The formula for success at Tigerland

As we embark on the 2015 AFL Premiership season, we can safely say that we have close to no idea as to how the season will pan out.

We are all desperately analysing the predictions of the AFL’s experts to see where they think our team will end up and why.

Last season we witnessed the beginning of quite an even mid-table competition as teams placed sixth-12th fought it out until the last few weeks of the competition for a place in the finals.

One of those mid-table fighters last season were the Tigers, however for them to become the force that they have been hyped up to be, they must break away from this mid-table pack this season and start pushing for some success.

For many Tigers fans this current squad has the best chance of success since 1982 when they last made the grand final.

The Tigers have developed a very exciting playing list, when switched on, their best is as good as anyone’s and that they can go into every match with the incentive of not only winning but winning with some style.

Despite being brought back to reality by a very determined Port Adelaide side at the Adelaide Oval last September, the Tigers are willing to learn from their many mistakes and take this on board as motivation in 2015.

The Richmond coaches will hope to implement the ideas and strategies that they uncovered from elite coaches abroad over the summer in places such as in the US and Europe, hopefully helping them rectifying past misfortunes, especially in September.

However for the Tigers to be successful in 2015, they must put their foot down in a few areas.

1. A fast start is required
The Tigers have quite a favourable opening month of football which should see them gain some confidence and stabilise themselves for the season ahead. The Tigers play four sides that failed to make the finals last season: Carlton, Bulldogs, Brisbane and Melbourne.

In significant contrast to last season, the Tigers must be looking to be well inside the top eight with four wins and zero losses by the end of Round 4, placing them in a stable position in tackling their next five matches. This includes four clashes against sides that made the top eight.

A fast start is crucial for the Tigers as it will see them lay their season’s foundation with the confidence in taking on the challenging games between rounds 5 and 10.

2. Multiple goal kickers
Long gone are the days of the Hafey premiership plan of ‘Kick it to Royce and get out of his way’. And gone are the days of forwards kicking 90+ goals.

For the Tigers to be successful they must have multiple reliable options that can convert.

Last season Hawthorn conveyed their dominance by having three dominant forwards in Jarryd Roughead, Luke Breust and Jack Gunston, with each of them kicking over 50 goals.

This indeed made lives for opposition defenders very difficult as many teams do not have the depth to produce three quality defenders to mark these forwards.

In the Tigers case in 2014, they had five players kicking over 20 goals which is a fair effort with Jack Riewoldt leading the charge on 61.

In 2015 however, forwards such as Ben Griffiths and Tyrone Vickery must set a target of kicking at least 30 goals.

In saying this, it is also the responsibility of the coaching staff to be able to manoeuvre those three forwards in the same side. Ben Griffiths showed in the latter part of the season how dangerous he can be with his big marks and booming kicks.

He should be looking to play as a deep forward or as strong up-field marking option, pumping the ball eighty metres every time.

As opposed to being forced to play little chip passes to his teammates.

3. Bogey sides must be beaten
Over the last few seasons the Tigers – no matter how well they have played – have always seemed to lose to the same few sides.

These sides include North Melbourne Collingwood, Geelong and the Gold Coast. In order for the Tigers to establish themselves as real contenders, they must prove to themselves that they can beat the sides that continue to haunt them.

The Tigers have not beaten Collingwood since 2007 and their last victory against the Cats came in 2006. No Tiger fan needs to be remembered of the horrors that the Suns have caused them over the past few seasons.

As for North Melbourne – where Richmond have just one win in their last ten meetings – many Tiger fans just concede this as a loss in their footy tips.

This season proves to be their best chances in beating these teams as the Tigers, with the exception of North, play each of these sides at the MCG – a very favourable ground for the Tigers.

Beating these bogey sides and ending these hoodoos will ensure that the Tigers regain the confidence and the mentality that they can beat anybody.

4. Play every game like it’s their last
If the Tigers learnt one thing last year, it is that they can lift when their season is on the line. Important victories against West Coast, Adelaide and Sydney in quite hostile environments conveyed that the Tigers can lift to the occasion when they have everything to play for.

Throughout their last nine matches of the season, the mentality of the Tigers significantly altered and they started to play some great football.

During the famous last nine-match run, we witnessed the return of the ‘Richmond way’. Damien Hardwick realised that he wasn’t exactly coaching Barcelona and the Tigers started moving the ball very quickly throughout the ground instead of trying to maintain possession.

Exciting football returned to Tigerland.

Throughout the 2015 season, that some mentality and ruthlessness must continue to be seen in every match that the Tigers play which will be the difference in terms of them being a good side to that of a great side.

5. Must stop the ‘run on’ from other teams
A problem that has haunted the Tigers is the tendency they have in letting their opposition back into the match quite easily.

This may be easier said than done – it is very difficult to stop momentum. However it is crucial to their season being successful. The Tigers must quickly regroup to stop the avalanche of goals that can render them helpless.

New leaders need to emerge, rather than relying on the same few.

So what does success look like for the Tigers in 2015? A finals appearance with a win is a must. Thus as we have now reflected upon what the Tigers must do in 2015 to return to the land of plenty, one question remains, do they have what it takes?