-
IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
Just finished watching the final minutes of the final quarter again.
For what it is worth this is my take on this season.
The first thing I will say, and I have said before, is the experienced players we have on the ground simply do not have the leadership qualities we need to allow this team to win. That is not a criticism of these players. There is no use asking them to be something they are not. People have different skills and people like Pettifer, Tivendale, Krak, *smile* (gone, no great loss) and (unfortunately) Johnson are not the players you need to be the backbone of your team. In a good side they would be ok or good players. In the inexperienced Richmond side they are way out of their depth. I actually feel quite sorry for them since they are being asked to perform a job they are not equipped to do. They certainly pay for it from the fans.
Richo is a champion, but he is flawed. He truly is someone the young players can look up to and aspire to. The example he sets is top notch. His courage, skill and determination is something to behold. But that's Richo being Richo. He can also be desperately inconsistent and can be petulant on the football field. Every single emotion that passes through him is immediately displayed in his face and in his body language. An absolute freak footballer and I wouldn't want him playing for anyone else but it all comes naturally to him. I would doubt he actually knows exactly what he is doing, he just does it. Is he a teacher? Plus he's stuck in the forward line.
Bowden, I actually don't really know how good he is leading the younger players. He seems to fade into the background a bit during a game. He plays some good footy without being flashy and gets plenty of the ball. He's won the best and fairest 2 years in a row and speaks really well. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's ok as a leader. Unfortunately he is stuck in the back line. He doesn't get up the ground very often, with only 2 goals in 10 matches.
We need a midfield general. How much do we miss Simmo, Cogs and Brown. Johnson should be that leader coming from Adelaide and a background of 2 premierships. Unfortunately he is not and I believe it is unfair to ask him to do so. The guy just doesn't have it in him, and that's not his fault, that's just the way it is. Personally I believe making him skipper was the biggest mistake TW has made and as bad for him as much as it's bad for the club. FWIW Brown would have been my choice then Bowden, but of course Brown is currently as useful as a one legged dog.
We have paid for this lack of an overall leader in practically every game this year. It is the calm, experienced head that wins you the close games and stops 157 point blowouts. I do not see a quick solution to this problem and this is why I am resigned to us losing this season and am not even contemplating the idea of a win. If we win that's a bonus but I do not rate our season this year on wins nor am I going to let losses get me down. Perhaps when we get Simmo and Brown back things will change but I'm not expecting much.
Which brings me to last night.
We played some really frustratingly bad and skill less football. Some of the turnovers and poor decisions were truly unforgivable. If I was the sort of person who was inclined to throwing things at the TV I would be at Harvey Norman buying a new one because mine would surely be broken.
However ...
When we got it right we played some of the most attractive and exciting football I have seen from a Richmond side for a long time. It's fast, direct and practically unstoppable. In fact we stop ourselves through poor decisions and skills.
It is frustrating watching the ball move so well from our back half to the forward line only to see the final kick sail over the leading forwards head, or the free man missed and completely ignored in preference to a 3 on 1 contest, or the only free opposition player hit lace out with a pin point pass. But if you can ignore the final error the lead up football was outstanding.
The over use of the football is a concern. The extra hand pass the unnecessary short kick into trouble. I see these as mistakes of a young player. Experience teaches you what works and what doesn't. It's the same as taking on the man and getting caught, the guys have to work out what works. Watching the senior players make these mistakes is very disappointing but they are what we have got and unfortunately you need some senior players in your group.
Not wanting to single anyone out but as an example; Currently it looks bloody awful when Patterson takes off to be immediately grabbed by the player standing next to him who he was never going to get away from, but he has to learn his limitations and strategies that work for him. He needs to push the boundaries. What he is doing now may well have worked for him in the lower grades. He's still very young but if he does not learn he will be cut. Not everyone is good at what they do but he needs a decent chance to prove himself since some of what he does shows a really impressive up side. This goes for many of our young boys.
I truly believe the move back to playing extra players in the back half is TW trying desperately to buy a win. Not just to give us fans something to cheer or to save his job and reputation, but to give the young kids a win and to show them what it is all about. We have players in our team who have never won a senior game. This quote from Edwards I think is quite telling -
"At recovery on Sunday morning, I was still thinking about the match. You just want to win. I’ve never won an AFL game so I’m just really curious to know how it feels."
...
"Overall it wasn’t a good weekend so I just stayed at home for the rest of the day and got an early night."
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsId=44192
How important is it for the young guys to get a taste of victory? I find those comments by Shane a bit sad really. IMO I think you may find TW rates a win quite highly for the groups development. After all who wouldn't be inspired by the sound of the Tiger faithful in full voice at the end of a win.
This season is a complete and utter disaster, don't get me wrong. But I think there are reasons for this and I honestly believe there are plenty of signs that this is only a temporary turn of events. Perhaps the relative success we "enjoyed" (9th! Who enjoys that!!) over the last couple of years has been the catalyst for this current slide. Injuries and disappointing form of senior players has really cruelled our club.
Our greatest danger is our young players losing the faith and/or learning how to lose. If they lack character we run the risk of developing a few more Brad Ottens. I despair at the thought.
I have had to content myself with getting enjoyment out of a few cameos during each game, and I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of those cameos. I have little expectation for this season so it means I do not froth at the mouth when we lose.
Roll on 2011. Keep the faith.
For what it is worth this is my take on this season.
The first thing I will say, and I have said before, is the experienced players we have on the ground simply do not have the leadership qualities we need to allow this team to win. That is not a criticism of these players. There is no use asking them to be something they are not. People have different skills and people like Pettifer, Tivendale, Krak, *smile* (gone, no great loss) and (unfortunately) Johnson are not the players you need to be the backbone of your team. In a good side they would be ok or good players. In the inexperienced Richmond side they are way out of their depth. I actually feel quite sorry for them since they are being asked to perform a job they are not equipped to do. They certainly pay for it from the fans.
Richo is a champion, but he is flawed. He truly is someone the young players can look up to and aspire to. The example he sets is top notch. His courage, skill and determination is something to behold. But that's Richo being Richo. He can also be desperately inconsistent and can be petulant on the football field. Every single emotion that passes through him is immediately displayed in his face and in his body language. An absolute freak footballer and I wouldn't want him playing for anyone else but it all comes naturally to him. I would doubt he actually knows exactly what he is doing, he just does it. Is he a teacher? Plus he's stuck in the forward line.
Bowden, I actually don't really know how good he is leading the younger players. He seems to fade into the background a bit during a game. He plays some good footy without being flashy and gets plenty of the ball. He's won the best and fairest 2 years in a row and speaks really well. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and say he's ok as a leader. Unfortunately he is stuck in the back line. He doesn't get up the ground very often, with only 2 goals in 10 matches.
We need a midfield general. How much do we miss Simmo, Cogs and Brown. Johnson should be that leader coming from Adelaide and a background of 2 premierships. Unfortunately he is not and I believe it is unfair to ask him to do so. The guy just doesn't have it in him, and that's not his fault, that's just the way it is. Personally I believe making him skipper was the biggest mistake TW has made and as bad for him as much as it's bad for the club. FWIW Brown would have been my choice then Bowden, but of course Brown is currently as useful as a one legged dog.
We have paid for this lack of an overall leader in practically every game this year. It is the calm, experienced head that wins you the close games and stops 157 point blowouts. I do not see a quick solution to this problem and this is why I am resigned to us losing this season and am not even contemplating the idea of a win. If we win that's a bonus but I do not rate our season this year on wins nor am I going to let losses get me down. Perhaps when we get Simmo and Brown back things will change but I'm not expecting much.
Which brings me to last night.
We played some really frustratingly bad and skill less football. Some of the turnovers and poor decisions were truly unforgivable. If I was the sort of person who was inclined to throwing things at the TV I would be at Harvey Norman buying a new one because mine would surely be broken.
However ...
When we got it right we played some of the most attractive and exciting football I have seen from a Richmond side for a long time. It's fast, direct and practically unstoppable. In fact we stop ourselves through poor decisions and skills.
It is frustrating watching the ball move so well from our back half to the forward line only to see the final kick sail over the leading forwards head, or the free man missed and completely ignored in preference to a 3 on 1 contest, or the only free opposition player hit lace out with a pin point pass. But if you can ignore the final error the lead up football was outstanding.
The over use of the football is a concern. The extra hand pass the unnecessary short kick into trouble. I see these as mistakes of a young player. Experience teaches you what works and what doesn't. It's the same as taking on the man and getting caught, the guys have to work out what works. Watching the senior players make these mistakes is very disappointing but they are what we have got and unfortunately you need some senior players in your group.
Not wanting to single anyone out but as an example; Currently it looks bloody awful when Patterson takes off to be immediately grabbed by the player standing next to him who he was never going to get away from, but he has to learn his limitations and strategies that work for him. He needs to push the boundaries. What he is doing now may well have worked for him in the lower grades. He's still very young but if he does not learn he will be cut. Not everyone is good at what they do but he needs a decent chance to prove himself since some of what he does shows a really impressive up side. This goes for many of our young boys.
I truly believe the move back to playing extra players in the back half is TW trying desperately to buy a win. Not just to give us fans something to cheer or to save his job and reputation, but to give the young kids a win and to show them what it is all about. We have players in our team who have never won a senior game. This quote from Edwards I think is quite telling -
"At recovery on Sunday morning, I was still thinking about the match. You just want to win. I’ve never won an AFL game so I’m just really curious to know how it feels."
...
"Overall it wasn’t a good weekend so I just stayed at home for the rest of the day and got an early night."
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsId=44192
How important is it for the young guys to get a taste of victory? I find those comments by Shane a bit sad really. IMO I think you may find TW rates a win quite highly for the groups development. After all who wouldn't be inspired by the sound of the Tiger faithful in full voice at the end of a win.
This season is a complete and utter disaster, don't get me wrong. But I think there are reasons for this and I honestly believe there are plenty of signs that this is only a temporary turn of events. Perhaps the relative success we "enjoyed" (9th! Who enjoys that!!) over the last couple of years has been the catalyst for this current slide. Injuries and disappointing form of senior players has really cruelled our club.
Our greatest danger is our young players losing the faith and/or learning how to lose. If they lack character we run the risk of developing a few more Brad Ottens. I despair at the thought.
I have had to content myself with getting enjoyment out of a few cameos during each game, and I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of those cameos. I have little expectation for this season so it means I do not froth at the mouth when we lose.
Roll on 2011. Keep the faith.