Welcome Derek Eggmolesse Smith | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Welcome Derek Eggmolesse Smith

It seems to be the Richmond way to make a player perfect their greatest strength before working on their biggest flaw.

His greatest tools took a leap this year. His metres gained and disposal are excellent.

Expect Eggs to have one of those massive off-seasons where they come back a different body type. He has probably hit all his KPIs for the season, club will phase him out for Houli now & sit him as a back up

I think the club sees Balta, Eggs, Baker & Short as our future decade defenders. We now need to find long term replacements for Astbury & Grimes
 
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RaoulJuke said:
It seems to be the Richmond way to make a player perfect their greatest strength before working on their biggest flaw.

His greatest tools took a leap this year. His metres gained and disposal are excellent.

Expect Eggs to have one of those massive off-seasons where they come back a different body type. He has probably hit all his KPIs for the season, club will phase him out for Houli now & sit him as a back up

I think the club sees Balta, Eggs, Baker & Short as our future decade defenders. We now need to find long term replacements for Astbury & Grimes
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A player like Optimus is very hard to replicate. Fast, brave, tough, nasty, agile, able to play tall or small, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
He’s Superboy.
 
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Dont Argue said:
A player like Optimus is very hard to replicate. Fast, brave, tough, nasty, agile, able to play tall or small, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
He’s Superboy.
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Yup, in saying that - i think Grimes could be a guy like D.Fletcher where he will play till a ripe ol age effectively, pending injury. Astbury, nit so sure.

I think we should be ready for the busiest off season for a long time.

Mids, key backs & a mobile ruck are all positions we are very sparse in development.

I also think we need to prepare for some of our stars to retire earlier that we'd expect.
 
RaoulJuke said:
I also think we need to prepare for some of our stars to retire earlier that we'd expect.
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What prompts you to suggest that? Not many players are surprise retirees. Most are earning more than they could elsewhere and are keen to string it out.

There may have been others, but Wayne Campbell at 33 was the last veteran I recall resisting club entreaties to play on. Dan Jackson was barely 28 at his last game and while there may have been more to it, the club appeared to accept his decision.

If Martin and Lynch have back-ended contracts then obviously we can't afford for everyone to play on indefinitely, but I anticipate us staggering the retirements where possible in a similar way to Geelong.
 
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LeeToRainesToRoach said:
What prompts you to suggest that? Not many players are surprise retirees. Most are earning more than they could elsewhere and are keen to string it out.

There may have been others, but Wayne Campbell at 33 was the last veteran I recall resisting club entreaties to play on. Dan Jackson was barely 28 at his last game and while there may have been more to it, the club appeared to accept his decision.

If Martin and Lynch have back-ended contracts then obviously we can't afford for everyone to play on indefinitely, but I anticipate us staggering the retirements where possible in a similar way to Geelong.
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Some people call it a "gut feeling", others call it "talking out ur arse"

We've already seen Rance & Grigg go very early. Houli due at the end of this by all accounts. I reckon Cotch could go at the end on next based on family & body concerns. Jack has found some form of late, but the first 9 weeks showed us where he is fast approaching. Both Toby & Dions bodies are battered & worn, & i feel Astbury might be a bit the same. Caddy i wouldnt be surprised to find himseld traded a 3rd time.

I think Lynch & Dusty still have a while to go, & think sheeds & Grimey could play a while based on their smarts. But even with Dusty, who knows. He is financially a made man & misses his dad immensely. His dad is banned to come here & the new covid world has made travel so much harder.
 
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RaoulJuke said:
Some people call it a "gut feeling", others call it "talking out ur arse"

We've already seen Rance & Grigg go very early. Houli due at the end of this by all accounts. I reckon Cotch could go at the end on next based on family & body concerns. Jack has found some form of late, but the first 9 weeks showed us where he is fast approaching. Both Toby & Dions bodies are battered & worn, & i feel Astbury might be a bit the same. Caddy i wouldnt be surprised to find himseld traded a 3rd time.

I think Lynch & Dusty still have a while to go, & think sheeds & Grimey could play a while based on their smarts. But even with Dusty, who knows. He is financially a made man & misses his dad immensely. His dad is banned to come here & the new covid world has made travel so much harder.
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Hard to say. We haven't had many players retire in their dotage of late. Newman (33) the oldest in the decade 2010-19, then Cousins (32) and Tuck/Simmonds/Stephenson (31). The only comparable clubs have been recent strugglers: Gold Coast (3), Carlton & Port (4), Melbourne & North (5). It might trigger a few if we fell off the perch and a period of rebuilding was required, but I imagine being part of a strong Richmond would be a powerful motiovator.

We'll see I guess.
 
Some interesting ideas about urgency of succession above.

Even if the demise is not imminent the planning for succession is urgent. So seven-game DES has to play.

The bad news is that he is a 22yo CatB Rookie who missed all of 2018 through injury and is physically underdeveloped.

The good news is that he is already possibly the second best kick at the club, after Dustin Martin. He can break a line.

He doesn't get it enough. But he did once. In his fourth game.

He's soft? We've had a couple fo big reputations playing sensibly for the past few weeks. Blokes who are paid to hit up.

If former Richmond hero Mr Alex Rance were in that backline DES could sag off as a 22yo. And laser beam the *smile* out of impossible targets. But he's gotta work for a living. Five games in. Six games in.

Very promising user under pressure IMO. Can strike a hard target. Can be elusive. Can push into space. But he's gotta get more of it. And show the endeavour he showed against the Swans. That was impressive.
 
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Like most young kids in the game they are very much a work in progress in the first couple of years and take time to develop. Sure there are exceptions. Eggs has a lot of natural ability but for me a slight hesitation for a contest is a bit of a concern. However when you look at Shorty who wasn't good at a contest has now come on leaps and bounds so have no reason not the expect Eggs to do the same. Get that in place and we have one heck of a footballer
 
Disappointing for Egg being cut today.
Plenty of skill & looked a possible Houli replacement but perhaps a lack of professionalism ultimately cost him.
 
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Tigers of Old said:
Disappointing for Egg being cut today.
Plenty of skill & looked a possible Houli replacement but perhaps a lack of professionalism ultimately cost him.
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Lack of intensity as well I reckon. He was found wanting in that Port game. I wouldn't have been against him getting another year with us but that intensity is hard to develop if it's not natural. Maybe the club thought he might not develop it and it is a massive part of our game.

Wouldn't surprise me to see him get a go elsewhere. No doubt he has talent.
 
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The old Webberly-game. Poor Eggy, the Port game killed his career. Shame as he had plenty of tools.

Wish him all the best.
 
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he has admitted himself previously that he had struggled with the demands of training, being on time etc
 
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eZyT said:
If youde been watching the last 4 years,

Youde have noticed both our hbf, shorty and bachar are not contested animals.

Let me take you back 10 days. Vlastuin, bachar, dtld, rance missing from our backline. Must win game against footscray. Not many expected to win.

Eggs got BOG. 10 sleeps ago. He won a huge TV.

If you want to write off that kid after one poor game, then your footy judgement is pretty impaired.
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i think it was the first port game. He was all over the place, got caught twice, wrong option giving off the ball, jumped for a specky instead of punching. In this game, the pressure placed by port was high. So to be in this side, you must play your role, otherwise you are out.
Nothing against Derek, a top bloke and he did play a few nice games. but our current team demands consistently. Best wishes and thank you for your efforts.
 
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Very disappointed with this move,l would have liked to have have seen us stick with Dekka.
 
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Just shows the standards they expect - awareness and go hard when it’s your turn are non negotiables so I understand the decision.

It also shows the quality of the squad - previously he would have shown enough to be kept on but now the standards are higher so he misses out. Not good for eggs but shows where we are at which is good sign.

Could see him getting another run at a club like lolnorf
 
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A bit disappointed, as he has some elite traits. However he has some traits that are very un-Richmond (on full display in the Port game) and that's cost him.
 
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A couple of moments in 2 games,one last year,one game this year where he was slow to react and got caught point blank,really stood out as a momentum killer,got dropped both times.
 
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