Loss was 'embarrassing and unacceptable'
By Jennifer Witham
richmondfc.com.au
Sunday, May 6, 2007
TIGERS coach Terry Wallace has admitted his side's 157-point loss to Geelong was one of the darkest days in his coaching career.
His side trailed all evening, with the Cats controlling the game from the opening bounce, as they piled on 35 goals to nine.
"To be coming in at half-time and your opposition side's up 20 goals … I've never, ever had that ever before, so there's no doubt that [loss] was the worst I've been involved with," Wallace said, after the game.
Wallace gave his players an extended post-match address and said he'd instigated an honesty policy with them.
He was primarily concerned with the lack of response from the players as the Cats beat them across all sectors of the ground.
"I put up about five or six categories that I wanted them to step up, in front of their teammates, and rate themselves in those categories. Those categories are our business, but obviously you'd know they were work rate and competitive nature and those types of things," he said.
"I think most were honest. I still think there was still a little lack of genuine emotion within the group. They still looked shell-shocked in there, as they were out on the ground and that's an issue.
"I mean, when you're challenged, you've got to be able to fight and show some sort of emotion in the game. I thought we didn't do that."
The Tigers remain winless after six rounds, but were at least within reach of their first five opponents. In fact, Wallace had been able to identify positives from each of the Tigers' losses before Sunday. After the defeat to the Cats, he found that much more difficult.
"I've walked back in five times thinking that our players have been competitive in the first five games," he said.
"We certainly hadn't got the results, certainly hadn't done anything in the manner in which we wanted to do it up until this stage, but tonight was non-competitive, embarrassing and unacceptable.
"That's purely and simply where it sits. We all wear that and we can't be in that position. It's just unacceptable."
Wallace now faces the unenviable task of getting his players mentally revived after a disastrous start to the season – the Tigers' worst since 1962 – and wants his team to work out why the huge loss occurred.
"Obviously, that's the thing that we've got to counter and it's difficult. How much do you review a tape?" he said.
"We've got a six-day turnaround. Do you wallow in this for the early part of the week? Or do you deal with it quickly and step on? I think in any situation, you've got to do a little bit of both.
"You can't wash it away and say, 'It was just one of those games' and get on with it.
"I mean, you've got to deal with why it happened and what let us down so badly, but you can't be sitting in it on Thursday and Friday of next week because the self-pity and all that comes into play. We just can't do that."
Wallace said he understands the frustration of the supporters, but emphasised the need for unity when facing adversity.
"At one stage, I had a supporter walk out in front of me and I sort of turned around to my guys and said, 'Can I go with him?'," he said.
"That was how it was at that rate. We were all feeling bad about it. Unfortunately we've got to work through it and live through it.
"We can't rip up the memberships and go somewhere else - we've just got to battle our way through it."
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