The Tigers are rising for a finals tilt

Richmond played 2 interstate games in the 6 weeks leading into that game, check the fixture. The Freo game was their 3rd interstate trip in 6 weeks granted but the other two can hardly be called flights (when compared to the WA teams) can they? One trip was to Adelaide and the other to Hobart and only one time zone was crossed and that was only a 30 minute time zone change at that. Total time in the air for both trips including RETURN flights was 5 hours. That's one hour more than it takes for a WA team to fly to Melbourne, ONE-WAY never mind the Hobart trip from WA. So no, it doesn't sound remotely like WC this week to me at all. You didn't meet Freo after a 15 day break either and I think that you had a back line on the park that day as well. I respect Richmond on their day. They can be very good and they can also be very average far too often for a side that wants to be rated a genuine finals team. Richmond seems to have been almost stagnant for a number of years now and it's high time you won a final. How many years in a row have you just missed the 8 or gone out in the first week of the finals? That's why I am saying it seems a little stagnant. No disrespect intended. I like Richmond but Vickery is a thug. WC turned their season around after that game so I do thank you for that.

A first finals win in 15 years might be a good starting point. You've had your opportunities in recent years and not taken them. You also tend to be up and down eg started last year horribly only to turn it around and go on a 9 week winning streak. I'm never quite sure which Richmond is going to turn up. Your best is very good don't get me wrong but I'm sure that I'm not the only one that would like to see them give consistent effort week in, week out? If my team played you early in 2014 we got you at a good time. If we met you during your 9 games winning streak we met you at a bad time. Did the GCS meet Freo at a good team last week or do you think that the GCS are as good as Freo? This concept isn't difficult to comprehend I hope? You are meeting a WC team that will play its 3rd game (in 3 different states) in 12 days. Today (Tues) is their 3rd day of recovery after the Bombers game and they are back on the plane tomorrow (Wed). Conversely, your team is playing its first game in 15 days and is more than refreshed. That's not making excuses, these are facts.

Thanks Mark, as a tigers supporter thats all I ask for. After many poor years, what will sway you to believe Richmond deserves genuine respect?

In fairness, he didn't say Richmond couldn't beat Sydney. Just that calling it 50/50 was a bit generous to the Tiges. Surely that's a fair call at the SCG. Not they can't win. Just that it would be a fair upset.

Sounds very similar Neil, without nit picking about distances and time in travel but I agree not an easy thing to do. Tell me did Richmond go into that game with many if any believing that they could actually pull off the win? They did and it was a wonderful win, with almost all of the Tigers standing up, even the spud Vickery had a brilliant game. If the Tigers win I will give them credit where credit is due.

Sorry Neil, must of hit the 'add comment' button at similar times. For me the respect that you are wondering about is when they win at least one final and are competitive with a loss. We see this with the teams as they get better the bar raises and unfortunately or fortunately for Tigers fans they came out of the blue and regardless of how many easy beats and how many good teams they hit at the right time they stunned most of the AFL and progressed to the finals. With this progression and the amount of Tigers fans that jumped back on the bandwagon, people sat up and took notice. Then came the final against Port and bang once again they showed us that they couldn't do it. They showed us that they hadn't really improved from the year before. Their list is good, good enough to be far more competitive consistently than they are, although in my opinion not good enough to win a flag this time around. They are good enough to be playing finals and good finals, but they don't. They don't win the games that they should. They should be at least good enough to match it with North, they should be good enough to beat Geelong and they should definitely beat Melbourne. They are so inconsistent that when they do string wins together it usually looks like luck rather than good management.

Also Mark, coming into the Fremantle game was after 2 consecutive 6 day breaks and 3 interstate trips in 5 weeks. Sound familiar with what West Coast faces this Friday night? There's also the loss of momentum factor against the tigers. IF the tigers win, give them some credit please.

Must be really, really, lucky then. Went into many of those games as underdogs if you take an interest in the betting odds which is representitve of the publics perception before the game. It's only after these games we're given the reason why the opposition didn't 'turn up to play'

Just reading Mark's comment above where the wins aren't rated for one reason or another. Quite representative of comments for some time now. Given that though, the tigers have deserved all the criticism given for many years of inconsistency and instability and poor leadership on and off the field. We deserved the tag of laughing stock. There comes a point in time where this changes and where the team deserves respect and recognition again. I just wonder what it will take to get that back again- constant form/ a finals win/ a premiership?

Hardly excuses if they are facts are they Neil? Neither Jax nor myself (which is whom I assume you are talking about) have made any excuses, merely stating that neither of us think that the Eagles will go into this game favourites because of the multiple short breaks plus the travel. Stating facts that lead to one team having a better chance at winning isn't making excuses. On the 9 games last year, which were 'last year' and the Collingwood, Port and Fremante games, which ones do you think weren't easy beats and which ones don't you think you got at 'a good time'? I'm actually genuinely interested?

Wasn't this an article that was positive about Richmond? Geez you guys crave some praise.

No one gave the tigers much of a chance against Collingwood, Port Adelaide or Fremantle, but hey, the tigers got all of them at a good time. Just like last year when we won 9 in a row- all of them either easy beats or off their game on the day. Now we're already hearing excuses before the West Coast game. I am now hearing we can't beat Sydney, but just in case we do, am already prepared for us getting Sydney when they're having an off day. Richmond have either got to be the luckiest team ever or are actually playing some good footy.

Hope you're right as well Dalgety. Tigers would be favourites in mine. Didn't look back further than last year but I would be interested to know what the win loss was coming off the bye. Last year of the 18 teams, 4 of those teams played each other after their respective bye meaning that there would be a definite winner and loser, (Collingwood Vs Adelaide and Port Vs Hawthorn) but of the other 14 clubs it was split 50/50 with wins and losses. Of course it always depends who you are playing coming off the bye as well.

Are you really rating the swans game a 50/50? If it was in Melbourne maybe a 60/40 game in Sydney’s favour, but at the SCG it's more like an 80/20 game.

That's a huge loss for GWS

I hope that you are right Dalgety. Momentum can certainly help but so can a 15 day break. This could go either way but the Tigers are favourites for mine (this time). McGovern needs to get up, he's battered and bruised and needs the bye more than anyone. If he doesn't get up I'm really looking forward to seeing Tom Basrass debut. Or they might play Sinclair or McInnes in defense and bring Lycett in as the 2nd ruck. Or, Darling could play down back and McInnes comes back into the forward line. It will be interesting to see what WC do.

Possibly disruption to momentum, but It just works that way if one team is coming of a bye and the other isn't, the team with more continuity seems to have an edge statistically.

How?