TIGERS STILL SNARLING
by: Andrew Wu
Exclusive to Sportal
Tuesday, 14 June 2005 1:22:04 PM AEST
The football world has been waiting all season for Richmond to fall away but despite three straight losses and star Nathan Brown being sidelined for the rest of the season with a broken leg, the Tigers would have to collapse in a heap to miss the finals.
The Tigers confounded pundits with their start to the season, winning seven of their first nine matches - all against teams that are currently not in the eight - but were found wanting against the cream of the competition.
They were smashed by Geelong, St Kilda and Melbourne but were honourable in defeat against the Eagles, their first match after losing Brown.
But it was Sunday's 29-point loss to the Kangaroos which will have the Tigers' faithful concerned.
Without Brown's silky skills and goal-scoring power - he was second on the goal-kicker's table with 34 when he was injured - the Tigers, despite six more scoring shots, were unable to make the most of their opportunities, booting a wasteful 10.20 to throw away a very winnable game.
Though players of the class of Brown are irreplaceable, the Tigers will be hoping maligned youngster Kayne Pettifer, who has booted a respectable 17 goals this season, can continue his improved form in 2005 and help fill the void.
The form of veteran Greg Stafford, who has had a forgettable season, would also be of tremendous concern to coach Terry Wallace and his match committee.
The former Swan, who turns 31 in August, has taken 22 marks and had 28 hit-outs from nine matches - numbers that are simply not good enough for a 203cm ruckman - and unless he lifts, Wallace will have no choice but to end his ploy of playing three ruckmen in the team and relegate Stafford to the VFL.
Given his age and Richmond's youth policy, that would almost spell the end of his career.
But all is not yet lost for the Tigers, who can take plenty from their start to the season.
The resurgence of two-time All-Australian Darren Gaspar has eased the pressure on Andrew Kellaway, enabling him to rediscover some of the form he showed in 2000, when he won the club's best and fairest and earned All-Australian selection.
At the other end of the ground, if Matthew Richardson can keep fit and overcome the loss of his right-hand man in the forward line, the Tigers still have a forward capable of taking that all-important contested mark.
The improvement shown by Shane Tuck, and 2003 Jack Dyer Medalist Mark Coughlan's return to full fitness has given their midfield a harder edge and if that pair can continue the form that sees them rank 11th and 12th for possessions after 12 rounds, the Tigers should win enough of the ball to give spearhead Richardson a chance to help them kick a winning score.
With 11 wins likely to be enough to snare a finals berth, it is conceivable that the Tigers, who play struggling trio Essendon, Carlton and Hawthorn and only have to travel interstate twice in the run home, would only have to win one other match to make their first September appearance since 2001.
Not bad for a club that won the wooden spoon last year.
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