List Mgmt. “It’s a form of tanking” the Richmond rebuild

[Strapping Young Lad]

It’s probably just me, but it’s quite amazing watching media types spur on Richmond to trade out as many senior players as possible to grab a bunch of kids after finishing last in 2024 with just 2 wins, considering that when Hawthorn traded out just the 2 senior players tanking allegations were leveled at the club for a good 8 months after trade week.

Richmond are quite likely looking at being as uncompetitive a team as we’ve seen in the last 15 years with the amount of experience headed out the door, and will be clear favourites for the 2025 wooden spoon.

After how many 15 goal beltings will the media flip on Richmond, compare their formline to Fitzroy’s last few years of heavy defeats and start using the “it’s a form of tanking” lines?

 

[Rich01]

Probably all the media.
They work on a can’t lose policy.
Suggest clubs to run a certain path. Criticise them if they don’t, or if they do.

The fact that Baker and Graham were offered considerable long term contracts to stay, and Rioli and Bolton were on plump long term deals but decided to jump ship, will be totally forgotten and be all the clubs fault come mid season.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Probably all the media.
They work on a can’t lose policy.
Suggest clubs to run a certain path. Criticise them if they don’t, or if they do.

The fact that Baker and Graham were offered considerable long term contracts to stay, and Rioli and Bolton were on plump long term deals but decided to jump ship, will be totally forgotten and be all the clubs fault come mid season.

David King advocating that Tigers should trade Lynch, because apparently if you don’t you’re “half pregnant in your rebuild”.

 

[LordLucifer]

It’s probably just me, but it’s quite amazing watching media types spur on Richmond to trade out as many senior players as possible to grab a bunch of kids after finishing last in 2024 with just 2 wins, considering that when Hawthorn traded out just the 2 senior players tanking allegations were leveled at the club for a good 8 months after trade week.

Richmond are quite likely looking at being as uncompetitive a team as we’ve seen in the last 15 years with the amount of experience headed out the door, and will be clear favourites for the 2025 wooden spoon.

After how many 15 goal beltings will the media flip on Richmond, compare their formline to Fitzroy’s last few years of heavy defeats and start using the “it’s a form of tanking” lines?

They are using the rules to their advantage, nothing more, nothing less.

Until such time as the AFL tightens up the rules (not sure how) then clubs can do as they see fit.

 

[LordLucifer]

David King advocating that Tigers should trade Lynch, because apparently if you don’t you’re “half pregnant in your rebuild”.

Yeah ... and ??

Because this draft pool is mooted to be a really strong one, the Tigers are using it to make a rebound as quickly as possible.

Whilst it will annoy me to see them assemble another strong list (through my Carlton eyes) it is actually smart planning.

Why should a club go into a rebuild via the stock standard mundane route that takes longer when they have the chance to accelerate the panel-beating all at the one time ??

I'm truly struggling to understand why this is an issue.

 

[powerrrrrrrrrrrr]

I think it’s going to fail with a North like fallout coming.

You still need some good senior bodies around to support all these young guys. It’s all well and good having a handful of top picks, however first you need them to all come on well and develop but then they need support around them.

They’re cutting too deep IMO alongside all their retirements. In for a world of pain for a few years.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

It was idiotic when they suggested we were, and it would be almost as idiotic to suggest it with Richmond. With Tassie coming in, they’d be mad not to try and expedite their rebuild.

Damien Barrett is that dumb that I’m surprised he can walk and breathe at the same time.

 

[Rich01]

I think it’s going to fail with a North like fallout coming.

You still need some good senior bodies around to support all these young guys. It’s all well and good having a handful of top picks, however first you need them to all come on well and develop but then they need support around them.

They’re cutting too deep IMO alongside all their retirements. In for a world of pain for a few years.

Yep, my concern is the lack of strong leaders on and off the track.

With Cotchin, Riewoldt and Grimes gone it leaves a massive void.

Graham is one that sets standard and is a strong voice internally and will hurt.

Baker, Rioli and Bolton will all hurt on the field, but none are strong drivers of culture and leadership within the club.

Will need to bring some retreads in to help with this is think.

 

[adock]

It’s probably just me, but it’s quite amazing watching media types spur on Richmond to trade out as many senior players as possible to grab a bunch of kids after finishing last in 2024 with just 2 wins, considering that when Hawthorn traded out just the 2 senior players tanking allegations were leveled at the club for a good 8 months after trade week.

Richmond are quite likely looking at being as uncompetitive a team as we’ve seen in the last 15 years with the amount of experience headed out the door, and will be clear favourites for the 2025 wooden spoon.

After how many 15 goal beltings will the media flip on Richmond, compare their formline to Fitzroy’s last few years of heavy defeats and start using the “it’s a form of tanking” lines?

Its a unique situation right now though. An alleged super draft this year plus the Tasmanian shadow hanging over the draft in the near future. Now is the time to go. It might work it might not but i think everyone can see the process behind their decisions where it hasn't always been so clear with some other clubs.

 

[Deadly Darcy]

I think it’s going to fail with a North like fallout coming.

You still need some good senior bodies around to support all these young guys. It’s all well and good having a handful of top picks, however first you need them to all come on well and develop but then they need support around them.

They’re cutting too deep IMO alongside all their retirements. In for a world of pain for a few years.

Got to see Taranto, Hopper and Vlaustin step up into real leadership roles. Could see Vlaustin as a future captain of his body holds up.

 

[jj1978]

They've won 3 recent premierships, Tassie about to raid the draft/trading in a couple of years. With a touted strong draft this year and next get as many decent kids as possible. Main thing is to keep or acquire some decent experience to help get the kids up to level.

Their main concern in my view is are their coaches up to it.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

David King advocating that Tigers should trade Lynch, because apparently if you don’t you’re “half pregnant in your rebuild”.

Worked for the Hawks. Look things a unique situation with Tassie coming in

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Good to see most posters here can see what is going on.

Some of the issues were caused by Richmond's policy of almost always taking the best available player at the draft rather than trying to fill key areas of the gorund. So we have ended up with a lot of our talent skewed into less key areas of the ground and less talent in the midfield and key forward areas.

Fortunately some of the best available like Bolton and D Rioli and Baker turn out to have good trade value, which will allow the club to now seek quality players in key areas at the draft.

It is not certain Richmond will go backwards from our 2024 results just because we are losing some of our better performers. There are a truckload of 2024 injured players who can possibly/probablyadd to the team's performance in 2025. Lynch, Ross, M Rioli, Gibcus, Hopper, Bauer, Clarke, Smith, Lefau, Young, Brown, Taranto, Balta, Trezise all to a grater or lesser extent were restricted by injuries in one way or another. It would be reasonable to expect improved availability in 2025.

Then it is the second year of a new coaching regime. And likely some exciting young talent about to enter the team. there will be other teams who have their own unforseen struggles in 2025. I doubt we are in the finals picture, but I doubt we repeat anything like 2024, even despite losing 4 prime aged players.