Tuesdays with Terry 13/5

[one-eyed]

A snippet from Wallace on SEN:

* We've been competitive against the best/better sides so far. Obviously expect to do better than this time last year. 157 points wasn't it.

* Gut feeling is Ablett will play. Ottens is more 50/50 given the time out of footy and the type of injury we believe it is.

[Stripes]

Thanks one-eyed. Any other information?

Stripes

[blx]

Cotchin to debut? 

[Smokey]

From tiger-talk:

From The Age breaking News website
(and I'm guessing Tuesdays with Tez)

http://news.realfooty.com.au/six-tigers-in-queue-for-geelong-clash/20080513-2dlf.html

--
Six Tigers in queue for Geelong clash
May 13, 2008 - 2:05PM

Richmond coach Terry Wallace says at least six senior Tigers have
genuine claims to be promoted for Saturday's clash with Geelong at
the MCG.

Joel Bowden, Greg Tivendale, Kayne Pettifer, Jay Schulz, Graham Polak
and Dean Polo all played for the Tigers' VFL affiliate partner Coburg
on Saturday during the AFL bye weekend.

"I would have thought at least six players from the affiliate side
Coburg that had the ability to knock on my door and say `I reckon
I've done enough to play senior football'," Wallace said.

"Well six of them aren't going to get in."

Wallace said boom recruit Trent Cotchin was getting closer to being
available for selection after impressing in the second half for
Coburg.

Cotchin missed the Tigers' entire pre-season with an ankle problem
but has now played four games in the VFL.

Wallace was pleased that former best and fairest winner Mark Coughlan
had got through a half of football for Coburg after returning from a
second knee reconstruction.

[blx]

Cotch will get his time soon. i mean its not like he's playn badly in the twos.

but i still reakon, softly, softly with the cotchy 

[Francois Jackson]

Cotch will get his time soon. i mean its not like he's playn badly in the twos.

but i still reakon, softly, softly with the cotchy 

yep agree..i think the dreamtime game is his time.

big build up. traditional rivals. what better night than against the bombers for the cotch to open his account

[one-eyed]

Tigers welcome selection logjam
Lyall Johnson | May 14, 2008

AFTER years of little or no pressure to win a place in Richmond's team, the Tigers have at least six experienced players, as well as their No.2 draft choice Trent Cotchin, pressing for a place in the side to play Geelong on Saturday.

While coach Terry Wallace said yesterday that Cotchin would be the least likely of the Coburg players to get a senior call-up, Joel Bowden, Graham Polak, Kayne Pettifer, Greg Tivendale, Jay Schulz and Dean Polo are contenders.

"Probably we've been in a situation over two or three years where we have almost gifted games to some young players to get games under their belts, to get them to 20s and 30s as quick as what you possibly can," Wallace said.

"I think that was just the nature of the position we were in with a lot of young boys and injuries — particularly last year (with) injuries — where you might have carried a bloke for a week or two, or two or three extra weeks, in the senior side.

"Where now we have got guys queued up waiting to play. And some of those are very experienced players and so that makes it interesting."

Bowden is the most "interesting". Wallace said yesterday the 29-year-old had been told when he was dropped that he was too slow to play in defence.

Bowden has played in attack with Coburg, but Wallace refused to say Bowden's defence days were over.

"What you try to do is restructure things and see whether you can get a better result another way."

With the Cats undefeated, Wallace admitted his team faces "a big challenge", but added that the Tigers had done well against ladder leaders this season.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/tigers-welcome-selection-logjam/2008/05/13/1210444439195.html

[one-eyed]

Terry Wallace makes Tigers earn their stripes
Bruce Matthews | May 14, 2008

TERRY Wallace has credited much of Richmond's rejuvenation this season to players earning a game by response rather than reputation. With few key injuries and a bunch of senior players busting for recalls, Wallace had good reason yesterday to be upbeat about Saturday's supreme test against Geelong at the MCG.

"We've been in a situation over two or three years where we've almost gifted games to some young players to get games under their belts. Last year with injuries, you might have carried a bloke for two or three extra weeks in the senior side when he might have been struggling for a little bit of form," the Tigers coach said.

"Now we've got guys queued up waiting to play. I would've thought there's at least six players from (VFL affiliate) Coburg that have the ability to knock on my door and say, 'I reckon I've done enough to play senior footy'. Well, six are not going to get in."

While Greg Tivendale, Graham Polak, Joel Bowden and Dean Polo were among Coburg's best in the 53-point win against Collingwood on Saturday, Richmond will maintain a settled line-up to confront the Cats.

Geelong has won nine of their past 10 meetings, including 157 and 70-point wins last season.

"We've been on the back end of some pretty big losses to Geelong, so for us to be sitting back and under-estimating anything the reigning premiers are doing, I think we would be kidding ourselves," Wallace said.

"We respect the opposition, but we have more spring in our step that we're getting better and are more competitive against the good sides."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23694223-19742,00.html

[Stripes]

I wouldn't bring Bowden back in unless things were desperate. He is too slow and unaccountable in defense and has a poor attitude from all reports. When he was in our team we were often beaten by teams who exploited his style of play such as Collingwood with Medhurst. Even in attack I think he may be exposed.

Tiv is an interesting case. He is a good average player. He has filled a gap for many years but for mine we now have players who are faster, who are developing better foot skills and decision making skills and who have far more potential than Tiv. I think it would be a mistake to include him over the likes of Polo and even Collins or Connors if they are in form. But in saying all this if he is clearly the best player for Coburg over many weeks and none of our youth have stepped up then he needs to be given a jumper to provide incentive to the others as much as reward his consistency. Very interesting predicament.

Polo needs more than one week of good play. I am still not sure whether he has overcome his shoulders. He if he can string 3 good games together for the Burgers and there is a opportunity to be included in the Tigers outfit, then give him the opportunity then. We need consistent play from our 21+ year old players now, not flash in the pan performances.

Polak and Schulz are interesting. I thought they were part of the team already  ???. Obviously not. I think Schulz played particularly well in the back half and well and truly deserves his place.

Polak on the other hand is very slow but can take a fantastic grab. What do you do with such a player? We don't want team running off him but at the same time he could take spectacular grabs in the goal square for us. Can he kick though? I would leave him out for this game where the Geelong team boast a very mobile, mid-sized forwardline. We need defenders with pace and height. Players like Mooney and Hawkins would be too fast for him.

It is hard for me to imagine Petts inclusion in the future. I think he has been passed by too many other players who are younger and have more potential for future improvement. Petts is a mid-sized leading forward who tries plays the role of a tall forward. He can't crumb and hasn't the pace for the midfield (even though he did rack up the possessions in the centre for Coburg last week  ). I think he will now become insurance rather than are definite starter.

I love the position we are in in terms of selections. Our depth will equal continued improvement and team effort which is something we have been lacking for years.

Stripes