Clearing out the forward line

[Spirit of Jack]

Richmond has 3 major issues in regards to Fwd play in my opinion and they are 3 very obvious deficiencies.

OK here goes!

1 - Players in midfield too slow to move ball on and hold it for too long with indecision impinging on  Fwds ability to read play!!

2 - Fwds all lead at wrong times and especially too early!!

3 - Fwds lead to wrong places as a result of poor reading of the play, midfield being too slow and mistimed leads thus ending up 60 meteres from goal or in the pockets on the boundary line ie (richo regularly finds himself out there as a combination of all 3 issues.. it is in my mind as simple as that.


No assasination no knife throwing just a simple observation. :angel:

I have played all my footy at Full Back and these issues make for a Full Backs delight.

Agreed

Our midfield kicking is still poor, a trait that has plagued us for 20 years.

We have not had a player that leads well since Michael Roach. I suppose Jeff Hogg was OK. Richo to his credit has improved his leading to the ball, but he has never been a natural.

It makes me cry to see other teams forwards lead to space and be hit on the chest by the midfield time after time VS our ongoing debacle.

People should not underate Williams - his ability to lead & mark as a small forward is exceptional. Lids may have the ability but it would be a waste of his talent. No one else has the ability - except Nathan Brown who is similar to Williams.

 

[evo]

Did anyone notice how many times Richo went to ground yesterday in a contest?
He reminded me of David Cloke playing for Port Melbourne.

This is another example of how the AFL are poorly developing our game.The rules are encouraging forwars to stage for free kicks-'oh he bump me in the back,oh he touched my arm- best I go to ground with a hand raised appealingly in the air''

Why should forwards go hard at a marking contest when they've come to realise staging will get you better results.

 

[Inspector]

Skills are ok when we move ball quickly when we stuff around with it & think to much is where we fall away need to get it & run 1st option football use our pace that's what we have drafted Newman, Deledio, Meyer, Tambling, White, Rodan, Oakley-Nichols, Hartigan, Casserley, Roach etc

 

[Mac]

There haven't been too many teams win Grand Finals with a Williams type player as their main goal scorer (where did Hawthorn finish last year again?)

Also, for whatever my opinion is worth (bugger all probably), I think someone with Richo's raw talent, height, strength and athletisism when he was a young buck would have gone very early in the draft regardless. His name probably only helped in the direction of the pick.

 

[keepa lids onit]

this is an opinion ive had for many a year about our forward line. i was hoping that with the arrival of TW and his footy knowledge and innovative style that this may be about to change, and it has slightly but overall i still see the same problem. for years it seems as though the team has been playing for richo. the majority of our forward forrays over the years seem to be directed in richo's area. now not bagging richo or his ability, but this was quite obvious and hence why teams would double and triple team him. they knew that most times the ball was directed in his area, many time just bombed high in his direction. in this day and age you need more than one avenue to goal. a small leading forward ala NG Brown can and does work wonders! after years of the "kick it to richo" game plan, it will take time to adjust the players mindsets. but hopefullly they are on the way of achieving this. heres hoping we see more of lids, bling, brown, maybe even pettifer and jackson? playing as leading FF, with richo providing space and taking opponents away and outta the 50.

also just a word on williams, he had 50 odd goals halfway through last year and was on target to get close to, if not hit the ton. not bad for a bloke playing for the hawks and some people saying is over-rated.

 

[pahoffm]

Richmond has 3 major issues in regards to Fwd play in my opinion and they are 3 very obvious deficiencies.

OK here goes!

1 - Players in midfield too slow to move ball on and hold it for too long with indecision impinging on  Fwds ability to read play!!

2 - Fwds all lead at wrong times and especially too early!!

3 - Fwds lead to wrong places as a result of poor reading of the play, midfield being too slow and mistimed leads thus ending up 60 meteres from goal or in the pockets on the boundary line ie (richo regularly finds himself out there as a combination of all 3 issues.. it is in my mind as simple as that.


No assasination no knife throwing just a simple observation. :angel:

I have played all my footy at Full Back and these issues make for a Full Backs delight.

Agreed

Our midfield kicking is still poor, a trait that has plagued us for 20 years.

We have not had a player that leads well since Michael Roach.  I suppose Jeff Hogg was OK.  Richo to his credit has improved his leading to the ball, but he has never been a natural. 

It makes me cry to see other teams forwards lead to space and be hit on the chest by the midfield time after time VS our ongoing debacle. 

People should not underate Williams - his ability to lead & mark as a small forward is exceptional.  Lids may have the ability but it would be a waste of his talent.  No one else has the ability - except Nathan Brown who is similar to Williams.

Doesn't help when you're using your best draft picks exclusively on midfielders.

 

[CrouchinTiger]

I think the forward line was cleared out well and truly at one point during the game against the dawks........not a player in sight!.....

This game certainly is changing due to the pace and other factors,  I wouldn't be suprised to see fewer players on the ground over the coming years, 36 to 32 players. This would surely bring back contested marks,less flooding.

As for the forward line.......its early days. 8)