Summary
* Always working hard especially with a 10 day break. 10 days off isn't ideal after round 1. You need it later in the year when you're tired. We just want to get out there and play. We've been given time to work on a few issues and we'll be ready to go.
* You can expect criticism as they [media] are trying to make a dollar. We went into the Carlton game with a young side and we knew we'd make mistakes. The thing is went in knowing we were going to learn from them. So as he said the 10 days has given the opportunity to work on crucial ones. But there was also fundamental errors, times we didn't take our opportunities which would've made the game a bit different. The last quarter was a blowout which was disappointing but there certainly was a lot of positives to come out of the game.
* Main issues were capitalising on opportunities and then a lot of our defensive stuff. The game these days is all about defence and we had too many missed tackles and let them run through the corridor. We've been working on that real hard over the summer but it's not instinctive yet. So when it is we'll know be fine but at the moment we'll keep chipping away. The little fundamental skill errors you are going to get with a young side. Nason misses his first few shots at goal but then kicks the third one. Next time he'll kick all three and a two goal difference that comes back our way.
* Put his hand up for shot he fluffed on the second quarter. Said he was that tired. You could tell by the look on his face. He's blaming the grip (laughs) as he's usually not a bad shot on goal but that was a shocker. You knew by his face how crucial that kick was as it brings the margin back to two goals and go into half-time with plenty of run in the legs. We're a fit side but when your chasing backside all night it takes its toll. That's probably what happened in the last quarter.
* Copped a whack off Dusty Martin. He's a solid unit and we call him "Heavy". Jacko was a bit dazed. Did come back on but doesn't remember too much after that. He did get a note to get out of his Uni work for a week so he was happy about that.
* Hasn't heard Roberts being called 'Scooby'. We call him the Borunga Bullet. Nason doesn't have a nickname yet but you would think he would with that wig. He looks like those ghost guys out of the Matrix but no one knows what their called.
* Good challenge this week especially after their surprise lost. After their NAB Cup they are up and running. Maybe they were a little bit tired and Collingwood are a very good side who applied a lot of pressure. That's our focus and we'll aim to do that. The result will look after itself if we can do those fundamental things with defence right.
* Positives? - Connors who has been in the system for a few years feel comfortable with themselves out there. He's got a great football brain and kick. Martin played well. Nason was better for it. Roberts came out of the rookie draft with a few extra kilos and he's worked really hard. He's got himself fit. You can always get fitter but he's a superfreak talent. Deledio and whatnot are better for the run as well. So there were positives and we're working on those little and we'll get there.
* Foley trained for the first time with the group yesterday, He's doing his own training but he's out of the cotton wool. He's just had an issue with that achilles but he's flying and he's put on a bit of weight but he's strong and running hard as ever and will be a massive addition to our midfield when he comes back.
* Round 1 compared to the NAB Cup just takes a step up. Jacko was expecting it but he said Martin couldn't believe how much quicker and more intense the game was Especially in that first quarter Jacko said he was blowing and thought sheesh have I done a preseason here. By the end of the game you could see we were running on empty. Round 22 is tough if you have niggles and there's nothing to play for but Round 1 Jacko finds is the highest intensity games we play without having played finals yet.
* Martin has come with that mature body. He's got a good head on shoulders as does all the young blokes we have down there. Griffiths hasn't played any games yet as he's coming back from a shoulder but he's going to be a player to watch for the future as a big guy up forward. Dea came from a basketball background and has big wraps on him. All those blokes are very similar. All nearly ready to play that just need that experience from playing games.
* The point of the 75k plan is that we've had around 100k members lapse. Everyone knows the Club is a sleeping giant and when we play finals regularly that's when we'll reach that 75k figure. To have 38k after the past few years is fantastic. It says a lot about our supporters and members. We just encourage them now to come along and support us now. You'll reap the rewards later on getting to know the kids now while they are young and seeing them grow. Hopefully fulfilling for you.
* Just 6 left footers on the Richmond list. They are always sharp and silky but he's not a left footer so he's not going to advocate for them (laughs). This debate has been around for ages. Even at school the left footers were good kicks and made good decisions. Maybe there's so few of them and they standout when they are drafted. Who knows.
* Newman would be our number 1 left footer. Jacko's favourite was Cam Howat who he went to school with and of course Tivendale. Jacko had to think a while about the others on our list now - Simmo, Connors. He couldn't think of the other 3.
* Defence tactic now to flood forward. We concentrate our structure outside the forward 50 to keep the ball in there. It's not one of our principle tactics to get numbers back and flood the opposition forward line.
* Hardwick has a accounting background. He's very methodical in what he does. Dotting i's and crossing t's. With such a young side you need them to have the answer. We are very methodical in what we do. We've had a lot of focus on structures over the summer so whether that's a centre bounce ball-up, a throw-in in the forward line, whereever it is we know what we are doing. Which means there are never any unanswered questions. You should know what you're doing If you've got a role you're going to play that role a lot better rather than just running around. A more mature side will get away with that but us especially being a young side need that structure so that's been a big focus. Something Richmond supporters can follow throughout the year and see we are consistently doing those things and at least that keeps us in games.
* Instinct for Jacko is just jumping on the ball when it's there. He has no instincts so he'd rather be told exactly what he has got to do. Not less fun as it takes the stress away being someone who jumps on it and gives it to someone else who has an idea what to do with it. It's about predictability. If you have these structures you are predictable to one another. Then you know you ball batterns and flows and work together. If you're just doing it on instinct even with 18 special talented players and not working on the same page you won't go anywhere.
* Midseason draft - only support it if there was no trading of current AFL players. Only those from outside the AFL. Say needing another ruckman like at Hawthorn and bringing one in from a lower level.
* High calibre players like Ablett aren't moved by sledges. Jacko's not a big talker anyway out there. Not so much tagging these days.
* We'll go out there (this week) and we'll work on doing the things we didn't do right last week and have a real concentration to put them under the pump. Collingwood do that very well. Hopefully we can emulate some of that.
* When he goes visit a school kids ask him about dreamteam and bag him if he doesn't get them many points lol. He got a few last time so the kids were happy.
