Author Topic: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)  (Read 1785 times)

Offline one-eyed

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Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« on: May 18, 2014, 07:19:45 PM »
Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls

  Jesse Hogan
     The Age
    May 18, 2014 - 7:02PM


Tiger legend Matthew Richardson says Richmond should consider giving up on certain players and instead give opportunities to the inexperienced, even if they are not fully prepared for senior football, as current captain Trent Cotchin predicted a savage internal critique of its loss to Melbourne on Saturday.

Cotchin conceded that only two wins in  its first eight matches was disappointing for a team aspiring to play finals. He expected the Tigers inability to compete with the Demons in one-on-one contest would be a key theme of their weekly review.

"This week will be probably be one of our most stern reviews," Cotchin told AFL Game Day.

"[Hard questions] need to be put on a few blokes and challenge them [to make amends], because when it's happened in the past guys have stood up. That's what needs to happen now."

Former greats Matthew Lloyd and Wayne Carey both wrote off Richmond's finals chances following it loss to the Demons. Lloyd argued only one player, defender David Astbury, had improved since last season, and he  may not play again this season due to injury.

Richardson reckoned the Tigers' loss to the Demons was a watershed match for many supporters who had retained faith in their club.

"They [players] have to have a real soul-searching week and turn it around pretty quickly, because the fans came into this year with hope and a lot of people were positive right up until this week, but I had a lot of messages from Richmond fans last night and they've just about had enough at the moment," he told 3AW.

Richardson said the Tigers had been flattered by winning 15 matches last season, and reckoned the poor start to 2014 could herald a significant change in the selection strategy led by coach Damien Hardwick.

"I think under Hardwick there's been an incremental improvement in his first four years. I think he probably got the best out of a number of players that played right up to their potential, but this year I think some of those players have dropped off and they're not going to get any more improvement out of them," he said.

"They've got to now make a decision which way they go in the second half of this year, whether they play a few new players and go past a couple, because they're just not looking like it at the moment."

Cotchin's belief that the Tigers were beaten in one-on-one contests by  the Demons was echoed by pundits such as Wayne Schwass and Tony Shaw, albeit with most differing from Cotchin by declaring it was a systemic weakness among the players rather than just being limited to Saturday's match.

Richardson said he thought that trait was exposed in the Tigers' shock loss to Carlton in week one of last year's finals, when in the first half they thrived when they had ample time and space to distribute "but after half-time when it was a one-on-one game they capitulated".

"I don't think players are shirking the issue - they're not not putting their heads over the ball - but they don't cope with one-on-one pressure. When it's a one-on-one game you have to work harder and push harder and get out in the open," Richardson said.

"Last year they got the game on their terms, they had a number of people behind the footy and they were able to hold onto it and work their way down the ground, but as soon as it's a one-on-one effort, across the whole ground . . . they're not coping with it. I simply don't think they're working hard enough."

Lloyd criticised Richmond's recruiting strategy for being too focused on "plugging holes", rather than a longer-term goal of compiling an elite team.

"They're slow through the midfield and also they've got a poor skill level, so they're in a real hole at the moment," Lloyd told The Sunday Footy Show.

Carey reckoned the players were more to blame for Richmond's slide this season than  Hardwick.

"They're a classic case of getting ahead of themselves. After last year, [there was a belief] they were just going to roll up this year and it would happen," he told Triple M.

Carey reckoned spearhead Jack Riewoldt appeared "lost", and had to make a significant change to his approach if he was to regain his Coleman Medal-winning form.

"He hasn't got the tank to move around the ground like other key forwards . . . and he hasn't got the turn of speed now to lose his opponent. He really does have to find a way to evolve with this game, because right now he does look lost," Carey said. "He's either got to do some real power-off-the-mark-type stuff so he can get a break between him and his opponent, or put on a little bit of size and get that strength back."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richo-urges-struggling-tigers-to-make-hard-calls-20140518-zrgij.html#ixzz323bdI16M

the claw

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2014, 07:56:11 PM »
for me the most pertinent comment was.
the tigers were flattered by 15 wins last yr. i sure hope the footy dept are smart enough to realise this.
it is time to take a couple steps backwards so we can take some big ones going forward.

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2014, 08:35:08 PM »
Reiwoldt is stuffn pathetic
Caracella and Balmey.

Offline Judge Roughneck

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2014, 08:38:08 PM »
It'd be nice if he dropped the emo shyte

Offline Golfprotiger

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2014, 08:55:43 PM »
Let's hope they drop at least 6!
Tommy Hafey - "There's nothing more tiger-ish than a bloody tiger, a wounded tiger''

Offline sugark

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2014, 09:00:26 PM »
The players don't hurt enough about losing, if they were fair dinkum about their team and their performance you wouldn't show your head out and about.  I would have thought you would put your head down and arse up and work like crazy to get better! Instead guys like Dusty go out on the town and get on the sauce without an issue.  That's the cultural issue with this club and Dimma continues to play the same guys despite their poor form, Vickery shouldn't play another AFL game until he takes a minimum of 15 marks in a game at VFL level.  Time fir tough love instead of peeing in these soft individuals pockets and telling them how good they are. In my many many years of following the Tiges I have never witnessed such a limp, soft, effortless performance by a supposed big man as I witnessed by Vickery yesterday and yes that includes the few games I witnessed of Richard Lounder.  If this group of coaches can't instilled an ability to be hard and committed to defend like Roos has with the demons in 6 months then they can pee off to.

I've never been so embarrassed as I was yesterday walking out of the G after witnessing such a gutless, spineless, limp performance as these primadonas put up yesterday in honour of such a committed man as Tommy Hafey.  They ought to be ashamed of themselves and donate their match payments to the Cancer Council or similar.

Make them hurt for a change as much as the rank and file supporter does.

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2014, 09:10:24 PM »
Blokes to give up on that Richi speaks of.
Houli
Grigg
Conca
Vickery
Foley
Ellis
Chaplin
Morris(tries but no better than king)
Hampson
Newman
Edwards
 All failures as far as plugs and picks go
Caracella and Balmey.

Online WilliamPowell

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2014, 09:24:23 PM »

Carey reckoned the players were more to blame for Richmond's slide this season than  Hardwick.

"They're a classic case of getting ahead of themselves. After last year, [there was a belief] they were just going to roll up this year and it would happen," he told Triple M.




Reckon the able is a key point that gets missed Adair bit

Agree with Carey, far too many of our players have got way too ahead of themselves
"Oh yes I am a dreamer, I still see us flying high!"

from the song "Don't Walk Away" by Pat Benatar 1988 (Wide Awake In Dreamland)

Offline Stripes

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #8 on: May 18, 2014, 09:47:49 PM »
Lloyd is full of sh.ite - too slow and unskilled?! Rubbish. We have recruited good ball users and have plenty of pace through the midfield. Our biggest problem is our game plan and some of our players inability to evolve to the new 'rolling maul' game style oppositions are now playing. Jack is being played out of position, Vickery is not up to it, Griffiths is still raw and we are missing the defensive pressure that King game us.

The biggest difference is that players like Grigg, Houli, Ellis, Vickery, Hampson, Chaplin and Griffiths (atm) are either not used to playing contested and accountable man-on-man football or are just not up to it.

It's time to give up on Vickery - he can not compete, can not ruck, can not mark and drops his head far too easily. Forget the three talls experiment and play a triangle with Jack from the goal square, Griff from 30m with a resting mid on the other side. Play Lennon defensive forward and Lloyd midfield/pushing back into the F50. With three talls we haven't the defensive mechanisms to lock the ball in. Then again, perhaps this is just personale - perhaps McBean or Elton would give us more in this manner.

Grigg is an outside runner who falls to pieces when he is forced to play on someone. Todays 'rolling maul' style has destroyed his game. We need to replace him in the team with someone like Thomas or Miles to increase the amount of inside players we have. Cotchin is the archetypical of today's game - wins his own ball and then works his way to the outside where he has the skills to thread his way through traffic.

Vickery, Hampson and Chaplin are key position players that do not seem capable of beating their direct opponents in contested situations. For Vickery and Hampson this should mean VFL time and for Chaplin too if opposition sides begin to exploit this weakness going forward. Its a shame because (like Maxwell from the Pies) he is an excellent extra man in defense.

Griffiths needs learn to use his strength and body to win marking contests.

Dare I say it - we are really missing Leppa in this way. He taught Jack and Rance how to win the one-on-one duels and that seems to be our biggest issue at the moment.  :(

Rampstar

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #9 on: May 18, 2014, 09:51:52 PM »
Everything was going through Chaplins man early in the game yesterday and even during the game Melbourne were looking to go through Chaplins man.

Offline eliminator

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #10 on: May 19, 2014, 06:56:50 AM »
Agree with Richo need to try the younger players. What needs to be done is a full review of the football department by an external body. It is clear that our recruiting strategy is not working and that we struggle to develop later draft picks. We need to chase the best young talent going about. Personally I would sack the recruiting staff and find better recruiters. I would give more resources to Mark Williams(ex port coach) to develop younger players and if that means sacking some of the existing assistant coaches so be it. I would for the rest of the year get games into Arnot, Dea, Helbig, Miles(must be elevated), McDonough etc. I would cease to play Grigg, Edwards, Newman, Edwards and Hampson. It is time to get tough. End of year will need to be a culling of players.

Online Chuck17

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #11 on: May 19, 2014, 07:58:29 AM »
Blokes to give up on that Richi speaks of.
Houli
Grigg
Conca
Vickery
Foley
Ellis
Chaplin
Morris(tries but no better than king)
Hampson
Newman
Edwards
 All failures as far as plugs and picks go

Take Conca out of that list

Offline downtheguts

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #12 on: May 19, 2014, 08:00:25 AM »
Well said Eliminator! Agree 100% Sick of players being gifted games when playing poorly!

Offline Tigeritis™©®

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #13 on: May 19, 2014, 08:18:38 AM »
Richo says it now. He's been spruiking how great we were last year and you can't just lose ability blah blah blah.
He should of been saying this from at least round 21 last year. That we were lollipop pretenders and couldn't win a final to save themselves.

He should know better.
The club that keeps giving.

Rampstar

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Re: Richo urges struggling Tigers to make hard calls (Age)
« Reply #14 on: May 19, 2014, 09:48:46 AM »
Stripes - Lloyd is only a squad player at best. Has shown very little, he is slow and his skills are average, he needs to be given the ball so he can finish but lets be honest about this he hasnt set the world on fire by any stretch. Needs to show more - alot more.