That was that

That’s 2014 then, the first time we made consecutive finals since Gough Whitlam was in charge. And look what happened to him.

It was the best of times, the worst of times and everything in between.

Richmond's season was all things batshit: crazy, confusing, terrifying, frustrating, inspiring and amazing. Some weeks (Carlton round two and North round struckfrommymemory) it was all those things inside one game.

I’m not sure we will really know what 2014 means until deep into 2015. But I’m a fan of what they’ve done since Port did the nasty.

We managed not to get sucked into paying miles overs for a piss poor bunch of free agents (Ryder, Beams and Christensen aside - though they were never coming to Richmond anyway). We picked up Taylor Hunt to plug a Daniel Jackson sized hole. We went young and, more importantly, quick in the draft. And the Internet tells me we picked the next Tony Lockett, loose screws included, with pick 1439 in the draft.

That’s where my draft analysis ends as I’m already out of my depth and I suggest you head over to the Richmond Tiger Talk lads who put together a couple of great podcasts on who and what we picked up through the drafts.

Best thing that happened in 2014

Clear clubhouse leader: Anthony Miles

Quite simply, Miles breathed fresh air into a season that was teetering ever so close to being a complete write off. Richmond in 2014 went 9 and 4 with Miles in the side and 3 and 7 without him, raising more than a few questions about why it took until round 12 to get him in the 22.

No matter what the situation, even during the first quarter in the finals when everyone else was having the most ill-timed stop work meeting in history, Miles put his head over the pill. Releasing the pressure valve that was starting to strangle Cotchin and finding the 24 possessions a game, many of them contested, which we desperately needed.

To give some context, both Melbourne and Collingwood paid big (Josh Kelly and Heath Shaw) for far interior product from west.

In the mix:

The faux final against Sydney that ended up being our actual final.

What a day.

Capped off with this:

Alex Rance

For the first time in my lifetime we have the best player in the competition at his position. If Melbourne or the Dogs have any sense (they don’t) they’d be ponying up something very high in the six figure region to take him off our hands.

He was also pretty handy in the already referenced faux final.

I’ll be a much happier person when Rance joins his skipper as being tucked away for a few years to come.

Dustin Martin and Brandon Ellis

We’ve got ourselves a 23 year old goal kicking midfielder who wins games for fun. And a 21 year old possession machine who run as hard in the first minute as he does the 120th.

The next 10 years is going to be lots of fun to watch.

The fact that we don’t have any home grown talent left on this table.

Special mention to:

• Finding a pulse in general
• Brandon Ellis
• Trent Cotchin
• Ricky Petterd’s Superman spoil against Carlton
• Nathan Gordon
• Brett Deledio’s second half of the year

The worst bits

Clear clubhouse leader: The loss against Melbourne

What should have been a tribute quickly became a shambles.

When Melbourne want it more than you it’s time to have a think about things.

The fact we still don’t know who our second best key forwards is

I’m still #TeamTy but is it he, Griffiths, McBean or some rough as guts kid we just drafted from the clouds?

It could well be Maric with Hampson rucking, which I think we’ll see more of in 2015.

The fact that Brandon Ellis was left one out guarding Daniel Giansircusa in the last minute of a game

Still so very much to learn.

The Port final

I’d still rather not talk about it but it was pretty grim.

Special mentions

• Mishandling Shaun Hampson
• The second half against North
• Lack of run against the best teams
• Watching time catch up with Nathan Foley

Who won stuff on the blog?

The Benny

• Brandon Ellis
• 2013: Cotchin

Blair Hartley Appreciation Award

• Anthony Miles
• 2013: Maric

Anthony Banik Best First Year Player

• Sam Lloyd
• 2013: Vlastuin

Joel Bowden’s Golden Left Boot

• Bachar Houli
• 2013: NA

Greg Tivendale Rookie Medal

• Anthony Miles
• 2013: NA

What happens next year?

God knows.

But the list has natural improvement in it, the draw is OK, they’ve chipped up in coaching by adding Truck Rutten and surely it can’t go that completely tits up again.

Corey Ellis aside, nobody really knows if any one of those new draft picks will come good but at the very least they’ve addressed positions and skills needed rather than drafting best available (also OK) as had been the case.

It’s not even close to a premiership list in 2015 but I suspect they’ll play finals again. Though this should be the year where just playing them isn’t enough.

Structural issues up forward aside, the list is sound and they’ve got through five years of rebuilding while remaining competitive. Given what Hardwick walked into at ground zero, it's already an almighty achievement.

The hard work is done and the next 36 months will shape his legacy.