Troubleshooting Common Myths About the Dynasty

Let’s be honest, Tiger fans. When you’re living through a golden era like the one we’ve just witnessed, the narrative gets polished, stretched, and sometimes completely rewritten with time. The Richmond dynasty—those glorious years of 2017, 2019, and 2020—was built on grit, talent, and a system that left the competition in the dust. But as the years roll on, a few persistent myths have started to creep into the conversation, like weeds on the hallowed turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Think of this as your official troubleshooting guide for the dynasty era. We’re here to diagnose those common misconceptions, identify their symptoms, root out the causes, and apply the definitive Yellow and Black fix. Consider this a service manual for your Richmond prestige.

Problem: "The 2017 Flag Was a Fluke or a Lucky Run"

Symptoms: You hear phrases like "Cinderella story," "everything just clicked," or "they caught the competition off guard." This myth downplays the systemic, ground-up rebuild that preceded the breakthrough.

Causes: This usually stems from recency bias of the pre-2017 struggles and the sheer, overwhelming emotion of breaking the drought. The fairytale finish can overshadow the years of foundation work at Punt Road Oval. Outsiders see the end result, not the grueling process.

Solution:

1. Reboot the Timeline: Re-examine the period from 2010 onwards. Damien Hardwick’s appointment, the drafting of cornerstones like Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin, and the development of a distinct, pressure-based game style didn’t happen in one pre-season.


2. Run a System Diagnostic: The 2016 finals loss to Sydney wasn’t a failure; it was a critical system test. It proved the game plan could work on the big stage and highlighted the final pieces needed (enter Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy, etc.).


3. Review the 2017 Finals Footage: Watch the Qualifying Final against Geelong. That wasn’t luck; it was a brutal, relentless execution of "the Richmond way" for four quarters. The 2017 premiership was the inevitable product of a machine that had been meticulously assembled and was now purring. For a deeper look at the architects of that machine, visit our hub on /key-players-profiles.

Problem: "It Was All About Dustin Martin"

Symptoms: Over-attribution of success to one player. Comments like "Dusty won them three flags" or "Just give it to Martin and get out of the way" are dead giveaways. This undervalues the team’s structural and collective brilliance.

Causes: Dustin Martin’s performances, especially in grand finals, were so historically dominant and iconic that they can eclipse the contributions of others. Human nature loves a simple, superstar-driven narrative.

Solution:

1. Check the Support Drivers: Acknowledge that Martin’s 2019 Norm Smith Medal came in a game where Bachar Houli was arguably best on ground at half-time. Recognize Jack Riewoldt’s selfless role change in 2020, or Alex Rance’s defensive mastery that defined the era’s early identity.


2. Analyze the System Output: The Richmond system was designed to create chaos and opportunity. Martin was its most devastating exploiter, but the chaos was generated by 22 players executing a frantic pressure plan. Cotchin’s ferocious tackling, the wingers’ gut-running, and the defensive swarm were all prerequisites for Dusty’s magic.


3. Load-Balance Test: Look at the 2020 premiership. Martin was sublime, but the Tigers won the flag with a battered squad, relying on incredible depth and next-man-up mentality from players like Ivan Soldo before his injury. Speaking of crucial role players, the development of backups was vital; learn more about that in our piece on /ivan-soldo-ruck-backup-development.

Problem: "The Dynasty Was Built on Defence Alone"

Symptoms: The team is remembered only for its "pressure and grind," with its offensive firepower being an afterthought. People forget they were also a breathtaking scoring machine.

Causes: The iconic image of the defensive web, led by Rance, and the "wall of yellow" is a powerful mental snapshot. The "unsociable" tag also leans into a defensive, brutal identity.

Solution:

1. Run an Offensive Scan: Look at the scoring numbers. In their premiership years, Richmond was consistently a top-four attacking side. They didn’t just strangle you; they blitzed you on the scoreboard after forcing turnovers.


2. Identify the Attack Vectors: The system was a perfect offensive-defensive loop. The pressure created turnovers in dangerous areas of the ground—often their attacking half. This led to rapid, high-percentage scoring shots. It was defence for attack.


3. Clear the Cache on 'Boring' Football: Re-watch the 2019 Grand Final. The second-quarter onslaught wasn't a grind; it was a breathtaking, explosive display of team football that smashed the game open. That was the dynasty at its most potent.

Problem: "The 2020 Flag Doesn't Count as Much Because of the Hub"

Symptoms: Using asterisks, mentioning the shortened quarters, or claiming it was a "compromised" season that diminishes the achievement.

Causes: The unique, COVID-affected season was unlike any other. For some, its abnormality creates a psychological barrier to placing it on equal footing with "normal" premierships.

Solution:

1. Accept the Environment Variables: Every team played by the same rules, in the same hubs, with the same challenges. The variables were universal.


2. Stress-Test the Result: If anything, the 2020 season was the ultimate test of a club's culture, resilience, and adaptability. To be away from home for months, to deal with unprecedented adversity, and to still peak at the right time to secure the three-peat is perhaps the dynasty's most impressive feat. It proved their greatness was mental as much as physical.


3. Verify the Competition: They still had to beat a red-hot Geelong side, stacked with talent, on the biggest day. The 2020 premiership was earned, not gifted.

Problem: "The Success Was Due to a Weak Competition"

Symptoms: Dismissing the era by saying "there were no other great teams," or "the AFL was even."

Causes: This is a classic historical revisionism tool. Over time, the dominance of one team can make the others look weaker by comparison.

Solution:

1. Audit the Opposition: The Tigers had to go through a gauntlet. They dethroned the Adelaide Crows dynasty-in-waiting in 2017, smashed the record-breaking Giants in 2019, and toppled a Geelong team featuring multiple future Hall of Famers in 2020. Their path was full of powerhouse teams.


2. Benchmark the Performance: Great teams define their eras by making very good teams look ordinary. Richmond didn't just beat opponents; they often broke their game plans and their spirit. That’s a sign of strength, not a lack of competition.


3. Cross-Reference with History: Every dynasty faces this critique. It’s a backhanded compliment. It means your team was so good, it forced everyone else to try and catch up.

Problem: "The Game Plan Wouldn't Work Today / Has Been Figured Out"

Symptoms: Claims that the competition has "evolved past" Richmond's pressure style, often after a few regular-season losses in the later Hardwick years.

Causes: All tactical systems in sport have a lifecycle. Opponents do study and adapt, and seeing Melbourne or Collingwood win with modified styles can lead to this assumption.

Solution:

1. Apply the Legacy Patch: The point isn't whether it would win today unchanged. The point is that it revolutionised the competition for half a decade. It forced every other club to recruit for pressure, speed, and defensive accountability. The modern game is built on the principles Richmond perfected.


2. Check for Updates: Hardwick and his team weren't static. The game plan evolved from 2017 to 2020, incorporating more corridor play and adjusting to rule changes. It was a living system.


3. Recognise Foundational Code: The core tenets—relentless pressure, team-first ethos, and embracing chaos—are timeless competitive advantages. While tactics shift, that foundation is what built a modern powerhouse.

Prevention Tips: Keeping the History Accurate

How do we stop these myths from spreading? Be a good custodian of the story.
Quote the Full Stats: Always contextualize individual brilliance within team performance.
Watch the Full Replay: Don't just watch the highlights. The full games show the grind, the system, and every player's role.
Celebrate the Ecosystem: Remember it wasn't just 22 players. It was recruiters, developers, the medical team, and the entire club aligned at Punt Road.

Sometimes, a myth is so stubborn it needs expert intervention. If you encounter someone who:
Insists the dynasty was "easy."
Completely dismisses the role of culture and leadership from Cotchin and Hardwick.
Uses the hub as a sole reason to discredit the 2020 flag.

...it's time to direct them to the primary sources. Send them the grand final replays, the documentaries, or the deep-dive articles. The evidence is all there, in glorious Yellow and Black.

The Richmond dynasty was a complex, beautiful, and relentless machine. Don't let simplified, faulty narratives cloud its true legacy. Now you've got the tools to fix them.