Author Topic: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)  (Read 2946 times)

Offline one-eyed

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Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« on: May 12, 2011, 02:14:00 AM »
Richmond has roared into the spotlight again
Greg Baum
May 12, 2011


Tiger fans are hoping this era will be different.

DAMIEN Hardwick, a premiership player at two clubs, says he has never heard anything like the roar of Richmond supporters in full and triumphal voice. Hardwick is 38, about the median age of Australia's population, which means that he and half of all football supporters can have few coherent memories of the frisson in Melbourne when the Tigers are up and about. In their football-mature lifetimes, Richmond has made the finals just twice.

In that time, the Tigers have become the club of the eternal false dawn. Partly, it is because every change of coach manifests as the start of a new era, and Richmond has had 12. It also has had eight presidents and eight chief executives, all implicitly promising a new beginning.

Partly, it is because of tantalising glimpses of success. Apart from finals appearances in 1995 and 2001, the Tigers have finished ninth six times, all in a 15-year stretch.

Partly, it is because that virile support also is infamously the most fickle in the competition, dwindling almost to nothing in the dog days, returning with a roar at the first hint of revival. They can inspire, but also blind - or at least deafen - misleading the club and one another. Hence the dawns that never arrive.

Unarguably, Richmond has been its own worst enemy. The capital - money and goodwill - it accumulated winning five premierships in 14 years was frittered away, until the club was a penstroke from extinction.

Kevin Bartlett was appointed and then abandoned as coach, and the rent only recently was repaired. His experience pre-empted many others'.

There were many good players, but few good teams. Matthew Richardson became the most loveable player in the competition in part because you knew that ultimately, his team would not hurt yours; it was a safe affection.

Bad luck struck. Nathan Brown came from the Bulldogs in a show of faith, and Graham Polak from Fremantle, but one broke his leg, and the other was hit by a tram, fatal to both careers.

But so did bad management. From what should have been fertile drafts in 2004 and 2005, only two players remain. Hawthorn exploited those same drafts to build what became within three years a premiership team.

Each new misadventure seemed only salt in the previous wound.

There is another glow on the horizon, and again Richmond people are daring to believe that it is not merely the embers of the bonfire of their last set of hopes.

This one FEELS more substantial. The club has ceased infighting. While whittling away debt, it is increasing spending on the football department and facilities - a $20 million training centre is about to open - the proven way to win.

From accounts, Hardwick has the players' profound respect. Two-thirds of them are new to the club in the past three years. Only three are 100-plus gamers, and the combined experience is less than Gold Coast's.

Not all will survive. But, crucially, remade Richmond has at its heart five of the best players in the competition.

In Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio and the precocious Dustin Martin, it has the makings of a midfield as good as any in the competition. There is also Nathan Foley, a class act too easily overlooked after two invalid years. In Jack Riewoldt, it has football's rarest commodity, a player as good as Nick, but with a true boot.

They are only five, but on them, a team might be founded. Half a dozen years ago, reliable kicking out of the back line was identified as crucial. For too many years, Tiger fans watched despairingly as their team kicked away matches and seasons. Now they're seeing dependability. The recruitment of Shaun Grigg and Bachar Houli is proving astute.

After four rounds, the Tigers were winless and had suffered heavy defeats at the hands of Collingwood and Hawthorn. But they had drawn with St Kilda, run Carlton hard and kicked six goals to two in a quarter against Collingwood. Only against the Hawks in the wet did they succumb meekly.

Since, against modest opposition, they have had three resounding wins. Historically, three in a row has been enough to light the fuse. Abnormally large crowds came for the Brisbane Lions and Fremantle. Yesterday, Richmond's membership stood at 46,202, a record. Even KB is back.

Not everyone is buying. Rhett Bartlett, son of KB and author of a club history, fears this might be another of what he calls ''Brat Farrars'', named after a school textbook in which a young man masquerades as a lost son to inherit a fortune. ''I want to believe that this is real,'' he says, ''but I've experienced so many Brat Farrars before. For me, it is just ingrained not to get overly excited.''

But a more bullish sentiment is ringing down from the stands, and in Hardwick's ears. ''The sleeping giant has awoken,'' says one fan. ''Previously, he has gone back to bed. This time, he's had a shower, got dressed and had breakfast. He won't necessarily leave the house this year. But next year - look out.''

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richmond-has-roared-into-the-spotlight-again-20110511-1eixb.html#ixzz1M3qMy0h9

Online WilliamPowell

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #1 on: May 12, 2011, 07:05:39 AM »
Not a biad summary by Greg Baum

There are parts I am sure that will have people outraged but it is pretty much on the money  ;D
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

Offline Judge Roughneck

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #2 on: May 12, 2011, 07:57:14 AM »
Thursfield. Mcgaune. Deledio. White. Graham left from 05/04
drafts

not sure
how you get two from this.

Offline RollsRoyce

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #3 on: May 12, 2011, 08:48:47 AM »
It's the line about us being "the most fickle in the comp...dwindling to nothing...then returning at the first hint of success", that irritates me. Try telling that to the same hundreds and hundreds of diehard faces I've seen at the games year in year out for as long as I can remember.
I defy the "supporters" of ANY club to stick around as long as we have if their team had offered up as little as ours has over the last 30 years.     

Online WilliamPowell

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #4 on: May 12, 2011, 08:58:43 AM »
It's the line about us being "the most fickle in the comp...dwindling to nothing...then returning at the first hint of success", that irritates me. Try telling that to the same hundreds and hundreds of diehard faces I've seen at the games year in year out for as long as I can remember.
   
Agree with your sentiments Rolls but what about the ones who have dropped off over the years and haven't stuck around? They are ones the article are pointing the finger at and whether we want to admit it or not there are those who have dropped off and are now making their way back.

Every club in the comp has them

Bottom line is for a long time we had a very low membership, the only members we had were those who backed up year after year ... foruntunately that numbers has grown steadily over the last 10 years

Thursfield. Mcgaune. Deledio. White. Graham left from 05/04
drafts

not sure
how you get two from this.

I took it to mean he was talking about the National Draft not pre-seaosn or rookie draft

From the 2004 Nat draft we have 2 left
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

Offline Dice

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2011, 11:56:19 AM »
It's the line about us being "the most fickle in the comp...dwindling to nothing...then returning at the first hint of success", that irritates me. Try telling that to the same hundreds and hundreds of diehard faces I've seen at the games year in year out for as long as I can remember.
I defy the "supporters" of ANY club to stick around as long as we have if their team had offered up as little as ours has over the last 30 years.     
Totally agree mate. The misconception of Richmond supporters being ' fickle bandwagon ' supporters beggars belief.
 We are the most resilient , all weather supporters in the AFL by a street.
After watching Essendon supporters stop turning up to their games in droves after one or two bad years( after having spent twenty years in the finals ) and flooding talkback radio with constant vitriol it's quite clear who the worst , fairweather supporters are.
Tanking has put the club where it's at - Paul Roos

the claw

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2011, 12:47:04 PM »
a little annoyed bout the fickle comments myself. but i have no doubt we have had plenty drop off but who can blame them. i reckon the utter lack of winning let alone finals has cost us a lot as far as attracting even bigger numbers to the club.

we play the dogs this week and you can bet if we lose the media will be into us.
i think the media and our supporters to a degree lose sight of where we are really at. yep we have won 3 in a row.
 i like to think a good percentage of supporters realise this week and the remainder of this yr is not about winning nice if we do though.

 no its more about putting up creditable performances being very competetive working out systems and structures and getting games into as many kids as possible that will hold us in good stead not so much this yr but likely a couple of seasons down the track.
this is our reality and i hope like hell the club itself does not lose sight of it. i for one  just wish the media in all its ramblings could remember this reality when it does stories on us.i would also hope the majority of our supporters can keep it in the back of their minds god knows the club has said it repeatedly.

weather people like it or not imo we are still a long way of with lots to do.

Ox

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2011, 01:06:33 PM »
Poorly compiled article laced with dissent.

"precocious Dustin Martin,"

Let the wolves line the corridoors -  we're on our way.

Offline dizza

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2011, 03:03:47 PM »
It's the line about us being "the most fickle in the comp...dwindling to nothing...then returning at the first hint of success", that irritates me. Try telling that to the same hundreds and hundreds of diehard faces I've seen at the games year in year out for as long as I can remember.
I defy the "supporters" of ANY club to stick around as long as we have if their team had offered up as little as ours has over the last 30 years.     
Totally agree mate. The misconception of Richmond supporters being ' fickle bandwagon ' supporters beggars belief.
 We are the most resilient , all weather supporters in the AFL by a street.
After watching Essendon supporters stop turning up to their games in droves after one or two bad years( after having spent twenty years in the finals ) and flooding talkback radio with constant vitriol it's quite clear who the worst , fairweather supporters are.

They are as fake as you get, Essendon fans. Always the first to crow about their successes, but when things go wrong their loyalty is laughable. I guess that's what happens when a club has so much heart and soul that they can be kicked out of their own home ground by a bowls club.
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Offline Penelope

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2011, 07:02:23 PM »
a little annoyed bout the fickle comments myself. but i have no doubt we have had plenty drop off but who can blame them. i reckon the utter lack of winning let alone finals has cost us a lot as far as attracting even bigger numbers to the club.

we play the dogs this week and you can bet if we lose the media will be into us.
i think the media and our supporters to a degree lose sight of where we are really at. yep we have won 3 in a row.
 i like to think a good percentage of supporters realise this week and the remainder of this yr is not about winning nice if we do though.

 no its more about putting up creditable performances being very competetive working out systems and structures and getting games into as many kids as possible that will hold us in good stead not so much this yr but likely a couple of seasons down the track.
this is our reality and i hope like hell the club itself does not lose sight of it. i for one  just wish the media in all its ramblings could remember this reality when it does stories on us.i would also hope the majority of our supporters can keep it in the back of their minds god knows the club has said it repeatedly.

weather people like it or not imo we are still a long way of with lots to do.

Dont worry craw, if you listen to Dimma he is under no illusions of where we are at and how far we have to go.

Fully agree about just being competive and getting systems and structures working. getting this right will bring wins against bottom half of the ladder sides and maybe 1 or 2 against top sides.
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Offline mightytiges

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #10 on: May 13, 2011, 01:17:02 AM »
Feral - yes
Most fickle  ::) - not on your life.

All clubs have their bandwagon effect. Bombers and Saints are the worst for mine though. Intolerable when they are winning then disappear as soon as they start losing a few games in a row.

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Offline taztiger4

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Re: Richmond has roared into the spotlight again (Age)
« Reply #11 on: May 13, 2011, 05:47:22 AM »
a little annoyed bout the fickle comments myself. but i have no doubt we have had plenty drop off but who can blame them. i reckon the utter lack of winning let alone finals has cost us a lot as far as attracting even bigger numbers to the club.


Claw, I assume from this that you are one of the 10000 new members ?