A New Tiger Dawn? - Terry Wallace

[one-eyed]

Terrys' Whisper - 9/5/12 - A New Tiger Dawn?
Posted by A Positive Move on 9 May 2012

For the first time in a long while Tiger fans are just starting to get excited about the direction of their team. The Tiger faithful have been down this pathway before so will tread wearily but I think they will have a good indication of whether the tide has finally turned in the next fortnight with games against Sydney and Essendon.
Undoubtedly the team is playing better football, with higher percentage and improvement in some key statistical areas. The following are my beliefs on why this could be a new Tiger dawn.

Drafting Young Guns

The Tigers were one of the old fashioned clubs who took the longest time to understand how important drafting was when it came into the AFL system. For around a decade they continued to trade away their first round picks. Sometimes for good quality senior players and other times they merely gave them away. Players such as Johnson, Schultz, Biddiscombe, Brown, Gaspar and Stafford are just a few names that come to mind quickly that all cost first round choices. The Club thought they could get a quick fix but they were buying in a group of players with mixed cultures rather than developing their own culture by drafting young players who would grow up together and create their own club environment. Although drafting errors were made the club now has a very good core of quality players who are all first round draft picks. Deledio, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Vickery, Rance, Martin, Conca and Ellis now create a brighter future for the club.

Spending on the Football Division

The club had a 5 million debt and every decision that was made for a decade was based around servicing that debt. The club lost focus that being competitive football wise was always the answer to stronger membership and corporate support. With the introduction of Brendon Gale as CEO, having a solid football background he unlocked the key to success by investing in all areas of the football department. One example of this was to bring List Manager Blair Hartley to the club who’s total focus was working on holes in the list and identifying players to fill these gaps. Houli, Grigg and this year Maric have added much needed depth, while Miller as a rookie has filled a void.

Specific Recruiting

Obviously the top draft picks will always be the Tigers stand out players but they have been very specific in three targeted areas in the draft. 1/ Elite kicking skills 2/ Competitive in nature 3/ Strong bodied players.

Settled Team

Every club needs some luck with injury but coach Hardwick has been very specific in his third year to select a group of players he thinks can take him forward. Regardless of winning or losing he has stuck with this group and not fluctuated at the selection table. This has given the group continuity of playing together.

Game Style

The coach came in with a specific instruction to the club about how he wanted the game played which was very similar to the model he was a part of at Hawthorn. Kicking skill and disposal efficiency were a key platform of this structure. In 2012 the Tigers are ranked 2nd in disposal efficiency only behind the undefeated Eagles.

For all those Tigers that have waited so long they now have  some genuinely exciting players to follow and hopefully the many changes that have been made can finally deliver them some long awaited success.

http://www.speakersandevents.com.au/blog/terrys--whisper---9-5-12---a-new-tiger-dawn-

[hyperlite]

add jordan mcmahon to that list?? bugger off terrence.

[TheUmpire]

Terrys' Whisper - 9/5/12 - A New Tiger Dawn?
Posted by A Positive Move on 9 May 2012


Drafting Young Guns

The Tigers were one of the old fashioned clubs who took the longest time to understand how important drafting was when it came into the AFL system. For around a decade they continued to trade away their first round picks. Sometimes for good quality senior players and other times they merely gave them away. Players such as Johnson, Schultz, Biddiscombe, Brown, Gaspar and Stafford are just a few names that come to mind quickly that all cost first round choices.

Really Terry, Gaspar cost a first round pick? Try a pick in the preseason draft.  FFS at least contribute a modicum of research or knowledge to your spin.

[gerkin greg]

I think it is great that he can move on without any bitterness – by pretending he never coached us 

BTW, that smoke felt good up my ass Tezza, would read again

[Dubstep Dookie]

Failure as a coach and failure as a journo.

A weathered turd in the fishbowl that is the afl

[Penelope]

wasn't Schultz an early draft pick, not traded for 

[Coach]

wasn't Schultz an early draft pick, not traded for 

we were in a 3 way trade with the roos and adelaide i think. we got Johnson and pick 12 (Schulz), Kangas got pick 2 (Wells) and Adelaide got Torney and Carey. I think I have that right

[Penelope]

so we used an early pick on him that we got in a trade?

[Coach]

so we used an early pick on him that we got in a trade?

yes sir but we traded away pick 2 I believe. some stats person could probably correct me if I am wrong

[Penelope]

just checked and you are right, we effectively dropped our first and second round picks 10 spots.

but we did draft the sarge and not trade for him as the the suntaned sultana was alluding too

[YellowandBlackBlood]

so we used an early pick on him that we got in a trade?

yes sir but we traded away pick 2 I believe. some stats person could probably correct me if I am wrong

We did, but we were right royally screwed by the AFL.  We actually had choice 4 at the time. I knew people at the club and they felt there were 3 really good players in the draft and the rest you could throw a blanket over. They went to the league and asked if they should get involved with swapping their pick. The league said no worries go ahead. We did. Then at the last moment the league punishes Carlton for breaching the salary cap and suddenly pick 4 becomes pick 2!  We complain to the league and they say bad luck!  The people I knew said to me they NEVER WOULD HAVE TRADED PICK 2.
So by punishing Carlton the AFL also punished us.
The people I knew were very UNHAPPY!

[gerkin greg]

just checked and you are right, we effectively dropped our first and second round picks 10 spots.

but we did draft the sarge and not trade for him as the the suntaned sultana was alluding too

We also didn't trade him when port offered a 2nd rounder

In the end all we got was a fraggle farm

Now we don't even have that 

[Coach]

fraggle stick car

[bojangles17]

Love how he failed to mention thE drafting blunders ofhis period at the club, pffft, johnson, brown, gasper stafford only played 700 odd games between them, try jon, tambling polo, patterson and meyer that cost us round one selections and you guessed it, tambling aside wouldnt have played 50 games bw them ...terry wallace what a joke

[Hellenic Tiger]

Forget the article, what I find staggering is his ability to talk about us or the Dogs without having a hint of any remorse nor acknowledgement on his failings and continue on with life as if nothing has hapenned. Terry is the type of bloke who'll fart in a full elevator yet will be more than happy to blame someone else for it.

To me he is like the septugenenarian parent who when confronted by angry kids change the subject to something totally unrelated to what was being discussed and then more than happy to remember and remind you of something you did when you were 8 years old.

I can't say go fornicate to mum and dad but I'll say it to Terry.