Craig Cameron on SEN (audio and summary)

[one-eyed]

Craig Cameron was interviewed by Mark Fine on SEN this morning...


AUDIO: http://www.sen.com.au/audioplayer/Audio/Richmond-General-Manager-of-Football-Craig-Cameron/6779

[one-eyed]

Summary

* We made the decision a few years ago when we head-hunted Blair Hartley that we needed to rebuild our list and we decided we couldn’t do it purely through the National Draft because a number of drafts obviously had been compromised with the introduction of the two new clubs but we needed to turn over our list quite heavily. We've turned over 35 or so players the past 4 years. So we went to the National Draft and we’ve selected young blokes along the journey but we also realised we needed to make sure that we didn’t leave our list with too many holes in terms of depth and mid-20 type players. I think the football world saw in the middle and towards the end of last year, we really fell away when we got injuries and we were asking too much of some of our younger guys. So it was important for us to build some depth.

* With Sam Lonergan firstly - there were probably times during the year we'd go to Coburg, and I know we aren't recruiting for Coburg, but we wouldn't be providing them with a midfielder at all. So you'd look at the midfield for Coburg and there would be no one; not a single Richmond player in it. That was a clear indication that we lacked depth in the midfield area. So if we got injuries to any of our midfield we were going to be pretty bare bones there.  So we just thought it was important to make sure that we had some depth through the midfield so that our younger guys who are coming through can develop without being rushed and asked to play inside midfield roles earlier than they should be. 

* Orren Stephenson - Last season we found with Tyrone Vickery going down injured, Ivan Maric carried a fairly big load and it had an impact on him towards the end of the year in terms of his groins and general wear and tear. Losing Angus Graham to Adelaide in the trade period we were probably one ruckman down.  So we were very keen to get an experienced ruckman in just in case something happened to Ivan. We wanted to make sure that someone could come in straight away and play. We took a young ruckman in the National Draft in Liam McBean so we’ve looked after our future from a ruck viewpoint but we just wanted to make sure we looked after the here and now in case we got injuries.

* Ricky Petterd - is a player who we think has always had some talent to play the game.  He’s got a bit of X-factor. Our forward line last season was very Jack Riewoldt reliant and we’ve tried to take care of that by bringing both him and Aaron Edwards in.

* Cadeyn Williams -  It’s interesting with all the headlines on the recycles, I was talking to our recruiters today and in both drafts and we’ve now brought in five 18 year olds. Only GWS have brought in a larger number of 18 year olds.  I know the recycled guys have got the headlines but we’ve still brought in younger players. Cadeyn’s a boy who was injured for a lot of this year so he played only six or seven games for the Murray Bushrangers.He’s a really good size, good build, very strong overhead and a good kick. He’ll be an inside-mid but we just need to get his fitness levels up. So he’ll be given his time to become a midfielder.

* Dylan Grimes - He had an operation to repair the hamstring tendon (he's had the hamstring tendons on both sides repaired). We won't take him slowly but we'll take him through the normal rehabiliation. He's going to aim for round 1 I would've thought. Whether he gets there and whether the medical and fitness staff sort of push him that hard will depend on how his body responds. It's good for his competitive nature that he wants to get there but we'll make sure we get him right before we push him too hard. It does hurts us but it highlights the reason we went out and got Troy (Chaplin) at the end of last year (season 2012).

* Training in Cairns - Yeah we are keen on heat training. We have a heat room at Punt Rd. We brought the professor from Oregon University, they have a very strong bias towards heat training with their athletes over there. They probably lead the world in temperate-climate-heat training if that makes sense. So we brought him out to explain to our players why we are doing it and to talk to our fitness staff. The reason we go for heat training over altitude training is that we can actually replicate it at Punt Rd. We don't have a altitude room to keep the benefits of altitude training up throughout the season.

* I didn't go up to Cairns but yeah it would've been nice to return from Cairns with a smile on our face after what has happened over the last two years.   

[Phil Mrakov]

Love him

[RedanTiger]

I think the football world saw in the middle and towards the end of last year, we really fell away when we got injuries and we were asking too much of some of our younger guys. So it was important for us to build some depth.

The untidy truth that Cameron is trying to hide is that when we had injuries to our better young players (Vickery, Conca, Grimes, Martin) we had no talent in the older players (Derickx, White, Graham, Miller, Moore, McGuane, Webberley, Post, Browne, Maric). So yes, it was asking too much of our younger guys.

The real story is why were these poor players still on our list if they were useless in their job as depth.
They were recruited by Jackson and kept on our list by Cameron and developed by Hardwick for the last 3 years.

Our footy dept has decided to replace players we did not want with players whose previous clubs rejected them.
 

[Gigantor]

If i think back and recall one of richmonds greatest eras that of the early and mid 70s,our team then was littered with so called rejects...paul sproule,robbie mcghee,gareth andrews,Ian stewart,wayne walsh,steven rae,david thorpe.i think all successful clubs need this type of player,one who can come in and add something almost immediately

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Hello Sydney!

[Stripes]

I think we have gone about it exactly the right way. We have not given up any of our early draft picks but instead used them strategically and wisely. We have not sacrificed the future at the expense of the present. Additionally though we have added much need depth, our biggest weakness, across the ground. This will give us every opportunity to play out a season without falling in a hole when injuries inevitably strike.

I'm impressed by what we have done this off season. We have not payed overs for individual player to try and make a difference to one position on the ground. We have effectively filled holes all over the ground, created strong competition for spots and given us plenty of insurance.

It is amazing that we have claimed six strong bodied mature campaigners for practically nothing. Even their wages are relatively for nothing. 

Blair Hartley is a bloody legend in my books 

[Ox]

 it had an impact on him towards the end of the year in terms of his groins and general wear and tear

[Darth Tiger]

I think we have gone about it exactly the right way. We have not given up any of our early draft picks but instead used them strategically and wisely. We have not sacrificed the future at the expense of the present. Additionally though we have added much need depth, our biggest weakness, across the ground. This will give us every opportunity to play out a season without falling in a hole when injuries inevitably strike.

I'm impressed by what we have done this off season. We have not payed overs for individual player to try and make a difference to one position on the ground. We have effectively filled holes all over the ground, created strong competition for spots and given us plenty of insurance.

It is amazing that we have claimed six strong bodied mature campaigners for practically nothing. Even their wages are relatively for nothing. 

Blair Hartley is a bloody legend in my books 

Bang - post of the off season.

Strategic list management - finally !!!!

Just need to keep turning over the also rans as well as those that can attract trade value so that the continued investment in the draft as remains the 1st priority towards sustained success.

[Tigeritis™©®]

I think we have gone about it exactly the right way. We have not given up any of our early draft picks but instead used them strategically and wisely. We have not sacrificed the future at the expense of the present. Additionally though we have added much need depth, our biggest weakness, across the ground. This will give us every opportunity to play out a season without falling in a hole when injuries inevitably strike.

I'm impressed by what we have done this off season. We have not payed overs for individual player to try and make a difference to one position on the ground. We have effectively filled holes all over the ground, created strong competition for spots and given us plenty of insurance.

It is amazing that we have claimed six strong bodied mature campaigners for practically nothing. Even their wages are relatively for nothing. 

Blair Hartley is a bloody legend in my books 

Very good points Stripes. 
All we need now is to play finals.

[Mr Magic]

I think we have gone about it exactly the right way. We have not given up any of our early draft picks but instead used them strategically and wisely. We have not sacrificed the future at the expense of the present. Additionally though we have added much need depth, our biggest weakness, across the ground. This will give us every opportunity to play out a season without falling in a hole when injuries inevitably strike.

I'm impressed by what we have done this off season. We have not payed overs for individual player to try and make a difference to one position on the ground. We have effectively filled holes all over the ground, created strong competition for spots and given us plenty of insurance.

It is amazing that we have claimed six strong bodied mature campaigners for practically nothing. Even their wages are relatively for nothing. 

Blair Hartley is a bloody legend in my books 

Agree. I for one couldn't be happier with our off season work.
We're soo much smarter about it now.

[yellowandback]

I think we have gone about it exactly the right way. We have not given up any of our early draft picks but instead used them strategically and wisely. We have not sacrificed the future at the expense of the present. Additionally though we have added much need depth, our biggest weakness, across the ground. This will give us every opportunity to play out a season without falling in a hole when injuries inevitably strike.

I'm impressed by what we have done this off season. We have not payed overs for individual player to try and make a difference to one position on the ground. We have effectively filled holes all over the ground, created strong competition for spots and given us plenty of insurance.

It is amazing that we have claimed six strong bodied mature campaigners for practically nothing. Even their wages are relatively for nothing. 

Blair Hartley is a bloody legend in my books 

Agree. I for one couldn't be happier with our off season work.
We're soo much smarter about it now.

Agree although I wouldn't use the word "amazing" perhaps prudent. Most of our "depth" are off cuts which doesn't necessarily fix our depth issues - although it definitely improves that bottom end

[Stripes]

Just good list management really. Use the draft to bring into quality youth which we can develop for the future. Use the Free Trade Period to gain mature aged role players and use the rookie draft for insurance and depth. I think many other clubs will certainly take notice of what we have done this year and try and emulate it themselves.

[Tigger]

I think we have gone about it exactly the right way. We have not given up any of our early draft picks but instead used them strategically and wisely. We have not sacrificed the future at the expense of the present. Additionally though we have added much need depth, our biggest weakness, across the ground. This will give us every opportunity to play out a season without falling in a hole when injuries inevitably strike.

I'm impressed by what we have done this off season. We have not payed overs for individual player to try and make a difference to one position on the ground. We have effectively filled holes all over the ground, created strong competition for spots and given us plenty of insurance.

It is amazing that we have claimed six strong bodied mature campaigners for practically nothing. Even their wages are relatively for nothing. 

Blair Hartley is a bloody legend in my books 

Firstly great and succint post Stripes.  You are spot on.

So too has our recruiting this off season.
Off the list (not including rookie list) (in no particular order): Graham, Browne, Post, Connors, Webberley, McDonald (maybe 150 games experience tops)
On the list: Chaplin, Knights, Edwards plus 4 kids (more that 300 games experience plus youth).

Off the rookie list: miller amaric & wright
On: 3 experienced or mature bodies plus a kid.

To me it sounds like we are a 2 goal better side than last year....

Time to deliver now, finals or bust next year.

[Coach]

Did we get Richo and Carey out of retirement...........