Tigers prepare for big change
23 July 2007 Herald Sun
Rebecca Williams
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace has warned his players they will be replaced if they don't improve basic skills.
In what should have been a celebration for star forward Matthew Richardson's 250th match, the Tigers suffered a 55-point humiliation at the hands of Port Adelaide.
There were few encouraging signs for the bottom-placed Tigers, who continually butchered the ball and made poor and costly decisions.
The Tigers face more pain in the next month, with Sydney, ladder-leader Geelong, the in-form Collingwood and premiers West Coast ahead.
In contrast, Port's hopes continue to rise after the win left it with a 10-6 record and in reach of the top four.
Wallace conceded more changes would be made if there wasn't improvement.
"It gets to the stage where if blokes can't improve we have got to replace them," Wallace said.
"You improve the ones that have improvement in them or, if you think you have come to the end of the road with some that can't improve, you have to replace them.
"We have just got to keep the guys up, keep their heads up and keep working on what we can do."
The Tigers were competitive in a high-scoring opening term, trailing Port by just 11 points at quarter-time.
But Wallace said poor skills and turn-overs had again cost the Tigers.
"We just couldn't maintain possession and the skill level of the opposition was far too great," Wallace said.
"They got 15 goals directly from our turnovers. That hurts in any game of footy.
"The other very clear difference between the sides, was their very best players played terrific and we didn't get the same result out of our best players."
Despite having won just one game for the season, Wallace denied the team, and he as coach, had escaped the blowtorch this season.
"It's been a very tough year for everyone," he said.
"We don't hide that we're unaccepting of where we're at.
"But we don't step away from the direction we are heading."
Richardson finished with four goals in his milestone match after a frustrating first half, but Wallace insisted his team had tried its best for the veteran.
"From an effort point of view, I didn't think there wasn't anything wrong," he said.
"I didn't think there was any lack of respect."
Wallace said he was encouraged by the performances of some young Tigers, including Jack Riewoldt, who kicked four goals.
"I thought Jack showed that he's now ready to step up and play at the level," he said.
"I thought Shane Edwards continued to show improvement.
"There were things from our younger players that were pretty reasonable, but it gets lost in the result, I suppose."
Power coach Mark Williams praised the change in his team's attitude for its turn-around in form.
"The team aspect is probably more significant than anything else," Williams said.
"All of a sudden they are not particularly interested in their own stuff. They are interested in us being winners."
But Williams said he was not yet considering a top-four finish.
"We never talk top four," he said.
"We have an ambition to make the finals and that's what we're trying to do."
Williams said captain Warren Tredrea's game was his best of the season.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22116861%255E19742,00.html
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"RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace has warned his players they will be replaced if they don't improve basic skills."
Hey Terry, you knob...
Try drafting some players with skill too !!
deliberate!!
