Tigers to keep winning structure
Samantha Lane
afl.com.au
5:24:20 PM Wed 30 July, 2003
Richmond is expected to use the same forward structure that helped it break an eight-match losing streak in round 17 – and play star forward Matthew Richardson on the ball against Fremantle this Saturday.
Tiger Ben Holland believes his coach Danny Frawley will again field a small forward line of Andrew Krakouer, David Rodan and second-gamer Marty McGrath - a combination that helped Richmond defeat the Western Bulldogs by 60 points at Telstra Dome last Saturday night.
An experienced defender who has been a revelation for the Tigers up forward since recovering from a knee reconstruction, Holland kicked a career-best six goals against the Dogs. He said Richardson was enjoying the freedom of playing a less rigid role.
“I suppose it worked on the weekend. Richo’s probably struggled a little bit the previous month with the attention he was getting from a lot of the backmen. People are dropping off two and three (players on him) because they know we play a lot through him,” Holland said before Richmond trained indoors at the Victorian Cricket Centre on Wednesday.
“He’s a jack of all trades and we can use him and his best assets it’s going to be good for us.”
A seemingly reinvigorated Richardson had 25 possessions, took 17 marks and kicked two goals in the fourth quarter against the Dogs, in his most influential effort in weeks.
“He’s a fantastic endurance athlete Richo, and also speed wise as well. So to push him up the ground and give him that free license to roam around, not many players I reckon in the AFL are going to be able to go with him,” Holland said.
The on-field partnership of developing forwards Krakouer and McGrath, who made an outstanding début last week, is also an exciting prospect for the club.
“They’re pretty close mates off the field and they seemed to have a bit of chemistry there on the weekend. They hang around a lot together. If those two can terrorise backlines for the next five, six or ten years it’s going to be great for us,” Holland said.
Richmond will attempt to be the first travelling side to win a match at Subiaco Oval this season, and Holland said the Perth conditions would favour a smaller set up.
“Probably we’d go the same structure I suppose, just because it’s a fast ground and it should be dry over there this weekend. Richo can cover the ground so well and we can get him as a second kick out of defence and also pulling the ball in forward. He runs down forward as well and provides an option dropping into the forward line.”
He said Fremantle, which is a strong chance to make its first ever finals series this year, was a model team for the Tigers, who have had a disappointing second half of the season after a near flawless start.
“They’re a really good team. They’re young and up and coming and they’re a chance to play finals this year. That’s the sort of team that we probably want to replace to get a finals spot next year and we’ll be looking to have a good performance this week,” Holland said.
“I suppose when the season’s pretty much over you try and look at those little goals week by week. And if we can be the first team to bring the points back from Perth it’s going to be a bonus for us and a bonus for the club.”
Holland said his teammates were relived to provide some relief for Frawley, with their breakthrough win last week.
“It’s a big weight off his shoulders. Danny’s been fantastic through the whole eight weeks. He’s been really positive and really trying to get the players up and working different angles to try and get us motivated. I can’t question his performance with us and it’s great for him that we had the win, and hopefully we can finish off the year well.
“After the game you could see a big sigh of relief, I suppose that was general among the whole footy department and the players as well.”
Samantha Lane
afl.com.au
5:24:20 PM Wed 30 July, 2003
Richmond is expected to use the same forward structure that helped it break an eight-match losing streak in round 17 – and play star forward Matthew Richardson on the ball against Fremantle this Saturday.
Tiger Ben Holland believes his coach Danny Frawley will again field a small forward line of Andrew Krakouer, David Rodan and second-gamer Marty McGrath - a combination that helped Richmond defeat the Western Bulldogs by 60 points at Telstra Dome last Saturday night.
An experienced defender who has been a revelation for the Tigers up forward since recovering from a knee reconstruction, Holland kicked a career-best six goals against the Dogs. He said Richardson was enjoying the freedom of playing a less rigid role.
“I suppose it worked on the weekend. Richo’s probably struggled a little bit the previous month with the attention he was getting from a lot of the backmen. People are dropping off two and three (players on him) because they know we play a lot through him,” Holland said before Richmond trained indoors at the Victorian Cricket Centre on Wednesday.
“He’s a jack of all trades and we can use him and his best assets it’s going to be good for us.”
A seemingly reinvigorated Richardson had 25 possessions, took 17 marks and kicked two goals in the fourth quarter against the Dogs, in his most influential effort in weeks.
“He’s a fantastic endurance athlete Richo, and also speed wise as well. So to push him up the ground and give him that free license to roam around, not many players I reckon in the AFL are going to be able to go with him,” Holland said.
The on-field partnership of developing forwards Krakouer and McGrath, who made an outstanding début last week, is also an exciting prospect for the club.
“They’re pretty close mates off the field and they seemed to have a bit of chemistry there on the weekend. They hang around a lot together. If those two can terrorise backlines for the next five, six or ten years it’s going to be great for us,” Holland said.
Richmond will attempt to be the first travelling side to win a match at Subiaco Oval this season, and Holland said the Perth conditions would favour a smaller set up.
“Probably we’d go the same structure I suppose, just because it’s a fast ground and it should be dry over there this weekend. Richo can cover the ground so well and we can get him as a second kick out of defence and also pulling the ball in forward. He runs down forward as well and provides an option dropping into the forward line.”
He said Fremantle, which is a strong chance to make its first ever finals series this year, was a model team for the Tigers, who have had a disappointing second half of the season after a near flawless start.
“They’re a really good team. They’re young and up and coming and they’re a chance to play finals this year. That’s the sort of team that we probably want to replace to get a finals spot next year and we’ll be looking to have a good performance this week,” Holland said.
“I suppose when the season’s pretty much over you try and look at those little goals week by week. And if we can be the first team to bring the points back from Perth it’s going to be a bonus for us and a bonus for the club.”
Holland said his teammates were relived to provide some relief for Frawley, with their breakthrough win last week.
“It’s a big weight off his shoulders. Danny’s been fantastic through the whole eight weeks. He’s been really positive and really trying to get the players up and working different angles to try and get us motivated. I can’t question his performance with us and it’s great for him that we had the win, and hopefully we can finish off the year well.
“After the game you could see a big sigh of relief, I suppose that was general among the whole footy department and the players as well.”
