Firstly, let me qualify - Geelong currently have an awesome team, fully deserved of last year's Premiership and most likely to win again this year. I almost hope they do so as to reward the mere existence of a wonderful combination of players all coming together atthe same point in history in the same guernsey. I love watching them at their best, tearing (non-Richmond) teams apart on a weekely basis.
But it's important also to realise that whilst there are some magnificent individual players at a team such as Geelong - Ablett, Chapman, Scarlett, Bartel etc. - it is the chemistry of the collective that sees them as a power. There are some footballers currently playing at Richmond who would very comfortably fit into that Cat team. And I'm not just referring to Richo, Browny, Foley or Deledio, who would all be shoe-ins - I'm talking about some players who are often maligned on this and the main board.
Exhibit A - Watching Corey Enright's game on Friday night, there is no way that Joel Bowden could not do what Enright does. At Richmond, Bowden gets criticised for playing loose across half-back and racking up uncontested run-off possessions. At Geelong, Enright who is of a similar size and asked to do a similar job, is perceived as playing a very important role. He also has the massive luxury of Scarlett, Harley and Mackie to take his back. As a consequence, Bowden is widely condemned, whilst Enright is widely commended.
Exhibit B - Anyone who does not see that Travis Varcoe is of a similar mould, just a little less developed as a senior player, as Richie Tambling is kidding themselves. But there are two key differences between these youngsters - 1) although taken as a 1st-Rounder, Varcoe wasn't picked immediately prior to Lance Franklin and therefore isn't forced to endure constant and unfair comparison, and 2) Varcoe plays in a team where he is surrounded by a combination of hardball winners and on-field magicians, allowing him to develop very gradually by just doing cameos. As a consequence, Tambling is widely condemned, whilst Varcoe is commended.
Exhibit C - There is a very small gap between what Mark Blake can produce on the footy field and what Adam Pattison can produce. Yet Pattison is often seen as a wasted pick, unskilled, cumbersome and developing too slowly, if at all. Meanwhile, Blake is a applauded for his development and has his obvious flaws ignored as he has the competition's best ball-winners at the foot of his ruck contests.
Exhibit D - I've always been a Brad Ottens fan, often at my own detriment on this board in particular. He had a wonderful year last year, comparable to his fantastic 2001 at Tigerland, and I actually had real pleasure watching him get a well-deserved Premiership medallion. But he is no better a footballer now than he was five years ago, even though being surrounded by talent has led most media commentators to suggest so. If he'd had the year he's having this year when he was at Tigerland, he'd be in the news as possible trade bait. Again, the luxury of being amongst an awesome team allows him to gradually integrate back in with minimal pressure to perform.
The moral of the story is that it's all about creating a chemistry amongst the whole TEAM, and that INDIVIDUAL players can be perceived as being better footballers courtesy of how they slot into that TEAM. There is also a larger proportion of blokes than many think currently on the Richmond list that are potential Premiership players.
But it's important also to realise that whilst there are some magnificent individual players at a team such as Geelong - Ablett, Chapman, Scarlett, Bartel etc. - it is the chemistry of the collective that sees them as a power. There are some footballers currently playing at Richmond who would very comfortably fit into that Cat team. And I'm not just referring to Richo, Browny, Foley or Deledio, who would all be shoe-ins - I'm talking about some players who are often maligned on this and the main board.
Exhibit A - Watching Corey Enright's game on Friday night, there is no way that Joel Bowden could not do what Enright does. At Richmond, Bowden gets criticised for playing loose across half-back and racking up uncontested run-off possessions. At Geelong, Enright who is of a similar size and asked to do a similar job, is perceived as playing a very important role. He also has the massive luxury of Scarlett, Harley and Mackie to take his back. As a consequence, Bowden is widely condemned, whilst Enright is widely commended.
Exhibit B - Anyone who does not see that Travis Varcoe is of a similar mould, just a little less developed as a senior player, as Richie Tambling is kidding themselves. But there are two key differences between these youngsters - 1) although taken as a 1st-Rounder, Varcoe wasn't picked immediately prior to Lance Franklin and therefore isn't forced to endure constant and unfair comparison, and 2) Varcoe plays in a team where he is surrounded by a combination of hardball winners and on-field magicians, allowing him to develop very gradually by just doing cameos. As a consequence, Tambling is widely condemned, whilst Varcoe is commended.
Exhibit C - There is a very small gap between what Mark Blake can produce on the footy field and what Adam Pattison can produce. Yet Pattison is often seen as a wasted pick, unskilled, cumbersome and developing too slowly, if at all. Meanwhile, Blake is a applauded for his development and has his obvious flaws ignored as he has the competition's best ball-winners at the foot of his ruck contests.
Exhibit D - I've always been a Brad Ottens fan, often at my own detriment on this board in particular. He had a wonderful year last year, comparable to his fantastic 2001 at Tigerland, and I actually had real pleasure watching him get a well-deserved Premiership medallion. But he is no better a footballer now than he was five years ago, even though being surrounded by talent has led most media commentators to suggest so. If he'd had the year he's having this year when he was at Tigerland, he'd be in the news as possible trade bait. Again, the luxury of being amongst an awesome team allows him to gradually integrate back in with minimal pressure to perform.
The moral of the story is that it's all about creating a chemistry amongst the whole TEAM, and that INDIVIDUAL players can be perceived as being better footballers courtesy of how they slot into that TEAM. There is also a larger proportion of blokes than many think currently on the Richmond list that are potential Premiership players.
