For those who missed club corner last week they were speaking to Tom Roach here's the transcript from the interview.
Young Tommy tells
richmondfc.com.au
10:31:26 AM Thu 21 August, 2003
Richmond's first recruit for the 2004 season, Thomas Roach, created quite an impression among the Yellow and Black faithful when interviewed on the Tigers' Club Corner radio (on Sport 927) show by co-host Andrew Kuuse just a few hours after the announcement he would be coming to Tigerland under the father-son rule. Here, in full, is the text of that interview . . .
Andrew Kuuse: Well, it's been a big day for you -- the final confirmation by the Tigers, the announcement that they will draft you to join the Richmond Football Club. How are you feeling?
Tom Roach: Oh, well, pretty excited. Still not really soaked in yet. But found out yesterday and haven't been able to wipe the smile off my face, so it's been really good.
Andrew Kuuse: You were quoted at the Press conference as saying you were quite relieved to be moving to Punt Road. Some people might say that following in the footsteps of your famous father that might be a tough situation. But you're relishing it . . .
Tom Roach: Yeah, well, like I've barracked for the team for my whole life and I've loved them and seen them play some good footy and some bad footy. But I've always gone and watched and I've always just wanted to play with Richmond. And, to know that I'm going there, is just a relief for me.
AK: And your background . . . you attend Carey Grammar, you play some footy there and also you've been playing with the Oakleigh Chargers in the under-18 competition. And, you're a bit of an on-ball type player/forward, but any expectations you might kick near 600 goals, as your father did, might be out of reach because you don't play in the goalsquare week in, week out.
TR: No, I'm more of an on-baller type player. I've got a bit of pace and I'm not really a big, high-marking forward like my Dad. I can still go down forward and get lucky and kick a couple of goals, but I'm not a high-marking player . . . don't quite have the size for it.
AK: Your father is obviously thrilled. He was very much rapt with the decision at the Press conference today. In terms of leading up to this announcement, what has been the discussion with yourself and your Dad about heading to Punt Road? Did he have his own thoughts on advising you in that way?
TR: Well, yeah, he always wanted me to go there. He didn't know that they wanted me. He was hoping that they would and didn't know until last Thursday when they told me. He would tell me that, you know, just got to keep working hard and hopefully they pick you up because he really wanted to see me play for Richmond and not with other clubs. So, he was also very relieved that I got the call-up.
AK: When you say that he only just found out, was that a case of you asking the Club just to keep things quiet because your father might get too excited?
TR: No, no . . . they called him on Thursday and said would you like to have a meeting and Dad said, yeah, no problems. And that's when they announced it. Dad didn't tell me until last night (the Sunday), so it came as a shock to him and a shock to me.
AK: I believe that one of the reasons the Club has announced this now, Tom, is that you've gained permission from the AFL to actually train with the Club.
TR: Yeah, I trained with them for two weeks in the school holidays about four weeks ago and I trained there just as a normal player really. I trained every time they did and went to all the team meetings and it was a really good experience. And, I must have done something right, so they've picked me up . . .
AK: What year are you doing at Carey Grammar?
TR: Year 12, so it's my final year and this has taken a bit of pressure off. So now I can really concentrate on my studies for the last couple of months.
AK: What do you hope to do in terms of enrolling in post High School. Are you going to defer for a year or do you want to go and do studies next year, combined with the football, because next year will be a big one for you?
TR: Yeah, I want to go to Uni. part-time . . . you can do part-time courses where you do them over six years instead of four years or something like that. So, yeah, I will go to Uni. next year . . . pick a course and hopefully I can get into that. So, yeah, Uni. will be an option for me.
AK: And you're living at home, I gather, so until you turn 18, is your Dad the one driving you to Punt Road each week . . ?
TR: Well, I live just next to Punt Road, so I walk down and walk back, so there's no issue there with transport. When I trained there I just walked there and walked home. So, it was really easy.
AK: Well, given the traffic that people sit in coming home from the city around Punt Road at five o'clock or nine o'clock on a Monday to Friday morning, that perhaps is the biggest bonus of all. Not the fact that you're going to the Club that your father played for, or the fact that the Tigers are drafting you, it's just a case that you can walk to the ground. That's the best thing I've heard.
TR: Yeah, it's very convenient and I'm really happy about that. So, don't think I'll be moving out of home too soon.
AK: I've read a number of reviews of the Press conference today. You were referred to as being Thomas Roach, Tom Roach, Tommy Roach . . . pretty famous Tommy that was associated with the Tigers as a coach and a former player, in Tommy Hafey. But what do your teammates call you?
TR: Well, my coach this year at Oakleigh, Neil Ross, who played with Richmond and is good mates with my Dad, started calling me 'Disco', after my Dad, so that was a little bit . . . oh, I don't know if I like that too much. But I cop that and a lot of it's just sort of stuck . . . And at Carey they just call me 'Roachy' or Tommy or something like that.
AK: What about the No. 8 . . . I know you've been asked this before and you'll be asked this, I guess, leading up to next year. Kayne Pettifer is now wearing the No. 8, but what are your aims in terms of trying to 'steal' your father's jumper?
TR: Ah, well, it doesn't worry me really what number I wear. If the eight happens to pop up, and they ask me if I would like to wear it, I wouldn't have an issue with that and I think I'd be honored to wear the No. 8 guernsey. So, I think if it came up I would take the No. 8, but if it didn't, it wouldn't worry me too much.
AK: The coach, Danny Frawley, suggests that, obviously, they don't want to put too much pressure on you early, that you do need time to build up your body and to get used to being associated with a club in the AFL. In terms of your own aims, would you see yourself doing a lot of work with Coburg for quite a while before you envisage even maybe tasting senior football?
TR: Yeah, I think that would be the case. I'm only around about 73-74 kilos and I'm sure I'd have to put on a fair bit of bulk to be able to be competitive at the highest level. Coburg, I' m sure, would be my first option, so I'd be playing there next year and maybe, just depending on how the team's performing and how our injuries are, I'm probably not likely to get a game next year. But you just never know . . .
AK: Tom, we interview a lot of footballers on this radio station -- some that have played 200-plus games, others that are just making their debut -- in your case, someone who's just arrived at the club to go on to the list full stop. And you seem a very confident and well-spoken young man. You don't seem to be too shy, so that will carry you through pretty well.
Young Tommy tells
richmondfc.com.au
10:31:26 AM Thu 21 August, 2003
Richmond's first recruit for the 2004 season, Thomas Roach, created quite an impression among the Yellow and Black faithful when interviewed on the Tigers' Club Corner radio (on Sport 927) show by co-host Andrew Kuuse just a few hours after the announcement he would be coming to Tigerland under the father-son rule. Here, in full, is the text of that interview . . .
Andrew Kuuse: Well, it's been a big day for you -- the final confirmation by the Tigers, the announcement that they will draft you to join the Richmond Football Club. How are you feeling?
Tom Roach: Oh, well, pretty excited. Still not really soaked in yet. But found out yesterday and haven't been able to wipe the smile off my face, so it's been really good.
Andrew Kuuse: You were quoted at the Press conference as saying you were quite relieved to be moving to Punt Road. Some people might say that following in the footsteps of your famous father that might be a tough situation. But you're relishing it . . .
Tom Roach: Yeah, well, like I've barracked for the team for my whole life and I've loved them and seen them play some good footy and some bad footy. But I've always gone and watched and I've always just wanted to play with Richmond. And, to know that I'm going there, is just a relief for me.
AK: And your background . . . you attend Carey Grammar, you play some footy there and also you've been playing with the Oakleigh Chargers in the under-18 competition. And, you're a bit of an on-ball type player/forward, but any expectations you might kick near 600 goals, as your father did, might be out of reach because you don't play in the goalsquare week in, week out.
TR: No, I'm more of an on-baller type player. I've got a bit of pace and I'm not really a big, high-marking forward like my Dad. I can still go down forward and get lucky and kick a couple of goals, but I'm not a high-marking player . . . don't quite have the size for it.
AK: Your father is obviously thrilled. He was very much rapt with the decision at the Press conference today. In terms of leading up to this announcement, what has been the discussion with yourself and your Dad about heading to Punt Road? Did he have his own thoughts on advising you in that way?
TR: Well, yeah, he always wanted me to go there. He didn't know that they wanted me. He was hoping that they would and didn't know until last Thursday when they told me. He would tell me that, you know, just got to keep working hard and hopefully they pick you up because he really wanted to see me play for Richmond and not with other clubs. So, he was also very relieved that I got the call-up.
AK: When you say that he only just found out, was that a case of you asking the Club just to keep things quiet because your father might get too excited?
TR: No, no . . . they called him on Thursday and said would you like to have a meeting and Dad said, yeah, no problems. And that's when they announced it. Dad didn't tell me until last night (the Sunday), so it came as a shock to him and a shock to me.
AK: I believe that one of the reasons the Club has announced this now, Tom, is that you've gained permission from the AFL to actually train with the Club.
TR: Yeah, I trained with them for two weeks in the school holidays about four weeks ago and I trained there just as a normal player really. I trained every time they did and went to all the team meetings and it was a really good experience. And, I must have done something right, so they've picked me up . . .
AK: What year are you doing at Carey Grammar?
TR: Year 12, so it's my final year and this has taken a bit of pressure off. So now I can really concentrate on my studies for the last couple of months.
AK: What do you hope to do in terms of enrolling in post High School. Are you going to defer for a year or do you want to go and do studies next year, combined with the football, because next year will be a big one for you?
TR: Yeah, I want to go to Uni. part-time . . . you can do part-time courses where you do them over six years instead of four years or something like that. So, yeah, I will go to Uni. next year . . . pick a course and hopefully I can get into that. So, yeah, Uni. will be an option for me.
AK: And you're living at home, I gather, so until you turn 18, is your Dad the one driving you to Punt Road each week . . ?
TR: Well, I live just next to Punt Road, so I walk down and walk back, so there's no issue there with transport. When I trained there I just walked there and walked home. So, it was really easy.
AK: Well, given the traffic that people sit in coming home from the city around Punt Road at five o'clock or nine o'clock on a Monday to Friday morning, that perhaps is the biggest bonus of all. Not the fact that you're going to the Club that your father played for, or the fact that the Tigers are drafting you, it's just a case that you can walk to the ground. That's the best thing I've heard.
TR: Yeah, it's very convenient and I'm really happy about that. So, don't think I'll be moving out of home too soon.
AK: I've read a number of reviews of the Press conference today. You were referred to as being Thomas Roach, Tom Roach, Tommy Roach . . . pretty famous Tommy that was associated with the Tigers as a coach and a former player, in Tommy Hafey. But what do your teammates call you?
TR: Well, my coach this year at Oakleigh, Neil Ross, who played with Richmond and is good mates with my Dad, started calling me 'Disco', after my Dad, so that was a little bit . . . oh, I don't know if I like that too much. But I cop that and a lot of it's just sort of stuck . . . And at Carey they just call me 'Roachy' or Tommy or something like that.
AK: What about the No. 8 . . . I know you've been asked this before and you'll be asked this, I guess, leading up to next year. Kayne Pettifer is now wearing the No. 8, but what are your aims in terms of trying to 'steal' your father's jumper?
TR: Ah, well, it doesn't worry me really what number I wear. If the eight happens to pop up, and they ask me if I would like to wear it, I wouldn't have an issue with that and I think I'd be honored to wear the No. 8 guernsey. So, I think if it came up I would take the No. 8, but if it didn't, it wouldn't worry me too much.
AK: The coach, Danny Frawley, suggests that, obviously, they don't want to put too much pressure on you early, that you do need time to build up your body and to get used to being associated with a club in the AFL. In terms of your own aims, would you see yourself doing a lot of work with Coburg for quite a while before you envisage even maybe tasting senior football?
TR: Yeah, I think that would be the case. I'm only around about 73-74 kilos and I'm sure I'd have to put on a fair bit of bulk to be able to be competitive at the highest level. Coburg, I' m sure, would be my first option, so I'd be playing there next year and maybe, just depending on how the team's performing and how our injuries are, I'm probably not likely to get a game next year. But you just never know . . .
AK: Tom, we interview a lot of footballers on this radio station -- some that have played 200-plus games, others that are just making their debut -- in your case, someone who's just arrived at the club to go on to the list full stop. And you seem a very confident and well-spoken young man. You don't seem to be too shy, so that will carry you through pretty well.
