Tigers commissioned special report from recruiting staff for new game plan (H-S)

[one-eyed]

Tigers commissioned special report from recruiting staff to create new game plan and set up flag tilt

JAY CLARK,
Herald Sun
17 September 2017  6:00pm

RICHMOND commissioned a special report from its recruiting staff last summer to help reframe a new game plan around its players’ key strengths.

In a move which helped kick-start the Tigers’ remarkable resurgence last December, each of the club’s recruiters were asked to provide a full analysis on each player’s best attributes and developmental scope when they were drafted.

Richmond had assembled a new assistant coaching staff late last year, and after a terrible 2016 season, wanted to strip back its style of play to a battle plan more suited to its players’ natural strengths.

Talent chief Dan Richardson, list manager Blair Hartley and national recruiting manager Matthew Clarke led the analysis, featuring player-by-player run downs from full-time recruiter Luke Williams, pro-scout Nick Austin and part-time scouts Richard Taylor and Francis Jackson.

The report was delivered to the coaching staff and then presented to the players individually at the start of summer as senior coach Damien Hardwick laid key foundations for a shot at premiership glory this season.

The feedback helped form the backbone for a move to become one of the best forward pressure and tackling teams in the AFL, around newcomers Dan Butler, Jason Castagna and Daniel Rioli, as well as delivering more direct and simplified ball movement.

Richmond has risen from 18th (last year) to 4th (this year) for tackles and 13th to 4th for overall pressure, according to Champion Data.

The recruiting report also helped trigger a number of key positional moves which saw a handful of players resume roles from earlier in their AFL or junior careers, helping go back to basics and harness some of their original playing traits.

They included shifting Brandon Ellis from a wing back to a defensive running position where he starred as a junior and Nick Vlastuin from midfield to half back to help shore up one of the best backline units in the league.

Brownlow Medal favourite Dustin Martin also ditched the free-wheeling in defence to a more damaging role forward of centre, while skipper Trent Cotchin was instructed to become more impactful and aggressive onball.

Spearhead Jack Riewoldt resumed a more natural full forward role, instead of the constant roaming up the ground from previous seasons.

Internally, the recruiter analysis was hailed as a successful collaboration between sections of the football department after a searing examination of it at the end of last year in consultation with Ernst and Young.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/tigers-commissioned-special-report-from-recruiting-staff-to-create-new-game-plan-and-set-up-flag-tilt/news-story/e05b4c75f6eab7cdc64c1d793843b46f

[MintOnLamb]

".....searing examination..."

Sounds painful

[big tone]

Wasn't Vlastuin a backman that was moved to the midfield this year to then be moved back to the backline?
Retorical question...

Out of the 2 examples he chose to use 1 was incorrect. 2017 sports journalism at its best.

[yandb]

According to Carracalla the game plan started back in November with a buyin by the 1-4 year players.

The forward line set up was brought in by Lepitch when we had injury woes to our big men stocks.

Yet according to Jay Clark it was all engineered by Hardwick.

Someone is telling porkies.

[FooffooValve]

According to Carracalla the game plan started back in November with a buyin by the 1-4 year players.

The forward line set up was brought in by Lepitch when we had injury woes to our big men stocks.

Yet according to Jay Clark it was all engineered by Hardwick.

Someone is telling porkies.

If the game plan didn't work, who would you blame?

[yandb]

That is a moot point Foot as it is working in both the ones and two's quite well.

[Owl]

I said it before and I will say it again, Leppa got our backs going and when he left we went poo, he comes back and suddenly our forwards are lauded.  Leppa is good for the tiges.

[the claw]

fmd they had to commission a special report to see the bleedin obvious.

All i can say is they had better win it this yr because we may well spend more time out of the 8 for awhile.

[Slipper]

fmd they had to commission a special report to see the bleedin obvious.

I agree with this sentiment. So effectively we drafted players based on certain footballing qualities they had, then tried to change them to fit a gameplan that they could not execute. And then to figure things out, we went back to our recruiters to ask why we had the guy on the list in the first place.

Seems to be a distinct lack of logic in that approach.