Tom Hislop

[kelvin_sheedy]

Has enough talent to make it AFL level.

Hard nuts like him should be given every chance to make it. His disposal is a bit iffy but not as bad as it's made out to be.

If he can get his head straight and apply himself then I reckon he'll have a pretty long career.

I have a feeling that he'll bite us on the arse.

 

[blaisee]

Good on them. Culture, morale, attitude etc is one of the most important things in a team, you dont want tools contaminating a good environment. People cant, or shouldn't be able to, do and act as they please just because they have talent

brendan fevola sends a very big hello

 

[Daytripper]

I think he could be tried as a small defender as that is really a position we lack. Also if he has absolutely no talent why would he gone that early in a superdraft? Im sure he will play in the NAB Cup and if he does well enough he will keep his spot. Also you talk about our midfield like its as good as Geelongs or something, its not. Players clearly better than him would be Deledio, Cotchin, Foley, Tuck, Cousins. The other spots are up for grabs.

Tambling, Newman, Coughlan are also better.
Polo, Connors, White, Thomson have also shown more.

Maybe he could be tried as a small defender but his best position is as a Jason Johnson type (ie hard ball gets but limited disposal).

I don't think the game these days requires a slowish defender with limited kicking skills.

If you named a best 18 at Punt Rd with 12 interchange, Hislop would not be on the bench.

 

[JDC!]

Maybe Hislop can play as a nullifying medium defender with the occasional run on the ball. He will never be a champion at AFL level but hopefully he can become a servicable player for Richmond.

I rate Adam Thomson more as a player.

 

[RECORDS!]

Just like Collard, eh?

Richmond drafted Hislop as a category two player with a guaranteed two year contract.

And possibly more money than he deserves.

It will count in their cap if they delist Hislop after one year.

A smarter club would have drafted Hislop in the PSD and given him a one year contract to prove himself.

The only thing I can remember about Hislop at senior level is looking off the pace and lost like Russell when he debuted.

I'd put Hislop in the same boat as another former top 20 pick in Pfeiffer for talent, hardness, skill and attitude.

Tigers fans should know draft position means jack after Tambling and Foley came into the AFL via different drafts.

I think the smart club was only allowed 1 pick in the pre season draft and knew other clubs were circling in the National Draft. I think the smart club took one Ben Cousins with their pick in the pre season draft.

I think the not so smart club took a battling, greedy little midfielder from the wooden spooners with an inflated opinion of his own ability.

 

[Daytripper]

Pre Cousins the drafting of Hislop and Thomsen wasn't a bad idea.
Post Cousins it seems to me anyway that its a waste of time.

Don't get me wrong. I think Richmond now have an awesome midfield with fantastic depth and they will be a very good side in 2009/2010.

However with the GC and West Sydney draft concessions coming up the waste of two draft picks in 2008 could really hurt them in 2011,2012, 2013 which is why I think that Craig Cameron was a bit against the Cousins pick.

 

[RECORDS!]

Pre Cousins the drafting of Hislop and Thomsen wasn't a bad idea.
Post Cousins it seems to me anyway that its a waste of time.

Don't get me wrong. I think Richmond now have an awesome midfield with fantastic depth and they will be a very good side in 2009/2010.

However with the GC and West Sydney draft concessions coming up the waste of two draft picks in 2008 could really hurt them in 2011,2012, 2013 which is why I think that Craig Cameron was a bit against the Cousins pick.

How old are Hislop and Thomsen again? I think you are over reacting a bit.

 

[Daytripper]

How old are Hislop and Thomsen again? I think you are over reacting a bit.

If it was the old days where clubs gave players 4 or 5 years then fine.

But these days, if you haven't solidified yourself in 2 years at a club then its usually a case of being sent packing.

With Richmonds current midfield do you see Hislop and Thomsen playing an integral part in 2009 and 2010 ?

 

[zaharakamania]

not because they couldn't give him away as many clubs would have taken him but the price being asked was to high i think they wanted a top 10 draft pick for him. What a bunch of hypocrits

garbage

but i like that you have created a new word

 

[The Cotch]

Pre Cousins the drafting of Hislop and Thomsen wasn't a bad idea.
Post Cousins it seems to me anyway that its a waste of time.

Don't get me wrong. I think Richmond now have an awesome midfield with fantastic depth and they will be a very good side in 2009/2010.

However with the GC and West Sydney draft concessions coming up the waste of two draft picks in 2008 could really hurt them in 2011,2012, 2013 which is why I think that Craig Cameron was a bit against the Cousins pick.

Well since 32 of our 45 players on our list are under 23 I dont think it will be that dramatic. I actually think it works the other way, with our abundance of midfielders now, we might be able to trade a couple away to the GC for early draft picks, to shore up our talent for the next 15 years.

Same goes with our 7 or 8 key position defenders we have.

 

[Daytripper]

How old are Hislop and Thomsen again? I think you are over reacting a bit.

Just further, most clubs have to get rid of 4-5 players each year. In Richmonds case it might go :

2009 : Bowden (retired), JON
2010 : Cousins, Richo, Simmonds ?

Hislop and Thomsen would be prime candidates for the other 5/6 positions given what they have shown now and the players that are already rated above them.

 

[RECORDS!]

If it was the old days where clubs gave players 4 or 5 years then fine.

But these days, if you haven't solidified yourself in 2 years at a club then its usually a case of being sent packing.

With Richmonds current midfield do you see Hislop and Thomsen playing an integral part in 2009 and 2010 ?

That is crap - 2 years is nothing. Buddy was still in and out of the 2's in his second year. Look at Sydney, they are almost like the Hawks model in the 80's.

And if Cogs did not come back, and Tucky got injured, and cousins relapsed, then yes those 2 would become very integral. Plus we are screaming out for a small defensive defender.

 

[The Cotch]

Just further, most clubs have to get rid of 4-5 players each year. In Richmonds case it might go :

2009 : Bowden (retired), JON
2010 : Cousins, Richo, Simmonds ?

Hislop and Thomsen would be prime candidates for the other 5/6 positions given what they have shown now and the players that are already rated above them.

LOL, what are you trying to say? That depth is a bad thing?

 

[Daytripper]

That is crap - 2 years is nothing. Buddy was still in and out of the 2's in his second year. Look at Sydney, they are almost like the Hawks model in the 80's.

And if Cogs did not come back, and Tucky got injured, and cousins relapsed, then yes those 2 would become very integral. Plus we are screaming out for a small defensive defender.

1. Franklin always had obvious ability.
2. It will be Thomsen and Hislops 3rd and 4th year at AFL level. Not their 1st and 2nd.

Mate, would you want Jason Johnson or Brett Ratten playing back pocket trying to mind an Aaron/Alwyn Davey or Eddie Betts type. The game has evolved. There is no room for that sort of player with limited foot skills and pace in the backline.

 

[Daytripper]

LOL, what are you trying to say? That depth is a bad thing?

Its great. Look I'm not bagging Richmond. As I said, I think they are going to be avery good side for the next couple of years.

My opinion is however that the drafting of Hislop and Thomsen will cost them in 2011->2014 as they won't be on the list and essentially they wasted two good draft picks.

But if you win a flag in the next two years then it will all be worth it.
If you don't though........

 

[Deledio2Conca]

Just like Collard, eh?

Two totally different sets of circumstances.

 

[__aria__]

would have been fairly frustrating for essendons coaching staff when most of the injuries keeping him from playing football were from bar fights

 

[bomberstomake8]

Its great. Look I'm not bagging Richmond. As I said, I think they are going to be avery good side for the next couple of years.

My opinion is however that the drafting of Hislop and Thomsen will cost them in 2011->2014 as they won't be on the list and essentially they wasted two good draft picks.

But if you win a flag in the next two years then it will all be worth it.
If you don't though........

i have to say i disagree with you there.

but first people bagging essendon for delisting hislop are ridiculous, he had many chances to prove himself but got himself in way too many incidents, and these arent like lovetts missing a few training sessions, these involve street fights with weapons of which he started (never officially stated of course)

anyone who has read my previous posts knows how highly i rate hislop, his courage agression and never say die attitude are the exact qualities of what an inside midfeilder should posess, his lack of speed and poor disposal has been blown way out of proportion, he has pretty good speed especially considering the other best inside mids in mitchell etc arent really quick. and his disposal is still pretty good without being fantastic.

unfortunately for tom he may not get too many chances with a heap of other mids drafted by the tigers this draft. in the end the tigers picked up hislop with what pick 50 something? most likely if that pick was used on another youngster they wouldnt have lasted more then 2 or 3 years in the system anyway i dont think it will be a huge issue.

i tell you what though i hope when essendon play the tigers that a hislop vs reimers fight starts. would be great to watch

 

[bomberstomake8]

Two totally different sets of circumstances.

care to enlighten us on how they were completely different?
pretty similar to me really

 

[Ealesy]

Hmmm why do people think that being delisted is going to me anymore of a wake up call for Hislop than the wake up calls he was getting from Essendon while he was there.

I mean in the last year he was suspended for the entire pre-season comp due to off field issues, further off field issues and poor attitude throughout the rest of the season, the belief he was owed a game, a serious incident at the B&F and him only being offered a 1 year deal by the club.

If not of that was a wake up call, how is a delisting, followed by being picked up in the ND going to be a wake up call. Hell he wasn't even made to sweat it out to the PSD or Rookie draft.

I saw an article after he was picked up by Richmond, where while he admitted that he had attitude problems while at Essendon he still tried to avoid blame or responsibility for his actions.

And while he is a hard at the ball, he goes equally hard at the man and this has lead him to be rubbed out by the VFL tribunal on approximately 3-4 times.

Given all of this I can't say I find it strange that we delisted him, I find it strange people think the delisting is going to be some sudden wake up call for him.

 

[larson]

Tambling, Newman, Coughlan are also better.
Polo, Connors, White, Thomson have also shown more.

Maybe he could be tried as a small defender but his best position is as a Jason Johnson type (ie hard ball gets but limited disposal).

I don't think the game these days requires a slowish defender with limited kicking skills.

If you named a best 18 at Punt Rd with 12 interchange, Hislop would not be on the bench.

You really do dislike Hislop don't you?
I think it was a a bad move by us, I have no doubt he is good enough to make it

 

[slugger]

Someone at training at Coffs Harbour this morning said that Paul Hamilton said "he was warned and warned and warned and warned" and then went and got in a fight after the B&F.

I must admit I'm not sure where he'll fit in at Richmond. He doesn't seem to fill a void particularly with Thomson, Coughlan and now Cousins on board.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

FFS he's only 20 yo , plenty of time for him to mature and get his head straight. 2 years for a top 20 pick in strong draft is just not enough time.
He's got into a few fights, big deal!!! That means we would have sacked nearly half of our squad in the 80s.

This holier than thou bullshit has gone too far imo. Good luck to the kid.

As for the Tigers living to regret the decision in a few years, it's a no 50+ pick, no great risk there. Picking up Hislop made way more sense than picking up Cousins.

 

[GoDons]

The kid can play a bit. He's definitely got ability. Takes on the inside contest with great gusto, is good overhead and surprisingly quick although his kicking needs work.

However, it came to a point where there were serious problems with his attitude and, if he's ever going to have an AFL career, they are going to take some serious reversing. This isn't merely a case of sitting him down and telling him what's acceptable and what's not and what the consequences are. It's been clearly apparent that Tom's got his own agenda.

At Essendon, he crossed lines time and time again and had to be suspended by the club twice last season. What was worse was that in contract negotiations he refused to acknowledge these inidents as issues and refused to accept the club's reduced one year deal due to such incidents. It then appeared that the club and Tom where going to reach an agreement and there was yet another serious incident.

I hope it all comes together for Tom at Richmond, and I wish him nothing but success, but I certainly hope they don't buy a few positive words in a press conference as an indication that his indiscretions are behind him.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Terry Wallace seems to be spending a lot of time addressing the midfield when I thought Richmond's midfield was actually pretty strong. Sure, you need more players these days to rotate through the middle, but...

Cotchin
Foley
Johnson
Deledio
Tuck

... is a pretty good starting five. Add the likes of...

Tambling
Coughlan
Polo
Connors
White

... makes for some decent depth. I'm not including JON in that because he's rubbish and should be delisted.

So going after Cousins makes sense, and Adam Thomson I can see as he's talented and didn't get a fair go at Port, but Hislop is starting to stretch it. He's not good enough as far as I can see that you'd take the gamble on someone with an obvious attitude problem.

It's not a criticism of the club per se, but I would have thought midfield was not the area that needs the most attention at Richmond, and yet that seems to be where the attention is directed.