29 June 2004
Herald Sun
Bruce Matthews
RICHMOND players are now under the same intense scrutiny felt by outgoing coach Danny Frawley this season.
Tony Shaw, who resigned and continued as Collingwood coach with 10 games remaining in 1999, believes it's an opportune time for a clean-out at Punt Rd.
And Robert Walls, who steered Brisbane for the last seven games in 1995 knowing it would be his farewell season, agreed the focus would now switch to the players.
"I think they have to be really aggressive with their list now. I reckon everyone is up for trade outside maybe Nathan Brown and Matty Richardson," Shaw said last night.
"The players are put on notice that they are playing for their survival. It doesn't matter how long they have been at the club.
"Our match committee decided we were going to play as many kids as we could to give them some experience at senior football. We were going to test the list to its limits on whether players should be there in the future.
"If the players want to pull the pin early on in the season and think it's over, well, they'll pay a price somewhere along the line.
"Anyone who looks like they're going to be a prospective coach will be watching the Richmond list over the next nine weeks very closely."
Walls said players often escape attention when the spotlight remains fixed on their coach during a horror losing stretch.
"The focus goes off the coach now because everyone knows the coach's destiny from here on in. But the players don't know what's going to happen," he said.
"So there's no doubt the focus will swing to the players. Because the players can hide behind the heat on the coach at times."
Frawley was learning the trade as an assistant to Shaw at Victoria Park when the 1990 premiership captain ended his four-year tenure. The Magpies won three of the last 10 games to finish bottom of the ladder.
"In my last year at Collingwood the coaching staff was very positive and Danny was part of that. The freedom was there, but you've still got to keep them disciplined and keep them to the team rules," Shaw said.
Walls, Carlton's 1987 premiership coach, never officially announced he was finishing at the Gabba, although there was evidence he planned to return to Victoria. The Lions won six of the last seven games to finish eighth in 1995.
"It's good that Danny is going on and I'm glad they haven't handed it to an assistant. He has a chance to step out with a bit of dignity after giving his heart and soul to the job. It hasn't worked out, OK, you move on," Walls said.
"Danny will probably enjoy the next 10 weeks because there's no speculation any more. He can relax and he will probably coach as well as he has ever coached.
"I think it's a really good decision because it just stops all the talk and speculation and now the focus will swing on to another coach."
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