As League heavyweights gathered at AFL House on Thursday to discuss proposals for financial equalisation measures, Richardson said clubs with modest football budgets could certainly improve but a flag would elude them.
Richardson, who has coached at five clubs including wealthy trio Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon, as well as Port Adelaide and now the Saints, says the Power's rise last year showed inroads can be made despite spending restraints.
But, until there is a more level playing field, Richardson believes there will be several clubs that will struggle to win Grand Finals.
"Clearly the correlation between ultimately winning [a premiership] and spend is fairly significant," Richardson said on Thursday in Frankston.
"There's no hiding from that.
"The reality is, in my time at Port Adelaide last year – not a big spending club – you can certainly be thereabouts.
"I don't subscribe to the fact if you don't have the spend you're going to finish on the bottom of the ladder and I don't think anyone is saying that.
"But, in terms of ultimately winning and being able to make sure you've got everything covered to give yourself the best chance possible when it is you've got really talented players because the draft allows you to do that, then I think you do need to get it as even as possible."
Thursday's meeting of the equalisation sub-committee - which includes Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold and AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick, among others - is attempting to finalise a plan to present to clubs next week.
The League is looking to introduce methods that basically involve taking money from rich clubs and reallocating it to others who are not as strong.
Mooted options include a tax on football department spending above a certain leve, or even a tax on overall revenue.
Richardson said whatever was decided and presented to the clubs at next week's AGM in Adelaide, the adoption of equalisation measures would produce a positive "any given Sunday" outcome for the competition.
"I think everyone within the industry wants to make sure that the fans can go along each season and have the hope that their team performs well on any given week and then ultimately win a premiership," he said.
"You only have to look at the USA sports versus the EPL and there's only two or three teams that can win it in the EPL.
"Our game is built on every club having an opportunity to win.
"If it is that equalisation ensures that happens, I think that's a real positive."
Richardson agreed with McGuire in regards to the importance of clubs being in a position to pay 100 per cent of the salary cap.
"To be honest, I haven't given that too much thought other than to say that I think clubs need to be able to spend and retain and build a list to give themselves an opportunity to win," he said.
"I would think being able to spend the 100 per cent allows you to do that.
"In principle, I think every club needs to be able to do that."
Twitter: @AFL_JenPhelan
