Top Tiger still aims for finals
Caroline Wilson | April 16, 2009
RICHMOND president Gary March has not given up on the Tigers' finals prospects but declared last night: "We probably have to win the next two or three games."
Refusing to speculate upon Terry Wallace's coaching future, March went on to describe his relationship with the beleaguered coach as "the best it's been in five years".
With Richmond having had its third successive defeat at the weekend, March said: "I never believed we were a top-four side this year, I don't think anyone did but I believed we were capable of making the finals and I still do.
"We have to win the next game and we probably have to win the next two or three games and I believe we are more than capable of doing that. If we can't win the next two or three then I probably will say something."
With Wallace one of seven coaches coming out of contract in 2009 and the Tigers languishing in 16th on the ladder, the club faces a winless Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday, followed by North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium and then Sydney in round six at the SCG.
Wallace, who has declared Richmond will be his last club as a senior coach, is not only battling his poor win-loss ratio and failure to deliver on some high expectations in 2009, but also the reality that premiership coaches such as Mick Malthouse and Mark Williams seem likely to be available by the end of the season along with new Tigers assistant and former Richmond captain Wayne Campbell.
"We know we've got deficiencies in our list," said March. "We knew that before the start of the season. Do we need to win games? Yes, we do.
"We've got to get into some form. We only had 12 players with pass marks against Geelong and still we were well in the game and perhaps could have beaten them."
With Richmond currently working on a long-term analysis of its list, several short-term casualties following the Bulldogs loss will almost certainly come in the form of Richard Tambling — whose woeful performance on Easter Monday will be punished with a stint at Coburg — along with at least one other teammate in Jake King, singled out for his dreadful disposal skills against the Bulldogs.
Better news for the club is the continued improvement of Alex Rance and the impending return of Trent Cotchin as soon as round five or six, along with Mark Coughlan and Ben Cousins.
Kayne Pettifer resumes with Coburg this week while Tyrone Vickery and Jayden Post will continue to push for senior selection via Coburg.
March was the first person to approach Wallace and offer some support after Easter Monday's dramatic post-match debrief with the 22 players involved in the capitulation against the Western Bulldogs and said he had continued to talk with the coach this week.
"As a club we chose not to say anything too public straight away," said March.
"After all that hysteria there wasn't much point in saying anything. But of course I spoke to Terry. After reading the 'Death Row' headlines I called him.
"You feel for people when that stuff happens, you feel for their families. It is only football after all and I thought that was over the top.
"Everybody is well aware of the situation but Terry has been terrific through this.
"We had some disagreements last year but we resolved those and I can honestly say my relationship with Terry is the best it's been in five years."
March said that while the Tigers' round-one performance against Carlton had been "disgraceful", the club's subsequent losses to Geelong and the Western Bulldogs were predictable and had come against the "two form sides of the competition. No one expected us to win those games and they are two very good sides".
March's words came last night after more scrutiny was placed on the club's chief executive Steve Wright and relatively new football operations boss Craig Cameron — singled out yesterday for their alleged failure to engage with the football public via the media.
March said that Wright had rarely commented on football issues during his five years with the club but scoffed at the allegations levelled at Cameron, who replaced Greg Miller late last season.
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