Brett Deledio media conference - Tue May 5

[one-eyed]

Don't believe the hype: Deledio
By Paul Daffey
Tue 05 Jun, 2012


RICHMOND midfielder Brett Deledio says the Tigers are mindful of the hype that threatens to engulf the club as it pushes towards a rare finals series.

The Tigers have played in September only twice in the past three decades, in 1995 and 2001.

Their stirring eight-point victory over St Kilda at the weekend brought their record to 5-5 after a difficult opening 10 rounds of the season.

With an easier draw during the middle stretch, the Tigers are well-placed for a finals tilt.

It's a situation that has prompted great excitement from Richmond's notoriously boisterous fans.

"We're still only 5-5, we're still not in the eight," Deledio said.

"We're trying not to get caught up in the hype. We're just going about our business."

Deledio said supporters deserved to feel upbeat after sticking with the club through hard times.

"Our supporters have stuck fat, and they're really excited with what they see is going on," he said.

"There's no doubt it's exciting. But there's still plenty of work to do."

Deledio said the club's victory over St Kilda in such dramatic circumstances has fuelled the club's belief.

The Saints came from four goals down during the last quarter to hit the lead.

Richmond then steadied to take the game - in a reversal to previous matches this season.

In round one Richmond threatened Carlton in the last quarter before the Blues ran away 44-point winners.

Against Essendon in round eight, Richmond fought back to hit the lead before the Bombers steadied and claimed a 29-point win.

"The Tigers of old probably would have been blown out of the water [by St Kilda]; they would have lost by 30 or 40 points, as happened in round one," Deledio said.

"To have the lead and lose it and then come back again … I think it's a credit to our belief.

"It was exciting, but there's still plenty of room for improvement. We shouldn't have let them get back in the game."

Richmond began the season with a record of 1-4 before defeating Port Adelaide in round six.

Since then it has defeated the Sydney Swans, Hawthorn and St Kilda and lost to Essendon.

When asked to pinpoint the moment when the Tigers felt their season was turning, he nominated the 10-point loss to Geelong at Simonds Stadium in round four.

"Although we didn't get the points that day [against Geelong] we played reasonably good footy, albeit with some lapses late in the game," Deledio said.

"Then we were close against West Coast as well.

"It's about our belief. We believed we were on the right path."

Deledio admitted that if he were told before the season that the Tigers would be 5-5 after 10 rounds, he would have taken it.

But, he said, the Tigers' ambitions had changed.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/137819/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Tigers again back suspended King
Matt Murnane
June 5, 2012 - 12:48PM

RICHMOND star Brett Deledio admits team-mate Jake King walks a fine line with his aggressive attack on the ball and the man, but says his team wouldn't have it any other way.

King has missed five games through suspension over the past three seasons and will add another game to that bad record when he is forced to sit out this Saturday's match against Fremantle at the MCG.

The spirited Tiger today chose to accept a one-match ban for tripping St Kilda small forward Stephen Milne in last Friday night's victory over the Saints. Another incident involving King and St Kilda defender Sean Dempster was also assessed by the match review panel yesterday, but no charge was laid.

Deledio said it was disappointing to lose King for the crucial clash between two teams both with 5-5 records, and admitted sometimes King "goes a little bit too far" walking the tightrope between strong attack on the ball and illegal play that leads to suspension.

Deledio says it is up to the coaching staff to reign in King when he over-steps the mark, but his team-mates don't want him to change the way he plays.

"As a team we've never asked anything less from Jake. That's the way he is, and that's what makes him play good footy," Deledio said before training today.

"He plays the game hard and he was probably a little bit unlucky."

Richmond will look to VFL affiliate Coburg to find a replacement for King, something it has not had to do often this season given it's fortunate run with injury, which has meant the Tigers have only used 27 players - the fewest of any club in 2012.

Deledio, nicknamed "Lids", was doing his best to keep a lid on the hype surrounding Richmond's current form, but the former No.1 draft pick admitted it was uplifting for the players to see the club's supporters excited during the past month, as they've watched their team score impressive wins over finals contenders Sydney, Hawthorn and St Kilda.

"You don't want to get caught up in the hype too much. We are only 5-5 and we are not inside the top eight yet," Deledio said.

"But it's good to see that our supporters have stuck fat and they are really excited about what they can see is going on," he said.

"There's no doubt it is exciting. They are certainly very loud, our supporters, and they keep turning up every week; win, lose or draw. So we can't fault them in that regard.

"They are excited, as we are about how we are tracking, but there is still plenty of work to do."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-again-back-suspended-king-20120605-1ztck.html#ixzz1wtDAwyQX

[Phil Mrakov]

Against Essendon in round eight, Richmond fought back to hit the lead before the Bombers steadied and claimed a 29-point win.

lol?

[one-eyed]

Here's the vision of Lids' press conference today...

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/roar%20vision%20archive/tabid/11454/contentid/456555/default.aspx


Tigers not satisfied says midfielder Brett Deledio
   Rod Nicholson
    From: Herald Sun
    June 05, 2012

RICHMOND veteran Brett Deledio is as pleasantly surprised as the 50,000 Tiger members by the resurgence of the club this season.

“I had no idea how good this group could be, or will be,” Deledio said as the Tigers prepared for Saturday’s crunch match against struggling Fremantle.

“To be 5-5 at this stage, given our tough draw, I would have taken it,” he said of the current situation had he been given the option pre-season.

But he said expectations had lifted markedly since then. Deledio, 25, said the team had come a long way this season, and it could have been even better.

“We felt we could have won against Geelong and the West Coast, and apart from 10-15 minutes, against Collingwood ... the Essendon game was quite close as well.

"It's not the best we could hope for at all, we could be quite a few more wins.

“We were playing good footy and not getting the win doesn’t mean much. But we believed we were on the right path,” he said.

The Tigers lost to both Geelong and West Coast by 10 points, and to Collingwood by 19 points, but during the past fortnight have beaten flag fancies Hawthorn and St Kilda.

They now face Fremantle and Greater Western Sydney before a bye, and then play only Carlton, Essendon and Port Adelaide who are in finals contention in the final 10 rounds.

“We always expected our young boys to be developing, and they certainly are. An example is Ben Griffiths coming in to replace Dylan Grimes. He hasn’t missed a beat,” Deledio said.

Grimes has recovered from a hamstring ailment but will be rested until after the bye.

“We are going about our business and not getting caught up in the hype. It is exciting and our supporters are very loud.

“We are a tight-knit group, family orientated,” he said.

Deledio said the way the Tigers fought back after being headed by St Kilda during the eight-point win last Friday night was exciting and proof of the improvement of the group.

“The Tigers of old would have been blown out of the water and beaten by 30-40 points. To come back was a credit to our players.”

He said every team wanted to play finals and that the Tigers could not relax after two exciting wins.

“It showed at the weekend that if you are off that little bit you will get nutted. We know we must play really good footy to challenge the good sides.

“Winning is always great, but it can gloss over a few things. We know we must continue to improve.”

“We believe we have what it takes to match it with the good sides."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/tigers-not-satisfied-says-midfielder-brett-deledio/story-e6frf9jf-1226384733261

[Gigantor]

nearly fell off my chair when i read this article..it  began with "richmond veteran"

[Hellenic Tiger]

Kid is 25 but is playing like a veteran this year.
He has played 160 games.
I love his impact on games this year.