By Bill McDonald
Brisbane
June 26 2003
Richmond players enjoy the warmer climate of Landsborough North, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, during a training session yesterday.
Richmond is hoping an extended mid-season break on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and the possible return of three star players will help it overcome Brisbane and get its season back on the rails.
After a promising start, the Tigers have plummeted down the ladder, sliding from third to ninth position after losing the past four matches.
Skipper Wayne Campbell, who has been hampered by a calf injury since round six, trained solidly last night in front of 400 fans, as did fellow midfielder Kane Johnson (calf) and key player Ben Holland, who is pushing for senior selection following a knee reconstruction last year.
"They all trained strongly and should be available when we choose the team tonight," said football manager Greg Hutchison.
A return of the three players would give the Tigers their strongest line-up for several weeks at the Gabba on Saturday night, when they tackle the premiers, whose midfield could be bolstered by the early return from knee surgery of Michael Voss.
"I think having Kane and myself back in the midfield, along with Mark Coughlan, that'll be the first time the three of us have played together for a while," Campbell said.
"And also having the talls up forward as well, we haven't had a full side on the field for a while. Hopefully this week we will."
Campbell partly blamed inattention to coach Danny Frawley's instructions for the team's poor performances in recent weeks.
"When we've played well this year, it's been because we've had 22 players playing good footy and the last four weeks we haven't done that," Campbell said.
"We've gone away from what the coach has told us to do and that's why we've lost games, not because of who we've had out there."
Brisbane, also under pressure to prevent a third consecutive loss for the first time since 1998, has admitted for the first time this season that a premiership "three-peat" will be used as a motivating factor.
The topic of becoming the first team since Melbourne in 1955-57 to win three consecutive premierships has been taboo within the Brisbane camp until this week.
But after the 69-point loss to West Coast at the Gabba before the mid-season break, coach Leigh Matthews has rallied his troops.
Brownlow medallist Simon Black said it was a frank team meeting on Tuesday.
"The theme of yesterday's talk was just basically about sticking together and really concentrate on the next three months," Black said yesterday.
"We're in a really fortunate position; it's part of history we can really create, it's an amazing time, it will never happen for this group of guys again - to be able to have a shot at three in a row again - so that's our goal for the next three months.
"Just the real desire to concentrate on the task at hand and not getting ahead of yourself and I suppose the preparation factor, not being sloppy in the preparation factor."
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I hope nobody gets picked who is still underdone. If we come away from this game unscarred (physically) I'll be happy.
Brisbane
June 26 2003
Richmond players enjoy the warmer climate of Landsborough North, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, during a training session yesterday.
Richmond is hoping an extended mid-season break on Queensland's Sunshine Coast and the possible return of three star players will help it overcome Brisbane and get its season back on the rails.
After a promising start, the Tigers have plummeted down the ladder, sliding from third to ninth position after losing the past four matches.
Skipper Wayne Campbell, who has been hampered by a calf injury since round six, trained solidly last night in front of 400 fans, as did fellow midfielder Kane Johnson (calf) and key player Ben Holland, who is pushing for senior selection following a knee reconstruction last year.
"They all trained strongly and should be available when we choose the team tonight," said football manager Greg Hutchison.
A return of the three players would give the Tigers their strongest line-up for several weeks at the Gabba on Saturday night, when they tackle the premiers, whose midfield could be bolstered by the early return from knee surgery of Michael Voss.
"I think having Kane and myself back in the midfield, along with Mark Coughlan, that'll be the first time the three of us have played together for a while," Campbell said.
"And also having the talls up forward as well, we haven't had a full side on the field for a while. Hopefully this week we will."
Campbell partly blamed inattention to coach Danny Frawley's instructions for the team's poor performances in recent weeks.
"When we've played well this year, it's been because we've had 22 players playing good footy and the last four weeks we haven't done that," Campbell said.
"We've gone away from what the coach has told us to do and that's why we've lost games, not because of who we've had out there."
Brisbane, also under pressure to prevent a third consecutive loss for the first time since 1998, has admitted for the first time this season that a premiership "three-peat" will be used as a motivating factor.
The topic of becoming the first team since Melbourne in 1955-57 to win three consecutive premierships has been taboo within the Brisbane camp until this week.
But after the 69-point loss to West Coast at the Gabba before the mid-season break, coach Leigh Matthews has rallied his troops.
Brownlow medallist Simon Black said it was a frank team meeting on Tuesday.
"The theme of yesterday's talk was just basically about sticking together and really concentrate on the next three months," Black said yesterday.
"We're in a really fortunate position; it's part of history we can really create, it's an amazing time, it will never happen for this group of guys again - to be able to have a shot at three in a row again - so that's our goal for the next three months.
"Just the real desire to concentrate on the task at hand and not getting ahead of yourself and I suppose the preparation factor, not being sloppy in the preparation factor."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope nobody gets picked who is still underdone. If we come away from this game unscarred (physically) I'll be happy.
