Most important game in this clubs recent history coming up v bombres

[tony_montana]

5 weeks ago we were 3-10 and the season was a disaster. We are now 8-10 and have been gifted a second chance to make something of this season(however remote, we now have something legit to play for).

For the past 5 weeks we've played dead rubbers against some pretty mediocre opposition. Now this week we front up in a game that is no longer a dead rubber - suddenly its a real game with real meaning.

Even if we don't end up making finals, if we win a couple of games like this one over the remaining 4 weeks, then I will believe for the first time in a long time that we as a club are building character. How often over the past 18 years have we gotten to a position like this to not only lose but see the game over by qtr time? We capitulate spectacularly every single time whenever the big 'moment' arrives. As a club that's failed miserably in recent and medium history, we need to stand up and win this week, I won't accept anything less and neither should the club.

[Francois Jackson]

i admire your positivity TM but i disagree. These are the games we do win mate. Its not a big game IMO if the season is over and we arent playing finals.

Do i want us to beat the bombers. Yep

Nothing would give me more pleasure than watching them miss out of finals. Does it really mean anything. No!

[the claw]

i will reiterate one more time. its not these games or these moments that determine where a club is at.
the only thing that counts is the state of the list and win lose or draw our list is no where near good enough.
win a game like this and what will happen is the cracks get papered over.

ffs the season has been shot, not  for weeks but months and we should have been list building instead we paper over the cracks. nothing we do this yr will have an effect on next yr with the list we have.

its the same old same old mistakes over and over,  or put it another weay same dog different leg action. we just arent prepared to do the hard slog for long enough and we end up doing things in halves.

i admire your positivity TM but i disagree. These are the games we do win mate. Its not a big game IMO if the season is over and we arent playing finals.

Do i want us to beat the bombers. Yep

Nothing would give me more pleasure than watching them miss out of finals. Does it really mean anything. No!

this well said.

[tony_montana]

i admire your positivity TM but i disagree. These are the games we do win mate. Its not a big game IMO if the season is over and we arent playing finals.

Do i want us to beat the bombers. Yep

Nothing would give me more pleasure than watching them miss out of finals. Does it really mean anything. No!

I agree that 95% likely we wont make finals, but we will be 1 game out of finals if we win this week. The club will know this hence why I think this is a big game. First game that means something since about rnd 5 or 6. Lets see how they respond

[tony_montana]

i will reiterate one more time. its not these games or these moments that determine where a club is at.
the only thing that counts is the state of the list and win lose or draw our list is no where near good enough.
win a game like this and what will happen is the cracks get papered over.

ffs the season has been shot, not  for weeks but months and we should have been list building instead we paper over the cracks. nothing we do this yr will have an effect on next yr with the list we have.

its the same old same old mistakes over and over,  or put it another weay same dog different leg action. we just arent prepared to do the hard slog for long enough and we end up doing things in halves.

i admire your positivity TM but i disagree. These are the games we do win mate. Its not a big game IMO if the season is over and we arent playing finals.

Do i want us to beat the bombers. Yep

Nothing would give me more pleasure than watching them miss out of finals. Does it really mean anything. No!

this well said.

All you say is fair - but you also need to understand that character and belief play a MASSIVE role at a footy club. You can have the talent but if you don't have that deep seated belief that comes with character building wins in big moment games you will never be a successful club. We have never taken charge, never been able to build on a defining moment over the past 18 years. In this day and age where the talent between most club lists is negligible, character and belief become huge factors.

[Andyy]

Hate to say it but I reckon we're about to get fisted up the ass again by the drug cheats.

Still, I'll be at the game...

...hopefully somebody knocks out Heppell/Winderlich/Carlisle and keep a different sort of 'streak' running if you know what I mean...

[yellowandback]

5 weeks ago we were 3-10 and the season was a disaster. We are now 8-10 and have been gifted a second chance to make something of this season(however remote, we now have something legit to play for).

For the past 5 weeks we've played dead rubbers against some pretty mediocre opposition. Now this week we front up in a game that is no longer a dead rubber - suddenly its a real game with real meaning.

Even if we don't end up making finals, if we win a couple of games like this one over the remaining 4 weeks, then I will believe for the first time in a long time that we as a club are building character. How often over the past 18 years have we gotten to a position like this to not only lose but see the game over by qtr time? We capitulate spectacularly every single time whenever the big 'moment' arrives. As a club that's failed miserably in recent and medium history, we need to stand up and win this week, I won't accept anything less and neither should the club.

I think the saying "Spring hopes eternal" was invented by a Richmond supporter 
Hope you're right, disagree with other posters - the game means a lot to the Bombres and it does mean something to us.
A win would be a great outcome mentally for the club - broken list or not.
Lamentably, we won't win.

[WilliamPowell]

Most important game in our recent history was last year, a Sunday in September and it didn't quite go to plan

With our reliance on other teams results being so important we are unlikely to make finals this year.

So this Friday night is a game that we need to be competitive in on the big Friday night stage, result will be what it will be depending on which Richmond turns up

[RFC_Official]

Quirky stat, we are the first team in VFL/AFL history to go from 3-10 to 8-10.

[Stripes]

Quirky stat, we are the first team in VFL/AFL history to go from 3-10 to 8-10.

This is an important game on many levels. A win here keeps the pressure and excitement up for supporters and players alike. Playing under these conditions is the true value of this situation. We haven't had a good run when it comes to playing in 'Big Games' so when we can turn the corner and win these types of games it will set us up for the future.

I don't think it is impossible to make the finals from here but it is improbable. We play some teams around us on the ladder now so if we can win these games we will at the very least ensure we continue to learn to fight out games and take that mindset into next year.

Finding leadership in these situations would be my priority regardless of reality of finals.

[lamington]

Quirky stat, we are the first team in VFL/AFL history to go from 3-10 to 8-10.

This is an important game on many levels. A win here keeps the pressure and excitement up for supporters and players alike. Playing under these conditions is the true value of this situation. We haven't had a good run when it comes to playing in 'Big Games' so when we can turn the corner and win these types of games it will set us up for the future.

I don't think it is impossible to make the finals from here but it is improbable. We play some teams around us on the ladder now so if we can win these games we will at the very least ensure we continue to learn to fight out games and take that mindset into next year.

Finding leadership in these situations would be my priority regardless of reality of finals.

A win is important to me because the performance the Tigers dished up in the Dreamtime game was nothing short of shocking. Generally the second match against the bombers is nowhere nearly as important/spectacular because the top 8 is more or less set in stone.

This time around the a win against the Bombers will keep the remote chance of a finals hope alive. Also it's a chance for the club to redeem themselves for the crap first half of the season. It's a chance for the club to make a statement through action not words that they got it wrong at the start of the year but this is what we can do and this is how we can beat a top 8 side.

Even though finals is not likely I want the tigers to win and win good to show the supporters that RFC is a club worth following and that RFC is good for Australian Rules football as a whole

[tony_montana]

5 weeks ago we were 3-10 and the season was a disaster. We are now 8-10 and have been gifted a second chance to make something of this season(however remote, we now have something legit to play for).

For the past 5 weeks we've played dead rubbers against some pretty mediocre opposition. Now this week we front up in a game that is no longer a dead rubber - suddenly its a real game with real meaning.

Even if we don't end up making finals, if we win a couple of games like this one over the remaining 4 weeks, then I will believe for the first time in a long time that we as a club are building character. How often over the past 18 years have we gotten to a position like this to not only lose but see the game over by qtr time? We capitulate spectacularly every single time whenever the big 'moment' arrives. As a club that's failed miserably in recent and medium history, we need to stand up and win this week, I won't accept anything less and neither should the club.

I think the saying "Spring hopes eternal" was invented by a Richmond supporter 
Hope you're right, disagree with other posters - the game means a lot to the Bombres and it does mean something to us.
A win would be a great outcome mentally for the club - broken list or not.
Lamentably, we won't win.

heheh no doubt... In all seriousness though, believe it or not, for me its not so much about making finals but moreso how we handle the big game pressure this week and next week. If we were to win this week and again next week against Adelaide, I'd take it as a massive positive  even if we went on to lose to sydney and ultimately miss the finals. But if we were to lose this week and then go on and beat adelaide and Sydney in dead rubbers, I'd count those wins as virtually meaningless bc there's no pressure involved in those games if we lose this week.

[WilliamPowell]

I must be the odd one out

I don't find myself excited about recent run of wins

I just find myself with a massive headache from doing this 

Because where was this focus and intensity 10 weeks ago when we needed it? Once the pressure was off, we start playing decent footy? Why the wait?

Folks can whack me all they want but this season has left me ..... cold, frustrated and so bloody angry. 5 wins hasn't change it for me sadly.

[tony_montana]

Most important game in our recent history was last year, a Sunday in September and it didn't quite go to plan

With our reliance on other teams results being so important we are unlikely to make finals this year.

So this Friday night is a game that we need to be competitive in on the big Friday night stage, result will be what it will be depending on which Richmond turns up

Disagree with the first point WP. To you, me and the average Joe it was a massive day, but I dont believe it was the biggest game psychologically bc to be frank, we were just happy being there. Given our recent history of failure, atm just making finals is the goal, winning them would be great, but I think the clubs aim is to just get there with some sort of regularity first.

I agree we are unlikely to make it, this isnt a thread just hoping we make finals if things fall into place - that's not the main point Im trying to convey - what Im trying to emphasise is that we've been given another shot to play some meanignful games at the business end of the season, how the team responds should give us a pretty honest view of whther they have progressed at all from a psychological perspective.

If they fail miserably this week then its same ol same ol, if we win and then back up against the crows I will see it as a clear sign the group/club is maturing mentally.

[Diocletian]

It's important we deliver our best 9th ever, so we can declare ourselves lock and loaded, make minimum changes to the list, get O'Keefe after Bo & the ferals march on Punt Road demanding it, have Carlton derail our season before half-time in round one as O'Keefe does a hammy and see Hardwick resign before the end of June.