Collingwood poaching partly to blame for Richmond premiership drought: Hart (HS)

[one-eyed]

Collingwood poaching partly to blame for Richmond premiership drought, says Royce Hart

    Glenn McFarlane
    From: Herald Sun
    June 04, 2013 5:48PM

ROYCE Hart says it is "absolutely ridiculous" that Richmond hasn't won a flag since 1980 and partly blames Collingwood.

The 65-year-old cites the bitter recruiting war between the Magpies and the Tigers in the early '80s as a factor in the embarrassing 32-year drought.

"Collingwood pinched the nucleus of a really good side," Hart said. "You can't lose all those good players and expect to remain at the top.

"Richmond won the 1980 premiership and then lost in the 1982 Grand Final.

"And the next few years after that, Collingwood pinched (David) Cloke, (Geoff) Raines and (Brian Taylor).

"Bryan Wood went to Essendon and there were others who left as well. It really hurt the club."

Hart said one of the reasons why he was able to play in four premierships (1967, '69, '73-74) was the playing group was able to stay together for a decade.

"We all came together as a group leading up to 1967, and most of us virtually stayed there until about 1977," he said.

"That next group of players coming through didn't stay together as group for long enough. If they had, things might have been different.”

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/collingwood-poaching-party-to-blame-for-richmond-premiership-drought-says-royce-hart/story-fndv8t7m-1226657233009

[Penelope]

the poaching war with colonwoood nearly drove both clubs to the wall.
we only have ourselves to blame for how it all panned out.

[RollsRoyce]

the poaching war with colonwoood nearly drove both clubs to the wall.
we only have ourselves to blame for how it all panned out.

We only have ourselves to blame in so much as we paid top dollar for a bunch of mediocre players. You can certainly understand why GR went on a revenge recruiting spree though. It's only human nature to want to get back at a club who has raided some of your best talent. The one who I thought was going to be a great coup at the time was Philip Walsh, as there had been such huge raps on him (I believe he won Scumwood's best 1st year player.) But he turned out to be a huge disappointment for us.
Incidentally, it still sticks in my craw to see Travis Cloke run out for the black and white filth. Particularly after his old man came crawling back to Richmond after the Scum had discarded him like a used Kleenex. I can't wait til the big oaf retires.

[Owl]

I stuffing hate that pack of ticks

[Smokey]

the poaching war with colonwoood nearly drove both clubs to the wall.
we only have ourselves to blame for how it all panned out.

Yep.

[WilliamPowell]

the poaching war with colonwoood nearly drove both clubs to the wall.
we only have ourselves to blame for how it all panned out.

Yep.

And Yep again

The other things that irks me about the pointless poaching war is that we didn't need to do it. We had up until that point used the Under 19's & Ressies to bring a core group of kids through. You look at the 1980 & 1982 GF sides and you'll see that the majority of them can via our U19's as opposed to being recruited. Perhaps if had continued down that path rather than spending $$$ we didn't have things may have been so different.

I know as a Club we revere GR and we should because he did some brilliant things for the RFC but regarding that "war" it was his & Ian Wilson biggest mistake and my how we have paid for it over the last 30 odd years

[tdy]

We should have recovered much earlier.  The sheer litany of coaches during the 80s and 90s tells the tale of the bitter infighting and instability.  It's really only been the last 3 coaches that have had a fair crack at it.  I like the policy if you get the Richmond job you have 4 years at least to turn things around.  A fair go. 

We grew up watching miracles by KB and the like and we kept expecting them.  Wiser heads now prevail.

[RollsRoyce]

the poaching war with colonwoood nearly drove both clubs to the wall.
we only have ourselves to blame for how it all panned out.

Yep.

And Yep again

The other things that irks me about the pointless poaching war is that we didn't need to do it. We had up until that point used the Under 19's & Ressies to bring a core group of kids through. You look at the 1980 & 1982 GF sides and you'll see that the majority of them can via our U19's as opposed to being recruited. Perhaps if had continued down that path rather than spending $$$ we didn't have things may have been so different.

I know as a Club we revere GR and we should because he did some brilliant things for the RFC but regarding that "war" it was his & Ian Wilson biggest mistake and my how we have paid for it over the last 30 odd years

Yes, that's what we should have done. But I feel that the recruiting wars with Collingwood were more about the club trying to take revenge on them for stealing so much of our talent. But then as Confucious say, "If we seek revenge, we must be prepared to dig two graves."

[Penelope]

so true, rolls.

[Owl]

Yeah but one for those bastards and one for yourself not for our whole stuffing club ....