One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: WilliamPowell on February 07, 2014, 09:22:58 AM
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Injured Tiger on front foot to tackle big year at club
Date February 7, 2014
Peter Hanlon
Senior sports writer for The Age
Reece Conca is in familiar territory, much as he'd rather not be. ''At the moment I'm just trying to get my body right, which has been a bit of a story of my career.''
Playing catch-up has been a regular feature of the 21-year-old's three years as a Tiger, so when he finally stepped up to full training this week, he had an acute sense of where he was at and what it would take to earn his place in Richmond's midfield against Gold Coast in the opening round on March 15.
''I don't think I'm too far behind fitness wise, it's just match fitness, being able to train under fatigue, little game plan execution things that we've changed,'' Conca said.
''It's a lot more mental than physical as well. I'll be able to catch up and hopefully be 100 per cent come round one.''
Advertisement His latest summer of frustration had its genesis soon after the start of what he reflects upon as the hardest two hours of his life. Richmond's long-awaited return to the finals had made his head spin - the build-up, the fans, the buzz.
''Running out on the ground in front of almost 100,000 people, I had goosebumps the whole warm-up, it was pretty surreal.''
His left hamstring felt tight, but he stretched and prepared as normal, passed it off as a nagging pointer to how long the season had been. Twelve minutes into the first quarter, it gave way with such alarming force he thought he had been shot.
''It was pretty devastating, one of the worst moments I've had to experience so far,'' Conca said. ''Not only personally, but to know that I'd not deliberately let down my teammates, but it had impacted the game. You can't really come back from that.''
His first two free weekends in months were spent on an operating table as his hamstring tendon was repaired, then a bone called the os trigonum - which in athletes can become painful baggage - was removed from his right heel. As he convalesced the football rumour mill canvassed a trade that would return him home to Perth, but Conca says he was always going to stay a Tiger.
''I had no intentions of going. The lure to go home's always there, but I'm happy at Richmond. I just love the club … the club as a whole is going in the right direction. I've been lucky enough to be here the last three years, and we're going to progress into a great club, there's some great things to be had here.''
Only himself, Jake Batchelor and Brad Helbig remain from the 2010 draft in which Conca went at pick six, and coach Damien Hardwick has highlighted this group as the bedrock of an improvement across the list that can help the Tigers not just make it to September again, but make an impact. He welcomes the challenge.
''There's always expectations, they just want to get the best out of everyone,'' Conca said of whether he felt any pressure.
''It's not the progression of one player or two players, it's everyone. From the core group to the last person on your team list to your captain, you've all got to be playing well, pushing hard for your spot. I think that's going to make us better as a team.''
He had planned to be back in full harness just after Christmas but suffered a minor setback with his cleaned up foot.
Back in action now, he is embracing the noticeable step-up in training intensity - and the ever-present expectation.
''Yeah, I'm pumped. It's gunna be a big year for the club, I'm very excited.
''There's been a lot of expectations on Richmond for a long period of time, and I think everyone's starting to see the quality and talent of people we've got. I think it's going to be a very special next couple of years. Hopefully it starts this year.''
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/injured-tiger-on-front-foot-to-tackle-big-year-at-club-20140206-324pj.html#ixzz2saDovkPs
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Will win the brownlow as soon as he has a full pre season
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Will win the brownlow as soon as he has a full pre season
why is your head full of junk? :cheers
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Will win the brownlow as soon as he has a full pre season
Hehe
Wish he had a full pre season at a WA club
One of the most overrated players on our list
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Agree.
Blah blah stuffn Blah , Reece.
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Will win the brownlow as soon as he has a full pre season
Hehe
Wish he had a full pre season at a WA club
One of the most overrated players on our list
runs around like a ballerina and when he gets the ball he kicks it 8 meters along the ground. he has the tools but he needs some luck with his body. still hasn't hada full pre season
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Was 4 1/2 weeks behind the rest of the group , he, ll get a lot better in the coming weeks
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Thought he played pretty well against the Dogs. One of our best and starting to find some form.
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The pass he put out in front of Riewoldt whilst running at full pace was sublime. Not many in our team can do that.
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The pass he put out in front of Riewoldt whilst running at full pace was sublime. Not many in our team can do that.
....and if we're lucky we might even get to see him do it once or twice more before the season's through.
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The pass he put out in front of Riewoldt whilst running at full pace was sublime. Not many in our team can do that.
....and if we're lucky we might even get to see him do it once or twice more before the season's through.
Harsh!!!!
The bloke hardly trained during the preseason. He doesn't ask to be picked in the firsts and probably should be getting fitter in the twos.
He is quality but anybody underdone will look ordinary in todays football.
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Why play him if he is under done ?
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Why play him if he is under done ?
That's another question but it's not his fault he is being selected is it?
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Why play him if he is under done ?
That's another question but it's not his fault he is being selected is it?
A degree of warranted expectation comes with 350 k a year........
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Why play him if he is under done ?
because there's about 8 underdone at least on top of that. It's the richmond way. Haha
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I expect him to have a real decent game against the Pies, could be his launching pad for the season...
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Why play him if he is under done ?
because there's about 8 underdone at least on top of that. It's the richmond way. Haha
Also because it gives the supporters something to whinge about
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conca is good in tight, has clean hands and is pretty good in the contest (which is why hardwick loves him). his kicking however is a massive worry.
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Conca is the epitome of the whole team, looks great when we are on top of our game and really struggles to have an impact when the going gets tough
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Your underdone, I'm underdone the whole damn system is underdone! You want the TRUTH? You CANT HANDLE THE TRUTH!
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Will never be a matchwinner or game breaker, just a soldier. He's fine - harshly judged imo
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He'll always be judged harshly for exactly for the reasons you outlined - you want a gamebreaker and a matchwinner from pick 6 not just a soldier.
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Ideally yep, doesnt have the electric pace or line breaking kicking, but he can still very much develop into a hard nutted soldier who can have an influence, like a priddis, Mitchell, Barlow type. (before anyone jumps on me, Im not saying he's going to reach those levels, but with his skillset and type, that's the type of player we should be looking to turn him into)
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conca is good in tight, has clean hands and is pretty good in the contest (which is why hardwick loves him). his kicking however is a massive worry.
you have any concerns with his awareness and his ability to buy some time for himself. i know i do.this bloke is a panic mercant and he has little awareness.
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this bloke is a panic mercant and he has little awareness.
Wrong.
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this bloke is a panic mercant and he has little awareness.
Correct.
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I love the way people see something a couple of times, make up their minds and then refuse to see anything different from then, no matter how displaced their perception becomes from reality.
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Oh the irony....
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oh, yes, ironic indeed. very yes.
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He'll always be judged harshly for exactly for the reasons you outlined - you want a gamebreaker and a matchwinner from pick 6 not just a soldier.
Not his fault but, he was expecting to go around pick 16.