Is it time to panic?

[graystar1]

After the demolition job last night I have to wonder where the Tigers are at this year.
So far we have been beaten by all the teams that are contenders.
Thrashed last night and also by the Swans.
Lost to Port, Dees, Swans and Cats.
So far we have beaten nobody of any consequence, except for the Doggies.
Carlton, Hawks, Saints and Dons.
None of those wins were really anything to write home about.
So, where to from here?
The signs are not good.
Wondering if the free kick differential each week is affecting the confidence.
We certainly fumbled and missed marks we usually take last night.
Are the players concerned about giving away frees, and play accordingly?
Worrying times, but trust panic does not set in.
We are most likely to be out of the eight after this weekend.

 

[Tigers of Old]

The biggest concern to me is the repeated soft tissue injuries of Cotchin & Prestia.
These two are our best pure midfielders & have been integral in winning the hard ball & getting it going our way.
They are not replaceable.
Is that a cause for panic? If they can't get on the park there's no Premiership.

 

[scottyturnerscurse]

Alert not alarmed, to borrow a dumb-ass phrase.

 

[Sintiger]

Panic no but we may be due a reset. We have a great club with great foundations and we will do what is necessary.
Cameron, Higgins and Smith were 3 of their best last night and despite all the mocking of Geelong when you add that sort of quality to a top side they are going to be formidable. We are not going to go in that direction. It may buy them a flag but what comes after that?
This year may be somewhat of a bust, although I suspect we will still play finals, but we will add some quality in the draft, develop strongly and do some sort of reset.
The way the competition is set up it is really hard to stay on top for a long period of time but there is no way we are heading too far south. Our club is far too strong for that.

 

[123cups]

This is the kind of thread posters tend to look silly in later in the year.

We do need a system tweak IMO, since the competition has thoroughly changed the way they play this year. We look further away as a result.

But Richmond is a learning club with people of character. They will adapt.

Embrace the process.

 

[Spirit of Jack]

We have the easiest run of all teams from here on out - plenty of time to tweak game plan, build confidence, fitness and form. So we will be in the hunt.

The one stat I always look at after a game is our defensive work rate - against the Dogs it was elite, against the Cats it was poor. When we bring the heat for four quarters, no one can stay with us. It's also very clear that we cannot do that every game of a H&A season.

Long way to go.

 

[kiwitiger]

Not panicking , but have concerns ,

No wild predictions from me because I have no bloody idea ,

But will keep the faith in the meantime

 

[bairdy380]

We are developing the dreaded “which team is going to turn up today” mantra.
Previous was never in question, now it’s a real question mark

 

[St Kevin]

The biggest concern to me is the repeated soft tissue injuries of Cotchin & Prestia.
These two are our best pure midfielders & have been integral in winning the hard ball & getting it going our way.
They are not replaceable.
Is that a cause for panic? If they can't get on the park there's no Premiership.

Agree with this. Next month will be very interesting with Prestia, Cotchin, Lambert and Edwards all out. Probably need to be 3-1 after it after playing the Giants, Crows, Bombers and Lions.

 

[Baloo]

Panic? After 37 years of crap and then 3 Premierships in 4 years, what is there to panic about? This era will come to an end and I'd say we're closer to the end than the start. We reached the mountain peak, 3 times. Nothing to panic about.

Anyway, we'll still approach September with a full head of steam and be the team no one wants to meet in the finals.

 

[tiger76]

Not panic, but be realistic with where we are at.

With our best guys on the field we can match it with anyone. However the game is evolving (ridiculous rule changes); some of our guys are nearing the end, and we have been studied and hunted for years.

Need to be clever at this years draft and hopefully bring in an injection of talent that can make a difference in a relatively short period of time, and help what are the foundations of a team that can still win a cup. Not speculative pics like Higgins and Collier-Dawkins.

I can’t see how we’re just going to get the band back together right in time for finals and then rinse and repeat the last couple of years.

Other teams are evolving and the Tiges will also, it just probably won’t all come together on the fly within a single year.

 

[tiger76]

The one stat I always look at after a game is our defensive work rate - against the Dogs it was elite, against the Cats it was poor. When we bring the heat for four quarters, no one can stay with us. It's also very clear that we cannot do that every game of a H&A season.

It’s amazing to watch when it’s on song but an extremely disciplined and hard way to play.

That’s why we look so awful when it’s not being executed, and teams cut us apart.

For me the game plan developed somewhat around the players we have / have had. It would be great to see an injection of a few players with a little more kicking skill so the Tiges could use a scalpel as well as a mallet going forward.

 

[eZyT]

yes,

if you are a fraudulent contender

like Dogs, Dees, Cats and Port having little night-thrills about beating us in September.

We may have to play 4 finals to win it,

but we've done that before.

just need to get to 6:6

and take Brisbane to the dance

 

[Bunnerz]

Our depth is out issue this year....we have 24 very good footballers and not much more.
Anymore than 3 injuries, we look ordinary atm.

 

[caesar]

Panic no but we may be due a reset. We have a great club with great foundations and we will do what is necessary.
Cameron, Higgins and Smith were 3 of their best last night and despite all the mocking of Geelong when you add that sort of quality to a top side they are going to be formidable. We are not going to go in that direction. It may buy them a flag but what comes after that?
This year may be somewhat of a bust, although I suspect we will still play finals, but we will add some quality in the draft, develop strongly and do some sort of reset.
The way the competition is set up it is really hard to stay on top for a long period of time but there is no way we are heading too far south. Our club is far too strong for that.

If it buys Geelong a flag who cares what comes after that, flags are what you play for.

 

[taraba]

Our injuries have decimated the midfield which doesn’t help compounded with several key players being somewhat out of form.

IMO we need to refresh a little bit. Actually it’s the perfect time to have six draft picks inside the top fifty. Will give us a lot of options come draft time.

As for this season if we fix our forward entries and get some players back who knows? Right now I don’t think we look like we’re winning it but stranger things have happened.

Also one more thing - We should have won that game against Port. I have rarely felt as cheated in a game of football as I have after that game. Completely robbed.

 

[King Kong]

We need a key back and badly. DTLD can’t be relied on anymore and Balta has a long way to go and Broad has always been average or below. Without Grimes our defence was torn a new one the likes of which we haven’t seen since 2016.

Miller and Garth will both be delisted this year. If Grimes goes down again then yes panic.

 

[Baloo]

If it buys Geelong a flag who cares what comes after that, flags are what you play for.

FlagS. But betting the entire club on a single flag then falling away to tears of obscurity isn't great.

Sure, after 37 years many of us would have been happy and content with just 2017 under our belt. Now we know 1 flag isn't the be all and end all. Dynasty is what you want.

 

[Sintiger]

FlagS. But betting the entire club on a single flag then falling away to tears of obscurity isn't great.

Sure, after 37 years many of us would have been happy and content with just 2017 under our belt. Now we know 1 flag isn't the be all and end all. Dynasty is what you want.

Don't disagree but isn't it amazing the change in the way we think? 4 years ago we would have all given our left nut (the males anyway) for a flag and now we want dynasty

 

[eZyT]

Dynasty is what you want.

decidedly unsatisfying.

I want a double dynasty