to me that he hopes that Jones bathwater tastes good, we are in for a shock and enjoy the dream whilst it lasts. 

Edited April 20, 20214 yr by John Crow Batty

While I usually love these threads - mainly after a win the opposition supporters didn’t see coming.

However, they are right to belittle us - where were most of us at 3 qtr time last week? At different stages of the ‘here we go again’ hand wringing that has defined us and this team for a generation: we do not turn up at a consistent rate at the times good teams turn up.

And just take it on the chin is my advice - and when we actually perform in these moments consistently we can push back a bit...

Otherwise it’s cringeworthy performative art

12 minutes ago, rpfc said:

However, they are right to belittle us - where were most of us at 3 qtr time last week? At different stages of the ‘here we go again’ hand wringing that has defined us and this team for a generation: we do not turn up at a consistent rate at the times good teams turn up.

hmm, not sure i agree with that

from midway thru the first quarter onwards, the general 'vibe' around me in the southern stand was that we were significantly on top but we just weren't converting on the scoreboard; the same case for the majority of the year thus far tbh

and i'm talking bout hawks and dees fans - the former were happy to be hanging around on the scoreboard and being 'in the game' as it stood, much as they have for much of the year, whereas we were clearly trying to find a way to get on top on the scoreboard as well as around the ground

i long for the arrogance of being a tigers supporter

18 hours ago, JTR said:

 

Yeah, just a little...   ?

"If we bring our pressure and intensity like we did against the saints they are no chance. Let's be honest guys when we are on and hunting no team in history can be beat us let alone the comp. That's why we have won 3 flags out of 4 . Because our best is by far and away the best in the comp and of all time"

Best of all time? I'm not convinced they're the best of the 21st century. In fact, I know it's subjective, but I would rank them behind Essendon of 2000, Brisbane 2001-2004, Geelong 2007-2011 and Hawthorn 2013-15.

I would, however, rank them ahead of every other team. (St Kilda 2009-10 would be ahead of them, too, if they had managed to win a premiership). 

35 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

There is only one way they can replicate the size of the MCG sadly...

why would they need to?

they just won 3 flags with punt road as a training ground

13 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

why would they need to?

they just won 3 flags with punt road as a training ground

Not many clubs have the advantage of training on a ground the same dimensions of the MCG. All clubs  would love to have that luxury. Success leads to power, wealth, extravagance and the need to maintain success and dominance on an ongoing basis. Training on a ground  that has the same dimensions as the MCG will be an advantage to further hone their game plan. It’s all about them maintaining their power in perpetuity over the rest of the competition. They are not going to have the same list of champions for too long. The draft will even them out in talent.

Edited April 21, 20214 yr by John Crow Batty

15 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

why would they need to?

they just won 3 flags with punt road as a training ground

It’s “why” the Jack Dyer will be demolished...

 

39 minutes ago, rpfc said:

While I usually love these threads - mainly after a win the opposition supporters didn’t see coming.

However, they are right to belittle us - where were most of us at 3 qtr time last week? At different stages of the ‘here we go again’ hand wringing that has defined us and this team for a generation: we do not turn up at a consistent rate at the times good teams turn up.

And just take it on the chin is my advice - and when we actually perform in these moments consistently we can push back a bit...

Otherwise it’s cringeworthy performative art

I hate to say this...

(because i have bagged others on here for the same attitude at times for not enjoying the wins...)

We really havent beaten anyone good yet.

Freo are ok.

StKilda are a rabble at the moment.

GWS lost a heap of players to injury but are a decent team.

Geelong are playing far below their best so far this year (hopefully it continues for another decade).

Hawks are an average team.

What i will say is that we look like a team who will play finals. But can we challenge the top 4 teams? This week will be a true test to see how we are travelling. Looking forward to it!