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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
Watching Geelong for the last few weeks has left most asking questions. For me, today's game from them against Westcoast answered most of those questions, and may provide advance notice to the Tigers' coming years.
Over the last 5-6 years we have seen Mark Thompson put together a bunch of 18yo runners and stick with them until maturity. The names that come to mind are Bartel, Chapman, Corey, Enright, Harley, the Johnsons, Kelly, Ling, Milburn, Mooney, Scarlett & Wojcinski.
There is also another one of those old footy golden rules that says that each player has 5 years of hard running in them. (Yes, there may be exceptions to every rule.) The question begs that since Thompson has been playing this group as the core of his side for 5-6 years, have they done their 5 years of hard running and are now, in car terms, "past the 200,000 kms mark", ie, burnt out and in need for an overhaul?
Time will tell for Geelong on this matter.
My point about the lesson for the Tiges about this is that the powers that be have chosen to go for runners first and gradually supplementing them with kpps, with an aim to hit about 2008 and beyond. The question I ask is, should we be wary of burning out our runners too early? Our boys have started running as a group since 2005, by 2009 most will have done their 5 years of hard running.
Rotation and continual recruiting of runners will be an important part of overcoming this problem.
I'm sure the Tiger hierarchy are probably aware of this, and it will be interesting to see how this area unfolds for the Tiges in the future.
Over the last 5-6 years we have seen Mark Thompson put together a bunch of 18yo runners and stick with them until maturity. The names that come to mind are Bartel, Chapman, Corey, Enright, Harley, the Johnsons, Kelly, Ling, Milburn, Mooney, Scarlett & Wojcinski.
There is also another one of those old footy golden rules that says that each player has 5 years of hard running in them. (Yes, there may be exceptions to every rule.) The question begs that since Thompson has been playing this group as the core of his side for 5-6 years, have they done their 5 years of hard running and are now, in car terms, "past the 200,000 kms mark", ie, burnt out and in need for an overhaul?
Time will tell for Geelong on this matter.
My point about the lesson for the Tiges about this is that the powers that be have chosen to go for runners first and gradually supplementing them with kpps, with an aim to hit about 2008 and beyond. The question I ask is, should we be wary of burning out our runners too early? Our boys have started running as a group since 2005, by 2009 most will have done their 5 years of hard running.
Rotation and continual recruiting of runners will be an important part of overcoming this problem.
I'm sure the Tiger hierarchy are probably aware of this, and it will be interesting to see how this area unfolds for the Tiges in the future.