Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon believes Richmond cannot win the premiership in 2018, as they will struggle to maintain the hunger that underpinned their 2017 success.
The Tigers’ immense forward pressure was the hallmark of their drought breaking flag last season, but don’t expect the same thing to happen this year, according to the dual Demons best and fairest winner.
“It is the hardest thing to do,” Lyon told SEN Breakfast.
“You look over history, and see some great sides that have got up and won a premiership and then couldn’t back it up.
“I don’t think they (Richmond) can win a premiership in this day and age, going back to back.
“All through the finals I got them wrong, right up until Grand Final day I didn’t think they could win it.
“I don’t want people to think I’m being disrespectful because I love what they did and I think they’ve started the season beautifully.
“I genuinely think they can contend but history tells me, even the great sides struggle to do it.
“Whether it is complacency or they can’t quite find the inner drive. Those are the questions I’m wrestling with.”
Three-time premiership player Tim Watson disagreed, thinking the Tigers can win the flag again, but understood Lyon’s viewpoint.
“Everyone brought into it last year and they were prepared to play this role,” he said.
“Each one of those players believes they’re capable of more.
“In the back of their mind they’re thinking, I’ve got confidence now in my own ability, I’m a premiership player, I might just go a little bit harder.
“I might just try and produce a little bit more than what I was required to do last year.
“Then they just stray ever so slightly about what made them great as team.
“I think they’re the things that can really impact on you as a team.”
Richmond’s 2018 campaign begins on Thursday night against Carlton.
