Three Tigers in a class of their own
The Age
Mark Hawthorne
March 6, 2005
For young players at Richmond, combining year 12 studies and a footy career just got a little easier. Mark Hawthorne reports.
When Richmond legend Jack Dyer played football, he used to call Punt Road Oval the school of hard knocks. Now, with his old club possessing one of the youngest playing lists in the AFL, the stand that bears his name includes a classroom.
Among the club's 21 players under the age of 20, Richmond has three recruits - Richard Tambling, Brett Deledio and Luke McGuane - juggling year 12 studies with football.
Only seven other recruits in the league are combining a six-day-a-week AFL career with year 12 studies - and all of them are attending schools. But Richmond has decided to bring school to the players.
With a grant of $19,000 from the AFL Players Association, the club has transformed its old video room, directly above the weight training room in the Jack Dyer Stand, into the AFL's first classroom.
Every Thursday, the three players complete their morning work-out and then head upstairs for a day of lessons from one of their private tutors.
Richmond's school was established by Dale Weightman, a former club captain and now player development manager and community relations manager.
"Initially, we just had Brett Deledio doing year 12," Weightman said. "He went to Caulfield Grammar, but he only lasted two days. With the classes, the travelling and the training, it was very hard for him. It's also not easy being an AFL player and a teenager at school. The attention and the pressures can be a bit much."
When two other Richmond players said they would also like to complete their education, Weightman came up with the idea.
"It just made sense to do it here," Weightman said. "We had the room. The players bought laptop computers, and with the help of the (Players Association) we were able to hire tutors."
All three players said completing year 12 was an important goal. First-round draft pick Tambling, from Darwin, quit school early in order to chase his AFL dream.
"I dropped out of year 12 because I knew I couldn't give it 100 per cent," Tambling said. "But you never know, it might not all work out and I just want something to fall back on."
For Deledio, the league's No. 1 draft pick, completing year 12 was always a priority. "I was always going to finish my VCE," he said.
"This is perfect, and it makes it so much easier, doing it with two other guys."
The trio will complete year 12 over two years, undertaking business studies and health and human development units this year, before tackling maths and English next year.
"The sexier subjects first, then the hard work next year after they've settled into the club," Weightman said. "They have a tremendous advantage, though. The teaching ratio here is 3-1, not like some classrooms that can reach 40-1."
Intra-club rivalry will not stop at the classroom door. "Last year Richmond had Daniel Jackson do his year 12, play half a dozen games, and he ended up with a TER of 96.5. So the pressure is on," Weightman said.
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/03/05/1109958160077.html
