Richmond Tigers' lengthy wish list ahead of new AFL season * Jon Ralph
* From: Herald Sun
* March 11, 2010 NO POINT in trying to sugar-coat the inevitable: Richmond will win the wooden spoon given an equal run of injuries across the league.
The competition's worst-performed club in the past 25 years, having reached the finals just twice since 1982, won just five games last year.
The Tigers head into the season without Matthew Richardson, Kane Johnson, Joel Bowden and Nathan Brown - all lost to retirement.
They have replaced their coach and chief executive.
And their list has been further overhauled with the jettisoning of high-draft picks Kayne Pettifer (pick
, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls (9), Jay Schulz (12), Adam Pattison (16), Cleve Hughes (24) and Mark Coughlan (25).
Even more depressing, there are probably another five list-cloggers that will need to go next year.
Hopefully the bad news ends there. Under new coach Damien Hardwick a young, invigorated Richmond outfit intends playing tough, contested football.
The new administration, headed by Brendon Gale, seems rock solid, 11 new players have been brought in and the early signs are that they have finally harvested some serious talent.
And, critically, Hardwick has not fallen into the trap of wasting a year assessing the list before deciding it needs heavy pruning.
There will be massive growing pains, and there are considerable holes in the list, but at least the club is heading in one positive, united direction.
So what are we to make of the list? Yes, there is class, but not yet enough of it.
Hardwick keeps talking about the club's 11th premiership, but who is capable of playing in it?
Certainly Brett Deledio, Trent Cotchin, Daniel Jackson, Nathan Foley, Richard Tambling, Chris Newman, Jack Riewoldt, Mitch Morton, Robin Nahas and November's No. 3 draft pick Dustin Martin have the capacity to be elite.
The problem is none except Deledio, perhaps Foley and probably the underrated Newman are there yet.
The midfield is young and dynamic. Deledio, Cotchin, Martin, Foley and Tambling are the nucleus of an exceptional midfield, with Ben Cousins adding the class for this year at least.
The are more question marks down back. The club has plenty of tall defenders, but are they any good?
None of talls Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore or Luke McGuane progressed last year. Some say they went backwards.
Alex Rance has courage and dash, but at this stage not much else. Jayden Post looked a player up forward last year, and this year will look to push out one of the established talls.
Captain Newman is the steadying influence but running defenders Jordan McMahon and Jake King are both turnover merchants.
Who provides the class and assuredness of Bowden this year? Perhaps Shane Edwards? Possibly Tambling?
The forward line is just as unsettled.
Nahas, Morton and Riewoldt play every week, but there is no key forward to crash and bash.
Graham Polak is set to play centre-half forward to provide structure, but more options must be created.
The good news is there are plenty of new kids on the list crying out for opportunities. North Ballarat's David Astbury (195cm) and Alice Springs recruit Troy Taylor (189cm) should play early and often.
And 198cm Eastern Ranges forward Ben Griffiths, the Tigers' second pick behind Martin, should also be given a chance when he recovers from a shoulder reconstruction.
So what does it all add up to?
Perhaps half a dozen wins at best.
Hardwick will have to show he is not simply an Al Clarkson clone to thrive in the AFL.
Clarkson had uncommonly good luck with his recruiting at Hawthorn - Franklin, Roughead, Birchall et al - and also with clubs willing to give him overs in trades for Jon Hay, Nathan Thompson and Jade Rawlings.
In contrast the Tigers are rebuilding in the toughest expansion climate ever created for clubs hoping to take a lick of the cream at draft time.
The year will be long and challenging, but by season's end, the club should be closer to a premiership than it is now.
Jon Ralph's best 22:Backs: Jake King, Will Thursfield, Luke McGuane
Chris Newman, Kelvin Moore, Alex Rance.
Midfield: Trent Cotchin, Nathan Foley, Daniel Jackson
Troy Simmonds (ruckman), Ben Cousins, Dustin Martin
Forwards: Richard Tamblin, Graham Polak, Brett Deledio
Robin Nahas, Jack Riewoldt, Mitch Morton
Int: Tyron Vickery, Troy Taylor, Shane Edwards, Daniel Connors
Emg: Dean Polo, Shane Tuck, Jordan McMahon, Jayden Post
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-tigers-lengthy-wish-list-ahead-of-new-afl-season/story-e6frf9ix-1225839317850
