One-Eyed Richmond Forum

Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: YellowandBlackBlood on April 26, 2016, 11:28:58 AM

Title: Playing youth out of position
Post by: YellowandBlackBlood on April 26, 2016, 11:28:58 AM
One of the things I've noted the RFC does on a constant basis is play our youngsters out of the position they do best at. This is to develop them, usually in defensive areas of their game.

I think this is actually destroying some of their natural creative flair. For example, both Lennon and Corey Ellis rarely played down back as youngsters. They made their name in the forward half and midfield respectively. Lennon plays as an intelligent forward that gets into the right places at the right time and has a beautiful kick that either kicks goals or sets them up. Corey Ellis was known as a mid who also was a fantastic kick setting up his forwards.

Yet both are played off the half back line. Why? They haven't got natural defensives strengths in their games. Ellis in particular is still very light framed and not strong enough to play back line. Yet we continue to curb their natural flair and not capitalise on the things that made them champion youngsters.
This will ultimately destroy their confidence and thus their ability to develop. 

I've lost all my faith in big Benny Griffiths too. However, how much of it is his fault and how much of it is the clubs? He was recruited as a full forward. He made his name with his size. He is then taken by the club and moved to the backline. He then is moved back to the forward line on a temporary basis and flung into the ruck, never having been a ruckman as a youth. He is then made to lose 10kg so he can have the aerobic capacity to run around the ground. So we have effectively taken away his main advantage which was being a massive 200cm forward who was still quite mobile for his size. I saw him the other day in his t shirt and he looked almost like a rake. He was bigger when he came to Richmond!

What this means is that we are constantly not recruiting to cover our needs and instead try to make players play unnatural roles to cover glaring holes in the list. This in turn is destroying them as players.

In part, it's just another small reason why we are where we are as a team.

Just my 2 cents worth.


Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Stalin on April 26, 2016, 11:34:25 AM
 The brains trust reckon they are more intelligent than what they are
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: eliminator on April 26, 2016, 11:46:12 AM
The creative talents of C Ellis and Lennon need to be preserved and developed. I agree totally that playing them out of their natural positions is doing more harm than good to them. Hardwick over emphasizes the importance of a defensive skill set and is constantly framing his decisions in a defensive mindset. I agree that the decision to slim down Griffiths has done him no good.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Stalin on April 26, 2016, 11:50:45 AM
The creative talents of C Ellis and Lennon need to be preserved and developed. I agree totally that playing them out of their natural positions is doing more harm than good to them. Hardwick over emphasizes the importance of a defensive skill set and is constantly framing his decisions in a defensive mindset. I agree that the decision to slim down Griffiths has done him no good.

Roos taught melbourne to defend in about 1 / 1.5 seasons now they are moving on to offensive part of it

7 years later Damien "I don't know what I'm doing" still has no clue
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: YellowandBlackBlood on April 26, 2016, 11:53:23 AM
The creative talents of C Ellis and Lennon need to be preserved and developed. I agree totally that playing them out of their natural positions is doing more harm than good to them. Hardwick over emphasizes the importance of a defensive skill set and is constantly framing his decisions in a defensive mindset. I agree that the decision to slim down Griffiths has done him no good.

Roos taught melbourne to defend in about 1 / 1.5 seasons now they are moving on to offensive part of it

7 years later Damien "I don't know what I'm doing" still has no clue
There is learning how to defend and there is playing in a back pocket. Two very different things. Therein lies the problem.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Lozza on April 26, 2016, 12:04:34 PM
Hardwick's focus on defence generally is I guess due to the fact he was a defender. The modern game is more about offense and being able to build attacks from the defense.

Unfortunately having brainwashed the entire playing group they are instinctively defensive and when pressure is applied they turn the ball over. Hence we need new coaches with modern strategies otherwise the current regime will ruin many more young players.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Yeahright on April 26, 2016, 12:10:52 PM
Have to question what goes on during training if our players still can't handle pressure. Seriously, it's been one of our biggest downfalls forever. Apply pressure and we crumble. You think at training (especially match simulation/intra-clubs) they'd emphasise huge pressure on the ball to make us get better at handling that pressure.

Either it's not happening, or our players aren't good enough to put on pressure.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: WA Tiger on April 26, 2016, 12:37:49 PM
Every player should be played off half back ..... :snidegrin
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: YellowandBlackBlood on April 26, 2016, 12:44:23 PM
Every player should be played off half back ..... :snidegrin
Funny thing is that might work if we played sling shot footy, but that's bad as North play it…... :whistle
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Diocletian on April 26, 2016, 01:24:19 PM
Knights was ahead of his time at Essendon.... :shh






Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: (•))(©™ on April 26, 2016, 01:34:59 PM
When opposition friends/supporters are laughing at hardwick, it's time.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: cub on April 26, 2016, 02:03:14 PM
The definition of insanity  :huh
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Stalin on April 26, 2016, 02:04:20 PM
According to albert
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: wayne on April 26, 2016, 04:09:20 PM
Everyone has been played out of position

Chaplin forward, Morris forward, Rance in the guts, Riewoldt in the guts, Hampson, Hunt, Moore, Morris, Townsend in the seniors.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: (•))(©™ on April 26, 2016, 05:27:27 PM
Chaplin forward. FLMAO.

What the stuff was that!
I don't know what's harder to believe- he thought Chaplin was the forward we want or he actually made a move during a match albeit Ckueless and embarassing.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: 🏅Dooks on April 26, 2016, 06:49:38 PM
playing guys out of position year after year is consistent with of tanking/not trying to win.

Think about it.

Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: lamington on April 26, 2016, 07:18:57 PM
Definitely one of my pet hates, messing with the natural strengths of a player. Dustin Martin doesn't even think about going for home from outside 50 any more even though he can. he slows down waits for someone else to lead into the forward 50 before dishing it off. This is disgusting to me because the boy can kick it from 55-60m out.

Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: big tone on April 26, 2016, 07:53:50 PM
You know when a team is bereft  of confidence when their first thought is to give it off sideways or backwards so the responsibility is off them.

Remember when people used to talk about how good our midfield was- Lids, Cotch, Dusty/Axel and Ivan. How often do you see us with that setup these days? (Axel excluded)

Leathal made a comment on the weekend about footy being so much easier if your team is winning center clearance. We seem not to put as much emphasis on it the last couple of years. It's  like we were happy to set up ALL our structures off HB.

And lastly the biggest mistake DH has made with a player is Jack. As good as he is now because he is simply a star, he is more dangerous isolated deep forward. Not many if any FB's can go with him in the air as well as on the ground.

Dimma has got to caught up making the game difficult IMO. When you have 5 A grade players you use them in their most dangerous positions.

He still has almost 3 years to run, if he is man enough he COULD turn things around if he gets back to basics.

Good topic YBB
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Yeahright on April 26, 2016, 09:25:58 PM
Everyone has been played out of position

Chaplin forward, Morris forward, Rance in the guts, Riewoldt in the guts, Hampson, Hunt, Moore, Morris, Townsend in the seniors.

Did you say Morris twice because any position is out of position for him?
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: (•))(©™ on April 26, 2016, 09:36:09 PM
We shouldn't need to have this thread.
We should be a well oiled team
Dimmer is stuffed.end of story.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: the claw on April 26, 2016, 09:40:51 PM
Over the years i have copped plenty on here  for voicing exactly what the op has said.

It has never been rocket science or hard to fathom. Well for some of us anyway.Play them in the roles they do best in.  roles that gives them the best chance to shine and establish themselves.. After establishing they belong and have a bit of confidence  if there is a need to add a dimension or they need to become more flexable fine try them in other roles.
How many players have been ruined in recent years.
What is most staggering is a lot of  kids are being played in roles they just dont have the physical attributes to perform well in.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Willy on April 27, 2016, 09:29:49 AM
Definitely one of my pet hates, messing with the natural strengths of a player. Dustin Martin doesn't even think about going for home from outside 50 any more even though he can. he slows down waits for someone else to lead into the forward 50 before dishing it off. This is disgusting to me because the boy can kick it from 55-60m out.

Yes. Have noticed this also. He used to kick heaps of goals from outside 50. Now he just watches Sloane, Vince et al do it.
Title: Re: Playing youth out of position
Post by: Stalin on April 27, 2016, 09:46:32 AM
Griff can kick half the field yet chips it sideways ten yards