Richmond talks finals chances down (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Richmond talks finals chances down

    Matt Windley
    From: Herald Sun
    June 04, 2012

RICHMOND president Gary March has urged Tigers fans to keep their excitement in check after the drought-breaking win against St Kilda on Friday night.

The win, following last week's demolition of flag favourite Hawthorn, has Tigers fans dreaming of September action for the first time since 2001.

But March said yesterday Richmond still had a long way to go.

"We're still not in the eight," he said.

"We've won five games, but we've also lost five games so we're under no illusions that we've got a lot of work left to do.

"We're a very young list and what is exciting for Tiger fans, and us involved directly at the club, is that we can see where the club is heading and there's a lot of good years ahead of this football club now, and that's the important thing.

"While it would be great to break in to the top eight at some stage this year, it's more important that we're on a journey that can see us sustain finals footy in years to come."

Richmond's on-field success at the weekend was matched off the field when more than $2.3 million was raised for the Fighting Tiger Fund at a dinner on Saturday night.

Richmond is now within $500,000 of the $6 million target it set last year to reduce its debt and allow it to spend more on its football department.

"It reinforces what we've been telling our people for the last 18 months about the journey we're on and where we're trying to take the club," March said.

"The results of the first half of this year are probably going a long way to reinforcing their belief in the systems that have been put in place.

"Most of the donors (on Saturday night) were anonymous, and want to remain anonymous, but what I would say is that we've been very fortunate over the period of the Fighting Tiger Fund to have some very generous benefactors that have bought into our plan and our vision."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/richmond-talks-finals-chances-down/story-e6frf9jf-1226382023990

[blaisee]

Good to see gary March has learnt from his comments before round one, and is playing a straight bat.

No need to fire up the fans, we are ore than capable of doing that ourselves

[dwaino]

So.... I shouldn't have got this 2012 premiership tat?

[1965]

So.... I shouldn't have got this 2012 premiership tat?

I'm waiting until after we win the flag.

 

[Mr Magic]

March's pre season comments that he was so heavily criticised for don't look so bad now but the above is less inflammatory.

[cub]

5 - 5 bottom line a lot of hard work to do!
Has been an exciting last few weeks though

[Stripes]

If someone had of given told me at the start of the year (particularly after the Blues touch up) that we would be 5 - 5 at this stage after playing all of last years finalists in the first 10 rounds, I would have been wrapped. We have the platform to build upon now and finals are ours for the taking if we can earn them. Injuries are the only thing that can stop us imho (touch wood). 

[FooffooValve]

By my calculations, 13 wins and a good percentage (over 110) will be just good enough to make 7th or 8th spot. If we are to make it, 3 of Geelong, Carlton, St Kilda and Freo will have to miss.

It's going to be very tough. We simply cannot afford to drop any games that look winnable on paper, and we can only afford to drop 2 more I reckon.

[Stripes]

By my calculations, 13 wins and a good percentage (over 110) will be just good enough to make 7th or 8th spot. If we are to make it, 3 of Geelong, Carlton, St Kilda and Freo will have to miss.

It's going to be very tough. We simply cannot afford to drop any games that look winnable on paper, and we can only afford to drop 2 more I reckon.

This week is another massive, 8 points, game. They are in a very similar position to us and we need to use them as a stepping stone and make sure we push them down in the effort. We won't enjoy the negative, congested style they play so it may be another Saints game where we have to win on effort. Will be a crap game to watch but if we come out with the points I'll be happy. Just hoping the bigger ground opens up the play for us as the game goes on. 

We are bond to drop a game against Brisbane, Melb, etc (Murphy's Law - see the results this week) so beating someone such as Adelaide and/or Carlton/Essendon will be important.

[Penelope]

for some reason it's the north game that concerns me.

[Hellenic Tiger]

for some reason it's the north game that concerns me.

Skataboner spirit back to the wall type game with their 6-10 record going into it and claiming they are better than us at everything and that they deserve to be in the 8 and are a better club.

This band of nobodies always seem to lift against us.

[10 FLAGS]

Norf have been dangerous against us recently because Petrie has gotten a hold of Rance and done a job on him. All we have to do is plonk Ivan Maric just infront of the Petrie and Rance contest when the ball is in general play and that'll be it for Norfs chances.

[tiga]

By my calculations, 13 wins and a good percentage (over 110) will be just good enough to make 7th or 8th spot. If we are to make it, 3 of Geelong, Carlton, St Kilda and Freo will have to miss.

It's going to be very tough. We simply cannot afford to drop any games that look winnable on paper, and we can only afford to drop 2 more I reckon.

With Carlton, Bombers & Eagles losing to bottom 8 sides, the whole top 8 is far from certain. Realistically any team that loses to Melbourne or Port this year has some serious questions over them. Right now we are only 3 wins from top spot. IMO the Crows and the Pies will probably replace the Eagles and the Bombers as the top two sides come round 14. The real crunch game for us is against the Crows in Round 14. If we can win that along with the games against Freo and GWS which we are expected to win, then we are a genuine contender for a top 4 spot given our run home is Melbourne(Win), GC(Win), Nth Melb(Win), Carlton(Loss), Lions(Win), Bulldogs(Win), Freo(Win), Bombers(Loss), Power(Win). 7 very winnable games there. Even if we don't beat the crows, we could be sitting on 14 wins come the end of the year which will put us in a very handy position for finals.

[MintOnLamb]

I  recall we had St Kilda and Hawthorn pencilled in for losses. Concur about the work to do but gee what a change from last year and the view is looking a lot better. Probably at the start of the year we had no chance of making finals BUT dare I say it we have improved quite a bit, great to see Dimma seems to have the situation under control, his plans are coming to fruition and the club is not in some mega turmoil. Even if we don't make finals this year I feel confident that the support team the club has assembled are going in the right direction and we will make hopefully 2 or 3 great pick ups which will be the difference to making the finals.

[tony_montana]

I recall after Nought beat Geelong that one of their players mentioned publicly in a press conference that "unlike richmond who decided to bin a review of a 100 point belting last season, we scrutinised it to learn from it"  Id be hoping our players are reminded of that during the week of that game. That was a pretty insulting thing to say, and pretty stuffing funny given how each teams fortunes have turned since then. stuffing kolobinedes, i want to smash them almost as much as I want to smash the war machine in rnd 22