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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
It's been 4 and a quarter long, long years at Punt Road. A time period which has consisted of disappointment after disappointment. Terry's tenure as the Richmond Football Club's head coach was full of promise, enthusiasm and genuine excitement. He delivered confidentally, and promised the tortured Tigers souls that there was in fact light at the end of the tunnel. Terry and his partner-in-crime Greg Miller had a strut about them on Draft Day of 2004 and promised Tiger's fans that this draft would be the cornerstone to the an era of success. Unfortunately, with the benefit of hindsight, the heirarchy couldn't have been further from the truth. This is where it starts and ultimately ends. A culture cannot be changed unless the cobwebs are cleaned out and filled with fresh ideas and new personnel. A club instilled with a losers culture remains and we see the affects of it even today.
As a thirteen year old, at the time Terry Wallace was appointed coach, I was a keen lover of football, but did not necessarily understand the politics. I remember my dad telling me, 'Terry Wallace will be the best thing to happen to Richmond, just look what he did at the Bulldogs. They never went down without a fight'. And I remember this. They were my second favourite team, if there is such thing, because I loved the way they played their football and their inate ability to fight back from critical situations. I remember sitting on the couch, watching the Doggies with my dad and we both just said to each other, 'If only Richmond could play like this every week, regardless of the result, we'd be happy.'
These were the things I held on to when it was announced Terry Wallace would be our coach. I looked forward to every weekend, watching my team give a real good crack and showing some heart and desire to bleed for the jumper. I was wrong up until this day. I was wrong for the fact that up until today, Monday the 13th of April 2009, I have stuck by Terry Wallace and his counterparts. I have embarrased myself in football discussions, sticking up for my team, as I'm sure many of you have. But enough is enough. The rose-coloured glasses have to come off and it's time to look at things with a sense of reality.
I had the beneficiary of sitting right behind the bench on the second level this afternoon and let me say I saw things that convinced me to believe the players are either fed up or we just don't bleed for the jumper.
First thing's first. Didn't notice Mitch Morton much? Reason was he spent at least half the game on the pine biting his fingernails. Guess who came off for him every time.....Jack Riewoldt. Is it just me or do we not look so much more dangerous when Morton and Brown are feeding off Riewoldt from the packs? Of course this would have to happen if the players were instructed to kick it long inside 50.
We are our own worst enemies when we have the ball. It seems our game plan is too complicated for the players to digest. My main point is we draft these kids of of WAFL, SANFL, TAC Cup etc, where the game plan is simple. Man on man, kick long, nothing complicated. We see these kids shine at these levels when they're allowed to show their skill and run free.
My case and point is Shane Edwards. This is the same kid that had us all frothing at the mouth last year, enjoying his development. He has been 'Richmondised'. This term makes more sense every day. Shane Edwards seems to have become PRE's favourite whipping boy, and rightly so, but let me say, he'd be an absolute gun anywhere else. You just don't lose talent, and he has it in spades. Give him a wing to himself, and tell him to run, run, run. He is an elite endurance runner and you know he'll work hard. More so he is a natural footballer. Let him use his instincts and we'll see him blossom into the footballer we know he can become. We've all seen it !
Basically, I've just lost all confidence in what Terry is doing and what he is trying to achieve. If there's one thing I ask of you in your final weeks, regardless of the result, I just want to see the team given freedom. The cattle is there. I know it is.
A fresh start might be just what we need. I'm warming to the idea of Campbell. We need Richmond back in Richmond, and going by Eade's comments, Wayne always had a passion for coming back to the Tigers. Give him a two year contract, trade agressively (for picks), and draft professionally.
Please Richmond.
As a thirteen year old, at the time Terry Wallace was appointed coach, I was a keen lover of football, but did not necessarily understand the politics. I remember my dad telling me, 'Terry Wallace will be the best thing to happen to Richmond, just look what he did at the Bulldogs. They never went down without a fight'. And I remember this. They were my second favourite team, if there is such thing, because I loved the way they played their football and their inate ability to fight back from critical situations. I remember sitting on the couch, watching the Doggies with my dad and we both just said to each other, 'If only Richmond could play like this every week, regardless of the result, we'd be happy.'
These were the things I held on to when it was announced Terry Wallace would be our coach. I looked forward to every weekend, watching my team give a real good crack and showing some heart and desire to bleed for the jumper. I was wrong up until this day. I was wrong for the fact that up until today, Monday the 13th of April 2009, I have stuck by Terry Wallace and his counterparts. I have embarrased myself in football discussions, sticking up for my team, as I'm sure many of you have. But enough is enough. The rose-coloured glasses have to come off and it's time to look at things with a sense of reality.
I had the beneficiary of sitting right behind the bench on the second level this afternoon and let me say I saw things that convinced me to believe the players are either fed up or we just don't bleed for the jumper.
First thing's first. Didn't notice Mitch Morton much? Reason was he spent at least half the game on the pine biting his fingernails. Guess who came off for him every time.....Jack Riewoldt. Is it just me or do we not look so much more dangerous when Morton and Brown are feeding off Riewoldt from the packs? Of course this would have to happen if the players were instructed to kick it long inside 50.
We are our own worst enemies when we have the ball. It seems our game plan is too complicated for the players to digest. My main point is we draft these kids of of WAFL, SANFL, TAC Cup etc, where the game plan is simple. Man on man, kick long, nothing complicated. We see these kids shine at these levels when they're allowed to show their skill and run free.
My case and point is Shane Edwards. This is the same kid that had us all frothing at the mouth last year, enjoying his development. He has been 'Richmondised'. This term makes more sense every day. Shane Edwards seems to have become PRE's favourite whipping boy, and rightly so, but let me say, he'd be an absolute gun anywhere else. You just don't lose talent, and he has it in spades. Give him a wing to himself, and tell him to run, run, run. He is an elite endurance runner and you know he'll work hard. More so he is a natural footballer. Let him use his instincts and we'll see him blossom into the footballer we know he can become. We've all seen it !
Basically, I've just lost all confidence in what Terry is doing and what he is trying to achieve. If there's one thing I ask of you in your final weeks, regardless of the result, I just want to see the team given freedom. The cattle is there. I know it is.
A fresh start might be just what we need. I'm warming to the idea of Campbell. We need Richmond back in Richmond, and going by Eade's comments, Wayne always had a passion for coming back to the Tigers. Give him a two year contract, trade agressively (for picks), and draft professionally.
Please Richmond.