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PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
In '06 a few players had standout seasons. Simmonds surprised with a spectacular season in the ruck after a mediocre '05. Raines proved he could be a star whilst Pat Bowden revelled in his new role at his new club. His brother Joel was also at his consistent best.
Who in '07 do we need to have big years for us to make the eight?
For this exercise I have split the list into the following groups.
The veterans: These are players who are well estabilished and everyone in the comp knows just how good they are at their best.
- Darren Gaspar
- Mathew Richardson
- Joel Bowden
- Nathan Brown
- Kane Johnson
- Troy Simmonds
- Trent Knobel
- Kent Kingsley
The Seasoned campaigners: These are players who have played several seasons. We've seen their best from some but some still could still represent an unknown quantity. Some could easily have a disappointing '07 or could prove to be elite players in the competition.
- Mark Coughlan
- Shane Tuck
- Patrick Bowden
- Chris Newman
- Kayne Pettifer
- Graham Polak
- Ray Hall
- Greg Tivendale
- Chris Hyde
- Andrew Krakouer
Youngsters: These are young players drafted before '05
- Brett Deledio
- Richard Tambling
- Danny Meyer
- Adam Pattison
- Dean Polo
- Nathan Foley
- Andrew Raines
- Brent Hartigan
- Daniel Jackson
- Kelvin Moore
- Will Thursfield
- Cam Howat (older rookie)
- Jay Schulz
New recruits: Players drafted in the last couple of years
- Cleve Hughes
- JON
- Luke McGuane
- Angus Graham
- Travis Casserly
- Jack Riewoldt
- Shane Edwards
- Daniel Connors
- Carl Petersen
- Andrew Collins
- Mathew White
- Jake King
- Tasman Clingan
The point of this exercise is what players from each group do we need to fire for the team to do well in '07.
To make it a bit more difficult we can only choose two players from each of the first three groups and one new recruit. So which players from each group have I chosen.
Veterans- Troy Simmonds and Nathan Brown
Simmonds was quite an easy choice. His dominance in the ruck in '06 proved to be an unexpected boost especially with the Knob out basically for the whole season. If Simmonds can continue to fire this also means Pattison won't have to shoulder too much of the rucking work and can continue to develop.
Brown probably only just pipped Richo as I think if Brown can have a good year then he will aleviate some of the pressure on Pettifer, Krakouer, Meyer and co. meaning these players will have a weaker direct opponent giving them a higher chance of doing damage to the opposition. I also think that Richo can do this, but if Richo doesn't fire we have a bit more of a safety net going into next season having added Kingsley and Polak and already having blokes like Schulz and Simmonds.
Seasoned Campaigners- Polak and Pat Bowden
For me Polak is a no brainer. If he can perform then he is the exact type of player we were missing in '06. Strong bodied defender who can crash packs. Will occasionally be able to play forward and pinch hit in the ruck.
I would've said Cogs or Newman as the second player but I'd prefer to see them miss as many games as needed so that their one season injuries don't turn into two season injuries. I think Pat Bowden could potentially play the role that Leon Cameron played so well a few seasons ago. The quarterback type role who can deliver the ball forward with accuracy. With his height and pace he potentially presents a number of headaches for the opposition and can drift forward on occasion.
Youngsters - Meyer and Tambling
This is the most exciting group of players but I think blokes like Deledio, Polo, Foley and Raines have already shown enough to suggest that they could be a part of a good midfield rotation. Add to that rotation blokes like Meyer and Tambling, who compared to how highly they were rated at tht time they were drafted have probably been underperforming a little. Then the Richmond midfield starts to look pretty good. If these two can continue to bulk up and improve then I don't see why our midfield can't begin to mix it with the best.
I would have said Thursfield for this group but the same rule applies that I have applied to Cogs and Newman.
New recruits - Hughes
This was a very tough one between JON, Riewoldt and Hughes. I don't think any of these players will need to play more than 10 games in '07 but I think one will need to suggest that in a couple of years they will be able to hold down a key position. I think Hughes has shown enough to suggest that one day he could kick 60+ goals in a season. I think it is more likely that one of Riewoldt or Hughes will take over from Richo when he retires. I don't think Schulz has done enough in his time to suggest he is good enough.
Cogs, Newman and Thursfield are vital and would've definitely selected Cogs and Thursfield however have considered them ineligible due to putting recovery from their injury first.
I think if the older players have similiar years to '06 and the younger players continue to improve then the team will benefit the most from standout years from the players I have suggested both next year and beyond.
Post your thoughts
Who in '07 do we need to have big years for us to make the eight?
For this exercise I have split the list into the following groups.
The veterans: These are players who are well estabilished and everyone in the comp knows just how good they are at their best.
- Darren Gaspar
- Mathew Richardson
- Joel Bowden
- Nathan Brown
- Kane Johnson
- Troy Simmonds
- Trent Knobel
- Kent Kingsley
The Seasoned campaigners: These are players who have played several seasons. We've seen their best from some but some still could still represent an unknown quantity. Some could easily have a disappointing '07 or could prove to be elite players in the competition.
- Mark Coughlan
- Shane Tuck
- Patrick Bowden
- Chris Newman
- Kayne Pettifer
- Graham Polak
- Ray Hall
- Greg Tivendale
- Chris Hyde
- Andrew Krakouer
Youngsters: These are young players drafted before '05
- Brett Deledio
- Richard Tambling
- Danny Meyer
- Adam Pattison
- Dean Polo
- Nathan Foley
- Andrew Raines
- Brent Hartigan
- Daniel Jackson
- Kelvin Moore
- Will Thursfield
- Cam Howat (older rookie)
- Jay Schulz
New recruits: Players drafted in the last couple of years
- Cleve Hughes
- JON
- Luke McGuane
- Angus Graham
- Travis Casserly
- Jack Riewoldt
- Shane Edwards
- Daniel Connors
- Carl Petersen
- Andrew Collins
- Mathew White
- Jake King
- Tasman Clingan
The point of this exercise is what players from each group do we need to fire for the team to do well in '07.
To make it a bit more difficult we can only choose two players from each of the first three groups and one new recruit. So which players from each group have I chosen.
Veterans- Troy Simmonds and Nathan Brown
Simmonds was quite an easy choice. His dominance in the ruck in '06 proved to be an unexpected boost especially with the Knob out basically for the whole season. If Simmonds can continue to fire this also means Pattison won't have to shoulder too much of the rucking work and can continue to develop.
Brown probably only just pipped Richo as I think if Brown can have a good year then he will aleviate some of the pressure on Pettifer, Krakouer, Meyer and co. meaning these players will have a weaker direct opponent giving them a higher chance of doing damage to the opposition. I also think that Richo can do this, but if Richo doesn't fire we have a bit more of a safety net going into next season having added Kingsley and Polak and already having blokes like Schulz and Simmonds.
Seasoned Campaigners- Polak and Pat Bowden
For me Polak is a no brainer. If he can perform then he is the exact type of player we were missing in '06. Strong bodied defender who can crash packs. Will occasionally be able to play forward and pinch hit in the ruck.
I would've said Cogs or Newman as the second player but I'd prefer to see them miss as many games as needed so that their one season injuries don't turn into two season injuries. I think Pat Bowden could potentially play the role that Leon Cameron played so well a few seasons ago. The quarterback type role who can deliver the ball forward with accuracy. With his height and pace he potentially presents a number of headaches for the opposition and can drift forward on occasion.
Youngsters - Meyer and Tambling
This is the most exciting group of players but I think blokes like Deledio, Polo, Foley and Raines have already shown enough to suggest that they could be a part of a good midfield rotation. Add to that rotation blokes like Meyer and Tambling, who compared to how highly they were rated at tht time they were drafted have probably been underperforming a little. Then the Richmond midfield starts to look pretty good. If these two can continue to bulk up and improve then I don't see why our midfield can't begin to mix it with the best.
I would have said Thursfield for this group but the same rule applies that I have applied to Cogs and Newman.
New recruits - Hughes
This was a very tough one between JON, Riewoldt and Hughes. I don't think any of these players will need to play more than 10 games in '07 but I think one will need to suggest that in a couple of years they will be able to hold down a key position. I think Hughes has shown enough to suggest that one day he could kick 60+ goals in a season. I think it is more likely that one of Riewoldt or Hughes will take over from Richo when he retires. I don't think Schulz has done enough in his time to suggest he is good enough.
Cogs, Newman and Thursfield are vital and would've definitely selected Cogs and Thursfield however have considered them ineligible due to putting recovery from their injury first.
I think if the older players have similiar years to '06 and the younger players continue to improve then the team will benefit the most from standout years from the players I have suggested both next year and beyond.
Post your thoughts