Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes says Richmond can no longer win the premiership this season after managing just two goals in a loss to St Kilda this weekend.
Usually dominant at the MCG, the Tigers put in arguably their worst performance of the season, with the 40-point result putting their finals hopes in danger.
Richmond's loss against St Kilda was its seventh of the season, and provided enough ammunition for Cornes to write off the reigning premiers.
"I don't think they can win it from here," he told Nine's AFL Sunday Footy Show.
"I've been hesitant to make that call but I think there is a big enough body of work through 14 games. They're five games off Melbourne for top spot, Richmond cannot win it now."
Cornes pointed the finger at some of Richmond's most experienced campaigners amid the latest slump.
"I think some of their experienced players just aren't impacting. There's a blueprint now to stop Dustin Martin and teams have finally been able to work that out and putting some time into him with that bigger-bodied defensive player.
"Trent Cotchin's impact across the midfield has been nowhere near the impact that he has had in previous seasons.
"You just can't win it from outside the top four and they're three games out of that position."
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd also pointed to Richmond's poor record against fellow top-eight sides this season as evidence of the Tigers' decline.
"My concern is their form against top eight sides across the season," he said.
"The Western Bulldogs was an outstanding performace, but aside from that, they just keep losing to the best.
"They're going to have to beat these sides four weeks straight, which they haven't been able to do.
"They aren't the manic side that has had them at the top for four to five years. I'm not seeing forward pressure, I'm seeing them win games of Shai Bolton brilliance, Jack Riewoldt brilliance, Dustin Martin brilliance, not the team ethos that won them games."
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.