Rnd 1 Matchday Thread - Richmond Vs Carlton MCG 7:45pm

[MightyTiger]

I keep hearing this but players like Edwards, Tuck, Jackson, McGuane have been around for years and are clearly not up to it and continue to get games, add to the fact Richmond has brought in more players that clearly have no future like A.Maric, Miller and Grigg. No point in gettnig rid of players only to replace them with more poor players. Richmond have a great top 6 players and then it drops like a cliff face. Need a good draft next year and not just 1 good top end player, they need to get 3-4 picks dead on or they are in for a lot more pain.

I agree with some of the other players but to say Grigg isn't up to it is just silly, was one of our best tonight, plenty of touches, clean disposal and jagged a couple goals, definitely has a future and is still young so can definitely keep improving.

A Maric, first game for quite some time, inside a forward line that didn't function at all, when, lets be honest our Forward line was one of the things that did regularly function for us over the last couple years, more time is needed.

And I keep hearing how our list drops off after the first 5-10, my question is, what are people expecting from a rebuilding side? Our most experienced player in our backline was Newman at 29, our most experienced midfielder is Tuck, who lets be honest isn't the greatest of players but is decent, our most experienced forward is Miller (Who is average but does provide structure).

So when we look at it realistically we are exactly where we should be list wise as a team, a few top liners due to being at the bottom of the ladder for so long, only a couple decent mature players due to previous bad drafting, and plenty of talented young kids trying to make there way in an AFL team, we aren't exactly a Bulldogs (just an example) team littered with older experienced players who the younger kids can fall back on.

Example such as tonight, Murphy was quiet for about 2 quarters, who steps up? Simpson and Scotland, 2 older mature players.

In the forward line they have experienced players in Thornton, Waite and Betts, some quality in there.

There backline is raw and quite young but they have enough experienced and matured players to be able to take the load off the younger guys.

Richmond are exactly where we should be, middle of the road team, could make the 8, could miss the 8 who knows, but the quality of the list will get better with experience and time, some will make it, some wont.

 

[G-Mo77]

I agree with some of the other players but to say Grigg isn't up to it is just silly, was one of our best tonight, plenty of touches, clean disposal and jagged a couple goals, definitely has a future and is still young so can definitely keep improving.

A Maric, first game for quite some time, inside a forward line that didn't function at all, when, lets be honest our Forward line was one of the things that did regularly function for us over the last couple years, more time is needed.

And I keep hearing how our list drops off after the first 5-10, my question is, what are people expecting from a rebuilding side? Our most experienced player in our backline was Newman at 29, our most experienced midfielder is Tuck, who lets be honest isn't the greatest of players but is decent, our most experienced forward is Miller (Who is average but does provide structure).

So when we look at it realistically we are exactly where we should be list wise as a team, a few top liners due to being at the bottom of the ladder for so long, only a couple decent mature players due to previous bad drafting, and plenty of talented young kids trying to make there way in an AFL team, we aren't exactly a Bulldogs (just an example) team littered with older experienced players who the younger kids can fall back on.

Example such as tonight, Murphy was quiet for about 2 quarters, who steps up? Simpson and Scotland, 2 older mature players.

In the forward line they have experienced players in Thornton, Waite and Betts, some quality in there.

There backline is raw and quite young but they have enough experienced and matured players to be able to take the load off the younger guys.

Richmond are exactly where we should be, middle of the road team, could make the 8, could miss the 8 who knows, but the quality of the list will get better with experience and time, some will make it, some wont.

Great post MightyTiger.

 

[Woodson]

I thought Carlton were very average tonight. Over possessed the ball in numerous phases of play. Struggled to hit targets throughout most of the match. Good to get the win and get rid of a few cobwebs.

I swear Carlton never work on goalkicking at training. Yet again letting Richmond in the game by missing 7-8 straight forward set shots.

You didn't expect Carlton to play LIGHTS OUT did you?

You should be rapt with the result, all things considered. Blues were coasting in second gear and still showed up the overhyped circus that are no more than a one trick pony. Why do the media do this every year? Tiger supporters could do with a break from tremendous letdown year in year out.

AFL should just admit they FAILED again!!! What's wrong with having the reigning premiers open up the season???

 

[rideclutch]

Why do the media do this every year?

Because if we win, it sells papers.

And if we lose, it sells papers. Genius, really.

 

[Chief]

Tonight's live blog was put together at the last moment, in a different thread.

It was fun, and we'll refine it as we go along. All good.

 

[red+black]

Surely couldn't be suspended for that?? I was disappointed that it was anything more than a free kick.

How is everyone feeling about the incident? Anything similar we can compare to from the past few years?

I thought it was an absolutely pathetic report and the umpire should be spoken to to not be such a dick head.

 

[TheKanga]

Should never base a season of just one game - particularly the first - but man its hard not to in this case. Its like the exact same scenerio as last year. Its basically watching re-runs. Maybe Carlton are Richmonds bogey team and that improvement is actually there and will surface next week. Can only hope.

They are definitely a bogey team for them, i think there was some good signs tonight for Richmond.
The main problems is their defense is quite weak and foot skills let them down sometimes.

 

[Woodson]

Because if we win, it sells papers.

And if we lose, it sells papers. Genius, really.

Nice way to believe in propaganda.

Not a believer in anything I read (media) is gospel.
Besides much of the new age AFL media have become too opinionated
that many articles are more about 'sucking up' and giving you an angle
of a different kind of truth.

 

[Malifice]

1 defender in our backline over 50 games summed it up.

Unlike our 2 defenders with over 50:

Touhy 11
Laidler 21
Yarran 45
Henderson 50
Armfield 60
Bower 60

Henderson was playing his 50th game last night, but if you want to include him, that makes it 3.

Jamison and Duigan to come back (at the expense of Touhy and Bower).

Touhy to stay in the side at the expense of Russell.

 

[MightyTiger]

Unlike our 2 defenders with over 50:

Touhy 11
Laidler 21
Yarran 45
Henderson 50
Armfield 60
Bower 60

Henderson was playing his 50th game last night, but if you want to include him, that makes it 3.

Jamison and Duigan to come back (at the expense of Touhy and Bower).

Touhy to stay in the side at the expense of Russell.

That's an extra 2-3 pre-seasons into the legs, fitter, stronger, more adept to the game plan, more mature.

 

[Taco]

Just wanted to confirm, but Dylan Grimes is adopted right?

 

[MightyTiger]

Just wanted to confirm, but Dylan Grimes is adopted right?

If you're inferring that he isn't of the same ilk/talent of that of his brother I suggest you take it elsewhere, was the kids first game back after ripping the hammy off the bone Nick Riewoldt style.

 

[Malifice]

That's an extra 2-3 pre-seasons into the legs, fitter, stronger, more adept to the game plan, more mature.

I wouldnt exactly call our backs 'experienced' though.

Duigan and Jamison would have helped immensely.

Same game last year we had:

Player + games
Yarran 20
Duigan 0
Laidler 2
White 6
Henderson 28
Armfeild 38

As our back six.

No trolling but Richmonds defence is awful. I called it mid match, and I stand by the comments. Still too many mid sized defenders. Not enough blokes quick enough to cover the smalls, or tall enough to cover the talls.

Your forward line is coming along, and midfield is top notch (but young). Cotchin and Martin are guns.

Throw in a proper ruckman, 1-2 more quality mids and 3-4 quality defenders and youll be much better.

Also, give Vickery some of that sticky shit Jack uses on his hands pre match. He dropped around half a dozen sitters, one right when you guys were up and about kicking the last 5, directly in front and only 6 points down.

Crucial fumble.

 

[MightyTiger]

I wouldnt exactly call our backs 'experienced' though.

Duigan and Jamison would have helped immensely.

Same game last year we had:

Player + games
Yarran 20
Duigan 0
Laidler 2
White 6
Henderson 28
Armfeild 38

As our back six.

No trolling but Richmonds defence is awful. I called it mid match, and I stand by the comments. Still too many mid sized defenders. Not enough blokes quick enough to cover the smalls, or tall enough to cover the talls.

Your forward line is coming along, and midfield is top notch (but young). Cotchin and Martin are guns.

Throw in a proper ruckman, 1-2 more quality mids and 3-4 quality defenders and youll be much better.

Also, give Vickery some of that sticky shit Jack uses on his hands pre match. He dropped around half a dozen sitters, one right when you guys were up and about kicking the last 5, directly in front and only 6 points down.

Crucial fumble.

Doing this off my iPhone atm so won't be able to multiquote etc so bare with me.

Your back six last year is irrelevant because what you put out tonight is closer to what your starting back six is then last years.

Regardless of how inexperienced your back six was ours was still a lot less inexperienced, as I said though those extra 25-35 games extra is almost 2 full extra pre-seasons in the gym, getting fitter, faster, stronger and better developed and maturity, when the ball was coming in so often and so precise at times I think our young defenders did quite well.

The problem last night was that after about the second quarter our midfield/flankers simply stopped working, I pointed out on the Richmond board that I can not remember seeing either Martin or Deledio in defense at all to provide a chop out the same way Simpson, Scotland, Murphy and Carrots did for there team.

Foley, Cotchin and Grigg were the only ones who got back into defense to actually do any sort of defending.

And as for Vickery, well the guy usually has vice like hands but for some reason tonight simply couldn't take a mark to save himself.

I think Dimma said it best when he said we had only about 3 meaningful contributors on the night, we basically had 4 out of our top10 BnF play like absolutely horse shit and it showed, Riewoldt, Vickery, Martin and Deledio were absolutely crap.

Another thing that pissed me off was that none of our midfielders provided Cotchin with any sort of protection in close, the kid was absolutely getting smashed in close and when you guys switched Carrots onto him no one was blocking for him in close, credit to Cotchin though as he IMO single handedly brought us back into the game in the 3rd quarter, also credit to Carrots for his tagging job and working both ways, would love him at Richmond.

Edit: also I didn't think the final margin was truly reflective of how tight the contest was, we broke even in most statistics but just hard far to many passengers leaving the load for far to few, I think a 3-4 goal difference is about fair.

 

[GenevaBlue]

Tigers by 9 points. The sleeping giant awakens tonight.

Goodnight!!

 

[laminex]

He's right though. The first quarter it looked like you would struggle to score. Your small frowards got on top in the second quarter but you don't really have a top quality KPP forward or back. Waite is good but a better second tall than main target.

Jamison and Walker just to name 2 players who are more than just better than good. You my frined do not watch enough footy

 

[laminex]

Should never base a season of just one game - particularly the first - but man its hard not to in this case. Its like the exact same scenerio as last year. Its basically watching re-runs. Maybe Carlton are Richmonds bogey team and that improvement is actually there and will surface next week. Can only hope.

You are dead right.

 

[laminex]

You didn't expect Carlton to play LIGHTS OUT did you?

You should be rapt with the result, all things considered. Blues were coasting in second gear and still showed up the overhyped circus that are no more than a one trick pony. Why do the media do this every year? Tiger supporters could do with a break from tremendous letdown year in year out.

AFL should just admit they FAILED again!!! What's wrong with having the reigning premiers open up the season???

80k and TV was huge, fail is a word used by people who do nothing and judge others that do.

 

[elhadjihenry]

Edit: also I didn't think the final margin was truly reflective of how tight the contest was, we broke even in most statistics but just hard far to many passengers leaving the load for far to few, I think a 3-4 goal difference is about fair.

35 scoring shots to 21, didn't break even in that statistic, which is pretty important.

 

[E Shed]

And I keep hearing how our list drops off after the first 5-10, my question is, what are people expecting from a rebuilding side? Our most experienced player in our backline was Newman at 29, our most experienced midfielder is Tuck, who lets be honest isn't the greatest of players but is decent, our most experienced forward is Miller (Who is average but does provide structure).

So when we look at it realistically we are exactly where we should be list wise as a team, a few top liners due to being at the bottom of the ladder for so long, only a couple decent mature players due to previous bad drafting, and plenty of talented young kids trying to make there way in an AFL team, we aren't exactly a Bulldogs (just an example) team littered with older experienced players who the younger kids can fall back on.

This excuses your recruiters who continue to make too any mistakes. You should be much further along. In 2007 you used a second rounder on McMahon, ok it wasn't a great draft but there was still some diamonds at that pick. 2008 Vickery was a good pick but then Post with your 2nd while McKernan & Zack Clarke were still on the table as well as some decent mids. 2009 you got Martin who is awesome but took Griffiths when Fyfe, Bastinac and Aaron Black were all still there. I know hindsight has 20/20 vision but teams like Carlton and Geelong continue to pull great value from 2 & 3'rd round picks as well as rookies. I'm not saying Freo has done any better, I'm saying the draft is what separates the top teams from the bottom and Richmond have done poorly in the last 5 years where they have had many opportunities to improve their list.

 

[rideclutch]

Not a believer in anything I read (media) is gospel.

Too bad the majority of other footy fans are. Then somehow after the first game goes pretty much how we expected, we're the ones who are all delusional...

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Jamison and Walker just to name 2 players who are more than just better than good. You my frined do not watch enough footy

Actually my frined I watch quite a bit of footy, too much pobably.

Jamieson & Walker both had good seasons last year, about time for Walker. Jamieson could come on as a top grade KPP but Walker is not a KPP.

 

[High Ryder]

Can't be bothered checking to see if this has been discussed but i really feel Richmond were hard done by in pivotal moments in the last quarter by one boundary umpire in particular. That Yarran goal changed the whole course of the game in my books. Absolute disgrace that Dennis, Bruce and co just glossed over it.

 

[Fat Nyfe]

Can't be bothered checking to see if this has been discussed but i really feel Richmond were hard done by in pivotal moments in the last quarter by one boundary umpire in particular. That Yarran goal changed the whole course of the game in my books. Absolute disgrace that Dennis, Bruce and co just glossed over it.

Check the footage again. The ball wasn't completely over the line, correct decision.

 

[iluvparis]

In a game where we won by 7 goals and had 14 more scoring shots I think it is fair to say the umpires decided the game in our favour.