PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum

I thought after some heated but good debate's on most things Richmond lately, we could have a thread where everyone states where they stand and their thoughts on what it will take in their opinion to make us a Premiership Team. Time to pledge allegiance to Terry Wallace or Gary March, or both. A bit of fun and really we all will have different opinions, but the Love of the Tiger is what it is all about.


Now before the cynics get on and state all they want is success, they have no allegiances or thoughts other than seeing Richmond Successful, well derrr! ;D This thread may not be for you.

I think it will be great to see what expertise and thoughts poster's have, makes for some great reading.

So let it begin! (Rosy if this is not the place for this thread please move it)

I will start;

I am heavily in favor of keeping Gary March and Steven Wright at the club. This is my strongest stance and one that I will not be wavered from. I believe the club off the field is on the right track - mind you no where near our limit of capabilities - but after the latest years a great effort has been done.

I think Football side of things have improved since the dreaded Frawley years, but, I am a firm believer that it is time for a new coach because I think Terry Wallace has taken us as far as he can. I strongly don't have faith in Terry Wallace's beliefs on what wins Premierships, and I think there is too much focus on our head coach by his own intentions. The Craig Cameron era is too soon since it's inception to form a firm grasp on whether it is good or bad, but what I will say is the structure of our football department is now looking a lot better than the way it was.

Previously it was Greg Miller running the show, with Terry Wallace his off sider. We had the whole football department in the hands of two men. Now we can see a structure being formed. Craig Cameron as the Chief of Football Operations, a List Manager coming, a Head Coach being just that a head coach, a Football Manager in Paul Armstrong, a Development Co-ordinator in Craig McCrae and a Recruiting Manager in Francis Jackson. It is starting to take shape.

I think improvement still needs to be made.

On the playing list, I think we have our best squad in years, but that is not saying much. We still lack my main two area's that make a squad elite. Structure and Toughness.

To me we lack players that have the mental and physical toughness to win finals matches and be able to claim a Premiership. We also lack players with mental toughness hence our lack of Leaders at the club. One thing I have learnt is it takes more than one leader and a couple of assistants to have good leaders at a club. A strong team has leaders on every line, and different types of leaders in the dressing room. They are able to rally the troops when times are tough, and keep a lid on it when things are good.

Structure for me is the single biggest problem this coaching era has contributed to. A coach who does not believe that Ruckman, Inside Midfielders and Key Position players are important can have no complaints then when the ultimate success has eluded him.

I have heard on several occasions that the Richmond Players are one of the most quiet teams in the league, have heard numerous reports that the dressing room needs to be livened up. That again comes down to recruiting the right person as well as player. This has to change. Start recruiting guys with a bit of personality and a bit of mental toughness. Jack Riewoldt was a good start. I think Francis Jackson actually stated that to me, so let's hope he adheres to it.

So where I stand is I don't think this current team has what it takes to win the ultimate prize, I do think finals can be achieved with a good injury run like this season, but I can't and will not settle for that. I do think changes in the coaching department need to be made. I am a fan of someone like Damien Hardwick as senior coach, having tasted success with Essendon and Port as a player, with Port and Hawthorn as coach, and himself a tough, hard player that never shirked a contest. An apprenticeship under Sheedy, Williams and Clarkson. He knows the values that makes a team win Premierships.

Off the field other than Sponsorship, i think things are running smoothly. I think more of an effort needs to be made by the Richmond Hierarchy to include Richmond fans around the club more. I think it is too separate at the moment, Richmond Staff vs Richmond Supporters. I think more concern in this area will increase membership figures. At the end of the day though, not much more can be done unless on field performances improve. As most people will know, I am a firm believer to the equation;

WIN = $$$$$ = POWER.

Simple but to me, it works, especially for a club like ours with a solid base to start from.

I see the club on the verge of a great era. A bit like Hawthorn in 2004, we need to change it up and improve what we have.

Anyway, that's where I stand, and before people ask, yes I have plenty of time on my hands, I have a broken foot and decided to take 3 weeks annual leave as I have 7 weeks built up anyway. So I sit here with my laptop watching TV and logged on to PRE. ;D