Small forward crisis | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Small forward crisis

Jul 26, 2004
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Used to be our strength but right now it's a weakness.
How can the ball be i50 that much with two of the best contested marks in the game & yet our small forwards barely fired a shot on a day that should have suited?
No goals between any of them & barely any tackles i50?

Needs addressing fast..
 
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AngryAnt

Tiger Legend
Nov 25, 2004
27,168
15,039
Castagne stank it up too, killed every play he was involved in. But at least he got involved.
 
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Total Tiger

Tiger Champion
Apr 13, 2009
4,365
551
Used to be our strength but right now it's a weakness.
How can the ball be i50 that much with two of the best contested marks in the game & yet our small forwards barely fired a shot on a day that should have suited?
No goals between any of them & barely any tackles i50?

Needs addressing fast..

Problem is we might have let the wrong one go
 
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seven

Super Tiger
Apr 20, 2004
26,481
12,479
we had small forwards falling out of our pants not long ago.
Can’t find a good one now
 
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RaoulJuke

Tiger Rookie
Sep 17, 2016
183
208
Rioli is definitely the weakest link - has to go & wake up.

I would try something a bit different & bring in Markov & put more responsibility on Aarts, Bolton & Castagna to provide the pressure
 
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Mantikorr

Tiger Superstar
Apr 26, 2006
1,018
1,163
Rioli is definitely the weakest link - has to go & wake up.

I would try something a bit different & bring in Markov & put more responsibility on Aarts, Bolton & Castagna to provide the pressure
I like the Markov idea. Would give us something different down there. Could be our Jaidyn Stephenson type forward
 
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mrposhman

Tiger Legend
Oct 6, 2013
18,123
21,825
Yeah Markov has the speed and tackling, but is more medium sized so provides another potentially marking option forward too. Rioli shouldn't be playing next week, perfect game for him and was useless.
 

crackertiger

Swan street 2017
Jan 4, 2003
3,244
509
melbourne
In my view they are playing "system" a little too much. No attacking dangerous play at the feet of the talls. Something NQR might be a coaching issue. It seemed as though Rioli would not leave his opponent.
 
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Ridley

Tiger Legend
Jul 21, 2003
17,829
15,590
Reckon Higgins is a bit of an issue as well. For a small player he seems a bit slow and really struggles to apply pressure. It should be part of his A game but it’s not.
 
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Smoking Aces

Batten Down The Hatches
Sep 21, 2007
20,925
18,729
Reckon Higgins is a bit of an issue as well. For a small player he seems a bit slow and really struggles to apply pressure. It should be part of his A game but it’s not.
He ain’t a small forward. He is your old school rover. Should always be played that way.
 
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Ridley

Tiger Legend
Jul 21, 2003
17,829
15,590
He ain’t a small forward. He is your old school rover. Should always be played that way.
Yeah maybe. But he spends a lot of time in the forward line. Needs to apply more pressure when he’s there. As I said he seems a bit slow for a player of that stature.
 
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Smoking Aces

Batten Down The Hatches
Sep 21, 2007
20,925
18,729
Yeah maybe. But he spends a lot of time in the forward line. Needs to apply more pressure when he’s there. As I said he seems a bit slow for a player of that stature.
Problem for Hggins is he plays tall when going forward. His marking overhead is quite good. But as you say at ground level his leg speed can be an issue.
 
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BillyJean17

Tiger Champion
Jul 27, 2009
4,144
2,289
melbourne
Yep I’ve been a fan of dan but he was awful , zero tackles will most certainly have him dropped. I’ve had a long held belief that small forwards generally have a short footy life cycle , few go on to distinguished careers , agree that Higgo is more a rover than small forward and is undoubtedly pulling his weight . Bolton showed some great traits for a mid , pity he faded after an outstanding first half. Looks a lot like Freo Walters in full flight
I’d consider Markov also
 
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King Kong

Tiger Legend
Aug 26, 2016
6,127
5,321
Rioli is definitely the weakest link - has to go & wake up.

I would try something a bit different & bring in Markov & put more responsibility on Aarts, Bolton & Castagna to provide the pressure

id take Rioli over Cantstandya any day of the week.