Richmond and Collingwood have played off in the last three grand finals between them, with the Tigers claiming two premierships and the Pies none.
They’ve only met once in September during this period, with Collingwood claiming honours in the 2018 preliminary final.
Both teams will be fancied to be there at the pointy end of the season once more. Can Richmond pull off back-to-back flags for the first time since 1973-74? Will the Pies finally deliver Nathan Buckley his first AFL premiership medal?
Richmond
The Tigers won the 2017 flag almost by stealth with a strong second half of the season, never really reckoned with as one of the best teams in the competition until the finals. They followed up by being overwhelming favourites all through 2018 but ran out of steam in the last month or two of the season.
2019 was different, injury-riddled and they were out of the top eight after 14 rounds. From that point on, they peeled off 12 wins in a row, putting the exclamation mark on their three years of dominance with an 89-point grand final victory.
Is more glory in store in 2020?
Richmond’s best 25
B: Nick Vlastuin, Dylan Grimes, Nathan Broad
HB: Jayden Short, David Astbury, Bachar Houli
Foll: Toby Nankervis, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia
C: Marlion Pickett, Dustin Martin, Shane Edwards
HF: Shai Bolton, Tom Lynch, Kane Lambert
F: Daniel Rioli, Jack Riewoldt, Jason Castagna
Int: Ivan Soldo, Sydney Stack, Josh Caddy, Liam Baker
Em: Jack Graham, Jack Ross, Jack Higgins
Shaun Grigg retired mid-season, famously allowing the Tigers to access Marlion Pickett in the mid-season draft. Alex Rance retired just before Christmas. Brandon Ellis exercised free agency to join Gold Coast, while Dan Butler and Jacob Townsend have moved to St Kilda and Essendon respectively.
That’s five 2017 premiership players no longer there, while Ellis won a second medal in 2019 as well.
Richmond didn’t bring anyone in from another club, the only team to do so this off-season. With their VFL side having won the flag as well, depth shouldn’t be an issue.
The back line has something for everyone – Nick Vlastuin’s intercepting, Bachar Houli’s run, Jayden Short’s penetrating kick, David Astbury’s professionalism, the dour defence of Nathan Broad, the razzle-dazzle of Sydney Stack and the unbeatable Dylan Grimes.
Up front, Tom Lynch kicked five goals in the prelim and Jack Riewoldt five in the grand final, a couple of pretty handy keys that both featured in The Roar’s top 20 this week. Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna and Shai Bolton provide class and cleverness, as well as fierce defensive pressure.
Through the middle, Trent Cotchin is the best captain and midfield battering ram in the competition, Dion Prestia won the best and fairest in a premiership side and there’s only one person that can claim that every year, Shane Edwards has the most creative hands in the business, Marlion Pickett displayed his class on grand final day and Kane Lambert runs as hard as any player in the league.
And then, of course, there is Dusty. When Richmond feel they’ve got the midfield battle covered, they can just rest him forward. Six goals in the qualifying final against Brisbane and four goals on the way to a Norm Smith medal in the grand final was the result.
(Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The Tigers have a blend of experience and youth, a dual premiership side that has only the tenth oldest list in the competition. With a full list to choose from at the start of the season and plenty of hungry young players pressing for spots, they are going to be awfully hard to stop from contending once again.
Predicted finish: third.
Collingwood
The Pies were one errant Dom Sheed kick from winning a flag in 2018, and a Taylor Adams snap that just needed to be a few centimetres straighter from a grand final last season. Things didn’t fall their way at the end in either of those matches, but on both occasions they were five goals down earlier in the game so only have themselves to blame.
What is in store for the Magpies in 2020, after almost going under the radar in the lead-up?
Collingwood’s best 25
B: John Noble, Jordan Roughead, Brayden Maynard
HB: Jeremy Howe, Darcy Moore, Jack Crisp
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams
C: Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, Tom Phillips
HF: Josh Thomas, Brody Mihocek, Jordan de Goey
F: Jaidyn Stephenson, Mason Cox, Jamie Elliott
Int: Chris Mayne, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Callum Brown, Travis Varcoe
Em: Darcy Cameron, Ben Reid, Brayden Sier
Out of the club go Tyson Goldsack and Daniel Wells to retirement, while James Aish and Ben Crocker have ended up elsewhere in the AFL. Alongside some draftees, Darcy Cameron crosses from Sydney as a back-up to Brodie Grundy and to put pressure on Mason Cox’s spot.
While the Pies were defensively sound in 2019, ranking second, they never really got their offensive game going, rating only seventh in attack.
Mason Cox couldn’t build on his 2018 preliminary final heroics, Jordan de Goey was injured and didn’t have the same impact, Josh Thomas and Will Hoskin-Elliott dropped away and of course, Jaidyn Stephenson was suspended for ten matches for placing three bets on his own side.
Jamie Elliott returned to the forward line with a measure of success, and Brody Mihocek stepped up to lead the attack, but overall that part of the ground never gelled. There is enough talent there for it to, but quite a few players are prone to injury and form fluctuations, which makes continuity hard.
The Pies have an engine room that keeps them in all games and wins them many. Brodie Grundy could well be the ruckman of the century by the time he finishes, Scott Pendlebury still makes admirers go weak at the knees, Adam Treloar is prolific and Taylor Adams is the footballer’s footballer while Steele Sidebottom and Tom Phillips patrol the wings.
(Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Down back, Darcy Moore is looking to take another step after a strong 2019, while Jeremy Howe is one of the best interceptors in the game. Jordan Roughead provides great value as a key back, and Brayden Maynard is as tough as old boots. Jack Crisp is ever the professional through mid and defence.
Collingwood lacks some star power at either end of the ground when compared to the likes of Richmond, GWS and West Coast, but they work an effective game plan that is a modification on what the Tigers do.
If the Pies midfield can peak leading into September and the forward line can click at the right time of year, they can kick off the 2020s the way they did the 2010s.
Predicted finish: fourth.
Predicted ladder
1. West Coast
2. GWS
3. Richmond
4. Collingwood
5. Western Bulldogs
6. Brisbane
7. Hawthorn
8. Geelong
9. North Melbourne
10. St Kilda
11. Port Adelaide
12. Essendon
13. Melbourne
14. Carlton
15. Sydney
16. Adelaide
17. Fremantle
18. Gold Coast
JPF555
Roar Rookie
Your first paragraph on Collingwood is incorrect. The Pies actually kicked the first 5 goals of the game. They were never 5 goals down.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
North top 4?!! Can’t see that.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
And injuries sadly always play a part.
Thatsashame
Roar Rookie
Although I don't think Collingwood Are the best team in it,I think they clearly have the wood over the tigers. Even in 2017 and 2018 anytime they lost to the tigers it was only a last quarter fade out and they always had about 10 starting players out. I'm happy to out it out there that if Collingwood plays Richmond in finals, the pies win every time. If I was the tigers, that's the team I wouldn't want to play in finals
Larrikin
Roar Rookie
Both at snuggly home where they play 90% of there games during any season who cares who wins
Cameron Rose
Expert
Honestly, the teams I've got from 9-17 could all finish somewhere between 6 and 17. Who knows who it will click for, and who will fall apart. There are surprises every year.
Cameron Rose
Expert
Change everything, and I might be close? Lol. No doubt right though. An impossible task we set ourselves with these pre-season predictions.
Cliff Stubbs
Guest
I see you have West Coast at No 1. You may well be proven correct but I beg to differ. Yes Tim Kelly adds class but he doesn’t use the ball that well. Looks smooth and great reader of the play but turns it over a lot. Josh Kennedy is one year older already injured and only good for 12-14 games a year. Nic Nat can be dominant but also injury prone. West Coast also go missing at times in last quarters with massive contested possession loss. If teams bring the ball in low and take their fantastic intercept marking out they can bleed goals. Just my opinion!
Ditto
Roar Rookie
My Ladder: 1. Richmond 2. GWS 3. Western Bulldogs 4. North Melbourne 5. West Coast 6. Collingwood 7. Port Adelaide 8. Carlton 9. Geelong 10. Brisbane 11. Hawthorn 12. Adelaide 13. Fremantle 14. St. Kilda 15. Essendon 16. Melbourne 17. Gold Coast 18. Sydney
Ditto
Roar Rookie
Richmond: I can't see them losing more than 6 home and away games, so most likely will lose 2 to 4. Will look to achieve the rare feat of converting a minor premiership into the major one. Most likely stumbling block, the Western Bulldogs. My prediction: 1st Collingwood: Abundance of talent, but unlike Tigers, all are not always on the same page. Against perceived good sides, Buckley's go to plan is to be overly defensive, it can be successful, but think inconsistency arises because of a lack of a one size fits all game plan. My prediction: 6th
Ditto
Roar Rookie
What does ' Cookie nonce is invalid ' mean?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Might be the only way the Pies can win one Neil. 17 other clubs hit. Surely Eddie can stop a virus or two?
Franko
Guest
Preperations should be made to have this game played behind closed doors.
Neil from Warrandyte
Roar Rookie
Still rue the fact that we could of had one of the most anticipated grand finals of all time. What I fear most this season, is the abandonment of the competition due to the Corona virus, at some stage during the year. All it would take is for a team (or teams) being hit particularly hard, and I don’t think the AFL would have any choice. At least the silver lining would be that the tigers would remain the reining premiers for another year. :silly:
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Richmond & the Pies very much contenders again this year, certainly the most formidable Victorian teams. I’ll reiterate my point from a thread yesterday that a granny between these two would be hell for Melbournians and glory for footy fans simultaneously. Glad to see your ladder fully filled, Cam, but still miffed about Freo’s lowly placing. I think we’ll be in the realm of the Saints, Port, Bombers rather than the Suns.
Thatsashame
Roar Rookie
If you move the Hawks down about 7 spots (take this to the bank...bottom 6 without a doubt) and the Roos down a few, Geelong will be top 4 and Melbourne, Essendon and Port will all be much higher up....then your ladder could be about right Cam.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
The grand final that could have been. A wet horrible night against GWS and they nearly choked after a great third quarter. Still, most think the Tigers were in too good form and pies might have lost another grand final. I agree right now star power lacking though Moore down back and De Goey up forward have potential star quality. As for the Tigers they have no weakness apart from ruck which they care little about. They are very powerful and remind me of the Bombers of 2001, fresh off a dominant flag. “If it bleeds you can kill it” Leigh Matthews said during 2001. 17 clubs are looking for the way to make them bleed.