2:19:02 PM Mon 30 June, 2003
Jordan Chong
afl.com.au
Richmond has confirmed it will seek clarification from umpires boss Jeff Gieschen about the treatment of Matthew Richardson.
Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison said the club had previously brought both Gieschen – the AFL’s director of umpiring - and Rowan Sawers, the umpires coach, to Punt Road but will try and do so again this week.
“It’s an interesting one isn’t it? Key forwards seem to really miss out on free kicks a lot. You look at the David Neitz example and ‘Richo’ is one of those guys,” Hutchison said on Monday.
“People do what they can to stop him as much as they possibly can and they push it right to the nth degree of the law and if the umpires don’t pay the free kick there’s not much else you can do about it other that competing all the time.”
While he felt Richardson was frustrated by the current situation, it wasn’t affecting his performance.
“I think we all get frustrated by the whole thing and it would frustrate Matthew. But I think to his credit he’s been fairly strong about it and had a good resolve and got through the games fairly well,” Hutchison said.
“Eventually, the wheel will turn for him.”
Richardson has been awarded 13 frees – in addition to giving away 19 - from 10 matches so far this season.
Melbourne coach Neale Daniher has done something similar for his spearhead David Neitz.
Meanwhile, Hutchison predicted skipper Wayne Campbell would be fit to face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night, indication the club was not prepared to risk Campbell who ‘didn’t get through the session as well the club would have liked’ last Friday.
Campbell, who participated fully with the main group on Monday, has missed the last four matches with a calf injury.
Hutchison was also optimistic about the likelihood of Kane Johnson lining up against his old club. Johnson suffered lower back soreness against the Lions. He only walked laps at training and left the track early.
Jordan Chong
afl.com.au
Richmond has confirmed it will seek clarification from umpires boss Jeff Gieschen about the treatment of Matthew Richardson.
Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison said the club had previously brought both Gieschen – the AFL’s director of umpiring - and Rowan Sawers, the umpires coach, to Punt Road but will try and do so again this week.
“It’s an interesting one isn’t it? Key forwards seem to really miss out on free kicks a lot. You look at the David Neitz example and ‘Richo’ is one of those guys,” Hutchison said on Monday.
“People do what they can to stop him as much as they possibly can and they push it right to the nth degree of the law and if the umpires don’t pay the free kick there’s not much else you can do about it other that competing all the time.”
While he felt Richardson was frustrated by the current situation, it wasn’t affecting his performance.
“I think we all get frustrated by the whole thing and it would frustrate Matthew. But I think to his credit he’s been fairly strong about it and had a good resolve and got through the games fairly well,” Hutchison said.
“Eventually, the wheel will turn for him.”
Richardson has been awarded 13 frees – in addition to giving away 19 - from 10 matches so far this season.
Melbourne coach Neale Daniher has done something similar for his spearhead David Neitz.
Meanwhile, Hutchison predicted skipper Wayne Campbell would be fit to face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night, indication the club was not prepared to risk Campbell who ‘didn’t get through the session as well the club would have liked’ last Friday.
Campbell, who participated fully with the main group on Monday, has missed the last four matches with a calf injury.
Hutchison was also optimistic about the likelihood of Kane Johnson lining up against his old club. Johnson suffered lower back soreness against the Lions. He only walked laps at training and left the track early.
