No surprise they started with us tonight ....
Summary:
* Hutchy asked Caro if Richmond are a wooden spoon contender and Caro said it's possible. Brisbane won on the weekend while GWS (against Hawthorn), Melbourne and the Bulldogs were very competitive.
* Lyon said Richmond is a club that can't handle success. All they were designed for was to make finals and not go higher. They were so desperate to finally break their drought that that's all they concentrated on rather than building to go further.
* They showed win/loss stats of our last 3 coaches and Hardwick's record over his 5 years isn't too different from his two predecessors. Caro acknowledged that prior to this year Dimma's record was heading in the opposite direction to Wallace and Frawley at the same period of their reigns.
W L D W%
Hardwick 42 55 2 43.43
Wallace 37 60 2 37.37
Frawley 45 54 0 45.45
* Caro said the history of Richmond rising one year and falling away immediately has gone longer than those coaches and longer than any other club. There's something findamentally wrong at that footy club.
* Lyon - Richmond are more comfortable chasing than being chased. They can't handle the pressure and spotlight of success. So they rather be chasers from outside the Eight where the spotlight is off them.
* Lloyd showed last year's recruiting ...
12. Ben Lennon (18 y.o.)
28.(became 32). Shaun Hampson (26 y.o.)
50. Nathan Gordon (24 y.o.)
66. Sam Lloyd (24 y.o.)
Rookie draft
11. Todd Banfield (23 y.o.)
27. Anthony Miles (22 y.o.)
42. Matt Thomas (27 y.o.)
... and said only one kid in Lennon was drafted. The rest were 24 year olds and other club rejects. They don't cost you much getting them but the point is they clog up your list. Lloyd said they must have foolishly considered themselves premiership contenders. Caro said they didn't consider themselves premiership material but definitely would've seen themselves as top 4 materal this year. Hutchy said they definitely rated themselves at least top 4.
* Lloyd also said there's a lack of support for Jack in the forward line. Vickery and Griffiths haven't come on, Elton and McBean haven't been seen while Aaron Edwards who may come in this week isn't the long-term answer either.
* Lloyd rates as elite - Dusty, Lids, Cotch, Jack and getting there - Ellis, Vlastuin, Lennon. Doesn't believe Conca is finding enough of the footy so didn't include him.
* Hutchy said 6 of the 9 above 28 years old will be purged at the end of the season. Only Maric, Chaplin & Jackson will survive.
* Lyon critical of the leaders. Players want Cotchin to be harder which is a statement in itself with players expecting others to do something rather than themselves. Caro said we don't have a Hodge or Selwood who can step up at critical times in a last quarter and get their side over the line in close games. Not Saturday night but Richmond has lost a number of close games in recent times and this year.
* Caro doesn't reckon Houli will play this week. Grigg and Jackson unlikely due to injury.
