Toothless Tigers lack 'grunt': Frawley
By Melissa Ryan
June 6, 2004
Richmond coach Danny Frawley has questioned the commitment of his players and will seek to inject more "grunt" into the line-up this week to arrest the club's three-game losing streak, after the Tigers received a 74-point hammering from the Kangaroos last night.
The Tigers were smashed in the second half by the rampaging Roos, managing to scrounge only five goals compared to the Kangaroos' 17. Saverio Rocca booted eight goals for the victors in a performance that pleasantly surprised coach Dean Laidley.
Frawley was disappointed that his players "went back in our shells, which has been an issue from day one this year" after failing to make the most of early opportunities in the third quarter and providing goals to the Roos through errors.
"A lot of our players need to look at their professionalism and whether they're doing everything in their power to be AFL footballers . . . there were a few things said behind closed doors that hopefully they'll react to in a positive way," Frawley said.
"The next two games are winnable again. We can't get ahead of ourselves, especially the position we're in. With Fremantle, they play a different brand of footy and they'll be keen to come over to the 'G on our home ground. We'll probably play guys like Duncan Kellaway and hopefully his body is up to it. We just need to get some grunt in there, and get it in there pretty quick."
Along with Kellaway, coming into line for selection is Justin Blumfield, with both players not having played so far this season. Mark Coughlan could return in the VFL, although Frawley wished he could rush his star midfielder back in from the groin problem that has troubled him this year.
"We've got to make sure we get a team that's going to give our supporters something to cheer for because they've been through a lot this year. We set our season up pretty badly early, we fought back and now we've lost the last three, so it's really disappointing," he said.
The Tigers also were stung by reports levelled against captain Wayne Campbell and Tim Fleming.
Campbell's name was entered in the notebook of umpire Matthew Head during time-on of the third quarter, for striking Kangaroos vice-captain Brent Harvey. Fleming was reported for rough play after an incident in which he collected Ashley Watson late and to the head after Watson had taken a mark.
The Kangaroos' victory was only their second win from the past eight games, and Laidley was pleased with the performance, given the public questioning of his players.
He was also surprised by Rocca's eight-goal haul, not believing that the veteran goalkicker had such a performance left in him.
"Probably not that big, in all honesty. I said before the game that we needed someone to kick five goals, whether it was Leigh Harding, Daniel Motlop, Sav or Drew (Petrie). He did well," Laidley said.
"But he can't be up and down. He needs to be more consistent, same with Corey McKernan. Corey probably knew at half-time that it was just about over but he comes out and does that, that's what he's capable of.
"I don't expect either of them to be best-on-ground but I expect them to show their wares and help Drew or Leigh Harding or Daniel Motlop in the forward line."
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