Countdown to Richmond

[PuntRoadRoar]

i was reading an old article that the loser Robert Walls wrote earlier this year and here is my conclusions to his article that I think including myself annoyed me at the start of the year.


The Tigers have to find more avenues to goal than their three talls if they are to have an impact this season, reports Robert Walls.
Too many question marks hover over Punt Road. Tiger supporters would love to be excited about the season ahead but few dare to. They know disappointment lies just around the corner. Some of the queries that concern them are:

■Will emotional coach Danny Frawley after three roller coaster years at the helm show a steadiness that is needed? The only steadiness he has shown is losing 8 straight.

■Will skipper Wayne Campbell, who last year earned his fourth club best-and-fairest award, get some fair dinkum on-field leadership support from the likes of Darren Gaspar, Joel Bowden and Matthew Richardson?
Gaspar- injured
Bowden – hopeless and soft
Richo – cry baby again

■Will new recruit Justin Blumfield dig deep for the yellow and black after gliding on cruise control for the Bombers the past two years?
Blumfield - injured

■Will ex-Blues coach Wayne Brittain make a significant difference to a game plan that has relied too much on Richardson and Brad Ottens kicking goals from contested marks?
Game plan? What game plan and he didn’t give us anything positive even against his old team the blues

■Will some small/midfield forwards be developed who can contribute 30-plus goals per season?
Havent seen anything yet!!! Maybe if we actually had someone who could kick 30 goals plus.

■Will injured senior players in Brad Ottens, Ben Holland, Rory Hilton, Mark Dragicevic and Duncan Kellaway return to their best form?
Not even close, Ottens give him this year, but next year no excuses!

■And above all, can the basic skill level be drastically improved of a team that continually turns the ball over with sloppy foot and hand disposal?
Some things just never change

After slipping 11 rungs to 14th on the ladder in 2002 I think the Tigers are in for a couple of slowly developing seasons. They just have to find more avenues to goal. You don’t win many games when you average less than 12 goals a game.
Still struggle to kick a winning score, and looks like we have improved to 12th

Only three players kicked 20-plus goals in last year’s wretched run. They were Richardson, Brad Ottens and Greg Stafford, all giants.
Richo & Kraka…. Tiva needs 1 more goal with 3 games to go

This team has become too predictable, opposition coaches know if the Tiger talls are controlled then they can’t win. The good news is that ageing veterans in Matthew Knights, Steven Sziller and Paul Hudson will be replaced by youth.
No new young kids we given a chance by Fraudley this year.

Encouraging signs were shown by young Tigers Mark Coughlan, Aaron Fiora, Ray Hall, Ty Zantuck and David Rodan.

Coughlan Yes, Zantuck not as much but yes, Rodan nothing special but still young
Fiora & Hall gone backwards

Over the past two decades Tiger fans have learnt to be patient. They will have to be so again.
Anything we haven’t heard before???

WHY THEY’LL MAKE THE EIGHT

The Tigers have an abundance of courage. Led by the Kellaway brothers, the team is rarely found guilty of not having a dip. The inclusion of Wayne Brittain to the coaching panel will help senior coach Danny Frawley and the players. Tall, competent, and sometimes match-winning marking forwards in Matthew Richardson, Brad Ottens (albeit for the second half of the season) and Ben Holland, always loom as dangerous men.

WHAT WILL HOLD THEM BACK

I think Richmond has too many weaknesses to make the finals. The defence is tough and hard-working, but doesn’t provide enough dash and delivery. The midfield lacks pace and size. The Tiger runners, apart from Johnson, won’t physically work over anyone.(coughlan has been a tough nut) And the forward line is too one dimensional. If the talls aren’t marking and kicking goals, history says they are no chance to win. And now with Ottens being injured and out of action for three months things look grimmer than ever.

If it’s that obvious to an ex-coach who we sacked, then why don’t Richmond actually do something about it?

THE 'X' FACTOR

Kane Johnson. Securing the ex-Crow, who played a strong hand in two premierships, is a recruiting coup for the Tigers. Johnson is quick, hard and tough, just the type needed to add bite to an ordinary pack of midfield runners.

The injuries we have had to Campbell and various midfielders early in the year didn’t really give us a chance to see how our midfield rates but what it did show was after Cogs, Kane and captain C we don’t have anyone.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/articles/2003/03/15/1047583742010.html

 

[mightytiges]

Pretty hard to argue against that analysis PRR. Well summed up.

 

[nwonash]

blah blah blah.
Robert Walls - Sacked Richmond Coach.

Lets start by having a tall foward capable of kick more than 30 goals, before worrying about small fowards.

Yeah, injuries, easy excuse. Lets face it, once we get three or more injuries, we have got the depth to replace them.

I give credit to Essendon, one play gets injured, an up and comer plays their heart out and another superstar is born.

 

[julzqld]

Interesting. On March 12 our so-called experts predicted the following in the Gold Coast Bulletin:-

Julian Tomlinson: Predicts 11th. Their talent is thinly spread and injuries could again take a big toll on the team.
Prophetic or what?

And the man I love to hate:

Roger Merett: Predicts 16th. They haven't recruited a lot and there's not a lot of depth. The wooden spoon beckons.

Unfortunately, he might have a point there although he's wrong about the wooden spoon.

 

[Tigerdog]

Who the hell is Julian Thomlinson when he is at home??

He made a fair observation though, whoever he is.

 

[TigerMasochist]

Hey PRR for a loser Wallsy's article was absolutely spot on. Your comments weren't bad either .

 

[GoldCoastTiger]

Robert Walls also wrote an article about six weeks back about why The Tigers should trade Richo. Had a lot of good points too.. Richo's worth has been minimal all year, and last year.. Too much relies upon him, including memberships.. thats why they wont trade him.
Though its probably best for both parties.
richo will never kick 10 in a game, nor will he kick 50 in a season..not for richmond anyway.
If he goes to another club, he may become diciplined, and we should pick up 2 fine young players for him..
I love richo, and all he has done for his beloved Tigers, but maybe its in everyones best interests if he departs..
Afterall, which other club would appoint him Captain? Even if for only a few weeks?

 

[Roar34]

mumble, grumble... Robert Walls! I hate to admit his predictions were spot-on, funny how it's difficult to accept statements from someone for who you've got no respect.

Trades? I don't think the Tiges have much to trade with. Bowden, he would need a tougher coach than Ol' Pontiac, someone to make him deliver what he promised on his debut but never lived up to. Hall? well, I said I think he needs time to mature. Richo, would another club take him? He did have one good season, which promised that a TON or better was just around the corner...trouble was he couldn't find the corner or he went up a dead-end alley! Besides, it's like going to the circus watching Richo, death-defying one minute, a clown the next. Gaspar? whoa! I know how all the rest of you think he's the bee's-knees, but I'm looking at trading value and he would have to command a decent trade, wouldn't he? Then, we have Dutch, but I think he needs another season to have the chance to prove himself, though both the Hollands have their ups and downs. I don't think there's much else to offer...certainly not Cogs, Rodan, et al.