If you think Richmond will slide, where will it come from?

[lids2004roar]

It's amazing how underrated Richmond are.

It's obvious the football world's opinions are rather unified when it comes to the once mighty Tigers. The roar is weak, the talent is never enough, and a wooden spoon seems favourable to offset their appetite.

How will this popular belief of Richmond sliding take place?

As a team that won 11 games in 2006 they need to become a team that is 8 games worse than the team we fielded last year.

New players include a fully fit Nathan Brown.

Okay, so far we have only improved the team by a massive amount.

Next we have Graham Polak. The subect of much debate when first traded for, a majority of Tiger fans are very happy we have him now. If he doesn't be a great player this year then he will at least free up Joel Bowden and will force Ray Hall out of the team.

Again, that is a large improvement on last year.

In defence we need a solid quality player with leadership. Lucky for us, Chris Newman is back. His leg break was a very "clean" one and he was running 6 months ago now unlike Nathan Brown's "messy" break. He will put a lot more steadiness and drive into the backline. Probably our next captain btw.


Now apart from big name inclusions improving our team by a good margin, we have a lot of young talent who are rippening as we speak. It is only natural for a team full of talented youngsters to produce several players who have "break out years" and take major leaps forward. This time last year Dean Polo was a no-name. Only took him 1 game to show he'll be a star.

Deledio, Tambling, Polo, Hughes, Meyer, JON, Schulz, Thursfield, Pattison, Howat, Raines and Foley will all be better players than last year.

Let's say hypothetically only Tambling and Deledio of that group really step up and the rest remain exactly the same. Does that make us better or worse than we were last year? We'd have one of the better midfields in the comp instead of the worst.

FWIW, Deledio is on fire, he got 30 possessions last week. Tambling was BOG. Jay Schulz is showing the same potential he showed when he kicked 6 goals on Mal Michael who was then in his prime.


The recruitment of Kent Kingsley has drawn some of you to the conclusion that he will single handedly drag us down the ladder. This is both unrealistic and stupid. Appreciate that he will make our team's depth better than it was last year to cover even more injuries (we had a terrible year last year injury wise). It was either him, or a speculative 18yo who wouldn't do a quarter of what Kingsley will. 20 goals from him would even be a nice little side bonus with Richo, Brown, Schulz, Pettifer, Deledio etc racking up goals.


Another little stat - last year Richmond received the LEAST amount of free kicks in the competition.

In a year with terrible injury problems to key players combined with being the worst treated team by the umpires and still managed 11 wins. We have thrown in several big name players and the natural improvement from our kids are solid indications of an improvement in 2007.

Where will our slide from 11 wins come from? How can we be a worse football team by 8 wins this year?

 

[emperor]

Oh dear. *retreats to underground bunker*

 

[_RT_]

Like the attitude Benny but I feel this will get ugly fairly quickly. Be prepared to back up what you have said cause the attacks are bound to come thick and fast.

 

[Barrabus]

Another little stat - last year Richmond received the LEAST amount of free kicks in the competition.

This doesn't necessarily equate to bad treatment from the umps, maybe it means Richmond doesn't put enough pressure on teams to make them give away frees.

 

[Phil McCreviss]

LMAO. I will be the first to have a crack.

Actually no, Im just going to grab some popcorn and enjoy the show. Should be very entertaining.

P.S mate its one thing to have optimism about your clubs season but this post sounds as desperate as Monica Lewinsky

 

[Wrenny]

Ur A Tool

I know everyone is thinking it

 

[Grimreepah]

Where will our slide from 11 wins come from?

What is Richmond's best 22?

Who do you think Richmond are better than?

 

[Croat tiger]

This doesn't necessarily equate to bad treatment from the umps, maybe it means Richmond doesn't put enough pressure on teams to make them give away frees.

I agree with that,we had few pummelings last year where we didn't do much but jog around the ground.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

A distinct lack of key position players is Richmond's main weakness. Topping up with rejects like Kinglsley and Polak (for whom you paid WAY over the odds) will not solve anything.

Couglan's out for the year and your ruck division is struggling with injury. Richo Gaspar and Brown are near the end of their careers. Hall is an out and out hack.

Shultz is one exciting young tall along with Pattison but the cupboard's a bit bare after that. Buddy Frankllin would be more than handy at Richmond right now.

Your young midfielders and defenders look ok, even good, although you've lost Coughlan.

You'll go backwards this year - not a long way, but a spot or two.

 

[Croat tiger]

A distinct lack of key position players is Richmond's main weakness. Topping up with rejects like Kinglsley and Polak (for whom you paid WAY over the odds) will not solve anything.

Couglan's out for the year and your ruck division is struggling with injury. Richo Gaspar and Brown are near the end of their careers. Hall is an out and out hack and Holland is a plodder.

Shultz is one exciting young tall along with Pattison but the cupboard's a bit bare after that. Buddy Frankllin would be more than handy at Richmond right now.

Your young midfielders and defenders look ok, even good, although you've lost Coughlan.

You'll go backwards this year - not a long way, but a spot or two.

 

[Hawkamania!]

I think Richmond will crack the eight this year. They have improved the last two years, so unless something drastic happens, the improvement will continue.

 

[HBF]

I agree with TFT (for once! )

Richmond have really focused on making themselves a quick team, and have really "forgotten" about getting some talented KPP's into the club.

Gaspar is on his last legs, and this is likely to be his last year.
The Bowdens, whilst providing plenty of run, really lack a defensive side to their game, and can get found out too easily.

And then there is Richo, brilliant one minute, terrible the next. Is in his 30's now and his agility will soon leave him, and he will drop off pretty quickly if you ask me.

Schulz and Hall are battlers, but not players you could really build a team around.

Polak, well, the jury is still out on him. A bit unstable, but a move East might just prove the making of him.

Don't think Richmond will finish last, but don't think they'll play finals either.

 

[HBF]

I think Richmond will crack the eight this year. They have improved the last two years, so unless something drastic happens, the improvement will continue.

Who do you think that Richmond will replace in the 8 out of last years finalists?

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Proofreading would have been smart. I picked up the the error but did not correct it!!!! DOH.

 

[hulld]

you realize that kingsley and polak each played vfl and wafl football last year. there is a reason that was the case. they can't cut it at afl level.

brown still isn't training fully and he will never be the same player he was. this is unfortunate as he was a joy to watch

a scary thing for richmond supporters would be seeing how easy richo did his hammy. to do that damage so early in the season is a worry

Deledio - hopefully wallace actually plays him in the midfield for once
Tambling - when are you tigers going t realize he is no better than krakouer Polo - a handy tagger, but that's about it
Hughes - won't play too many games this year as kingsley and polak would have gone ahead of him.
Meyer - very much overated, just doesn't seem to do anything special
JON - you and every other richmond supporter knows he is a hack
Schulz - that one game against brisbane is his only claim to fame, with richo in the side he won't get the ball kicked to him
Thursfield - still a long way off playing afl football after his knee op.
Pattison - struggles against the big fellows and should be tried as a KPP before chucking him in the ruck
Howat - i am a fan of howat and he will be a great player for the tigers
Raines - can't see them moving him out of defence
Foley - a good in and under player. a bit too much like k.john and tucky for my liking

should i keep going?????

 

[lakersman]

Richmond Are a Terrible club always have been always will be

 

[Croat tiger]

Richmond Are a Terrible club always have been always will be

At least we have won 5 flags since 1965,how many have your mob won since then?.

 

[lakersman]

At least we have won 5 flags since 1965,how many have your mob won?.

what does the prove mate thats all in the past....

 

[Croat tiger]

what does the prove mate thats all in the past....

42 years since your last flag must be depressing as hell that's what it proves.

 

[Hawkamania!]

Who do you think that Richmond will replace in the 8 out of last years finalists?

Collingwood looks the most shakey of last year's eight. If West Coast continue to have problems in their midfield, they can kiss the year goodbye and possibly drop out of the eight as well.

Before anyone flames me, the reasoning for Collingwood is that their forwards will suffer without Tarrant (he was lousy at kicking goals, but stretched opposition's defences) and less playing time for Buckley.

The WC midfield of Judd, Cousins, Kerr and Fletcher is one of the best we have seen. At the moment, Judd is the only stable one onfield and that will impact on the Eagles ability to cover for their backs and forwards.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

At least we have won 5 flags since 1965,how many have your mob won since then?.

About the same as you have won since 1980. Stop living off what Tommy Hafey did for you, thats old news.

 

[lakersman]

42 years since your last flag must be depressing as hell that's what it proves.

nah where happy as larry mate made the finals last year did our best. No injuries to start the year off where just crusining buddy not a worry in the world.

 

[Croat tiger]

nah where happy as larry mate made the finals last year did our best. No injuries to start the year off where just crusining buddy not a worry in the world.

Yeah sure kid it's a pity you've never seen your players raise the cup in your lifetime,good luck for the season anyway.

 

[_RT_]

A distinct lack of key position players is Richmond's main weakness. Topping up with rejects like Kinglsley and Polak (for whom you paid WAY over the odds) will not solve anything.

Couglan's out for the year and your ruck division is struggling with injury. Richo Gaspar and Brown are near the end of their careers. Hall is an out and out hack.

Shultz is one exciting young tall along with Pattison but the cupboard's a bit bare after that. Buddy Frankllin would be more than handy at Richmond right now.

Your young midfielders and defenders look ok, even good, although you've lost Coughlan.

You'll go backwards this year - not a long way, but a spot or two.

Timmy would you mind explaining how we paid way over the odds for Polak? In effect we gave up a 3rd Round pick for a 21-22 year old KP with 70+ games experience and was also a Top 5 pick in the last super draft.

Also in regard to the young KPP we have Hughes has played barely a handful of games, Riewoldt is yet to debut, Thursfield looked good against Saint Nick before getting hurt, McGuane is another kid who looks to have improved on last year where he played to games and both times we were flogged by 15 odd goals or more, bit hard to judge a kid when the side is getting belted like that.

Using your logic I suppose I can write off Reid, Brown & Dawes all talls that the Pies picked up last draft and because they have not shown anything they must be poor choices. At least let the younger KPP's at the Tigers play a year or 2 before you write them off completely.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Using your logic I suppose I can write off Reid, Brown & Dawes all talls that the Pies picked up last draft and because they have not shown anything they must be poor choices. At least let the younger KPP's at the Tigers play a year or 2 before you write them off completely.

I'm not writing them off, I'm talking about this season, and imo none of your younger tall players are ready to make a genuine contribution this year.
Similarly Reid Brown and Dawes will not get us into the top 8 in 2007. They are longer term prospects that have no bearing on this season. If they do well this year we will consider it a bonus.