Changes for next week's game!

[Razorblade]

In: Hyde, Schulz, Morrison

Out: Tivendale, Knobel, Graham

Simmonds plays as No.1 ruck.

Morrison plays back, and Schulz plays forward.

[mightytiges]

We need more run and pace through the lines as we looked slow as against the Roos. So I would bring in Hyde and Hartigan and as we were too top heavy last week drop either Stafford (not fit) or Graham. Graham may stay in as he's a spare defender. Schulz can replace one of them. Plus Sarge is agile for a big bloke. Tivs dropped for obvious reasons. Meyer to get a full game at Coburg and build up his confidence as John said in another thread at an "easier" level. Promoting Tambling straight into the seniors is a big risk and doesn't quite send the right message to the rest of the group. Start him off at Coburg.

In: Hyde, Hartigan, Schulz
Out: Tivs, Meyer, Stafford

[cub]

We need more run and pace through the lines as we looked slow as against the Roos. So I would bring in Hyde and Hartigan and as we were too top heavy last week drop either Stafford (not fit) or Graham. Graham may stay in as he's a spare defender. Schulz can replace one of them. Plus Sarge is agile for a big bloke. Tivs dropped for obvious reasons. Meyer to get a full game at Coburg and build up his confidence as John said in another thread at an "easier" level. Promoting Tambling straight into the seniors is a big risk and doesn't quite send the right message to the rest of the group. Start him off at Coburg.

In: Hyde, Hartigan, Schulz
Out: Tivs, Meyer, Stafford

Spot on all 3 were good for Coburg - staff aint right - Tivs the turnover king - Meyer coming along as well as expected and will be a good player.

[Razorblade]

I choose to give Hartigan another week in Coburg, as IMO he didn't look 100% last saturday!

I wouldn't play Tambling at all this week either!

[one-eyed]

Richo may be rested
3:51:20 PM Tue 14 June, 2005
Scott Spits
Sportal for afl.com.au

Richmond will consider resting spearhead Matthew Richardson for this week's crucial clash against Adelaide at Telstra Dome because the champion forward is battling knee soreness.

Tigers coach Terry Wallace revealed on Tuesday that the veteran forward had been hampered by knee soreness all season, and the club might take advantage of the split round to give Richardson a couple of weeks without playing.

  "He's sore and he's played sore for some time," Wallace said at Punt Road.

"We're going to be struggling for him to come up this week. That's where he's at at the moment. It's a day-by-day basis with him."

Wallace said a decision would be made later in the week but Richardson, who has kicked 35 goals from 12 matches in 2005, would not train during the week.

"We've got to make a choice. Do we give him a rest where he's got a three-week period to get himself right for the second half of the season, or do we try and get him through another couple of hours of footy?" Wallace said.

The first-year Richmond coach revealed that Richardson, who played his 200th AFL match earlier this season, was regularly having fluid drained from his knee prior to games.

"It's not much fun when you're going into the medical room before the game and you're getting fluid - and a considerable amount of fluid - taken out.
 
"He's just struggling through that period of his time at the moment."

Richardson's knee soreness was predominantly the result of wear and tear on the 30-year-old's body.

"He certainly didn't carry it into the season," Wallace said.

"He's had probably two or three episodes throughout the season and they've been different things. One was a strain, one was bone bruising to the top of the bone. All that has inflamed everything within his knee joint.

"Every time he plays or trains it just blows up again. We're spending all week trying to get it down and trying to get it into some sort of shape for the game."

Leaving Richardson out of the Richmond team would further deplete the Tigers' forward line, already less potent after they lost their best player Nathan Brown with a season-ending broken leg against Melbourne in round 10.

Richmond had raced to a 7-2 record after round nine but the Tigers have lost their past three matches - to the Demons, West Coast and the Kangaroos.

The Tigers will consider bringing in star recruit Richard Tambling, who has been restricted to just four games this year because of hamstring, back and toe injuries. Midfielder Chris Hyde, who was impressive for the Coburg Tigers in the VFL at the weekend, is another possible inclusion.

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=209276

[Razorblade]

Rest Richo and give Schulz or Patto a go?

[mightytiges]

Agree Razor although Morrison probably deserves a go ahead of Patto at this stage. Patto's body hasn't filled out yet for AFL footy.

Give Richo the week off. One game with him missing isn't going to kill us in the long term. Let him get his knee right over the next 2-3 weeks then unleash him against the Swans and Dons. Same goes with Stafford. Carrying injured blokes into games doesn't help you win anyway.

[WilliamPowell]

I also heard on SEN that Tezza had said as part of "Tuesday's with Terry" that both Stafford and Knobel had suffered slight groin strains as a result of the centre circle area of Telstra Dome and both will be rested from training this week

Gave the Telstra surface a bit a bake did Tezza. He said that the centre was terrible and the turf is moss like, which I would think would make it very spongee and slippery.

I must say sitting there on Sunday you can see that the turf is different in the centre circle area. You could also tell that the grass around the goal squares had recently been replaced.

It appears that Tezza has spoken to the AFL and Telstra management about it today

[Razorblade]

Pick your own side:
http://www.allthestats.com/fun/teamsel.php?t1=13&pl=

[one-eyed]

I also heard on SEN that Tezza had said as part of "Tuesday's with Terry" that both Stafford and Knobel had suffered slight groin strains as a result of the centre circle area of Telstra Dome and both will be rested from training this week

Dome too slippery: Wallace
3:54:45 PM Tue 14 June, 2005
Scott Spits
Sportal for afl.com.au

Richmond coach Terry Wallace has launched a stinging attack on the surface in the middle of Telstra Dome, claiming his ruckmen had suffered groin strains because the surface was 'far too slippery'.

Wallace said Trent Knobel and Troy Simmonds probably would not train this week ahead of the clash against Adelaide at the Docklands venue after straining their groins against the Kangaroos on Sunday.
 
"Both of them have hurt their groins because they just can't hold their footing in the middle of that surface," Wallace said at Punt Road on Tuesday.

"We haven't played on another surface, especially in the middle, that's like that."

The Tigers have already raised their concerns with the AFL and want the surface improved before Saturday night's game against the Crows. Telstra Dome is also hosting the E.J Whitten Legends Game on Wednesday night.

"I'm hoping that they're going to be working fairly diligently to make sure it's not what is was like last weekend," Wallace said.

The first-year Richmond coach said the problem of a slippery surface was exacerbated by umpires not bouncing the ball straight, which meant ruckmen sometimes struggled to get to a ruck contest.

"If we can get the umpires bouncing the ball straight - which they didn't do in the second half at all on the weekend - and we can get our blokes being able to get some sort of purchase on the ground so they can actually run in a straight line and jump for a straight ball, that would be wonderful.

"The ball was bouncing towards the opposition ruckman outside of the circle probably more often that not in the second half of the game and our blokes trying to get a run towards the footy - they just couldn't do it."

Wallace said there was no question the centre square surface was in worse condition this season than in previous years.

"We haven't played on a ground which has got the problems that this ground has got at the moment and I've been a very big supporter of the ground," he said.

"It certainly has been better this year that it has been at any other time around the ground. I think that's been better. But at the moment the middle is awful."

Wallace said Knobel and Simmonds were not in doubt for the tough clash against Adelaide.

"They'll come up, but they've legitimately had groin strains from not being able to get purchase on the ground and trying to strain just to take off where they've lost their footing."

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=209299

[mightytiges]

Sports Tonight said Richo may even need surgery so Richo doesn't have to get his knee drained just before every game  .

[Fishfinger]

I was watching that too MT.
Might as well do it now seeing there's a break coming up and he's obviously struggling. 

[Razorblade]

Sports Tonight said Richo may even need surgery so Richo doesn't have to get his knee drained just before every game  .

Sounds like there gonna scope it and clean it out!

That's usually a 3-4 week job isn't it?

[one-eyed]

Tiger battles wounded knee
By Len Johnson
The Age
June 15, 2005

Richmond has considered surgery as a solution for Matthew Richardson's persistent knee problems, but the club remains hopeful the condition can be managed.

There is a chance Richardson could be rested from the game against Adelaide this Saturday night, giving the big forward a three-week mid-season break to get on top of the problem.

The management of Richardson's condition was discussed with the club's medical staff at the Richmond match committee meeting yesterday. After the meeting, football administration manager Paul Armstrong confirmed surgery was being considered.

"It's an option, but not the preferred one for us," Armstrong said. "Hopefully we can manage it through the break and allow him time to recover."

Richardson has struggled most of the season with the injury, which causes his knee to swell after each game and requires fluid to be drained off it before the following match.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace said yesterday it was the result of "two or three episodes".

"One was a strain," Wallace said, "and one was bruising to the top of the bone. All that has done is inflame everything within his knee joint.

"Every time he plays or trains it just blows up again.

"We're spending all week trying to get (the swelling) down, trying to get him into some sort of shape for the game, and then we've got the same problem the next week."

Wallace said that Richardson would not train this week and that resting him from the vital Adelaide game was an active consideration.

"We've got to make a choice," Wallace said. "Do we give him a rest where he's got a three-week period to get himself right for the second half of the season or do we try to get him through another couple of hours of footy and go down that path?"

Richard Tambling will also be available for selection this week after missing the past three matches with a hamstring injury. Wallace said it had not been decided yet whether he would come back through the VFL side.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/06/14/1118645808685.html

[one-eyed]

I also heard on SEN that Tezza had said as part of "Tuesday's with Terry" that both Stafford and Knobel had suffered slight groin strains as a result of the centre circle area of Telstra Dome and both will be rested from training this week

Richmond coach Terry Wallace has launched a stinging attack on the surface in the middle of Telstra Dome, claiming his ruckmen had suffered groin strains because the surface was 'far too slippery'.

By Len Johnson
The Age
June 15, 2005

Telstra Dome has acknowledged there was excess moisture in the centre area for last Sunday's game between the Kangaroos and Richmond.

Ground staff yesterday used a mechanical pitchfork-like device to aerate the surface and increase drainage before this Saturday night, when Richmond plays Adelaide. The prongs were set to penetrate 35 millimetres, deep enough, Telstra Dome management said, to alleviate the problem.

A Telstra Dome spokesperson attributed the problem to a different type of grass in replacement blocks put in after round nine. The grass had a higher thatch content, resulting in higher moisture retention.

Wallace called for the replacement of the centre area, but Richmond football manager Paul Armstrong said last night that the club was happy with the action taken by stadium management.

"All Terry was concerned about was the shifting surface," Armstrong said. "Telstra Dome has acknowledged there was a problem. If they think attending to it in this manner will fix it, that's fine by us."

The whole surface is progressively replaced through the AFL season. The northern third has been replaced and the central third is due to be replaced after Friday week's game between Essendon and St Kilda.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/06/14/1118645808691.html