Acceptance - we are now a middling side

[Scoop]

Still far too early to be declaring anything right or wrong. Four weeks in and there has been result after result that have been impossible to forecast. Just have to get there, top 8. You can’t look further than a week ahead, everything is shifting. Ive said from the start that the new boys ( Hop & Taz) need time to learn the system. We haven’t settled on a best 22, nor had a lot of continuity. We’ve had flashes of extraordinary ball movement built around youth. Our veterans are off the boil, they are adjusting to a new system as well. Does anyone really think St Kilda and Essendon are top four?

Acceptance speeches need to be put on hold. Even if this isn’t the last dance, we are speeding up the next. We’ve made blues in drafting ( VAN ROOYEN FFS, if we had just drafted him the list is in remarkably different shape) but there is a crop there. Yesterday was a major step forward.

The draft might solve a couple of issues with some bargain hunting but for top end talent it's free agency or trading something of value. The problem being is that there is very little tradeable capital at our disposal, we'd have to look at Short, I think he gets interest, I think we may get a pick in the 30-40 range for Graham, I think there could be benefits there when rebalancing the list. Currently we have a glut of inside midfielders but we lack top end class, that has to be sourced from somewhere. Parish perhaps? I'm not sure, there's also the issue of a couple of key forwards that needs to be addressed. Larkey probably stays, Ben King I think too fragile, Marshall a possibility I suppose.

Short and Graham for sure will fetch good picks. Table them. But I can’t fathom how you can be so dead against Hopper & Taranto but want to bring in Parish. His impact in our side would be basically the same as Short & hopefully Sonsie. And yes Parish is a free agent with no draft picks attached but I can’t stomach paying him $800k a year to be your third best mid. We can still get a decent tall forward in the second round this year. But we don’t draft for type, we take best available.

 

[tiger76]

Have a look at the last 5 or six pick 5’s and many of them are no better than hopper. There is much more certainty in trading. I think at the very least we have traded for a reliable foundation to build a team around.

I would argue that we didn’t top up for immediate premiership success but made what we thought the best choices were for the club going forward. The club is pretty clued in about premierships being very hard to come by. It’s us fans who feel entitled to them. (And Geelong)

I agree with this totally.

We may have paid overs with H&T but the cost is the cost to get guys of their standard across that are seasoned and ready to contribute.

Yes they have their deficiencies but will be good to great players long term; they grabbed the best available and that was them.

Who exactly was beating down the door to help with our midfield issues?

As good as Sonzie is going to be he’s only just started.

The clubs calculation wasn’t H&T = Premiership 2023

 

[Carter]

Agree with the common sense posting around Hopper and Taranto.

We didn’t trade to improve our midfield, we traded to get one.

They will be fine and are the least of our problems.

 

[bullus_hit]

Have a look at the last 5 or six pick 5’s and many of them are no better than hopper. There is much more certainty in trading. I think at the very least we have traded for a reliable foundation to build a team around.

I would argue that we didn’t top up for immediate premiership success but made what we thought the best choices were for the club going forward. The club is pretty clued in about premierships being very hard to come by. It’s us fans who feel entitled to them. (And Geelong)

You would have to back yourself with pick 5 in this draft, very probable 200 gamer, clubs have been queuing to get in & I doubt very much Richmond would have even entertained coughing up a pick so high. Hopper with his PCL history, the fact he was a FA next year & his lengthy contract signals he was acquired for top dollar, no club would give up a top 5 pick under the present circumstances.

 

[bullus_hit]

Still far too early to be declaring anything right or wrong. Four weeks in and there has been result after result that have been impossible to forecast. Just have to get there, top 8. You can’t look further than a week ahead, everything is shifting. Ive said from the start that the new boys ( Hop & Taz) need time to learn the system. We haven’t settled on a best 22, nor had a lot of continuity. We’ve had flashes of extraordinary ball movement built around youth. Our veterans are off the boil, they are adjusting to a new system as well. Does anyone really think St Kilda and Essendon are top four?

Acceptance speeches need to be put on hold. Even if this isn’t the last dance, we are speeding up the next. We’ve made blues in drafting ( VAN ROOYEN FFS, if we had just drafted him the list is in remarkably different shape) but there is a crop there. Yesterday was a major step forward.


Short and Graham for sure will fetch good picks. Table them. But I can’t fathom how you can be so dead against Hopper & Taranto but want to bring in Parish. His impact in our side would be basically the same as Short & hopefully Sonsie. And yes Parish is a free agent with no draft picks attached but I can’t stomach paying him $800k a year to be your third best mid. We can still get a decent tall forward in the second round this year. But we don’t draft for type, we take best available.

Parish is the best FA available but no panacea and I'm not pushing to get him, Matt Johnson was the player I always wanted for that role, there's another ship that has sailed. I like Van Rooyen too, I think you called that one well, plenty of good options were bypassed.

 

[Scoop]

Parish isn’t the answer, I’d rather pay Himmelberg.

 

[spook]

You can lament that we traded picks 14 and 21 for Taranto. But they're just numbers. We got Sonz for 28. Pretend we traded 21 and 28 for Taranto and drafted Sonz with 14 (bargain).

 

[bullus_hit]

You can lament that we traded picks 14 and 21 for Taranto. But they're just numbers. We got Sonz for 28. Pretend we traded 21 and 28 for Taranto and drafted Sonz with 14 (bargain).

Why do we have to pretend? Sonsie was a good pick but Brown wasn't, Taranto probably plays 100 serviceable games but at what cost when Mitchell could have provided decent cover for 50. So you are effectively trading away two core players, possible 10 year prospects, for a 13th place finish and a few extra seasons of Taranto. Doesn't make sense to me. As for Hopper, if we cough up a top 10 pick we have lost, if that turns into a top 5 pick we will be ridiculed for many years to come. None of this will help our efforts at free agency either, last chance saloon clubs can fall out of favour in the blink of an eye.

 

[bullus_hit]

Parish isn’t the answer, I’d rather pay Himmelberg.

Harry would be decent.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Come on oldie.
Footscary are shiit.

Our key forward broke his foot when we were flying. We won otherwise.

 

[eZyT]

This round 4 funeral is hilarious.

Win next week, which is likely,

And we are our premiership standard pre-bye win:loss parity.

But keep shovelling in the dirt,

Its gonna be hilarious reading in October

 

[eZyT]

You've been absolutely spot on with this from the start. I'm glad I tied my flag to your mast relatively early on in the piece.

Carter is also becoming more and more prophetic as each game passes. Along with Caesar you form the PRE triumvirate of knowledge.

I'd be very interested in your thoughts on how we go forward from the point we find ourselves in now.

You should probably read carts back catalogue of prophesy

Before you have your triumvirate ratified

Id probably suggest a duopoly at this early stage.

 

[Carter]

You should probably read carts back catalogue of prophesy

Before you have your triumvirate ratified

Id probably suggest a duopoly at this early stage.

Lol you have really outed yourself haven’t you? I’m glad folks get to see the real ‘Ezy’

I would certainly never put myself in that triumvirate, I am merely a mug from the terraces

A mug that has you extremely riled for some reason.

Was it because I suggested Jack and Cotch aren’t best 23 anymore (with full list available)?

If that’s the case, and I suspect it is, I suggest you a) talk to someone and b) spend a little less time on here.

 

[graystar1]

Guess this sort of sums it all up.

1. TIGERS IN TROUBLE​

Richmond has never been a super stoppage side, even throughout the glorious premiership campaigns.

But the setup needs a strong health check this week.

The Tigers were belted in the centre clearances 16-8 and overall for clearances 41-26 to leave the team on six points from four games.

If they cannot win one of their next two games against Sydney Swans and Melbourne, their finals hopes could be cooked without injured forward Tom Lynch for the next two months. And the centre square will warrant plenty of Damien Hardwick’s attention this week, following a grumpy press conference on Saturday night.

Damien Hardwick was not a happy camper on Saturday night. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
But beneath the surface Hardwick clearly already has an eye on the future, despite the bold moves for Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto in the trade period.

The Tigers played seven players on Saturday with 25 or less games of experience.

They were Samson Ryan, Tylar Young, Rhyan Mansell, Tyler Sonsie, Hugo Ralphsmith, Judson Clarke and Noah Cumberland.

Hawthorn might have fallen off a cliff after its premiership era but the Tigers don’t want to end up in the same situation.

 

[Carter]

This round 4 funeral is hilarious.

Win next week, which is likely,

And we are our premiership standard pre-bye win:loss parity.

But keep shovelling in the dirt,

Its gonna be hilarious reading in October

It’s like you are trying to convince yourself.

Footy isn’t the only thing in your life, brother.

 

[Tigers08]

Round four and Hopper and Taranto are busts. FMD Taranto has been given votes in two games, and Hopper injured. Prestia needs to lift and we need Short back ASAP. Those knocking the club should go back to their alias on Big Footy. Check out our Premiership years where we had rough patches. It is Round 4 !

 

[Tigers08]

It’s like you are trying to convince yourself.

Footy isn’t the only thing in your life, brother.

Nothing wrong with a bit of positivity Brother. Also big judgement call on life’s interest from a footy forum poster. LOL. Just saying.

 

[eZyT]

Footy isn’t the only thing in your life, brother.

Thats true.

I have the tipping comp

 

[Carter]

I have the tipping comp

Good man

 

[eZyT]

A mug that has you extremely riled for some reason.

Was it because I suggested Jack and Cotch aren’t best 23 anymore (with full list available)?

Yes.