Richmond to be an excitement machine
15 February 2005 Herald Sun
Mike Sheahan
BE ASSURED of one thing about Richmond of 2005: it will be more appealing to watch.
It simply has to be. Regardless of where it ends up on the ladder.
Here's a snapshot of the Tigers of 2004: four wins, an average 11 goals a game, an average losing margin of eight goals, one score only of 100 points or more, and the most circuitous route to its destination since the Leyland Brothers meandered through the Australian bush.
Richmond's form post-Round 8 was embarrassing; no better than Fitzroy during its death throes in the '90s.
New coach Terry Wallace has promised a more attractive style of play, at least something to excite tortured Richmond souls.
His history gives credence to the promise, too.
When Wallace took charge of the Bulldogs mid-season in 1996, there was an immediate change in attitude and style.
The change translated to scoring power the following year when the Bulldogs, 15th in '96, soared to third.
They were among the top five scoring teams in the competition from 1996-'98.
The new coach faces a huge task to repeat the feat at Punt Rd, but he has five years to get it right and the self-belief to do the job properly.
Already, he has made several huge statements: the decision to let Brad Ottens go, the public challenge to 2004 best-and-fairest winner Joel Bowden to have greater impact, and the relegation of last year's skipper Wayne Campbell to the "seconds" for last Wednesday's intra-club trial game.
Wallace has the complete faith of Greg Miller and, by extension, the Clinton Casey administration. He will ride it all the way.
Richmond can be fixed only by time and persistence, coupled with good judgment at the draft table and sound coaching. Wallace is under no illusion about the job at hand.
The vibe about Richmond is positive and the signs are promising.
Talented centreman Mark Coughlan is making steady, if slow, progress from a chronic pelvic condition, Darren Gaspar will be better after his year from hell, Troy Simmonds, Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling all are exciting additions to the list, and depth generally looks better.
Simmonds is a huge acquisition in more ways than one. A mountain of a man at 196cm and 100kg-plus, he plays forward and ruck.
If he plays out of the goalsquare, Matty Richardson will be able to run free inside the 50m, an unnerving prospect for opposition defenders and coaches.
Trent Knobel and Greg Stafford will determine where Simmonds plays.
One or both will have to do the heavy work in the centre square, with Knobel likely to get first crack.
After all, the Tigers went to plenty of trouble, and committed to significant money, to trump Carlton in the chase for the former Saint.
Knobel doesn't trouble the statisticians much, but he gets a big tick for commitment and heart.
I'm expecting significant improvement from the Tigers this year, with one or two provisos.
Coughlan needs to be fit, and Nathan Brown needs to play at or near his best.
Brown is the Tigers' most gifted player by the length of Punt Rd. He finished third in the best-and-fairest last year, kicking 26 goals.
Given he had kicked 14 goals after six games and Bowden was in the seconds, it's incomprehensible how he finished behind Bowden in the b&f. He had the opportunities to kick 45-50 goals and will need to make better use of his chances.
He is a huge Wallace fan; he will be keen to please him.
Richmond's foot skills remain a major query, but a more direct style of play will help minimise the problem.
You don't have to hit players such as Richardson, Simmonds, Brown and Andrew Krakouer on the chest if you give them a chance one on one (Richo and Simmonds) or room in which to weave their magic (Brown and Krakouer).
For the first time in a while, youngsters will be played on merit rather than for the temporary gratification members.
Deledio and Tambling will start, but Roach, Raines, Moore, Gilmour and company will have to earn their chances.
EXPECTED FINISH: 10-12
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