By Dwayne Russell
July 20 2003
When a bald man buys a miracle cure, there comes a time when through the promises and the excuses, he just wants to see some hair.
Looking at Richmond on Friday night, it was difficult to see any growth. Line it up with Collingwood, and it could be argued the Tigers are fast losing what little they have.
Coaches Danny Frawley and Michael Malthouse took over their respective clubs at the same time, after the 1999 season. Under Malthouse, Collingwood has gone from a wooden spoon to a genuine premiership threat.
Ironically, Frawley was Collingwood reserves coach in 1999, and was allowed to go to Richmond because Collingwood preferred Malthouse. Under Frawley the Tigers have gone from 12th into the finals, and back down to 14th.
The official line from the Richmond rooms to explain Friday night's annihilation - the club's eighth successive loss - was injuries. Former captain, now club runner Dale Weightman, said: "I reckon you explain it with the fact you lose probably your better players all at once, and we've lost our captain and our vice-captain and quality players all through the year."
Captain Wayne Campbell said: "We were inexperienced and we had a few good players out." Frawley offered: "You've got to be mindful of the fact that Rodan, Coughlan and Newman; the average age of our midfield tonight was 20."
But with Frawley's words, the injury and inexperience excuse wore thin because David Rodan, Mark Coughlan, Chris Newman, and throw in the young Aaron Fiora, were not the problem. They were among Richmond's better players.
The Tigers were outplayed, out-thought, out-skilled, out-worked, out-tackled, out-passioned, out-coached and they have been out-recruited.
The one inexperienced player who was blown away was Tim Fleming by the brilliant Nathan Buckley. Fleming need not be embarrassed. That match-up was Frawley's decision.
Matthew Richardson needs space, and yet three Tigers took their Collingwood opponents and crowded around Richardson in the goal square.
Three different Richmond players with acres and time, ran and took bounces from half-back but then unforgivably kicked long without looking, to a lone Collingwood defender waiting back, who, like the rest of us, obviously saw Richmond's whiteboard game-plan photo in the newspaper.
Injury is the most easily accepted, best-selling, skin-deep excuse available. The Tigers would look more attractive with Campbell, Ray Hall, Darren Gaspar, Kane Johnson and the retiring Leon Cameron on their thinning team sheet.
But it is far from a remedy for what Weightman accidentally admitted was the deeper Richmond problem that has the club pulling its hair out. "The coaches, training, they've been pretty good, everything's been done pretty well during the week, but get to game day and it just falls apart."
July 20 2003
When a bald man buys a miracle cure, there comes a time when through the promises and the excuses, he just wants to see some hair.
Looking at Richmond on Friday night, it was difficult to see any growth. Line it up with Collingwood, and it could be argued the Tigers are fast losing what little they have.
Coaches Danny Frawley and Michael Malthouse took over their respective clubs at the same time, after the 1999 season. Under Malthouse, Collingwood has gone from a wooden spoon to a genuine premiership threat.
Ironically, Frawley was Collingwood reserves coach in 1999, and was allowed to go to Richmond because Collingwood preferred Malthouse. Under Frawley the Tigers have gone from 12th into the finals, and back down to 14th.
The official line from the Richmond rooms to explain Friday night's annihilation - the club's eighth successive loss - was injuries. Former captain, now club runner Dale Weightman, said: "I reckon you explain it with the fact you lose probably your better players all at once, and we've lost our captain and our vice-captain and quality players all through the year."
Captain Wayne Campbell said: "We were inexperienced and we had a few good players out." Frawley offered: "You've got to be mindful of the fact that Rodan, Coughlan and Newman; the average age of our midfield tonight was 20."
But with Frawley's words, the injury and inexperience excuse wore thin because David Rodan, Mark Coughlan, Chris Newman, and throw in the young Aaron Fiora, were not the problem. They were among Richmond's better players.
The Tigers were outplayed, out-thought, out-skilled, out-worked, out-tackled, out-passioned, out-coached and they have been out-recruited.
The one inexperienced player who was blown away was Tim Fleming by the brilliant Nathan Buckley. Fleming need not be embarrassed. That match-up was Frawley's decision.
Matthew Richardson needs space, and yet three Tigers took their Collingwood opponents and crowded around Richardson in the goal square.
Three different Richmond players with acres and time, ran and took bounces from half-back but then unforgivably kicked long without looking, to a lone Collingwood defender waiting back, who, like the rest of us, obviously saw Richmond's whiteboard game-plan photo in the newspaper.
Injury is the most easily accepted, best-selling, skin-deep excuse available. The Tigers would look more attractive with Campbell, Ray Hall, Darren Gaspar, Kane Johnson and the retiring Leon Cameron on their thinning team sheet.
But it is far from a remedy for what Weightman accidentally admitted was the deeper Richmond problem that has the club pulling its hair out. "The coaches, training, they've been pretty good, everything's been done pretty well during the week, but get to game day and it just falls apart."
