2015, how do you view Richmond's season?

[loto]

Disappointed today. But we have again been good enough to make the finals again and with an ounce of luck could have been top four.
Next year has a lot of upside. We'll miss Newy, but another year into McIntosh, Ellis, Lennon, Menadue, Drummond, Castangna, Lambert will more than compensate. Throw in the wildcard McBean and we will be a better 2015 prospect than we were in 2014.

 

[DragicevicFan]

A waste.

Another year older for our talented players.

Another year we only saw 2 games from McBean.

The same players melting under finals pressure.

The same mistakes being made in the coaches box.

 

[btoz_01]

Minimum pass mark this year was to get into finals and WIN one.
No excuses third final in a row & failed to come to play.
Cant accept mediocrity.
Season is a failure did not live upto expectations

 

[BrisTiger24]

Disappointed today. But we have again been good enough to make the finals again and with an ounce of luck could have been top four.
Next year has a lot of upside. We'll miss Newy, but another year into McIntosh, Ellis, Lennon, Menadue, Drummond, Castangna, Lambert will more than compensate. Throw in the wildcard McBean and we will be a better 2015 prospect than we were in 2014.

Looking forward to seeing what Lambert can do with a full pre season.

 

[Mr Brightside]

End of the day dissapointed we lost another elimination final. However wrapped in the general improvement of players, unearthed some talent in Mcintosh , c Ellis, Lennon, as well as blooding plenty of Cubs , other Cubs showed promise at VFL I.e McBean, Mckenzie, Castagna, Short.....We have won 24 of 33 games however failed when it mattered most, plenty of positives, thou the next couple of months a massive , if we believe our youth is going to unveil A Grade talent then fair enough , trade for B Grade role players, if not time to land nothing short of A grade talent, obviously P Dangerfield would be perfect but the fact seems his of to Geelong, so we may just have to upset some clubs an go very hard $$$$ at a contracted player

 

[jasonoska]

Dont post here much but always reading
This year wasn't our year....win the Melbourne game and Freo game and it would have been a diff scenario..top 4.
Trade right this year and 2016/17 are our years.
I like Dimma and at least he hasnt got us going backwards.

Next year ladies and gents....Ill put my $$$ on top 4! 8-

 

[tigertime2]

One kick from top 4 - play Fremantle in a Qualafying final - booking our seats to the Prelim at the G in 2 weeks. One kick in it.

 

[PBoRSM]

One kick from top 4 - play Fremantle in a Qualafying final - booking our seats to the Prelim at the G in 2 weeks. One kick in it.

I presume you are referring to Houli's kick out against Freo. If we'd have won that game, we would have finished top 4, but Freo would have dropped to 5th and we would have gone to West Coast and gotten slapped and been back at the G playing Freo, which all would have been preferable to what happened yesterday. So whilst I don't share your optimism, I do agree that your scenario as better than reality.

 

[Tigerfan]

If you like trends, the Teams that beat us in the previous two elimination finals, didn't make the finals the following year.
Actually, carlton didn't make the finals in the first year.

 

[PBoRSM]

I see our season as a PASS. 15 wins out of 22 in the home and away after being 2-4 and questioning the game plan is an excellent result. One brain explosion away from top 4.

But turned a great season into one that just earns a pass with yesterday's result.

I don't understand why we abandoned our chip and possess game yesterday - we had been playing that way all season. Plenty of opportunities to hit guys up 20 metres away were not taken in preference to the 55 metre kick down the line. We were beaten in the clearances, which ultimately cost the game, but the players played a different game plan yesterday. I suggest they didn't back themselves because of their was more on the line - too scared of making an error. You don't win finals playing conservative.

2013 and 2015 were promising seasons that were wasted because of our group's inability to take calculated risks when they most needed to be taken.
2014 was a success, because we made the finals when we shouldn't have - I felt less disappointed in 2014. Port were the better team all year, but 2013 and 2015 we were the better team, but still lost our 1st final.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

If you like trends, the Teams that beat us in the previous two elimination finals, didn't make the finals the following year.
Actually, carlton didn't make the finals in the first year.

I think that is a real possibility for North, given the age of their list. Over the next two years they will need to manage a generational change as many of their older established players inevitably retire. Given they only really got into the 8 by the skin of their teeth, you can't see them consistently making it year in year out in the near future.

 

[Panthera Tigris]

I see our season as a PASS. 15 wins out of 22 in the home and away after being 2-4 and questioning the game plan is an excellent result. One brain explosion away from top 4.

But turned a great season into one that just earns a pass with yesterday's result.

I don't understand why we abandoned our chip and possess game yesterday - we had been playing that way all season. Plenty of opportunities to hit guys up 20 metres away were not taken in preference to the 55 metre kick down the line. We were beaten in the clearances, which ultimately cost the game, but the players played a different game plan yesterday. I suggest they didn't back themselves because of their was more on the line - too scared of making an error. You don't win finals playing conservative.

2013 and 2015 were promising seasons that were wasted because of our group's inability to take calculated risks when they most needed to be taken.
2014 was a success, because we made the finals when we shouldn't have - I felt less disappointed in 2014. Port were the better team all year, but 2013 and 2015 we were the better team, but still lost our 1st final.

Spot on. Despite being just as gutted with all three elim final results. With the value of hindsight, despite the fact that Port destroyed us and ended the contest in the first 15mins, 2014 probably wasn't as bad. Port really were in red hot form. And I'm firmly of the belief they were only a kick away from a premiership. Had they beaten Hawthorn in the prelim, they would have destroyed Sydney in the GF.

2013 & 2015 are harder to take. Those two games are eerily and bitterly similar. A good strong start, but over run by mediocre sides that we have been clearly better than, if you take into account the entire home & away season, but are bizarre bogey teams we struggle with.

 

[toby64]

A failure.

What good is it hanging our hats on wins against Freo, Hawks and Swans if we can't even get over 8th placed North in a final.

To finish the season with the finals monkey still on the back, with the same players going missing when it matters most, with the final playing out remarkably similarly to that of 2 years ago shows that the players and coaching staff have learned very little.

Older, wiser, more mature yet the end result is the same. Finals is what its all about, its where reputations are made and again we came up short.

 

[RemoteTiger]

Opposition coaches - particularly the Scott brothers - know if you stop Delidio, Cotchin, Ellis you are a very good chance of beating Richmond.

What did Scott do yesterday - exactly that. Add to the fact Edwards just couldn't get into the game because our midfield was beaten and relies on above trio to get ball out to him. Griffiths was so underdone he should not have been on the field. And Conca played like he always plays - gets the ball but his disposal does not advantage the side. e.g. Last quarter, game in the balance, a surge by Martin our of defence - hand balls to Conca, who handballs back to Martin who was in the clear but then for some reason Martin handballs back to Conca who tries a short pass to Houli but misses him by the length of the of the MCG Cricket Pitch. North rebound (I got out of my lounge chair and went for a walk - I knew from that passage of play and the missed free kick by the umpires in the forward pocket that yesterday was not going to be Richmond's day).

Richmond has the playing list to improve on to become a true contender.

We need

• a genuine goal sneak - e.g. Yarran, Lennon, etc.
• another 2 A grade midfielders - e.g. Trelor, Dangerfield, Corey Ellis, etc.
• another 1 A grade tall defender - e.g. Carlisle, Ashbury, etc.
• another 1 A grade ruckman - e.g. Kreuser, Leuenberger, etc.

Why?

• Because we missed goal opportunities when the ball hit the ground in our forward line - admittedly there were 5 forwards against 6 defenders most of the year.
• Because stop Delidio, Cotchin and Ellis and you go a long way to beating Richmond - another gun midfielder would make it too hard for the opposition to stop all our midfield plus have attacking midfielders of their own.
• Because Chappy is getting on and is entering the twilight of his career
• Because Maric needs a breather and Griffiths or Vickery or Hampson are not the answer.

In answer to this threads question - I rate the year positively as it was a stepping stone to Richmond becoming a true contender for the next few years.

Remember

• it took Mark Thompson 7 years to deliver a premiership for Geelong - he started in 2000 and won the flag in 2007, Runners up 2008 and flag 2009
• it took Clarkson 4 years to steal a flag but then another 5 years to create a Hawthorn era - that is 9 years after he started coaching Hawthorn

Hardwick is in his 6th year this year - the Richmond era is coming - we are on the doorstep about to open the door- IMO.

Fill up those shortages I outlined above and we will be true contenders..........

 

[Dyer'ere]

I don't understand why we abandoned our chip and possess game yesterday - we had been playing that way all season. Plenty of opportunities to hit guys up 20 metres away were not taken in preference to the 55 metre kick down the line. We were beaten in the clearances, which ultimately cost the game, but the players played a different game plan yesterday. I suggest they didn't back themselves because of their was more on the line - too scared of making an error. You don't win finals playing conservative.

We stopped running, PBoRSM. Everybody knew that if a Richmond kicker went down the line the ball was certain to hit North Melbourne hands.

So you'd watch for our players to present in those thatching formations through the skinny side so we could hit up short. Nobody did. Or to roll out for switches on the fat side. If they did they did it once and just stood there. Or to roll by to play on and hit a hole in the corridor (usually a turnover) so our boys stopped running by.

We had to play a short tempo game. But that's not what happened.

 

[Baloo]

Failed. But it's not a wasted year.

Minor silver lining is that we're in the middle 6 for the draw next year.

 

[BrisTiger24]

Failed. But it's not a wasted year.

Minor silver lining is that we're in the middle 6 for the draw next year.

Yep, that gives us a good tilt at Top 4 next year if we can back it up with performance.

 

[IanG]

I don't understand why we abandoned our chip and possess game yesterday - we had been playing that way all season. Plenty of opportunities to hit guys up 20 metres away were not taken in preference to the 55 metre kick down the line.

We played the game plan in the first quarter but we lost our composure after we kicked those goals in the 2nd quarter and were never able to regain it.

 

[Rfc4Ever]

8/10 for me.
Beat 3 of the top 4 teams and should have beaten Freo twice which would have put us top 4.
Not to mention winnable games against Melbourne and Bulldogs.

Been saying it for awhile but I believe 2016 is our year.
Hopefully will spend up on our cap space to ensure we do better next year.

 

[pessimistic_]

epic fail

played list blockers every week

crapped on the kids

scrapped into finals

knocked out as expected