Who should stay and go at Tigers?Dermott Brereton
Herald Sun
5 August 2016HOWLS for the coach’s head, cries for the assistants to be sacked, a torrent of player trade talk and even rumblings about a coup at board level ... and that’s just this week.
Welcome to Richmond.
Should the Tigers strip back their list? Should they remodel on the run? What is the correct path to take on the journey to ultimate glory?
One thing is certain: Richmond has overrated its list.
It’s very easy to do. Staff invest so much in the development of young players they can easily fall into the trap of being blinded by a youngster’s best attributes.
It leads to too much tolerance of the player’s worst traits or, at very least, a forgiveness for those shortcomings in the hope that the good will far outweigh the bad.
This is how I believe an unbiased report card on the Tigers’ list should look — regardless of contracts or personal shortcomings that have been hidden from all outside of the club.
KEEP AT ALL COSTThe big five are untouchable:
Alex Rance, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt and Brett Deledio.Of course, if a team were to offer two top 10 picks, Tom Lynch from the Suns and a golden goose, you would be derelict in your duty not to entertain the thought. But in the real world, they stay.
Deledio seems to be the most vulnerable, not just because he is missing games through injury, but because the team has almost learnt how to play without him.
He is an A-grade citizen who many clubs might believe they could keep fit.
TO MARKETThese are the underperformers other clubs might believe they could improve, and who will be part of the trade conversation, no question: Reece Conca, Shane Edwards, Brandon Ellis, Tyrone Vickery and Ben Griffiths.
Conca is skilful yet regularly misses the target and sometimes is wildly undisciplined.
Edwards is a pure talent who has a habit of drifting in and out of hard games. Hard games are plentiful in September.
B.Ellis is good as an easy outlet target to the “fat” side when the Tigers have the ball in defence, but when teams press on him he doesn’t have a contested game, or a plan B.
Vickery is blessed with great ability, size and shape. He is 200cm and 100kg, but is anything but a power forward. His style could be replicated by a much smaller player.
Griffiths can mark higher above packs than Vickery and does so in a more physical manner. He is also more inconsistent.
MIDDLE MENThe second-tier players who are “required”.
David Astbury: Must develop into a reliable lieutenant to Rance. He has it in him.
Shaun Grigg: Supplies mature midfield depth. His kicking is not great and he can slow the progress of the ball when he is in the chain. But he is a professional and, if offered for trade, the combination of his ability and age (28) would make most clubs pass anyway.
Dylan Grimes: Gives the backline versatility and balance. Won’t win a Brownlow, but can play on a Jack Gunston one week and an Eddie Betts the next.
Shaun Hampson: Has improved remarkably with the onus on him. Still can’t really weave himself into play away from the tap-outs. If the Tigers are to make the top four within a few years, I doubt he will still be the No.1 ruckman.
Bachar Houli: Competent with the ball, but not great when trying to stop a capable forward. Recruited to play until one of the draftees pushed him out. Not one of them looks able. Much better than he was at Essendon.
Kane Lambert: Just play him. He was great early this season, but can he play when not inhibited by the threat of reserves after a failure?
Sam Lloyd: He is a find. Natural goal sense and maturity. He has some warts, but balances the books by giving a better return than the Tigers usually receive from a draft in the 60s.
Kamdyn McIntosh: Honest player you would hope gets overtaken by talented draftees.
Anthony Miles: The closest player to the Top 5 from the second tier. Keep him, at almost any cost.
Jacob Townsend: Keep it simple and Jacob will be value. Don’t ask him to kick it or be creative. Just tell him to run with and physically punish a good opponent.
Nick Vlaustin: Good kid who should be groomed into a Richie Vandenberg-like citizen and, ultimately, leader.
Chris Yarran: No one will attempt to recruit Chris, but now there is an obligation to support him. Football is a secondary issue, but I believe playing will help him heal.
Jake Batchelor: Can kick and should be viewed as backman who costs very little, can play on a moment’s notice and knows what is required.
THE PROMISEMabior Chol: Raw, but exciting.
Jason Castagna: Has had a few moments when he’s impressed.
Nathan Drummond: Highly thought of but it will take him a while to display his best.
Corey Ellis: Please don’t let him learn the bad habits of some ahead of him. Still young enough to be moulded into a well-rounded player.
Ben Lennon: At his best when he used to come on, lead up, mark and run his opponent around. Can he still do it, even though he is only 21?
Daniel Rioli: Another talent. The habits he learns in the next 18 months will define how good his career will be.
Liam McBean: Still looks under-developed, even though he is nearly 22. He must be given as many chances as Griffith and Vickery, as long as he can stand up physically.
Jayden Short: I liked what I saw earlier in the year. Need to see more.
Connor Menadue: Hard-running outside midfielder who needs an opportunity to drill-run opponents into the ground.
THE ENDThese players will not be in the Tigers’ next finals team.
Ivan Maric: Give him a job in a coterie room. Give him his own talkback show. Put a picture of him in the clubrooms and endlessly thank him for his tireless efforts. But his time has come. And that’s a shame because our game needs people like Ivan Maric.
Taylor Hunt: Taught the right way at Geelong. Runs hard and attempts to carry out the plan, but can’t get it done by foot. Doesn’t really have a position to call a strong suit.
Steven Morris: Hard and tough, but can’t kick well enough as a pressure forward. As a defender he gives it back to the opposition because of the same problem — he just can’t hit the target.
Andrew Moore: Mature age recruit has struggled to find a position to call his own.
The rest of the Richmond list comprises players we simply cannot get a read on because of their age and lack of exposure.
I think the Tigers will have up to eight new players in 2017. Two, possibly three, from the “To Market” group will be traded out.
I hope the players I have spoken of in less than glowing terms can prove me wrong, but time is running out.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/dermott-brereton-report-card-on-richmonds-list-who-should-stay-and-go/news-story/75611bcd4a725790f464c37500a85dc2
