A year of gain . . . now for the next step
3:57:06 PM Thu 18 August, 2005
Richmond coach Terry Wallace
richmondfc.com.au
This Sunday's Round 21 clash with Hawthorn takes me back exactly 12 months, when I went along as an interested spectator to watch the Tigers play the Hawks in the battle for the wooden spoon.
At this time last year, I had already been announced as Richmond's new senior coach, so I went along to the game interested in each Tiger player, and to see whether they had a future at the Club. More importantly, it was a good chance just to see where the team was at . . .
Richmond was fairly convincingly beaten, and I trudged out of the MCG, along with a lot of disgruntled Tiger supporters, wondering what the future held for the team, and the Club as a whole.
One year on, we are disappointed that (barring all the cards falling our way in the final two rounds) we will not be playing finals football this year. When you look back to 12 months ago, however, and follow the fortunes since then of the two clubs playing that day, I think Richmond supporters should be reasonably pleased with the efforts of their team, although never being satisfied until we return to playing regular finals footy.
A victory in this Sunday's match at Telstra Dome would put us on 10 wins, with our opposition on half the number, at five wins. Many might say that Hawthorn has taken a different pathway this year and are in development mode. But when you look more closely, you will see that both clubs have actually been able to achieve such development in the 2005 season.
The Hawks have had eight players make their senior league debut this season, while the Tigers have had six debutants. Both teams have realised that they need to develop their younger brigade in order to step back up the AFL ladder.
When you look at the change to the two clubs' senior playing lists after a poor season last year, Hawthorn slashed 742 games senior games experience from its list, while Richmond slashed 1019 from its list. The end result was that both clubs' lists were extremely young and inexperienced . . .
While both clubs were heading down a development path, Richmond wanted to ensure that we gave our supporters a vibrant year and something to cheer about along the way. Early victories made the season exciting, and up until three-quarter time of last weekend's match our finals' hopes were very much alive.
So, as Tiger fans walk through the turnstiles this Sunday, I advise them to think clearly about where the side was at, right on 12 months ago, when they walked into the MCG for that Round 21 wooden-spoon match against the Hawks.
Ask yourself if we are better positioned now, with Coughlan back playing good football, Tuck having developed as a quality midfielder, Deledio and Tambling adding pace and class to the team, and youngsters such as Thursfield, Foley, Pattison, Meyer, (along with many others) starting to come through the ranks.
List ManagementRichmond currently has a massive void of players in the 22-26 years of age bracket. For some reason, a full generation of players has been traded away, and the Club has suffered because of this. It's this age bracket that not only wins you games, but premierships.
The Club has had some excellent recent trades with our captain, Kane Johnson, and vice-captain, Nathan Brown, being brought to Punt Road through this system. Over the journey, however, there have been far too many senior players, nearing the end of their careers, arrive at Richmond in place of draft picks. Those draft picks would now be established senior performers, with 100-plus games under their belts.
It's important that we now establish our developing players as quickly as possible. We must leave no stone unturned to fast-track their football education before our 27-28 year-olds finish their careers.
When you look at players such as Johnson, Brown, Bowden, etc. we need to give them one more opportunity of real success before they retire. By the time they are 31, our draft picks from this year will be only 22.
It's also my aim to try to turn Matthew Richardson into an Alastair Lynch-type of player up forward, so that he can continue as a senior league player deep into his 30s, and join that other older group at the Club in having one last crack at success. His maintenance program will need to be perfectly organised for his body to last the journey . . .
Once these players eventually hang up their boots, we will still have another void, with very few mature-aged players in our structure. Realistically, the current void will affect us in some capacity over the next six years or so. This is not to suggest that we can't have success in the meantime - it is simply a fact of life.
At this Club, we need to develop enough young players (we currently have 18 who are 21 years of age or under), so that they come through as a solid group and develop together to bring real strength back to Tigerland.
The Senior Coach's RoleIt is my belief that the role of a senior league coach has changed over the years. Once upon a time, he was the Jack-of-all-trades - out the front at training, blowing the whistle, leading the troops, organising all team meetings, and having a say in both recruiting and list management.
The professionalism of AFL football has risen so much that the list management aspect is now the most critical in the game. When you come down to Punt Road and watch training, you will see that it is the assistant coaches who are running most of the sessions. They are professional and unbelievably dedicated to their roles.
Structurally, we organise each week's training according to patterns of play and our next opposition. Meetings and individual development are also handled by the assistant coaches, who are full-time professionals.
The general football public see the coach on display only on match-day, at training sessions, and through his media commitments. But the major role nowadays of a senior coach, is more managing the overall direction of the club.
My major role at Richmond is to ensure that our future planning allows us to have success. As a coach, I will only be satisfied if I leave the Club in a position where it has its future stars in place, on-going for the next decade . . .
I still look at Robert Walls and know that at Brisbane, even though he was not a premiership coach, he set up a dynasty for the club. To me, that means his time there was a major success. And, even though I may have left the Western Bulldogs in unfortunate circumstances, I am proud of the fact that the playing group we developed, are now blossoming under Rodney Eade's tutelage.
In any industry, planning and organisation is the key. And, even though we see AFL football as a sport, nothing changes. Along with Greg Miller and his recruiting staff, we have a huge job ahead of us to return this club to a powerful force once again in the AFL.
I can't make any promises on where we will be in 12 months' time - whether the team will be on more or less wins. The only promise I will make, is that we will sort out the Club and ensure we have a clear direction and pathway towards future success.
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