The Tigers 2007 - the facts and an attempt at some answers

[RemoteTiger]

Twelve Facts
We are a poor performing football team because -
1. Our Ball Skills are not up to AFL Standard
2. Our Senior Players do not lead by example
3. Some senior players go into their shell and play non-attacking football once the opposition applies pressure
4. We have a lack of mid-twenties year olds in the players list
5. Our young players are too light and therefore cannot make tackles stick nor break tackles
6. Our Mid-field capitulates when put under pressure
7. Our Half Forward Line cannot apply defensive pressure (to hold the ball in the forward fifty)
8. Our Backline will not take the game on and run the ball out of defense
9. Our Wingmen and half forwards will not create/provide options for our backman out of defense
10. We lack a strong 'take the game by the throat' CHF
11. We lack a strong 'hit 'em hard take no prisoners' CHB
12. Our Football Department has promised a lot and delivered little (100 points a game, competitive, good recruiting & player list management etc. etc.)

Answers
1. Our Ball Skills are not up to AFL Standard
Get more skills into the players that are our future - if this means they do not have a break at the end of the season and do light skills work then do it - employ further skills coaches - just get the skills into them on a one to one basis
2. Our Senior Players do not lead by example
Simple - sack or only use those weaker senior players to fill gaps when we get injuries - we must have senior players that show a bit of ticker and direction
3. Some senior players go into their shell and play non-attacking football once the opposition applies pressure
Simple - they just have to go - they have had long enough - thank them and tell them 'hears ya hat whats ya hurry and don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out'
4. We have a lack of mid-twenties year olds in the players list
We either wait for our young'uns to have birthdays and mature or we recruit 'rejects' from other clubs to fill this hole
5. Our young players are too light and therefore cannot make tackles stick nor break tackles
Get them all into a proper gym - get them another 1 or 2 fitness coaches to work with them morning noon and night
6. Our Mid-field capitulates when put under pressure
Flankers never make midfielders like KPP players never really make ruckman - recruit properly and use the current midfield as tier 2 and 3 midfielders
7. Our Half Forward Line cannot apply defensive pressure (to hold the ball in the forward fifty)
Take them all down to the Melbourne Storm training session and teach them how to tackle - how to nail an opposition player legally and hurt him so he is looking for you next time the ball comes near
8. Our Backline will not take the game on and run the ball out of defense
When they do this the whole team clicks up a gear - but when the midfield capitulates and the backline gets wave after wave of pressure we play 'pass the hankerchief' football which gives the opposition time to construct their defense
9. Our Wingmen and half forwards will not create/provide options for our backman out of defense
Teach the lazy flash in and flash out types to run and run and run all day - recruit midfielders to play on the flanks rather than flankers to play in the midfield
10. We lack a strong 'take the game by the throat' CHF
I have lost count of the number of games (and Grand Finals) I have seen won by a strong CHF - he straightens the team up he commands respect and he controls the corridor into the forward line
11. We lack a strong 'hit 'em hard take no prisoners' CHB
To shut a team down control the midfield and also the corridor into their forward line - a strong CHF provides not only a first line of defense but a great rebound back into our own forward line
12. Our Football Department has promised a lot and delivered little (100 points a game, competitive, good recruiting & player list management etc. etc.)
Enough of the promises - just get the ship in tip top shape and do it quietly, astutely and without fanfare - like the Kangaroos and the Hawks and the Cats and the Swans - we don't measure you on how many times Richmond is in the media we measure you by finals appearances and premiership cups

In conclusion it is going to take time - for the young'uns to mature - to rid ourselves of the defeated mental attitude our senior players have - and during that time we as members need to see positive signs that the above facts are being addressed - right now all we are seeing is a rudderless ship..........My Opinion only.......RT

 

[tha8ball]

Sensational post  :clap ..........totally agree.

A few points...

- Senior players going into their shells is a major problem and has been for a long time. They need to go. We cant have them teaching the kids the wrong thing. We are in a crucial stage of development with these kids...teach them what is right NOW!

- Our half backs are given little option by our Half fwds and when there is an option we are too unskilled to hit the targer. Solution - play casserly, meyer and conners off half back - guys who can actually use the ball. We desperately need Pattison at CHF - this may sound stupid...but we need someone willing to work and who will make a contest. An under 18 all aus CHF and Coburgs BnF winner at CHF - purely because the kid tries his guts out ALL game....Id also get Riewoldt at half fwd - he doesnt mind the tough stuff either.

- Play schulz, Hughes, riewoldt, casserly, conners, meyer for the rest of the yr. What are we gunna lose by playing them? 'dont throw them to the wolves' - what a crock of rubbish - look at edwards etc...We need to get 50 games into them ASAP...may as well do it now when we are at our lowest.

- Joel Bowden and Chris Newman need to become on ballers...or at least play up the ground. No more cheap kicks in the backline. Stop being unaccountable.

- Polak was recruited as a CHB - play him as one.

Build for the future:

King           Thursfield   McGuane
Casserly       Polak         Meyer
Edwards     Newman    Deledio
Tambling     Pattison     Riewoldt
Brown          Schulz       Hughes

R.Simmonds, Foley, Conners

I. Richo, Bowden, Coughlan, Polo, Raines, Jackson, JON, White, draft picks etc

 

[tigerteen101]

Build for the future:

King Thursfield McGuane
Casserly Polak Meyer
Edwards Newman Deledio
Tambling Pattison Riewoldt
Brown Schulz Hughes

R.Simmonds, Foley, Conners

I. Richo, Bowden, Coughlan, Polo, Raines, Jackson, JON, White, draft picks etc
[/quote]

With that team we'll lose by 150 every week for about 3 years

 

[tha8ball]

hmmm ud be suprised.....anywya would that be so much worse than seeing the same old crap being displayed by the same old hacks week in week out?....i wouldnt think so

 

[bullus_hit]

Tuck, Raines and Johnson are lettng the side down badly and these guys should be traded whilst there is still some currency on the market. We will not move forward whilst the clangers continueto mount at an alarming rate.

Raines for Wood and a third round round upgrade to second round seems reasonable.

Tuck should be shopped around for anything on offer.

Johnson should be relieved of the captaincy and told to shape up or ship out.

Pettifer should be used as a means to upgrade our priority pick to a top ten pick.

Newman should be offered up for a late first rounder (possibly with a third round sweetner).

Schulz should be offered up for a quality inside mid, Meyer traded to SA and JON traded to WA.


Expect another year of hardship folks because it aint going to be easy next year either. Wallace deserves the five years on offer although I might add that if no improvement can be seen next year then we should go all out to get Sheedy. I'm willing to bear one more season of ordinary football but that's it where my patience is concerned.

 

[IanG]

Expect another year of hardship folks because it aint going to be easy next year either. Wallace deserves the five years on offer although I might add that if no improvement can be seen next year then we should go all out to get Sheedy. I'm willing to bear one more season of ordinary football but that's it where my patience is concerned.

Agree that he should come under review if we don't improve but I don't want Sheedy, Chris Bond might be a good choice, or Guy McKenna if he's available. Both were the type of players who become good coaches.

 

[DragicevicFan]

I think we may need to shake up our coaching panel.

Maybe Terry has too many mates around him like Royal and Armstrong?? who wont tell him when he is wrong.

 

[Leysy Days]

I think we may need to shake up our coaching panel.

Maybe Terry has too many mates around him like Royal and Armstrong?? who wont tell him when he is wrong.

Exactly.

 

[RemoteTiger]

By naming players and coaches names I wonder if we are only looking at the symptoms rather than addressing the disease.

Is it the structure of the club - the structure of the football department - the processes of our recruiting - the processes of our development of young players - the processes of training - the processes of match day.

I feel we can change as many players and as many coaches as you like but if the wrong fundamental processes are still in place we will still churn out the same results.

IMO, there truly is a need to have an independent review of the whole club - not just the current players and coaches - but everything associated with the club...........

 

[dew12]

Fish rots at the head.......Wallace cannot coach, he's taking cover behind the sanctuary of a 5 year contract, lots of people say Richmond needs to have stability? mmm.....I think the principle is perhaps masking the reality in that the current guy is rubbish. His comments printed in the Herald-Sun today I read with total disgust that
it seems to be every 6 weeks he's re-defining his own realisations/assessments 3 years into a contract....fairdinkum its like giving a kid a work experience role and getting updates on his learnings....

Sick and tired of hearing Miller saying on radio and printed media that the Wallace plan for Richmond has people supporting it and that it is understood etc etc , where is it? am I missing something?

Just tell us where you see current list players ending up future wise and explain how thats gonna happen would be a start?

We are clanger central of the AFL, Tuck leads the way in the comp I heard on MMM radio yday so its not a good picture for him.

Side has plenty of young kids so mental application is going to be topsy turvy over the course of a season, just have to live with it, part of the course.

Have to get MORE physical hardness into the game, when your skills are as SH@TTY as ours you have to tackle and be relentless and go back to the basics.

Bowden too loose, great to chalk up stats but he's the "uncontested" king!

Lids is a way off from where people think he is, has not learned yet how to shake a tag yet (when in the midfield) and won't until sometime next year if he ever learns too, until he does he will not be in the elite of the AFL - sorry thats a fact.

De-list/trade Tiv, Krak, Hartigan without delay.

Last rights read to Raines, Johnson, Howat, Pettifer, Polo.

Appoint Richo and Browny as Co Captains, Simmo, Lids, Foley & Neuman as deputies.

Draft some bigger bodies over the pre-season, if a silky skilled current player is up for grabs in the draft then please get him. Teach all the players how to box or something over the pre-season so they have some bite, you can't belt players anymore.. we all know it but show some aggression for gods sake!

Forward line structure is shocking (Wallace was the same at the Bulldogs), need to get more games into Hughes (no motor yet) and Schulz prob needs Richo to play up the ground. Play Reiwoldt at leat in half the remaining matches.

2008 note - prey that Cogs get back to 75% the player he was!

Wallace is right, "we are in tatters" from today's paper - who is going to wear the responsibility?

Need a hard uncomprimising coach and a set of assistants who are the real deal, blokes like Viney, Harvey, Bond etc....all had qualities in them sadly we have not seen at Richmond for a long time. Tony Free was the last guts n grit player we had - fair while ago wasn't it.

Sad.

 

[Tigers of Old]

I think we may need to shake up our coaching panel.

Maybe Terry has too many mates around him like Royal and Armstrong?? who wont tell him when he is wrong.

I am convinced there needs to be a shake up.
In fact I'd like to see March do a complete coaching panel review at season's end ala Geelong last year.

Young players are stagnating and senior players have fallen away.
There has to be reasons for that and IMO the coaching staff have to take responsibility for it.

Shake it up Gary.

 

[mb64]

I think we may need to shake up our coaching panel.

Maybe Terry has too many mates around him like Royal and Armstrong?? who wont tell him when he is wrong.

I am convinced there needs to be a shake up.
In fact I'd like to see March do a complete coaching panel review at season's end ala Geelong last year.

Young players are stagnating and senior players have fallen away.
There has to be reasons for that and IMO the coaching staff have to take responsibility for it.

Shake it up Gary.

Agree,also we need to get the restructered recruiting dept up & running very quickly.

 

[the claw]

Twelve Facts
We are a poor performing football team because -
1. Our Ball Skills are not up to AFL Standard
2. Our Senior Players do not lead by example
3. Some senior players go into their shell and play non-attacking football once the opposition applies pressure
4. We have a lack of mid-twenties year olds in the players list
5. Our young players are too light and therefore cannot make tackles stick nor break tackles
6. Our Mid-field capitulates when put under pressure
7. Our Half Forward Line cannot apply defensive pressure (to hold the ball in the forward fifty)
8. Our Backline will not take the game on and run the ball out of defense
9. Our Wingmen and half forwards will not create/provide options for our backman out of defense
10. We lack a strong 'take the game by the throat' CHF
11. We lack a strong 'hit 'em hard take no prisoners' CHB
12. Our Football Department has promised a lot and delivered little (100 points a game, competitive, good recruiting & player list management etc. etc.)

Answers
1. Our Ball Skills are not up to AFL Standard
Get more skills into the players that are our future - if this means they do not have a break at the end of the season and do light skills work then do it - employ further skills coaches - just get the skills into them on a one to one basis
2. Our Senior Players do not lead by example
Simple - sack or only use those weaker senior players to fill gaps when we get injuries - we must have senior players that show a bit of ticker and direction
3. Some senior players go into their shell and play non-attacking football once the opposition applies pressure
Simple - they just have to go - they have had long enough - thank them and tell them 'hears ya hat whats ya hurry and don't let the door hit you on the arse on the way out'
4. We have a lack of mid-twenties year olds in the players list
We either wait for our young'uns to have birthdays and mature or we recruit 'rejects' from other clubs to fill this hole
5. Our young players are too light and therefore cannot make tackles stick nor break tackles
Get them all into a proper gym - get them another 1 or 2 fitness coaches to work with them morning noon and night
6. Our Mid-field capitulates when put under pressure
Flankers never make midfielders like KPP players never really make ruckman - recruit properly and use the current midfield as tier 2 and 3 midfielders
7. Our Half Forward Line cannot apply defensive pressure (to hold the ball in the forward fifty)
Take them all down to the Melbourne Storm training session and teach them how to tackle - how to nail an opposition player legally and hurt him so he is looking for you next time the ball comes near
8. Our Backline will not take the game on and run the ball out of defense
When they do this the whole team clicks up a gear - but when the midfield capitulates and the backline gets wave after wave of pressure we play 'pass the hankerchief' football which gives the opposition time to construct their defense
9. Our Wingmen and half forwards will not create/provide options for our backman out of defense
Teach the lazy flash in and flash out types to run and run and run all day - recruit midfielders to play on the flanks rather than flankers to play in the midfield
10. We lack a strong 'take the game by the throat' CHF
I have lost count of the number of games (and Grand Finals) I have seen won by a strong CHF - he straightens the team up he commands respect and he controls the corridor into the forward line
11. We lack a strong 'hit 'em hard take no prisoners' CHB
To shut a team down control the midfield and also the corridor into their forward line - a strong CHF provides not only a first line of defense but a great rebound back into our own forward line
12. Our Football Department has promised a lot and delivered little (100 points a game, competitive, good recruiting & player list management etc. etc.)
Enough of the promises - just get the ship in tip top shape and do it quietly, astutely and without fanfare - like the Kangaroos and the Hawks and the Cats and the Swans - we don't measure you on how many times Richmond is in the media we measure you by finals appearances and premiership cups

In conclusion it is going to take time - for the young'uns to mature - to rid ourselves of the defeated mental attitude our senior players have - and during that time we as members need to see positive signs that the above facts are being addressed - right now all we are seeing is a rudderless ship..........My Opinion only.......RT

theres a simple two worded sentence that describes the above. LIST MANAGEMENT.

 

[pokey]

I'm right with you on this one Claw.

 

[capitaltige]

A good list can make any dud coach look like a genius (just look at Robert Walls at Carlton), the big problem at Richmond is the drafting and development of players, How can we keep making mistakes such as Bling and JON? (Dont get me wrong, I would love them both to develop and become the players that many expected but at this stage they look anything but good choices) If that means investing large amounts of cash in that direction then that should be THE priority. Wouldnt matter if we had a Sheedy, Matthews, Malhouse or anyone else if they are unable to get any decent players on the list or develop them to be able to perform at the required level.

Surely there are people out there with the skills who love the club and will give 100% to achieve success and not use their positions as a tool to promote themselves as much as get a job done.

 

[Brettstigers]

Like the thread and the contribution RT a bit different from the normal flog the players and brand the coach style crap.

For mine Wallace is a proven game day coach, good with the media and professional in his approach and expectations, so light years from Frawley in all respects. Royal is a proven skills coach though we do seem to be testing his limits. I'd be happy to ditch all of them if I thought for a second we were getting something better. Seems unlikely though to be honest. So the review works for me - what weaknesses do these guys have that needs addressing?

Our players just aren't coming on quickly enough for my liking and I don't see any end in sight. I would love to see a comparative table of actual list weights of all the clubs, and then go on to compare ourselves to the VFL clubs or even better the WA or SANFL clubs. I don't believe we would enjoy the comparison and if we were tracking it I doubt it has improved to anyone's expectation, even if we adjusted for the retirements of the mature aged players. I haven't seen much improvement in players still on our list in the last twelve months and doubt we will get the improvement we need in the next twelve months. This point (and the decion making and general skill) really worry me.

 

[Ruthless Tigers ?]

When I suggested this type of cull a few weeks back I was dragged through the coals. I am glad to see otehrs are sensible enough to make honest assessments of where we are at and the crap that is dished up week afetr week and that its accepted.

This club since the early 1980's and the trade war with Collingwood has spent more time and energy protecting players and sacking coaches than making the players accountable. Its about time we shed this sentimental carp and made some seriously tough decisions.

Will we win a premiership with Richardson in the forward line? NO. So why keep him to hinder the development of players who may?
Will Joel Bowden play in a senior premiership at Richmond? NO. So why keep him to hinder the development of players who may?
Wll Kane Johnson play in a senior premiership at Richmond? NO. So why keep him to hinder the develpment of players who may?
Will Greg Tivendale play in a senior premieship at Richmond? NO. So why keep him to hinder the development of players who may?
Will Andrew Krakouer play in a senior premiership at Richmond? No So why keep him to hinder the development of players who may?
These senior players are just some of he senior group who are either not delivering on the field, are unaccountable, have poor skills or a questionable work ethic.

Its time the sentimental mentality was thrown out. None of the players listed hurt anyone. Their glories are past them and only fleeting display their skills to frustrate us. They should have the same chat with TW as *smile*, Kellaway and Campbell had. Get some ruthlessness back.

Tough Times Tough Decisions.

 

[geoffryprettyboy]

A great post and an excellent effort.

I suggest you fax it straight to the club and attention it 'Coaching Department'.

 

[RemoteTiger]

The on-field performances have become far too much for any reasonable member/supporter to accept.

The RFC needs a complete club review from the top to the bottom and back again - on-filed and off-field.

Can I suggest a review committee made up of people like David Parkin, Tom Haffey, etc. for the on-field performance, training methods, player development. And surely one of our major sponsors could suggest the professional management consulting organisation they use for their business to review our off-field/club finances performance.

Surely this is rock bottom - surely those in the core of the club now realise there is something fundamentally wrong within the club. Instead of covering arses - can we get to the seat of the problem - identify, stratagise how to remove it - then eliminate it.

I know it is not just the footballers - I smell an aroma that suggests our traditional way of doing things is keeping the club in the dark ages.

Unless we change we are going to be cemented to the bottom of the ladder which = lack of membership and sponsors which = lack of funds which = eventually no more Richmond.

Do we really want to go the way of Sth Melbourne, Fitzroy?

Do we really want to be associated with performances over the years of Western Bulldogs/Footscray? Because that is where we are at right now - perennial easybeats.

Footnote - Geelong had a complete review of the club at the end of last year - did not have to clean out players - but they obviously cleaned out the soft handbag image - because look at 'em now! Collingwood did the same and with a team that was widely disregarded - they are finals bound - and we had the bastards on toast when we played them and let 'em back into the game.

THERE IS SOMETHNG FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG AT RICHMOND LET'S FIND OUT WHAT IT IS!

 

[IanG]

Surely this is rock bottom - surely those in the core of the club now realise there is something fundamentally wrong within the club. Instead of covering arses - can we get to the seat of the problem - identify, stratagise how to remove it - then eliminate it.

I know it is not just the footballers - I smell an aroma that suggests our traditional way of doing things is keeping the club in the dark ages.

You're talking like the club is doing nothing when in fact its already said that it will be putting more resources into list management and recruiting.