I hope we lose. Its in the best interests of the RFC that we lose.
Why ? All the recruiters are saying the draft is a lottery this year. Pick 1 through to pick 8 could get drafted in any order and even if we got the first pick I wouldn't be confident we'd get it right. Always best to try and win or else you end up with Melbourne's losing culture. We've got enough culture problems of our own without adding that one.
I don't buy that meaningless wins in junk time of a failed season build a "winning culture". Only wins when the stakes are high matter. How many of the times we've come home with a wet sail after the season is shot and got up to mid-table finish have actually translated into success the following year? All it seems to do at Richmond is paper over cracks, cause us to get ahead of ourselves and overrate the list again. It's amazing how Port won stuff all for two years then suddenly got a good coach, top line fitness staff and managed to turn it all around immediately. Melbourne have a been a complete rabble for about five of the last six years....get a good coach, smart trades & drafting on top of all the top picks they've accumulated and are suddenly playing with twice the desire, skill & intent, that will eventually translate into success. Hell, even Jack Watts is looking like he actually wants to be there.
Even back in 2005 after our last wooden spoon in 2004 which IIRC ended with 14 consecutive losses, we got a new coach, who for all his flaws was at least better than Frawley, snagged Deledio and were well on track for the finals until our (and arguably the competition's) best player that year broke his leg.
Identifying and dealing with the deficiencies, smart recruiting, new people with a new attitude & higher standards are more likely to usher in a winning culture than meaningless wins from the season before. If anything I think the latter is ultimately detrimental at Richmond for the reasons I've stated.
Just to be clear, I'm not saying tank, I'm saying get blokes carrying niggles & injuries like Cotchin & Morris fit for the pre-season, play the kids, with simple instructions to take the game on not worry about mistakes or the scoreboard and just let the chips fall where they may.
wow this is a good post. well done sir well done indeed.
only thing id argue with is ports time frame. 5yrs it took em to how to put it regenerate their list. hartlett, broadbent, trengove, schulz, butcher moore pittard, young, oshea, wingard, blee ebert wines, jonas, hombsch,monfries, were all taken from 08 to 12 along with others. they have made a few mistakes along the way but they have got so much right a few mistakes havent hurt em.
