Wallace's world
By Matthew Richardson
The Age
April 24, 2005
How would you like to be the first to hear Terry Wallace's thoughts immediately after a Richmond match? Well, it's easy. All you have to do is switch on your radio or television for his post-match news conference.
Throughout my footy career, every coach I've had has always called the players in to a meeting room within moments of the match finishing to give his assessment of how the team played.
Not so with Terry. This season, we have followed a different routine. The players have a post-match warm down, a 15-minute massage, then shower and change into the team's Hugo Boss suits.
By the time we sit down to hear Terry's views, it may be 45 to 60 minutes after the match, and he has done his news conferences in the meantime.
His reasoning is that it gives him time to digest the match and take the emotion out of his assessment: he is more likely to be calm and reasoned, not say something he might regret. That's not to say we mightn't get a spray if it's warranted, though!
This is just one example of some of the initiatives introduced under Terry Wallace's coaching at Punt Road this year.
I'll give you an example of some other changes. After every home match, the players, family and friends gather for a bite to eat and a drink, usually back in the gymnasium at Punt Road Oval. It helps with team spirit and is something that was a bit hit-and-miss in the past.
Whenever the Tigers win now, players are given a pen and they sign a football, which is then handed to a kid in the crowd. The look on their faces is priceless. I know how much it would have meant to me as a young fella.
Another thing Terry is very strong on is that after a win, only the 22 players gather in the circle to sing "We're from Tigerland". All other players and support staff gather in an outer circle around the players, which in turn makes them feel a part of it as well. But there are no exceptions about the 22 in the inner circle. Kane Johnson may be our skipper, but when he is not playing, he is relegated to the back row.
Terry also introduced a mentor program, in which each Richmond footballer is aligned to a former player from across the eras: sometimes a recently retired player, perhaps someone from the Tommy Hafey era. The program is co-ordinated by former premiership players Dale Weightman (now our runner) and Mike Perry (past players president). It's up to the current Tigers how much they wish to use the program, and how much contact they want with the older guys. But what it also means is that there are a lot more former players involved around the club.
While none of these changes will necessarily help Richmond's footballers get a kick of a weekend, they have all contributed to a positive vibe building around the place, and helped us bond as a team.
But Terry's main impact unquestionably has been his coaching.
From the outset, he made it clear that he wasn't just rebuilding the team, he wanted us to be competitive immediately.
That was supported by the club's decision to recruit experienced players with mature bodies in the off-season- such as Trent Knobel, Troy Simmonds and Mark Graham - to complement the talented young blokes such as Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling.
It was encouraging to some of the older guys at the club such as Wayne Campbell, Darren Gaspar and myself.
Also, from day one, Terry made a point of emphasising that he wanted us to play attacking and aggressive football. He publicly declared an ambition to score 16 goals a game, which was well above what we had managed in recent seasons.
Richmond players also were encouraged to carry the ball and take people on. Not everyone was confident that they could do it. For example, Chris Hyde, who previously had been used mainly as a run-with player, told Terry he wasn't sure that this was his go. Chris was encouraged to have a crack at it - to such an extent that so far this season, he has carried the ball more than any other Richmond player. His nickname is now "Monster" (because Terry reckons that he has created a monster).
Another thing I've noticed is that the coach is not afraid to demand that the leadership group takes on most of the responsibility for the team's performance. Which is the way it should be, but it does put pressure squarely on the leaders to perform. You'd remember that Terry wasn't impressed with the team leaders after the disappointing loss to Geelong in round one, and said so to the media.
Basically, there is no favourable treatment, no tolerance of players who don't stick to team rules. I've experienced this two or three times this season, and been dragged each time. I know the rule is there that stipulates that nobody can play on when they get inside the attacking 50 . . . now hopefully that has registered and the brain will cease to implode occasionally.
The great aspect of all this is that it is not just the senior coach delivering the message. Terry is acutely aware of how important it is to have the right personnel around reinforcing the theme. He is surrounded by new assistant coaches Brian Royal and David King, as well as David Wheadon, who has been with us for quite few years. Terry definitely believes in these guys taking on a lot of the coaching responsibilities, and quite often hands over training to them during the week. Training sessions are used to reinforce our game style, and it leaves the players in no doubt about what is expected.
So far, it's paying off, with three wins from four rounds. But let's be realistic, we're one month into the season. Today's important because it's an opportunity to defeat one of last year's finalists, a test we failed the last time we got the chance: against Geelong first up.
It would be great to think we can come up with the goods on a day when Darren Gaspar plays his 200th. And only fitting given how often "Gas" has produced for us over the years.
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