A
admin
Guest
From Realfooty
By Karen Lyon
December 19 2002
After a year of great expectation turned sour for Richmond in 2002, Tiger captain Wayne Campbell said the club and the players were hungry to atone for this year's disappointment.
Last night, Campbell said the team was looking to right the wrongs of the past season.
"I certainly think we need to prove something," said Campbell. "Although we finished off OK, we finished 14th, which with the talent available is not good enough.
"So I think a lot of players have been spurred by what happened last year - as they should be, as proud and professional footballers - so I think there is a fair bit of hunger."
With only one more training session before the Christmas break, Campbell said his team was doing well early in the pre-season. Last night, it was former Carlton coach Wayne Brittain - now Danny Frawley's assistant at Tigerland - who put the players through their paces.
"Like most teams (we are) pretty happy with the way things have gone," Campbell said. "We haven't got too many injured, which is pretty good, and we have worked really, really hard. It has been pretty positive at this stage."
There is a different look at Punt Road now that the club has bolstered its midfield with the inclusions of premiership players Kane Johnson and Justin Blumfield. Campbell said others would also rotate through the midfield next year.
"(Recruits) Bill Nicholls and Tim Fleming can play in the midfield as well as Kane Johnson and Justin Blumfield, so it has been recognised that the midfield has not been our strong point over the last couple of years.
"So adding those to the midfield, and we have always had a pretty strong forward line, so if we can get the ball in there a little bit more often than what we did last year, it will be good for us."
If 2003 is going to be a year of atonement for Richmond, it will start on Friday, February 21, when the Tigers take on traditional foe Melbourne in the opening round of the pre-season cup competition.
Campbell is in favour of the experimental rules introduced for the competition but he had a word of caution for officials who seek to make the game even faster than it is.
"I think for the pre-season it is good, so you can get a little bit of added interest in it, (but) you don't want to make it too gimmicky," he said.
By Karen Lyon
December 19 2002
After a year of great expectation turned sour for Richmond in 2002, Tiger captain Wayne Campbell said the club and the players were hungry to atone for this year's disappointment.
Last night, Campbell said the team was looking to right the wrongs of the past season.
"I certainly think we need to prove something," said Campbell. "Although we finished off OK, we finished 14th, which with the talent available is not good enough.
"So I think a lot of players have been spurred by what happened last year - as they should be, as proud and professional footballers - so I think there is a fair bit of hunger."
With only one more training session before the Christmas break, Campbell said his team was doing well early in the pre-season. Last night, it was former Carlton coach Wayne Brittain - now Danny Frawley's assistant at Tigerland - who put the players through their paces.
"Like most teams (we are) pretty happy with the way things have gone," Campbell said. "We haven't got too many injured, which is pretty good, and we have worked really, really hard. It has been pretty positive at this stage."
There is a different look at Punt Road now that the club has bolstered its midfield with the inclusions of premiership players Kane Johnson and Justin Blumfield. Campbell said others would also rotate through the midfield next year.
"(Recruits) Bill Nicholls and Tim Fleming can play in the midfield as well as Kane Johnson and Justin Blumfield, so it has been recognised that the midfield has not been our strong point over the last couple of years.
"So adding those to the midfield, and we have always had a pretty strong forward line, so if we can get the ball in there a little bit more often than what we did last year, it will be good for us."
If 2003 is going to be a year of atonement for Richmond, it will start on Friday, February 21, when the Tigers take on traditional foe Melbourne in the opening round of the pre-season cup competition.
Campbell is in favour of the experimental rules introduced for the competition but he had a word of caution for officials who seek to make the game even faster than it is.
"I think for the pre-season it is good, so you can get a little bit of added interest in it, (but) you don't want to make it too gimmicky," he said.
) saw Kingy goin to the Newsagents today just up the road and was surprised how solid he was looking. Which is good in a way 'cause today was hot and he couldnt have been padding himself up with jumpers 