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PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
Last night on the Collingwood Show, McGuire went on a personal attack on the Brisbane Lions for their “physical” or “intimidating” approach to the game. He showed footage from their last 4 outings.
Ignoring the fact that half of what McGuire comes out with is just surreptitious crap in order to serve his and Scumwood’s own motives (and in this case, it was a personal whinge about a club that has used these very tactics to pound Scumwood over the last few years) it was interesting to note what Darcy, Brereton etc. had to say about Brisbane and their tactics, and to then perhaps consider where the Richmond Football Club is in relation.
Virtually everyone agreed that via Matthews, Brisbane developed themselves into a ruthless outfit that has used physical intimidation as a large part of their success. Brereton correctly noted (for once) that there has not been one premiership side in the last 20 years that has not physically intimidated their opposition. The vein of the discussion was almost suggesting that players have to sacrifice their physical well being i.e. injury and/or reputations i.e. tribunal appearances in order to implement this intimadatory style and achieve success for their team.
I’ve posted on here numerous times that the RFC has been one of the weakest clubs in the AFL with respect to their on-field physicality and ruthlessness. At the risk of upsetting the sanitised do-gooders, (who for the most part have never played a game and who think football should just be a different form of basketball), just where the hell has Richmond’s physical aggression been the last umpteen years ? It’s a key ingredient that’s been missing at Richmond and one reason why we’ve had such a long period of on field failure.
When is the Richmond Football Club going to recruit a few players who not only can play the game, but are hard nosed and spiteful individuals underneath ? Individuals who will stop at nothing to succeed. Where’s our Chris Scott’s….our Glenn Archer’s…. the blokes who will not only play with courage but will “fly the flag” or intimidate the opposition or do something to upset the apple cart and turn things back in our favour. Maybe we tried to recruit blokes like Tim Fleming to play this sort of role, but the problem with Fleming was that he could not actually play the game to save himself !!! We need some nasty, tough and physically intimidating players who can ALSO play the game. Where are they ?
Have a look at our playing list. To my way of thinking we have maybe but two players who I’d throw into this category and one is a bloody 19 year old (Hartigan) just finding his way and the other is approaching retirement and has been riddled with injury (Stafford). People have suggested Jackson might develop in this vein a bit, but I don’t see him quite fitting the mould that I’m talking about. Hard at the football yes. But not personally nasty.
These individuals that I’m talking about also tend to be vocal men who can instill a bit of motivation. In a club that’s players are so introverted and quiet, this is another reason why we need a few more of these types.
I’m happy that we’ve got a few more kids at the club who can play the game, but I also want to see a few who get great satisfaction from running through a bloke, or driving him into the ground with a rabid tackle etc. I want some players who are gonna resist the opposition’s intimidation and dish it out themselves as well. And I don’t care if they get suspended every now and then by doing so either. Its too much of an important ingredient to be worrying about the odd suspension, media commentary, etc. And if you want a successful team you’ve gotta be honest with yourself and recognise that you have to have a few of these players whether you like it or not. Ever seen a Sheedy team without a few “bullies” ???? Never.
When was the last time you saw a Richmond player crack open an opposition player ? How many times in a scuffle do the Richmond players look fearful of getting involved ?
I’m not fixated with the physical element of our game. I like to see as much skill as anything else. But this missing piece to Richmond’s on-field puzzle has existed for so long I’m tired of accepting it. Maybe Wallace can get a few players to step into this mould a bit more, but I don’t see too many players on our list capable of doing so really.
We are, and have been, the least intimidating team in the AFL by a mile, and over the next few years I want to see us address this in our recruiting.
Ignoring the fact that half of what McGuire comes out with is just surreptitious crap in order to serve his and Scumwood’s own motives (and in this case, it was a personal whinge about a club that has used these very tactics to pound Scumwood over the last few years) it was interesting to note what Darcy, Brereton etc. had to say about Brisbane and their tactics, and to then perhaps consider where the Richmond Football Club is in relation.
Virtually everyone agreed that via Matthews, Brisbane developed themselves into a ruthless outfit that has used physical intimidation as a large part of their success. Brereton correctly noted (for once) that there has not been one premiership side in the last 20 years that has not physically intimidated their opposition. The vein of the discussion was almost suggesting that players have to sacrifice their physical well being i.e. injury and/or reputations i.e. tribunal appearances in order to implement this intimadatory style and achieve success for their team.
I’ve posted on here numerous times that the RFC has been one of the weakest clubs in the AFL with respect to their on-field physicality and ruthlessness. At the risk of upsetting the sanitised do-gooders, (who for the most part have never played a game and who think football should just be a different form of basketball), just where the hell has Richmond’s physical aggression been the last umpteen years ? It’s a key ingredient that’s been missing at Richmond and one reason why we’ve had such a long period of on field failure.
When is the Richmond Football Club going to recruit a few players who not only can play the game, but are hard nosed and spiteful individuals underneath ? Individuals who will stop at nothing to succeed. Where’s our Chris Scott’s….our Glenn Archer’s…. the blokes who will not only play with courage but will “fly the flag” or intimidate the opposition or do something to upset the apple cart and turn things back in our favour. Maybe we tried to recruit blokes like Tim Fleming to play this sort of role, but the problem with Fleming was that he could not actually play the game to save himself !!! We need some nasty, tough and physically intimidating players who can ALSO play the game. Where are they ?
Have a look at our playing list. To my way of thinking we have maybe but two players who I’d throw into this category and one is a bloody 19 year old (Hartigan) just finding his way and the other is approaching retirement and has been riddled with injury (Stafford). People have suggested Jackson might develop in this vein a bit, but I don’t see him quite fitting the mould that I’m talking about. Hard at the football yes. But not personally nasty.
These individuals that I’m talking about also tend to be vocal men who can instill a bit of motivation. In a club that’s players are so introverted and quiet, this is another reason why we need a few more of these types.
I’m happy that we’ve got a few more kids at the club who can play the game, but I also want to see a few who get great satisfaction from running through a bloke, or driving him into the ground with a rabid tackle etc. I want some players who are gonna resist the opposition’s intimidation and dish it out themselves as well. And I don’t care if they get suspended every now and then by doing so either. Its too much of an important ingredient to be worrying about the odd suspension, media commentary, etc. And if you want a successful team you’ve gotta be honest with yourself and recognise that you have to have a few of these players whether you like it or not. Ever seen a Sheedy team without a few “bullies” ???? Never.
When was the last time you saw a Richmond player crack open an opposition player ? How many times in a scuffle do the Richmond players look fearful of getting involved ?
I’m not fixated with the physical element of our game. I like to see as much skill as anything else. But this missing piece to Richmond’s on-field puzzle has existed for so long I’m tired of accepting it. Maybe Wallace can get a few players to step into this mould a bit more, but I don’t see too many players on our list capable of doing so really.
We are, and have been, the least intimidating team in the AFL by a mile, and over the next few years I want to see us address this in our recruiting.