Footy Classified

[one-eyed]

A fair bit about Richmond....

* Caro says Sheeds is finished as a coach and everyone in the media knows that and it was poor journalism from Eddie who knows Sheeds won't coach again.

* Cambo would be waiting in the wings if there's anybody not Sheeds. But indications are Wallace will see out the 5 years.

* Caro doesn't think there's be a hysterical overreation to one game. Deserving of all the criticism the club has received.

* There'll be questions if Wallace has lost the players, or they got stagefright, or the players aren't simply good enough and Wallace has had 4 years to put the side together, but Terry isn't under the pump.

* Thomas said he saw the signs before the game from Wallace's answer to Robbo's article. Wallace said before the game we're more interested in getting first to the ball than being second and tackling. Thomas saod Richmond players are well known for avoiding physical contact and not tackling. Hutchy said to Thomas they were 2nd in contested footy last year. Thomas replied there's 3 parts to footy - you have the footy, they have the footy, and the contested ball. Richmond don't work hard enough when the oppositon has the ball. 13th-16th in stats over the last 3-4 years. Caro said Robbo's article was prophetic.

* Thomas said it's hard to pinpoint individuals in such a bad loss although senior players over 30 didn't lead - Browny whose publicly admitted he was poor which is great, and Richo was unaccountable. Thomas said clubs in the past has tried to hurt Richo the other way without success because he's so dangerous but Waite did it beautifully. A wake-up call to Richo.

* Thomas said he was disappointed to see vision of us training tonight and them working on skills rather than basic hardness and desperation at the footy and tackling.

* Lyon said it's become about Cousins in the last few days. Hutchy claimed there's some friction between Cousins and club over his media commitments. Apparently club wasn't aware of the "shattered" article. Caro said he's desperate for cash. She said Cuz is self-centred and all his life it's been about him. Thomas believes Cousins and club aren't on the same page. There would always be peripheral issues that would come to light. That's the sort of things you need to consider when picking up a player. Caro said in Cousins' defence he was in a high state anxiety with his first game and club has made $$$ and members out of him.

[1980]

Another year and another pasting on Footy classified. Only now its Thomas instead of Archer saying we hate physical contact.

Campbell's legacy lives on in Bowden

[one-eyed]

A bit more from Grant Thomas....

Wallace must tackle cause of toothless Tigers
27/03/2009 5:31:00 PM, Grant Thomas

I was laying in bed last night after watching the Tigers inept performance in front of nearly 90,000 people at the MCG against an inspired Carlton and I was wondering what the problem was.

I was trying to imagine myself as coach and what I would be saying to the team and what I would be taking responsibility for myself.

After all the Tigers were pathetic.

The opening 20 minutes was competitive, fast and tough. The first four goals to Carlton were hand delivered and gift wrapped by terrible turnover errors by the Tigers.

After that they were totally deflated and humbly - even meekly – declined to accept any further challenges.

They were utterly dismantled mentally.

Their unacceptable decision-making and skill errors worsened and the inexperienced Blues took complete control.

What was so frustrating and galling was the manner in which Richmond succumbed. Let's remember it is Round 1 and you have everything to play for. It sets your season up – not from a win/loss perspective – more from an attitude or “statement” point of view.

Carlton had four first gamers – all of whom performed admirably – whilst Richmond had 4 players over 30 years of age who all had nights they would prefer to forget. The Blues oldest was 'Fev' at 28, along with Heath Scotland. That’s a very distinct difference in approach to the game and an even more emphatic outcome.

Terry Wallace was asked before the game about a journalist's article challenging the Richmond players' ability to tackle and do the difficult tasks required without the ball. Plough seemed to be in complete denial and was not prepared to accept the facts which is troubling.

Last night at half time it was 24 tackles to 37 in favour of Carlton who went on to have 81 whilst controlling the ball for most of the night. Perhaps Plough will finally accept responsibility for this critical aspect of the game and insist on it being a focus over the coming weeks.

After all Geelong next week and the Western Bulldogs the week after will be excellent measuring sticks.

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/Blog.aspx?blogentryid=370459&showcomments=true

[WilliamPowell]

I actually thought it was pretty mild.... Thomas made some really good points and more importantly made sense unlike Archer last year....

[pmac21]

Grant Thomas wouldnt be a bad choice for Richmond's next coach !!!

[wayne]

Grant Thomas wouldnt be a bad choice for Richmond's next coach !!!

I never liked the guy, but I reckon he might be better than what we got. As long as he doesn't loan money from Gary March.

[Infamy]

Grant Thomas wouldnt be a bad choice for Richmond's next coach !!!

Whoa, let's not get too drastic here

[Ramps]

Its not about just the coach, we recruited very badly over the last 5 years, and we have bad kicks all over the list ... to many to be able to improve substantially.

The recruiters have alot to answer for I reckon. Why recruit blokes who cant stuffen kick is beyond me.

[Fishfinger]

* Thomas said he was disappointed to see vision of us training tonight and them working on skills rather than basic hardness and desperation at the footy and tackling.

I'm not disappointed they were working on skills.

[wayne]

Its not about just the coach, we recruited very badly over the last 5 years, and we have bad kicks all over the list ... to many to be able to improve substantially.

The recruiters have alot to answer for I reckon. Why recruit blokes who cant effen kick is beyond me.

Like Jackstar said in another post, most of the guys CAN kick, because we're trying to play a precision gameplan that's where things come unstuck.

I watch most games of ours and wonder why opposition players are free all along the wing and all it takes is a kick to space because we're not anywhere near them, while we kick to guys who are hot, or have to kick to contests all the time.

[Mr Magic]

I never liked the guy, but I reckon he might be better than what we got.

Meh Thomas.
If ever a coach underachieved with a list that should have won a premiership it's Thomas the Tank.
Remember where his emphasis on ruckmen got him?

Easy to be critical from the cushy media gig.
Terry Wallace will look like a master tactician again when he's back there too.

Thomas is an egotistical wanker with a big mouth.

[Francois Jackson]

Its not about just the coach, we recruited very badly over the last 5 years, and we have bad kicks all over the list ... to many to be able to improve substantially.

The recruiters have alot to answer for I reckon. Why recruit blokes who cant effen kick is beyond me.

100% correct ramps.

Time and time again we recruit players who cant kick.

Its an embarrassment to us members who have supported this team and they let us down all the time.

Big clean out is needed

[TigerTime]

the club has had enough big clean outs, there is only so much a club can do re cutting lists yr in yr out
this team nearly made finals last yr, finished the season off well.  forget round 1, every team has at least 1 or 2 games a year they wish to forget, remember geelong v collingwood last year. we even beat the hawks pretty well late last yr but they won the flag.
the yr is still young and most ppl hate grant thomas because he tells it as it is

[Chuck17]

we even beat the hawks pretty well late last yr but they won the flag.

Apparently it was strategy from the Dawks in their quest to win the flag on why we won that game.

[one-eyed]

Its not about just the coach, we recruited very badly over the last 5 years, and we have bad kicks all over the list ... to many to be able to improve substantially.

The recruiters have alot to answer for I reckon. Why recruit blokes who cant effen kick is beyond me.

Caro tonight blamed our lack of recruiters and development structure at the end of 2004.

Caro said those five top 20 picks in 2004 were poor but no one picked on Richmond for taking them at the time. Russell said at the time Tambling would win the Brownlow based on what Darren Bewick told him. Caro blames our development structure or lack of it at the time.
Beck left shortly after in 2005, Miller's best days were behind him and Francis Jackson was only working part time. We also had a small footy dept and no player development coaches. If we had these things back then as we do now those draftees may have come on by now. Only Lids has showed anything. Healy said after the first few the 2004 draft wasn't much chop either. Van Berlo who went at pick 24 would be top 6 if the draft was re-done today.