Daily Player reviews #32 Greg Tivendale | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Daily Player reviews #32 Greg Tivendale

OMH

Tiger Cub
Jan 4, 2003
110
0
One of the guys who is in a Tigers e-mail loop with me at work is putting together a one-a-day player critique starting at #1 and working through the player list. It's a pretty good read so I thought I would share it with you.

Part 30 in the series….

32 - Greg Tivendale

Position: Wing
Age: 23, turns 24 a couple of days before Round 4 game against Saints.
Height: 187cm
Weight: 85kg
Career Games: 81
Career Goals: 62
Draft History: Taken as a Rookie in the 1997 Rookie Draft after finishing third in
Gippslands U18s B&F. Was promoted towards the end of 98.

2002 Averages: 22 games, 12.3 Kicks, 3.3 Marks, 3.7 Handballs, 0.86 Goals, 2.7
Tackles, 1.8 Rebounds, 3.5 Inside 50s, 1.8 Clearance, 2 Clangers

2002 Summary: Had a reasonable year, but that's relative to a poor year for the
side in general, Second in Inside 50s, Third in Kicks & Tackles but finished
outside the Top 10 in the B&F and never really stamped his mark on the season.
Turnover rate was poor, particularly for a guy with the speed to get himself into
space. Was a nightmare for Tiger Fans with his goal kicking. I did think he went
into his shell a bit at times, not backing himself to run through the lines as much
as he should given his pace and depth of kicking, still did it, but not with the
regularity he did in 2001.

Previously: Got a minor taste of senior footy in 1998 with three games after
being promoted from the rookie list and showed a bit in those three games
averaging 11 touches. Played 9 games in '99 with some marginal improvement.
Stepped up to play 22 games in 2000 but was still a "bit player" to a large extent,
averaging 12 possessions a game. His fourth year (2001) was a step up again
playing all 25 games, averaging 15 possessions and kicking 21 goals for the
year. His willingness to run the lines and ability to spear the ball long and low
was a feature and he led the club with inside 50's.

Ability: 5.5 - Is marginally above average in terms of raw ability, not great, but
not bad.

Offence: 6.5 - Above average, is clearly an attacking wingman, gets himself into
plenty of goal scoring opportunities (which is a skill in itself) but lets himself
down with his finishing. Can and will snaffle goals from any angle, except
directly in front!

Defence: 1.5 - A couple of years after his debut I believed he was introduced to
some of the players he'd played on, it was about the only time he'd ever met
them. Not great at pushing back to help the defence is pretty much a "down-hill
skier". Tends to lay quite a few tackles, would be interested to see a
breakdown of the result of the tackle as some are not all that effective I would
have thought, his running ability brings that skill into play running players down
and making plenty of contests rather than being accountably on his direct
opponent.

Hardness: 3.5 - Certainly an "outside" type, not one to get down and dirty in a
pack, nothing really wrong with that, it's not his role in the team to knock blokes
to the ground.

Speed: 8 - Is genuinely quick, uses his pace well and will find space.

Stamina: 7 - Has good stamina, but I'd like to see him cover more ground in a
game, rare to see him push back.

Delivery: 6 - I'd still rate him above average, but he dropped a point or so from
2001 when I thought his "completion rate" was much better. In 2002 that
dropped down into the alarming range and a repeat of that would see me drop
him to below average. In general is able to drill the ball over 50 meters hard and
flat, but style was certainly better than substance last year. Has been ordinary
in front of goal the last two years and is a bit one-sided.

Air: 4 - I rate him a bit below average, doesn't look all that good overhead, but
not a complete mug either.

Ground: 6 - Slightly above average, is reasonably clean, but not good in-close in
a pack situation.

Injury: 9.5 - Hasn't missed a game through injury for four years (No injuries in
99, played every senior game in 2000,2001,2002).

Temperament: 6.5 - Not a dummy spitter, but not great under pressure.

Ball: 6.5 - Not a prolific ball winner, but above average.

Strengths: Very good running ability, pace allows him to find space, run through
the lines and has the ability to deliver long and low to leading forwards.

Weaknesses: Too often misses the goals he should get, wasting hard won
opportunities, has very little defensive side to his game. Far too many times in
2002 turned the ball over badly.
 
Overall: 2003 is a big year for "Tivers". He's made the step up, but hasn't quite
made the big step and if he's plateaued (and I fear he might) then he's probably
a level below where he could be and where we'd want him. Still a bargain pick-
up through the rookie draft (a very poorly utilised resource at Richmond) he's
done better than I initially expected him to. Inconsistency has been a big
problem as he's had a habit of going missing every now and again. And
his "ability" to deliver a beautiful left footed raking kick directly onto the chest of
the guy sitting in row 7 between the goal and behind post constantly drives us
all a little more insane. I look at Tivendale as the sort of player who won't make
a bad team good, but will make a good team better. A lot of Tiger fans love
bagging Tivendale for being "soft", same guys probably love King for getting
down and dirty, unfortunately the only real success Richmond fans remember
revolves around players like Neil Balme, Jimmy Jess, Mick Malthouse, Kevin
Sheedy and coached by a Tommy Hafey or Tony Jewell, and Footy has moved
on a long way since then, perceptions from the Tiger Army haven't. One very
justifiable criticism is his lack of accountability particularly when Richmond don't
have the ball. In general I'm pretty happy with him, he may not have much
improvement left in him, but is probably at the start of his best 4-5 years. It's
true guys like him aren't super hard to replace, but the cost would be much
higher than a Rookie elevation. Really there should be a lot more players ahead
of him at Richmond, reality is there aren't.

What he needs to do?
1) Work on his finishing skills - misses far too many gettable shots, delivery in
general has dropped off.
2) Run harder defensively and be prepared to work back into defensive 50
when his opponent pushes forward
3) Start to really nail a tackle - would love to see him drive a tackle into the
ground - won't hold my breath though
4) Be prepared to take the risks, Richmond are a better side when they "Dare to
create" and Tivendale is a better player when he takes a lead on this.
 
 
Weaknesses: Too often misses the goals he should get, wasting hard won opportunities

Fair call OMH. Tivva gets the goals from 50 metres out but misses from 15-20.

I see him as a player who could/should/must step up and be a "heavy" scoring winger. A return of about 30-40 goals shouldn't be out of the question ;)
 
"I look at Tivendale as the sort of player who won't make a bad team good, but will make a good team better"

This statement sums up Tivva perfectly.

He clearly could be one of the most damaging players in the AFL but doesn't work hard enough.

He is however one of the first players that gets a tag each week, something which he has problems dumping.

He is one player that I wouldn't get rid of, and one that could benefit from a new coaching style like Wallace.
 
if our midfield stays injury free, he will have a blinder playing as a wide receiver, and one of the few players who can kick straight
 
Downhill skier but really stepped up in 2003.He's really starting to grow on me to become one of my favourite players.2004 hopefully will be a huge 1 for him.
 
heres a player who is SOFT and inconsistent if he cant develop a defensive side to his game or put his head over the ball when hes about to get tackled he has to be traded.the thing is he turns 26 next year and it may be to late for him to change.