I think we all appreciate that the club is "once again" going through a transitional phase. One generation moves on, another comes in. It's a natural cycle. What concerns me is that if the club allows the Natural Richmond Cycle to continue that "once again" the new generation will inherit the psychological scars of the old generation.
Others may not agree but I have been saying this for over 15 years - the club just cannot develop players that are mentally strong. I have no hesitation in saying that the current group of senior players are probably the most fragile group of AFL footballers to ever be assembled at our club. Only just beating the peak of the Knights, Daffy, Campbell, Hogg, era......
Truly, sometimes late in games, when we need blokes to be strong between the ears you can just see the pressure on their faces building. They just cannot handle it. It is like watching a train wreck. You know it’s going to happen but can’t stop it! We have become a bunch of rabbits - put the spot light on us and we will stand still and await our inevitable fate!!
I will challenge anybody to name players from the current senior group who you would say not only apply their skills consistently well under pressure but actually push themselves further in those situations.
I do however believe that we have FINALLY got some really “football wise” kids at the club but my biggest concern is that they are learning their craft in an environment where it has become common place to simply go into your shell when the going gets tough. We need blokes who will thrive in these situations!
Johnson, Bowden, Richo, Brown…… all great players on their day and all have a role to play as long as their bodies stand up. But please, please, please let’s not let the cancer spread any further!
I think we should all demand that club identify somebody coming through who has the mental abilities and take a page out of the West Cost (Woosha), North Melbourne (Carey) or Brisbane (Voss) book and regardless of age just appoint them the leader of the club for next season. If the bloke happens to be the best player on the list then great, if not it doesn’t matter. We simply need blokes who will NOT run away from the challenge when it presents itself.
Sick and tired of the same old, same old!!
Others may not agree but I have been saying this for over 15 years - the club just cannot develop players that are mentally strong. I have no hesitation in saying that the current group of senior players are probably the most fragile group of AFL footballers to ever be assembled at our club. Only just beating the peak of the Knights, Daffy, Campbell, Hogg, era......
Truly, sometimes late in games, when we need blokes to be strong between the ears you can just see the pressure on their faces building. They just cannot handle it. It is like watching a train wreck. You know it’s going to happen but can’t stop it! We have become a bunch of rabbits - put the spot light on us and we will stand still and await our inevitable fate!!
I will challenge anybody to name players from the current senior group who you would say not only apply their skills consistently well under pressure but actually push themselves further in those situations.
I do however believe that we have FINALLY got some really “football wise” kids at the club but my biggest concern is that they are learning their craft in an environment where it has become common place to simply go into your shell when the going gets tough. We need blokes who will thrive in these situations!
Johnson, Bowden, Richo, Brown…… all great players on their day and all have a role to play as long as their bodies stand up. But please, please, please let’s not let the cancer spread any further!
I think we should all demand that club identify somebody coming through who has the mental abilities and take a page out of the West Cost (Woosha), North Melbourne (Carey) or Brisbane (Voss) book and regardless of age just appoint them the leader of the club for next season. If the bloke happens to be the best player on the list then great, if not it doesn’t matter. We simply need blokes who will NOT run away from the challenge when it presents itself.
Sick and tired of the same old, same old!!
