Positives from Scraggers Game R5 2008

[Harry]

Foleys, Whites and Kings run and carry and take em on attitude. This type of play sparks energy into the team and other players get a lift out of it.

Brown slowly finding his pre injury form. He is a class above and so assured with ball in hands.

Morton is deadly and only needs a handful of opportunities to score numerous goals.

Our backline is gelling quite well with Thursfield, Schulz, Moore, King, McMahon and McGuane. The transformation of Schulz is particularly impressive. There were signs that CHB was his position a few years ago but Terry did not see them.

Newman into the middle is adding an extra dimension and an extra big body which will enable us to drop Tuck (who is struggling IMO) and blood in Cotchin and Connors into the midfield mix. We still need more class in there and hope we don't bring back Jackson, Raines, Tivendale and Howat.

Riewoldt's best game. He commanded the forward line at times in the absence of Richo.

Richo. The man is a beast.

Tamblings continued improvement.

Deledios game. I thought it was one of his best.

But the biggest positive of all, and the main reason we've improved over the past 2 weeks is our chasing and tackling. This aspect cannot be underestimated and WE MUST KEEP IT UP EVERY WEEK. Players like White and King have set the pace in this area and others have followed.

 

[TOT70]

Foleys, Whites and Kings run and carry and take em on attitude. This type of play sparks energy into the team and other players get a lift out of it.

Brown slowly finding his pre injury form. He is a class above and so assured with ball in hands.

Morton is deadly and only needs a handful of opportunities to score numerous goals.

Our backline is gelling quite well with Thursfield, Schulz, Moore, King, McMahon and McGuane. The transformation of Schulz is particularly impressive. There were signs that CHB was his position a few years ago but Terry did not see them.

Newman into the middle is adding an extra dimension and an extra big body which will enable us to drop Tuck (who is struggling IMO) and blood in Cotchin and Connors into the midfield mix. We still need more class in there and hope we don't bring back Jackson, Raines, Tivendale and Howat.

Riewoldt's best game. He commanded the forward line at times in the absence of Richo.

Richo. The man is a beast.

Tamblings continued improvement.

Deledios game. I thought it was one of his best.

But the biggest positive of all, and the main reason we've improved over the past 2 weeks is our chasing and tackling. This aspect cannot be underestimated and WE MUST KEEP IT UP EVERY WEEK. Players like White and King have set the pace in this area and others have followed.

Excellent assessment, Harry. I would add only two things: the first is the sudden increase in player depth. There are genuine replacements in the wings, both experienced and young, this will stand the club in good stead over the season. The other thing that I have been very impressed with since this season started is the consistent form that is being displayed by many players. We now know what we will get from the likes of Foley, Pattison, Thursfield, Deledio, Tambling, Moore and Schulz. The days of playing well for a short while and going missing for weeks appear to be over for many of the younger players.

By my reckoning, the team has been uncompetitive for about three quarters so far this season. The second quarter against Carlton was terrible, the opening 40 minutes against NM was worse and the period from 15 minutes into the first to about 20 in the second against Collingwood was old-time Richmond and the most insipid they have played all year. The bulldogs game was a full-on, competitive arm-wrestle between two even teams, both had their chances and both were reined in by the other playing very good footy. A few other clubs will be noting this.

This is a very good start to the season. The next three games are against the big boys and this will tell the tale. Can they rise to the challenge and squeeze out a win?

 

[Dyer'ere]

Yeah I reckon Harry's pretty much on the money, to, TOT.

But he got one way wrong.

Newman into the middle is adding an extra dimension and an extra big body which will enable us to drop Tuck (who is struggling IMO)

Surely you can't be serious about replacing Tuck in the middle with the clanger king can you?

Newman's kicking was a real problem again yesterday. Five years of kicking it backwards hasn't helped his career.

Should have been dragged when yet again he refused to send it in and switched to Moore in the second. Or fourth. ? ;D

 

[Scoop]

What about Troy Simmonds? Did very well on Hudson. Ran him around and had a Hudson like 5 clearances. His best game to date. Hopefully he can give us a bit more and become a part of the elite group of ruckman.

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

What about Troy Simmonds? Did very well on Hudson. Ran him around and had a Hudson like 5 clearances. His best game to date. Hopefully he can give us a bit more and become a part of the elite group of ruckman.

A return to 06 form. I can’t make up my mind with Simmons whether we have a ‘best of the rest’ ruckman (i.e. best ruckman not called Lade or Cox) which is what the stats say we do. Or whether we are suffering a lot in the clearances by having shorter ruckman and Simmo is just drawing even by being better around the ground and when the ball hits the ground in the centre square.

Right now our ruck division is, at worst, mid level in the AFL, which is much better than most of us expected. So it’s a big plus and partially explains why this team is playing like the 06 Tigers and not the 07 ones.

 

[Tigerfan]

What about Troy Simmonds? Did very well on Hudson. Ran him around and had a Hudson like 5 clearances. His best game to date. Hopefully he can give us a bit more and become a part of the elite group of ruckman.

we don't have much when he's not rucking though

trade season must net us another ruck, unless CaRTLEDGE is good enough

 

[Dyer'ere]

What about Troy Simmonds? Did very well on Hudson. Ran him around and had a Hudson like 5 clearances. His best game to date. Hopefully he can give us a bit more and become a part of the elite group of ruckman.

Yeah I thought he was one of our best, SCOOP. Made a few blues at big moments but he missed a chunk of last year, is 30yo, couldn't do full preseason and is still cleaning out the cobwebs.

And a couple of the frees he gave away were laying down the law to much bigger opponents. And I thought he beat Hudson.

He's one we've had who is a footballer. These days, luckily, he has some mates.

 

[TOT70]

Yeah I reckon Harry's pretty much on the money, to, TOT.

But he got one way wrong.

Newman into the middle is adding an extra dimension and an extra big body which will enable us to drop Tuck (who is struggling IMO)

Surely you can't be serious about replacing Tuck in the middle with the clanger king can you?

Newman's kicking was a real problem again yesterday. Five years of kicking it backwards hasn't helped his career.

Should have been dragged when yet again he refused to send it in and switched to Moore in the second. Or fourth. ? ;D

Yeah, I missed that comment about Tuck. He did a good shutdown job on Cooney, except for the runaway goal from Minson's little off-the-ground kick. Tuck is still a first choice midfielder, despite his lack of pace. I like what Newman is bringing to the midfield mix, he should have been playing there at least three years ago. He missed two fairly easy ones yesterday though. For someone with exquisite kicking, he just doesn't get enough goals.

As for the sideways kick, that was an obvious mistake at the time. The ONLY player that we have who inevitably makes the right choice when approaching inside 50 is Brown. Newman is better than most though. Sanchez has been a revelation but he is better at spotting up the player who will attempt the inside 50 than he is at finding the man who gets the goal-kicking practice. Tambling is improving, as is Deledio but both still have brain fades, as you would expect from guys with under 100 AFL games.

All said and done, playing both Brown and Newman around the wings is our best chance of success.

They tell me Cotchin is good at it. Let's hope they're right.

 

[Harry]

Yeah I reckon Harry's pretty much on the money, to, TOT.

But he got one way wrong.

Newman into the middle is adding an extra dimension and an extra big body which will enable us to drop Tuck (who is struggling IMO)

Surely you can't be serious about replacing Tuck in the middle with the clanger king can you?

Newman's kicking was a real problem again yesterday. Five years of kicking it backwards hasn't helped his career.

Should have been dragged when yet again he refused to send it in and switched to Moore in the second. Or fourth. ? ;D

I'd take Newman over Tuck in the middle, or anywhere on the ground. Tuck's decision making and ball use is average. A tagger also needs to be able to use the ball. The best taggers in the league are great ball users - Sewell, Rawlings, Ling, K.Cornes.

Sure It wasn't Newmans best game yesterday, but Tuck hasn't played a good game all year. Raines is gone, Jackson is gone, Johnson will soon be gone and hopefully Tuck will follow. This is all good for the RFC. We need more class in the middle because when our intensity drops (which it will, coz you can't sustain such high levels) then you need class to get you over the line.

People defend Tuck coz he's hard at it. Who says Connors, Cotchin, Collins won't be hard at it? They, however have that added extra called skill, which Tuck hasn't. Need to get better, we are still a long way off.

 

[Tigers2011]

Simmonds was back to his best, which is AFL ruck elite. However we need a 200cm+ ruck that can both support him and take on the opposition giants when they have one.

As posted elsewhere, Pattison may have to be traded to help get what we need in this area unless Putt or Graham can fill this role.

Main positive is the progress of the younger players.
- White looked like a genuine second rover at times yesterday.
- King looks like an elite back pocket (can't wait to see him play on that little **** Milne in a couple of weeks).
- Edwards will be fantastic - great kicking skills. Just needs to develop his body which could expose him against powerhouses like Geelong etc.
- Riewoldt may be a little slow - but he knows how to play (an underated quality in modern football).
- Thursfield - continues to try to take on his opponent rather than defend from behind.

It's no coincidence that the side is playing better after some of the more senior players have been dropped.More decisive impacts must be had by all the senior players to take us even further this season.

 

[Scoop]

Yeah I thought he was one of our best, SCOOP. Made a few blues at big moments but he missed a chunk of last year, is 30yo, couldn't do full preseason and is still cleaning out the cobwebs.

And a couple of the frees he gave away were laying down the law to much bigger opponents. And I thought he beat Hudson.

He's one we've had who is a footballer. These days, luckily, he has some mates.

Correct, I do not mind free kicks when Troy drops the hammer. At least he is trying to preform the lost art of ruckwork. Jumping into the body. He has got better at crashing into the upper body of the ruckman. The thing is har has no problem in jumping into the Ben Hudson's of the world but he needs to start rag dolling Nathan Eagletons of the world. Fight the dragons but don't forget about stepping on the rabbits.

At certain times Hudson and Minson ragged doll Pattison. We lost a lot of drive every time Troy went off the ball.

We need another big contact ruckman.

 

[an_oxford_man]

Unfortunately he did - and got dragged for it. Early 3rd quarter from memory. Ball was on the ground...he made a half hearted attempt at it coz he saw 2 Dogs coming the other way.

RE:Bling's chronic contest shirking.

Cheers, Redders. Still a distinct improvement.

 

[Tigers of Old]

I'd take Newman over Tuck in the middle, or anywhere on the ground. Tuck's decision making and ball use is average. A tagger also needs to be able to use the ball. The best taggers in the league are great ball users - Sewell, Rawlings, Ling, K.Cornes.

Sure It wasn't Newmans best game yesterday, but Tuck hasn't played a good game all year. Raines is gone, Jackson is gone, Johnson will soon be gone and hopefully Tuck will follow. This is all good for the RFC. We need more class in the middle because when our intensity drops (which it will, coz you can't sustain such high levels) then you need class to get you over the line.

People defend Tuck coz he's hard at it. Who says Connors, Cotchin, Collins won't be hard at it? They, however have that added extra called skill, which Tuck hasn't. Need to get better, we are still a long way off.

Great post Harry. Tuck's position is tenuous at best.

 

[BladeTiger]

- Watching Foley, Deledio and Tambling combine a few times in the middle. Boy is the future something to wait for.
- We finally have someone resembling a CHB
- We have the best wingman in the League
- I no longer need to cringe when the ball goes into our backline
- Jake King is beautiful to watch coasting out of defence (special mention to his disgust at being beaten by Aka in a marking contest) >
- We no longer have to flood the backline and play "ugly" football
- The Tiger cubs have been unleashed - about time!
- The Bulldogs are nothing special - we have their number
- We still have Cogs waiting in the wings if he can regain match fitness
- Witnessing a Richmond side play with passion and pride for the jumper
- Players and coach visibly hurting at the draw - revenge next year will be very sweet
- There is finally some light at the end of the tunnel