Wallace rallies past greats
December 20, 2004
Foxsports
THE past Richmond greats calling for the off-field change that never occurred will be welcomed by coach Terry Wallace into the current players' inner-sanctum.
Wallace said yesterday it mattered little that Francis Bourke, Dick Clay and other prominent ex-Tigers backed the beaten Charles Macek-led group in the messy board election battle.
"Those guys, for sure (will be welcomed back). (Nick) Daffy is another one who was pretty strong in his words, too," Wallace said yesterday.
"Matthew Knights also. I mean, those guys, they are Richmond.
"It is their club, and I want them to feel part of it."
President Clinton Casey's ticket scored a resounding victory in the drawn-out power battle, with all nine members registering more votes than the highest-polled Macek contender (Bryan Wood).
"There was a really strong push from the past players that they wanted change and one thing I am really hoping to come out of all of this is that everyone accepts the decision that has been made, and jump on board," Wallace said.
"You look at a club like Carlton. You go into the rooms at Carlton and you have got champions standing around and it always has a really good, powerful feel about the footy club.
"We have got those sort of people at our club and we don't want to lose them to the club, and I reckon that is really important.
"I am one for a busy room. I'm not one who likes to lock it all down and not let anyone in.
"I reckon it is important to look around and see and feel a bit of history, a bit of feel about the footy club.
"I am hoping those people - and a lot of them were fairly vocal, and that is fine - jump back on board for the right reasons."
Under Wallace, the Tigers have introduced a player mentoring system, where former Tigers will be invited to assist listed players.
Nearly 40 past players recently attended the opening mentor session.
"They can have a relationship between themselves, the listed player with the past player, and so when those past players walk in to the room, they know they are wanted," Wallace said.
It is expected Bourke, and others who were pushing Macek's cause, will be asked for their input in to the scheme.
"The end result is that everyone is united behind the decision made at the election," Wallace said.
"It was the strongest vote ever and it was solid in so far as which way the vote went.
"Whether people like or they don't like the decision, it is a mid-term decision, a three-year decision, so I am hoping we can all get on with what this decision allows us to get on with."
Greg Miller topped the poll, with nearly 9000 of about 13,000 registered votes.
While the inclusion of Miller, the club's football director, on the Casey ticket was controversial from a conflict of interest perspective, it was considered to be decisive in the eyes of voters.
Although Miller believes he can work as a board member and a club employee beneath chief executive Steven Wright, he is understood to be considering his long-term options. One possibility being canvassed by directors was Miller, some time next season, relinquishing his board position to former Tiger Rex Hunt.
Herald Sun
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/...4-23211,00.html