The awful truth (Bigpond)

[one-eyed]

The awful truth
By Ben Hocking
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Source: BigPond Sport

Where the 2011 season went wrong for nine AFL clubs, and why there’s hope for each next year.

RICHMOND

What went right: Richmond coach Damien Hardwick promised steady improvement when he took the job, and he delivered. The young Tigers won two and a half more games than last season and finished three positions higher on the ladder. The club's gambles during trade week last year appear to have paid off, with Shaun Grigg and Bachar Houli adding to the Tigers' pace and ball-winning ability.

What went wrong: The club sold two home games to play in Cairns and Darwin against Gold Coast and Port Adelaide, respectively, and lost both. The games would have been eminently winnable back in Melbourne and would have kept the Tigers in the finals hunt for much longer. The move riled the Tiger faithful, with the usual round of talkback callers baying for blood and cutting up memberships.

Ray of hope: Dustin Martin proved he will be an absolute star of the competition, with his performances early in the season reminiscent of Matthew Pavlich at his best. The Tiges also unearthed Tyrone Vickery as a key forward, after he was originally drafted as a ruckman.

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