Firstly I think this year went about as well as expected. Overall we won about the right number of games we were expected to win. Finished about where we expected to finish on the ladder. Played really good in patches than made us a look a good side, then played poor in others where you wondered if we made any progress at all..... But overall I think we made a good step forward from 2010, and 2012 definitely looks set to be another year where the Tiger faithful get some reward for their unwavering support..
Secondly I think 2014 is around when our time will come,,,, where we begin to truly win games we are expected to win, and don't lose the one's that we shouldn't... Top 4 is where it's at these days, and unless you are right up there, there isn't that much difference between 6th and 14th..... Essendon, St Kilda, Sydney all finished up in the 8, but you could argue at least 3 or 4 other teams including the Tiges looked as likely as them this year....
But there is tonnes of progress to be made....
FORWARD
Riewoldt - Was as good a forward as you could want in 2010, and took right up where he left off at the beginning of 2011... But his KO incident looked to have shaken him up for the rest of the year.... He also suffered an injury in the 2011 preseason which was minor, but still interrupted his preparations... With a good pre-season into him,,, and maybe a little more weight to give him a bit more presence,,, we shouldn't be ashamed to hope for a return to the way Riewoldt can dominate inside 50 meters,,, ala 2010... Add to that an improved tank and Vickery becoming a bonofide second target up forward, we could see Riewoldt outside 50 more (not unlike his cousin, or Richardson late, where he looked arguably the best of his career). Sewing up a weak area of the ground for us and improving our transition ability.
Vickery - Well what can you say.. For whatever Riewoldt lost after his injury early in the season, Vickery took up the slack... Clever, athletic, courageous, tough, a great mark, and a very good kick at goal,,,, when both him and Reiwoldt fire together in 2012, it is going to be a nightmare for opposition defenders... Add Martin down there in spurts, and our crummers who almost every game grow in effectiveness, any analysis by experts will show there is no lack of firepower around Richmond's forward line.
The fact that in 2010, behind Reiwoldt the next highest goal kicker in 2010 was Collins on 15,, yet in 2011, behind Reiwoldt we have :
Vickery = 36
Martin = 33
Nahas = 29
King = 25
Cotchin = 18
Miller = 17
it's an absolute night and day difference... Hopefully we can expect nothing but improvement again in this area next year, and our reliance on few guys to get more of our goals equals more scoring power overall.....
BACK
Rance - Although not exactly setting the whole of the AFL world alight with his skill or presence down back, he was non existent last year, but this year has injected some well needed run, creativity and courage to our previously dull and stagnant back line. It is certainly a good starting place for a guy who really had impact in games this year... If he continues the work ethic and aims to improve his skill level and leadership ability, he will make for a single improved guy down there... An area where it appears to be baby steps for the Tiges...
Grimes - A genuine shining light down back for the few games he played... A very young inexperienced player who got dominated by a few of the start forwards of the AFL, but only a few games later showed signs of become one of the more solid defenders in the whole competition.... The fact he suffered his season ending injury by putting in one of the most determined spoils i've ever seen shows his commitment... His timing improved in spoiling contests,,,, he's tall which we need down there, seems to be intelligent and composed when he gets the ball (something we DESPERATELY NEED down there), he was missed the moment he was out, and if he has a good pre-season and can stick it out in 2012, will add another little block to our back-line.... another baby step towards a solid defense.
HALF BACK
Deledio / Houli - Both are very composed with the ball... Whenever the team takes a step up, Deledio seems to as well... Yet to show true game changing ability, but he certainly never drags the team down when we are up... If our backline can truly strengthen up and get the ball out quicker without getting held in all he time by the press, i'm sure Deledio will be able to have more running impact and bombs from 50 meters to get every Tigers fan in the stands screaming...
Houli has obviously settled in and has shown he's an incredibly important part of our ball use through the middle... A year with our guys and our game plan now, a full pre-season knowing he is a mainstay and pivotal part of our side, we probably have not even seen the best of Houli yet... Surprised almost everyone this year with his genuine consistency (something Richmond truly cries out for), so this is one guy I am really excited to be watching for 2012...
MIDFIELD
Nahas - A night and day difference between 2010 and 2011... a decent crumber/goal sneak and reasonable forward pressure tackler in 2010 how become a very composed and energetic midfielder this year.... It is now clear that Nahas has big ambitions for his football, and the full pre-season gave him the tank and energy to take on the game like we hadn't seen of him before... You can clearly see his maturity grow every year, and if he takes some of his better games from this year and runs with them into 2012, he will be a dangerous guy to have around every competition.. Not just around goal now.
Edwards - The curse of Richmond, or at least the person everyone had condemned at the start of 2011.... Still capable of some really poor skill lapses, he needs to do some maturing as well... But towards the end of the year, he showed pace and quick skills which i've rarely seen from ANYONE around the ball and packs... If he gained some more composure, and his brain begins to think as quick as his body does, he could start to have a bit more impact on games himself... And I don't mean just handing the ball over to opposition at crucial moments.... A real wild-card, and has some serious area's to improve on, but as we appear to be persisting with him, all I ask is for some more maturity and composure, and he will be someone who adds to the side on more occasions than he takes away.
Martin - Still a bull, a marking machine one on one around goal, knows where the sticks are, genuine game breaking ability... Could only expect more improvement from Martin next year.. Already know his brain with and around the ball is top notch.. Another preseason will improve his tank again,,,, could get more defense from him... Maturity will obviously give him a little more composure as well out in space and on the run... I'll say it again to myself and here, as i've said a thousand times in the last 2 years,,,,,,, THANK GOD THIS BASTARD IS ON OUR SIDE!!!!!!
Cotchin - Stood up this year... A good pre-season, and he has some of the smoothest skills you will ever see. Looks stronger than he ever has. Takes the lead like he never has... Expect fully to be one of the out and out superstars of the AFL by 2014/2015... Do anything to keep this guy Richmond.!
RUCK
Ruck..... What can we say... I'm still waiting for that moment to click with Graham.... You could see it happen with Vickery at the start of the year.. Went from a guy with a sort of lost, rushing look in his eye, to the look of a guy who wants that damn ball and will do anything to get it... Graham has the size and I believe that attributes (skill, tank, brain) to be a good ruck.. He's still a young guy, and may never come of age... But if at some point he does get that sudden realization he can take the game by the balls like so many of our players have over the last two years, then we'll have ourselves a ruckman...! But obviously this is an area that it's hard to get excited about at this point... But i'm not completely heartless about it either... Think we can stick it out with the guys we have for another year or two...
Overall with games won and lost this year, you can really only see marginal improvement... But looking at each of our guys individually and the different components of our field, we have genuinely improved in almost every single area, and have set up a stage for even greater individual improvements next year...
You could argue we just aren't gelling 100% as a unit yet... Defensive pressure overall lacks. Assistance around Clearances lacks.. Skill and turnover errors/lapses still occur way to much...
But the difference between the Richmond of 2011, and the Richmond of a top 6 finish, I don't think is a huge gap.....
I for one am seeing the brightside of our team, and am genuinely excited about the 2012 season...
Secondly I think 2014 is around when our time will come,,,, where we begin to truly win games we are expected to win, and don't lose the one's that we shouldn't... Top 4 is where it's at these days, and unless you are right up there, there isn't that much difference between 6th and 14th..... Essendon, St Kilda, Sydney all finished up in the 8, but you could argue at least 3 or 4 other teams including the Tiges looked as likely as them this year....
But there is tonnes of progress to be made....
FORWARD
Riewoldt - Was as good a forward as you could want in 2010, and took right up where he left off at the beginning of 2011... But his KO incident looked to have shaken him up for the rest of the year.... He also suffered an injury in the 2011 preseason which was minor, but still interrupted his preparations... With a good pre-season into him,,, and maybe a little more weight to give him a bit more presence,,, we shouldn't be ashamed to hope for a return to the way Riewoldt can dominate inside 50 meters,,, ala 2010... Add to that an improved tank and Vickery becoming a bonofide second target up forward, we could see Riewoldt outside 50 more (not unlike his cousin, or Richardson late, where he looked arguably the best of his career). Sewing up a weak area of the ground for us and improving our transition ability.
Vickery - Well what can you say.. For whatever Riewoldt lost after his injury early in the season, Vickery took up the slack... Clever, athletic, courageous, tough, a great mark, and a very good kick at goal,,,, when both him and Reiwoldt fire together in 2012, it is going to be a nightmare for opposition defenders... Add Martin down there in spurts, and our crummers who almost every game grow in effectiveness, any analysis by experts will show there is no lack of firepower around Richmond's forward line.
The fact that in 2010, behind Reiwoldt the next highest goal kicker in 2010 was Collins on 15,, yet in 2011, behind Reiwoldt we have :
Vickery = 36
Martin = 33
Nahas = 29
King = 25
Cotchin = 18
Miller = 17
it's an absolute night and day difference... Hopefully we can expect nothing but improvement again in this area next year, and our reliance on few guys to get more of our goals equals more scoring power overall.....
BACK
Rance - Although not exactly setting the whole of the AFL world alight with his skill or presence down back, he was non existent last year, but this year has injected some well needed run, creativity and courage to our previously dull and stagnant back line. It is certainly a good starting place for a guy who really had impact in games this year... If he continues the work ethic and aims to improve his skill level and leadership ability, he will make for a single improved guy down there... An area where it appears to be baby steps for the Tiges...
Grimes - A genuine shining light down back for the few games he played... A very young inexperienced player who got dominated by a few of the start forwards of the AFL, but only a few games later showed signs of become one of the more solid defenders in the whole competition.... The fact he suffered his season ending injury by putting in one of the most determined spoils i've ever seen shows his commitment... His timing improved in spoiling contests,,,, he's tall which we need down there, seems to be intelligent and composed when he gets the ball (something we DESPERATELY NEED down there), he was missed the moment he was out, and if he has a good pre-season and can stick it out in 2012, will add another little block to our back-line.... another baby step towards a solid defense.
HALF BACK
Deledio / Houli - Both are very composed with the ball... Whenever the team takes a step up, Deledio seems to as well... Yet to show true game changing ability, but he certainly never drags the team down when we are up... If our backline can truly strengthen up and get the ball out quicker without getting held in all he time by the press, i'm sure Deledio will be able to have more running impact and bombs from 50 meters to get every Tigers fan in the stands screaming...
Houli has obviously settled in and has shown he's an incredibly important part of our ball use through the middle... A year with our guys and our game plan now, a full pre-season knowing he is a mainstay and pivotal part of our side, we probably have not even seen the best of Houli yet... Surprised almost everyone this year with his genuine consistency (something Richmond truly cries out for), so this is one guy I am really excited to be watching for 2012...
MIDFIELD
Nahas - A night and day difference between 2010 and 2011... a decent crumber/goal sneak and reasonable forward pressure tackler in 2010 how become a very composed and energetic midfielder this year.... It is now clear that Nahas has big ambitions for his football, and the full pre-season gave him the tank and energy to take on the game like we hadn't seen of him before... You can clearly see his maturity grow every year, and if he takes some of his better games from this year and runs with them into 2012, he will be a dangerous guy to have around every competition.. Not just around goal now.
Edwards - The curse of Richmond, or at least the person everyone had condemned at the start of 2011.... Still capable of some really poor skill lapses, he needs to do some maturing as well... But towards the end of the year, he showed pace and quick skills which i've rarely seen from ANYONE around the ball and packs... If he gained some more composure, and his brain begins to think as quick as his body does, he could start to have a bit more impact on games himself... And I don't mean just handing the ball over to opposition at crucial moments.... A real wild-card, and has some serious area's to improve on, but as we appear to be persisting with him, all I ask is for some more maturity and composure, and he will be someone who adds to the side on more occasions than he takes away.
Martin - Still a bull, a marking machine one on one around goal, knows where the sticks are, genuine game breaking ability... Could only expect more improvement from Martin next year.. Already know his brain with and around the ball is top notch.. Another preseason will improve his tank again,,,, could get more defense from him... Maturity will obviously give him a little more composure as well out in space and on the run... I'll say it again to myself and here, as i've said a thousand times in the last 2 years,,,,,,, THANK GOD THIS BASTARD IS ON OUR SIDE!!!!!!
Cotchin - Stood up this year... A good pre-season, and he has some of the smoothest skills you will ever see. Looks stronger than he ever has. Takes the lead like he never has... Expect fully to be one of the out and out superstars of the AFL by 2014/2015... Do anything to keep this guy Richmond.!
RUCK
Ruck..... What can we say... I'm still waiting for that moment to click with Graham.... You could see it happen with Vickery at the start of the year.. Went from a guy with a sort of lost, rushing look in his eye, to the look of a guy who wants that damn ball and will do anything to get it... Graham has the size and I believe that attributes (skill, tank, brain) to be a good ruck.. He's still a young guy, and may never come of age... But if at some point he does get that sudden realization he can take the game by the balls like so many of our players have over the last two years, then we'll have ourselves a ruckman...! But obviously this is an area that it's hard to get excited about at this point... But i'm not completely heartless about it either... Think we can stick it out with the guys we have for another year or two...
Overall with games won and lost this year, you can really only see marginal improvement... But looking at each of our guys individually and the different components of our field, we have genuinely improved in almost every single area, and have set up a stage for even greater individual improvements next year...
You could argue we just aren't gelling 100% as a unit yet... Defensive pressure overall lacks. Assistance around Clearances lacks.. Skill and turnover errors/lapses still occur way to much...
But the difference between the Richmond of 2011, and the Richmond of a top 6 finish, I don't think is a huge gap.....
I for one am seeing the brightside of our team, and am genuinely excited about the 2012 season...
