Tigers worried after pre-season shocker (SMH)

[one-eyed]

Tigers worried after pre-season shocker
Roger Vaughan
March 20, 2011 - 4:39PM

The alarm bells continue to ring loud at Punt Rd after the disastrous end to Richmond's AFL pre-season.

Four days out from their round-one blockbuster against Carlton at the MCG on Thursday night, Richmond's reigning Coleman Medallist Jack Riewoldt said there were major concerns after the 68-point thrashing from Adelaide.

Coach Damien Hardwick savaged his players immediately after the March 11 practice match, saying the Crows' seven unanswered goals in the last term "was soul destroying in a way".

Riewoldt agreed with his coach's blunt assessment.

"Definitely it was - I suppose it's not great preparation going into probably the biggest game of the year for our club, the membership and all that sort of stuff, on the back of a 60-point loss," Riewoldt said on Channel Seven's AFL Game Day.

"It's something we've addressed over the last week since the game, we're going to take measures ... into the round-one game and hopefully we can put a better performance together than that."

The Tigers badly need a strong start as they try to build on some promising signs last year.

While they finished second-last again, they rallied from an 0-9 start to win six matches.

On the flip side of that optimism, Richmond managed only one win in their last seven matches.

Off-field, the Tigers are making progress, with their new Fighting Tiger Fund already stripping about $2.5 million off the club's crippling debt.

A fundraising dinner last Thursday night at their new Punt Rd headquarters was a rallying point for the Tigers, who have not won a premiership since 1980 and last made the finals a decade ago.

But on field, the Blues will again be tough opponents, having won their past five matches against Richmond.

Carlton v Richmond has been a round-one fixture since 2007 and the Blues have won three of the four high-profile clashes.

They nearly doubled Richmond's score this time last year to win by 56 points.

In 2009, Ben Cousins tore a hamstring during his Richmond debut as Carlton won the opener by 83 points.

That thrashing set the tone for a disastrous year, with coach Terry Wallace leaving midway through the season.

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-sport/tigers-worried-after-preseason-shocker-20110320-1c21j.html

[TigerTimeII]

seems like we r playing mind games and giving carlscum a false sense of security

[1965]

seems like we r playing mind games and giving carlscum a false sense of security

You been on holidays?

 

[WilliamPowell]

seems like we r playing mind games and giving carlscum a false sense of security

we can only hope  

[bojangles17]

hmm, i since learnt they played with three extra players, call that a contest, i wouldn't be at all concerned

[TigerTimeII]

seems like we r playing mind games and giving carlscum a false sense of security

You been on holidays?

 

lol been reading many threads but saving my posts for the season proper
just about cherry ripe after a good pre season lol

[Hard Roar Tiger]

hmm, i since learnt they played with three extra players, call that a contest, i wouldn't be at all concerned

If someone told me that we would win 8 games this year but end with a percentage of 85% - I'd be okay with that season.
Problem is, that still delivers 14 losses and with a poorish percentage we might end up with 5 or 6 losses that are 10 goal+.

So in that context with a pre season campaign which clearly has little to do with us being competitive - it really doesn't bother me.

In fact I can cop the half dozen thrashings this year - if we can get the 8 wins.......with one of them being R1.

Is that wrong?

[Penelope]

wanting to beat the blue scum is never wrong

[Francois Jackson]

wanting to beat the blue scum is never wrong

this win means more to me than any this year which is why im donating more money to the Fighting Fund if we can just beat these scumbags.

How good did it feel smashing them in Judd's first game. Never forget it i was went straight to the airport bound for Dubai from the MCG.

I was on the biggest high. Lets hope history repeats

[Hellenic Tiger]

wanting to beat the blue scum is never wrong

this win means more to me than any this year which is why im donating more money to the Fighting Fund if we can just beat these scumbags.

How good did it feel smashing them in Judd's first game. Never forget it i was went straight to the airport bound for Dubai from the MCG.

I was on the biggest high. Lets hope history repeats

Wanting to beat Carlton makes my season. Any time we beat that Filth is special. Should be a mandatory pre requisite whenever we play them. Kids coming to the club should have it in their list of criteria of what is acceptable at Punt Rd. Start them from young and the hatred will build. They are just a bunch of downhill skiers, turn up the heat and they melt like ice cream in a microwave.

Not wrong at all. 

[WA Tiger]

Yep winning this game would rate as one of the biggest wins for me...PLEASE boys bring home this bacon.

[Tigeritis™©®]

wanting to beat the blue scum is never wrong

this win means more to me than any this year which is why im donating more money to the Fighting Fund if we can just beat these scumbags.

How good did it feel smashing them in Judd's first game. Never forget it i was went straight to the airport bound for Dubai from the MCG.

I was on the biggest high. Lets hope history repeats

Wanting to beat Carlton makes my season. Any time we beat that Filth is special. Should be a mandatory pre requisite whenever we play them. Kids coming to the club should have it in their list of criteria of what is acceptable at Punt Rd. Start them from young and the hatred will build. They are just a bunch of downhill skiers, turn up the heat and they melt like ice cream in a microwave.

Not wrong at all. 

yes yes yes.
    

we must win I can't bear losing to that scum again.
   

[one-eyed]

Herald-Sun has a less sensationalist headline.....


Jack Riewoldt backs coach's appraisal of 11-goal loss

    * Scott Gullan
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 20, 2011 9:48PM


RICHMOND star Jack Riewoldt has backed his coach's damning assessment of the Tigers' preparation for Round 1.

Damien Hardwick described as "soul destroying" Richmond's 68-point loss to Adelaide in their final pre-season match.

"Definitely it was (soul destroying)," Riewoldt said.

"It's not great preparation going into the biggest game of the year for our club, the membership and all that sort of stuff, on the back of a 60-point loss."

"It's something we've addressed. We're going to take measures into the Round 1 game so hopefully we can put in a better performance."

Riewoldt, who has had an injury-interrupted preparation and was playing his first game of the summer against the Crows, admitted the Tigers were adjusting to Hardwick's game plan.


"I think there are a lot of things which a lot of the new guys are still learning," Riewoldt told Channel 7's Game Day.

"I think the older guys around the club like the Newmans, the Deledios, and myself; we're starting to get right over the game plan.

"But it's probably our 21st to 30th player that need to pick it up a little bit.

"We've got some great young players down there that have a lot of natural talent and once they start working to the regime everyone else is then hopefully it's going to take us forward. I'm really excited by that."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jack-riewoldt-backs-coachs-appraisal-of-11-goal-loss/story-e6frf9jf-1226025035369