Coughlan out to give the long-suffering a roar deal
Scott Coghlan
The Australian
June 11, 2005
RICHMOND midfielder Mark Coughlan says the Tigers are only too aware of what doomsayers outside the club are predicting and that they have steeled themselves to prove their critics wrong in the second half of the season.
Having dropped their past two matches and lost star Nathan Brown for the season, Coughlan said the Tigers knew there were plenty of doubters predicting another fatal mid-season slump.
Last season, the Tigers won three straight from rounds six through eight, but then lost their last 14 matches to finish with the wooden spoon.
In 2003, the Tigers won six of their first eight games and then lost 13 of 14.
But Coughlan said it was time for the improved Tigers to prove the sceptics wrong, starting with tomorrow's clash with another side yet to prove its mettle in the eyes of many, the Kangaroos.
"We were seven (wins) and two (losses) from nine and now we've lost a couple," Coughlan said. "It's not back to the drawing board at all, but we've got to make sure we don't lose three in a row.
"Everyone is already asking if we are finished for the year, with losing a good player.
"We know within the group that that is not the case."
Coughlan said the absence of Brown was not an out-clause for the Tigers after their strong start.
He added that tomorrow's game against the Roos was a classic "eight-pointer".
"We are playing three sides in the next three weeks that could be fighting for the last two spots in the eight in Adelaide, Sydney and North Melbourne and it is a huge test for us this week," Coughlan said.
"We just need a win to get back on track and we have to nail this one this week.
"They'll be as desperate as ever, having just missed the finals the last few seasons."
Coughlan said he acutely felt the need to prove himself to new Tigers coach Terry Wallace this season.
After playing only seven games last season because of a severe case of osteitis pubis, Coughlan admitted he was unsure of his standing under Wallace. "I wasn't sure where the new coach wanted me to play, but he has been fantastic for me," he said. "It was tough for him at the start with my situation because he wanted everyone to have a good pre-season and be up and running, and I just couldn't do it.
"He allowed me to do what the fitness staff said and has allowed me to settle back into AFL football. He started me in the backline and that made it a little bit easier for me, because there wasn't any pressure on me to get a lot of the ball and I was able to run with players to get my fitness back."
Having been plagued by groin problems in both 2001 and last year, Coughlan was concerned when he felt some further pain in that area during the pre-season.
But some tailored weights training has helped get his body right and Coughlan believes he is back to full fitness.
"Even a couple of months into pre-season I wasn't too sure where my body was at," he said.
"I felt it in a couple of pre-season games again and it didn't seem to be completely healed, so I was worried it would get progressively worse throughout the season.
"From about round three, it really started to improve and my body is certainly a lot better. I can join the group whenever I want at training now, whereas I used to have to pull out of drills.
"My main goal this year was to play 22 games and anything after that was a bonus."
With his body coming to the party, Coughlan, averaging almost 29 possessions a game this season, has proved his worth and been a driving force behind the Tigers' revival.
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