2013 AFL Pre-season Preview: Richmond

Team: Richmond

Coach: Damien Hardwick

Player Losses:

Retired: Brad Miller, Kelvin Moore
Delisted: Andrew Browne, Daniel Connors, Piva Wright, Jeromey Webberley, Dean Macdonald, Addam Maric, Gibson Turner, Jayden Post, John Heslin
Traded:  Angus Graham ( Adelaide),
Free Agency: None

Player Additions:

Traded: Aaron Edwards (North Melbourne),
Free Agency: Troy Chaplin (Port Adelaide), Chris Knights (Adelaide)
International Rookies: Gideon Simon (Papua New Guinea)
National Draft: Nick Vlastuin, Kamdyn McIntosh, Liam McBean, Matthew McDonough
Rookie Draft: Ricky Petterd (Melbourne), Sam Lonergan (Essendon), Orren Stephenson (Geelong), Cadeyn Williams

Last Year’s Finish: 12th (10-11-1)

This year’s prediction: 8th-12th

Three things you need to know:

1. Mark “Choco” Williams joined the ever growing coaching panel at Tigerland over the off season and can he, along with the club’s other Mark Williams,  make a difference to a forwards group that often lacks options after Jack Riewoldt?

2. Since winning the flag in 1980 the Tigers have only made the finals on three occasions: 1982, 1995 and 2001. Expect massive crowds if the Tigers get on a roll and are looking like finals contenders as lapsed and silent fans suddenly rediscover their passion of the “Yellow and Black”.

3. Jack Dyer’s revered number 17 jumper will not be worn by anyone this season after new captain Trent Cotchin eschewed tradition and elected to keep wearing his number 9.

Will make the finals if:

They can kick straight and win the matches that they dominate (which is invariably the 6 close matches that they lost by under 12 points in 2012).

Will be doomed if:

They don’t get off to a decent start. As usual Richmond will begin its season with a Thursday night blockbuster at the MCG and with newly installed Blues coach Mick Malthouse at the helm this will be a tough game.  For the Tigers a poor showing in this game, while just one of 22 games in the season, will set a negative  tone for the year that is supposed to be different this time around.

Best player(s):Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric, Jack Riewoldt, Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Shane Tuck

Player on the rise:

Dustin Martin – now in his fourth season of AFL football Martin has had his well publicised off field behavioural issues but has trained the house down in the off season and is ready to step up from being a promising player to being an elite one.

Player on the way down:

The Tigers have one of the youngest lists outside the GWS Giants and Gold Coast Suns and while there isn’t a plethora of veterans who are coming towards the end of their career there are some players for whom this is a make or break year such as Luke McGuane, Matt White and Tom Derickx

General Comment:

WE all know that the Tigers had a lot of close losses in 2012 and their inconsistent, you could even say horrendous, kicking for goal was a big part of that. If they can address this aspect of their game and continue the improvement that they have shown over the last couple of years they should squeak in and play finals footy in 2013.

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Tags: AFL Pre-season Preview, Richmond

Filled under: Clubs, Latest News, Richmond