Our biggest list challenge over the next two years will be replacing Cotchin and Riewoldt. You can bet the experts will write us off when those sad farewells occur.
But reports of the death of our midfield, forward line and premiership chances will be greatly exaggerated. In fact, when you consider a) the system and b) the players we are developing in reserve and c) the looming prospect of our next free agent(s) things get a little scary if you are not in any way associated with Richmond.
First, the system. We all know the drill - know your role, know your movement, support your mates, relish mistakes, celebrate difference, worship the contest, compete till the end. It is the most finals proof system the competition has ever seen. A third of the team can have off nights and we still win. Dimma and his assistants have developed some truly special IP that doesn’t age or diminish with time. Champions can retire but the system remains as fresh as ever. If the best and brightest talents in the industry haven’t cracked the code by now they never will. That one day in September is ours until someone comes up with a better plan or replicates our recruiting model over a period of 5-6 years.
Second, replacing our good players. This will be the area that confounds the “experts” in coming years. How can our midfield, in particular, continue to thrive without Cotch, without Edwards, without top 10 draft picks? First, system-based sides are less vulnerable to waning stars. Second, the idea that we have nothing when Cotch, Titch and Prestia are gone is a furphy. Let us assume the above trio have retired and that Dusty is tearing things up at full forward alongside Lynch. How do we look? Well, we have a midfield dynamo already. Shai Bolton is his name and we didn’t have to trade into a top ten pick to secure him. For a mid 20s pick we have an electric playmaker to replace Cotch. It’s the stuff of nightmares for the traditionalists our there expecting our midfield to fade.
Let’s take a look at our the best 22 might look in 2024:
Mansell Balta Broad
Vlastuin Grimes Short
McIntosh Stack M Rioli Jnr
Castagna Coleman-Jones D Rioli
Baker Lynch Martin
Nankervis Bolton Graham
Soldo Collier-Dawkins Dow Naish
Not so bad, right? Not taking into account two first rounders from this year’s super draft. Now I know what you’re thinking. We are assuming Stack will come good and that Naish is worth persisting with. If these players are top 22, you say, we aren’t winning more flags. Except...
Richmond is the strongest destination club in the land. Culture, development, resources, success, exposure - these are the envy of all. If we are to expect that our staggeringly on-point list management is set to continue, we can expect at least two Tom Lynch style free agents over the next four years. I reckon the first will be Zach Merrett. I don’t have an inside line on this but heard a few things. We’ve been at him for a while and he’d be the perfect recruitment for this club going into 2022. The second free agent will probably be a tall forward. Astbury’s retirement will be relatively easy to cover in the short term but Jack will leave a hole.
So operating under the reasonable assumption that we will add quality over the next three drafts and one or two elite free agents, the likes of Naish, Graham, Stack, Collier-Dawkins, et. al. actually become fringe players in the new order (unless they breakout spectacularly, which is possible).
So, all that said, where does that leave our dynasty? It leaves it unfinished is what it does. The scary thing is I can’t see this ride ending anytime soon. Again - the best system - from recruiting to game plan - this competition has ever seen. Plug and replace, rinse and repeat. Rise and rise again.
But reports of the death of our midfield, forward line and premiership chances will be greatly exaggerated. In fact, when you consider a) the system and b) the players we are developing in reserve and c) the looming prospect of our next free agent(s) things get a little scary if you are not in any way associated with Richmond.
First, the system. We all know the drill - know your role, know your movement, support your mates, relish mistakes, celebrate difference, worship the contest, compete till the end. It is the most finals proof system the competition has ever seen. A third of the team can have off nights and we still win. Dimma and his assistants have developed some truly special IP that doesn’t age or diminish with time. Champions can retire but the system remains as fresh as ever. If the best and brightest talents in the industry haven’t cracked the code by now they never will. That one day in September is ours until someone comes up with a better plan or replicates our recruiting model over a period of 5-6 years.
Second, replacing our good players. This will be the area that confounds the “experts” in coming years. How can our midfield, in particular, continue to thrive without Cotch, without Edwards, without top 10 draft picks? First, system-based sides are less vulnerable to waning stars. Second, the idea that we have nothing when Cotch, Titch and Prestia are gone is a furphy. Let us assume the above trio have retired and that Dusty is tearing things up at full forward alongside Lynch. How do we look? Well, we have a midfield dynamo already. Shai Bolton is his name and we didn’t have to trade into a top ten pick to secure him. For a mid 20s pick we have an electric playmaker to replace Cotch. It’s the stuff of nightmares for the traditionalists our there expecting our midfield to fade.
Let’s take a look at our the best 22 might look in 2024:
Mansell Balta Broad
Vlastuin Grimes Short
McIntosh Stack M Rioli Jnr
Castagna Coleman-Jones D Rioli
Baker Lynch Martin
Nankervis Bolton Graham
Soldo Collier-Dawkins Dow Naish
Not so bad, right? Not taking into account two first rounders from this year’s super draft. Now I know what you’re thinking. We are assuming Stack will come good and that Naish is worth persisting with. If these players are top 22, you say, we aren’t winning more flags. Except...
Richmond is the strongest destination club in the land. Culture, development, resources, success, exposure - these are the envy of all. If we are to expect that our staggeringly on-point list management is set to continue, we can expect at least two Tom Lynch style free agents over the next four years. I reckon the first will be Zach Merrett. I don’t have an inside line on this but heard a few things. We’ve been at him for a while and he’d be the perfect recruitment for this club going into 2022. The second free agent will probably be a tall forward. Astbury’s retirement will be relatively easy to cover in the short term but Jack will leave a hole.
So operating under the reasonable assumption that we will add quality over the next three drafts and one or two elite free agents, the likes of Naish, Graham, Stack, Collier-Dawkins, et. al. actually become fringe players in the new order (unless they breakout spectacularly, which is possible).
So, all that said, where does that leave our dynasty? It leaves it unfinished is what it does. The scary thing is I can’t see this ride ending anytime soon. Again - the best system - from recruiting to game plan - this competition has ever seen. Plug and replace, rinse and repeat. Rise and rise again.
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