Recruiting hurts heartland: Wallace
Greg Denham
The Australian
June 06, 2007
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace yesterday cited stadium deals and recruiting as the major issues the AFL needs to address in its review of the state of the 10 Victorian-based clubs.
Wallace is a firm believer that his bottom-of-the-ladder Tigers would benefit from the review.
He said the review was essential and that the non-Victorian clubs "need to do it better", even if there was representation from Victorian clubs in this year's grand final.
"There's absolutely a need for a review and the footy departments of the respective clubs should be involved in that process," Wallace said.
While Wallace did not go as far as declaring that nine clubs in Melbourne were too many, he said: "I don't think that makes it any easier, no doubt."
He queried how West Coast midfielder Matt Priddis was a dominant player in the competition one year after being elevated from the rookie list.
"He's 22 years of age and had 39 possessions last weekend," Wallace said. "How did he fall there, and not other places, that's the question you'd ask?"
Wallace declared that it has been recruiting where the "interstate" clubs have had the biggest jump on the Victorian clubs.
"They have had full-time recruiters in this (Victorian) marketplace and they know their own marketplace like the back of their hand," he said, attributing that ability to better finances.
In relation to Priddis, Wallace said: "They (West Coast) have a greater formula for being able to pick them out of WA and Victoria, than the Victorian-based clubs.
"Go back 18 months and we didn't have a full-time recruiter at all. We didn't have a full list of rookies, let alone a recruiter to pick the list of rookies."
Wallace has also called for the Victorian under-18 competition to be expanded - with either an AFL or VFL affiliate - so that the teenagers were given the opportunity to play against more experienced opponents.
"I see that our young boys are disadvantaged at the moment over under-18 boys at interstate clubs because they get to play against men," Wallace said.
The AFL is working towards a better spread of stadium deals at the MCG and Telstra Dome, which involves financial compensation for six clubs, including the Tigers which this year will receive $400,000.
But Wallace still considers it one of the biggest divides between the Melbourne and non-Victorian-based clubs.
"If you're a one- or two-city club, you've got that ability to get the stadium deal that you need," he said.
"The stadium deals have been the biggest bugbear for the Melbourne-based clubs.
"It makes it a bigger chasm for the haves and the have-nots.
"I think every club has different circumstances. There are different relationships with their feeder clubs, and we are all in different financial positions at the moment."
Asked whether the non-Victorian clubs were smarter in their operations, Wallace said: "You give me $1million and I'll show you I'll be at the leading edge of everything going on."
In the lead-up to Sunday's game against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, Wallace said that his "no-risk policy" would almost certainly rule out Nathan Brown's long-awaited comeback.
Wallace said Brown was capable of playing only 70 minutes on Sunday after resuming for the Coburg reserves last weekend.
He hinted that, despite a plea from Brown, his star forward was likely to have at least one more hit-out in the lower grade.
Wallace said ruckman Troy Simmonds would not resume from an ankle injury until after Richmond's mid-season bye.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21856393-2722,00.html
