Herald-Sun end of season report card

[one-eyed]

Richmond end-of-season report
06 September 2005   
Herald Sun
Jon Anderson

Attacking plan reaps rewards.

LADDER POSITION: 12th (10 wins, 12 losses)

COACH

He came promising a more attacking game plan and delivered. Players were encouraged to run and carry the ball and Terry Wallace was able to rejuvenate some ailing careers (Andrew Kellaway and Darren Gaspar).

Richmond's hierarchy right now would be happy with its decision to offer Wallace five years. 13/20

DEFENCE

Gaspar returned to the form that made him an All-Australian in 2000-2001. Rarely beaten and kept Barry Hall to just three marks in Round 14. Kellaway was also back to his best at age 29 before injuring himself in Round 16. Chris Newman was solid, Joel Bowden prolific and damaging. 5/10

MIDFIELD

Shane Tuck was the revelation, his form a constant embarrassment to Hawthorn, which shunned him under the father-son rule. Kane Johnson was his usual consistent self, brave and prolific but lacking in goals (five), while Mark Coughlan returned to his 2003 B&F form. But they need more and should get them through Brett Deledio, Richard Tambling, Danny Meyer and Nathan Foley. 5/10

RUCK STRENGTH

Trent Knobel did what was expected of him in the first half of the season with some handy tap work.

Troy Simmonds lifted when he went into the ruck and played some good football intermingled with some not so good. 4/10

FORWARDS

Batman and Robin (Matthew Richardson and Nathan Brown) became Batman after the sickening broken leg to the sublimely talented left-footer in Round 10. At that stage he was second only to Ben Cousins as the best player in the competition. Kayne Pettifer was a bonus with 31 opportunistic goals, Andrew Krakouer in and out for his 23. 5/10

LEADERSHIP

They have leaders in the undemonstrative Johnson, extroverted Brown, maturing Joel Bowden and the born-again Richo. Deledio, just 18 in April, is as natural a leader as there is in the competition. 10/20

LIST MANAGEMENT

After stuffing around for years when deluding themselves that they had a premiership side after the highs of 2001, the Tigers went young and reaped the benefits. Deledio we know all about. Tambling will be better for a frustrating year. Adam Pattison shows real signs as a centre half-forward and Meyer just needs the strength to go with real talent. 12/20

OVERALL GRADE 54/100

Off-field performance

Record membership and a financial turnaround of more than $2 million, much of it based around the arrival of Wallace and the breath of fresh air from the kids.

WHAT RICHMOND NEEDS

The Tigers have to look at key-position players, with Richardson, Gaspar and Kellaway all getting on. Fremantle's Graham Polak is an unfulfilled talent who is contracted but would be available for the right trade.

It would have to involve at least Richmond's first-round draft pick given Polak, an East Fremantle product, was taken at No. 4 in 2001.

Draft picks: 8, 24, 40, 56 (subject to trades)

SHINING LIGHT

SHANE TUCK

The best-and-fairest should come down to a red-hot go between Tuck and Matthew Richardson. Tuck came from nowhere to become a genuine elite midfielder.

THE GOOD

The Tigers averaged nine more contested possessions than their opposition, the second-best differential in the league. They kicked 294 goals, their highest since 2001.

THE BAD

Richmond cleared 39.3 per cent of centre bounces, ranked 14th in the league. Averaged 23.8 disposals a goal, ranked 14th.

THE VITAL STATS

CLUB LEADERS

Goals Matthew Richardson 65

Kicks Joel Bowden 324

Marks Matthew Richardson 166

Handballs Mark Coughlan 235

Clearances Shane Tuck 114

Clangers Matthew Richardson 57

Tackles Mark Coughlan 99

Hitouts Troy Simmonds 304

Goal assists Matthew Richardson 15

Inside 50s Kayne Pettifer 94

Spoils Darren Gaspar 60

Benchings Wayne Campbell 72

Game time Chris Newman 2639 min

Played every game 9 of 34

YOU'RE EXCUSED

M. RICHARDSON

Had his most consistent season since 1999. His body language was positive after one-on-one coaching from Brian Taylor.

JOEL BOWDEN

Was unlucky to miss out on the captaincy. He is a mature young man who has found his niche in the game as a running defender.

MOST IMPROVED

CHRIS NEWMAN

He looked a real player two years ago before marking time in 2004. Newman took the next step this season under Wallace.

KAYNE PETTIFER

Picked at No. 9 in the 2000 draft, Pettifer's average 2004 form was one reason recruiting manager Greg Beck was cut. Made big amends.

YEAR TO FORGET

GREG TIVENDALE

Has been one of those players who fans can quickly turn on, and sometimes unfairly so, but he turned it over too often.

GREG STAFFORD

Athletic big man, can play forward as well as in the ruck, yet never really got kick-started in 2005 in a year of much frustration.

WILL THEY BE BACK?

SHANE MORRISON

Not without talent, but at 24 years of age, he has reached the crossroads and is currently behind Adam Pattison and Jay Schulz.

RORY HILTON

The fact that Wallace played him late in the season could be a positive for a player who has fought bravely against constant injury.

Other possible delisting: Kyle Archibald

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,16506484%255E19771,00.html

[letsgetiton!]

thats the most fos report card i have ever read!

[julzqld]

The media really don't like us do they?

[Puntroadroar]

I actually thought it was an honest report card actually.

we won 10 out of 22 and our percentage stank.

[Razorblade]

What i dont get is a lot of those comments are positive/not negative in anyway yet we only got 4,5 out of 10!  ???

[julzqld]

Yes that's what I thought too.

[letsgetiton!]

I actually thought it was an honest report card actually.

we won 10 out of 22 and our percentage stank.

so you dont agree that tuck was our most improved player!!! this report card did not even mention him

as i said its a fos report card


wallace was better than 13/20, much better

our ruck strength was better than 4/10

list management has greatly improved and our list was manged better than 12/20

just my thoughts

[strav]

I actually thought it was an honest report card actually.

we won 10 out of 22 and our percentage stank.

so you dont agree that tuck was our most improved player!!! this report card did not even mention him

as i said its a fos report card

wallace was better than 13/20, much better

our ruck strength was better than 4/10

list management has greatly improved and our list was manged better than 12/20

just my thoughts

Well said. Have to agree with you on this.

[Puntroadroar]

I actually thought it was an honest report card actually.

we won 10 out of 22 and our percentage stank.

so you dont agree that tuck was our most improved player!!! this report card did not even mention him

as i said its a fos report card


wallace was better than 13/20, much better

our ruck strength was better than 4/10

list management has greatly improved and our list was manged better than 12/20

just my thoughts

what are you on about?

I see Tuck's name clearly under Midfield and Shining Light. Perhaps he wasnt included in most improved because the reporter didnt want to make this article about Shane Tuck and decided to include 2 other names.

It also depends on how a person defines 'most improved' aswell, seeing how last year Tuck wasnt really given a go by Frawley so we didnt know what he could produce on the big stage.

Re Wallace's rating I think Wallace is fantastic personally but i wouldnt say he was 20/20 though, he still made various stuff ups during the year, I'd give him 15/20 but is that going to change our final rating by much? Big deal

Regarding our Ruck, it was shocking !!! Knobel early on .... we found out he is a dud, Stafford was injury prone the only time our Ruck looked good was in the last month when Simmonds rucked the majority of those matches. lucky to get 4/10

Also another factor you can look at regarding our ruck work is centre clearances which we were one of the competitions worst at. You cant have it both ways either it was our Ruck work that sucked or it was Cogs,Tuck,Johno and Co that sucked.

Our team won only 3 of our last 13 games, dont go making it out that we were hard done by in this report.

Would I take 2005 over 2004 though? absolutely !

we improved yes, to a pass level this year but nothing further than that.

[one-eyed]

Richmond's 2005 report card
10:18:58 AM Thu 8 September, 2005
Paul Gough
Exclusive to afl.com.au

2005 record and ladder position: Won 10, Lost 12, Finished 12th

2004 record and ladder position: Won 4, Lost 14, Finished 16th

What went right: The Tigers relished their change in coach with Terry Wallace replacing Danny Frawley following last year's wooden spoon season and after a pre-season full of hype improved immediately as expected. With the return from injury of Mark Coughlan and the emergence of Shane Tuck and 2005 NAB Rising Star winner Brett Deledio, the Tigers midfield was transformed while the return from a knee injury of full-back Darren Gaspar stabilised the defence. The Tigers also played a much more attacking brand of football and became a far higher scoring team with Matthew Richardson, who had another excellent season with 65 goals, finally receiving some help in attack with Nathan Brown starring in the first half of the season with 34 goals while the much-improved Kayne Pettifer kicked 31 goals. The Tigers flew out of the blocks to win seven of the first nine games and for the first time in years also finished a season strongly with a thrilling come-from-behind win against Hawthorn in round 21 as well as gallant losses to away to Port Adelaide, Fremantle and Geelong late in the season. The club's much-improved season also greatly helped the club's financial position as last year's off-field turmoil disappeared following the re-election of president Clinton Casey.

What went wrong: The loss of Nathan Brown devastated the Tigers and indeed shocked the entire football public with images of his shocking broken leg in round 10 sickening all football supporters. Brown had been in magnificent form over the first nine rounds with 34 goals and only the previous week had inspired the Tigers' to a shock victory in Brisbane. At that stage the Tigers were sitting pretty with seven wins and two losses and with Brown and Richardson dominating in tandem up forward, Wallace looked set to lift last year's wooden-spooners into the finals in his first year in charge. But although the Tigers fought the season out gallantly without Brown, they would never be the same and would win only three more games for the season to eventually finish in 12th place, albeit just a game and a half outside the finals.

Who stepped up: Kayne Pettifer/Shane Tuck. It's virtually impossible to split these two for the title of the Tigers' most improved player in 2005 after both ended last year worried about their place on the list. Tuck was actually the last player to win a spot on the list, narrowly ahead of the delisted Tim Fleming, but proved a revelation in playing every game and ending the season as not only a regular in the midfield but the Tigers' leading possession winner for the season and favourite for the club's best and fairest award. Pettifer meanwhile kicked 31 goals for the season after disappointing in his previous four years at the club and such was his improvement he kicked more goals and had more kicks in general play this season than in his previous four seasons combined.

Missing in action: Jay Schulz. The Tigers' first round draft pick from 2002 was earmarked to take over the key centre-half-back role this season but instead had a year to forget. An ankle injury in pre-season saw him miss the first eight games and then he made headlines for all the wrong reasons off the field when he was caught drink-driving leading to the Tigers' losing their long-running major sponsorship deal with the Transport Accident Commission. In the end he managed just four games for the season and faces a critical year in 2006 when he simply must establish himself in the Tigers' side given he has played just 25 games in his three seasons to date.

Rising Star: Brett Deledio. The number one draft pick was not only the Tigers' rising star of the season he was the AFL's top rookie after taking out the NAB Rising Star award for 2005. The 18-year-old from Kyabram more than lived up to the hype that is always attached to number one draft picks and his effort to play every game in his debut season was outstanding. Deledio averaged 15 touches a game in 2005 and unlike most newcomers actually got better as the season progressed with his best game coming in round 21 when he had 26 disposals against Hawthorn and had a big hand in the Tigers' winning goal in the final minute. Deledio looks set to be a 200 gamer at Punt Road and a future midfield champion but he showed his versatility by also playing in defence and in attack in his first season and has already proved he can kick a goal by finishing with 14 for the season, which put him in seventh place on the Tigers' goalkicking list.

Worst defeat: Round 18 v Carlton at Telstra Dome. This was the day the Tigers' slim finals hopes ended and it was one of the few times they were genuinely disappointing in Wallace's first year in charge. The Tigers had everything to play for at 9-8 and were coming up against a side on its worst losing streak in a century with the Blues having lost their past 11 matches. Yet the Tigers went down by 35 points and barely gave a yelp against a side they had beaten by 85 points earlier in the season.

Best win: Round 9 v Brisbane at the Gabba. This was the night the Tigers really convinced even the most doubting sceptics that they were a much-improved side under Terry Wallace. The Tigers had won six of their first eight games but all of those matches had taken place on home soil and most experts believed the club's first trip interstate for season 2005 would end in a humiliating defeat. Instead it ended in a thrilling four point victory with Nathan Brown kicking the winning goal with just minutes to play. That win put the Tigers in third place at seven wins and two losses but unfortunately it would also be the high point of the club's season as Brown would break his leg the following week and the team would go into freefall without him.

Shopping list: The Tigers would dearly love to unearth another midfielder in the mould of Deledio but will find that task more difficult this year with its first pick in the draft not until pick eight. Richmond needs more pace through the midfield so will be looking for more on-ballers in the mould of this year's Rising Star winner to add some speed to the on-ball division. The Tigers could also do with a key defender with Darren Gaspar and Andrew Kellaway both in the latter stages of their career and with Jay Schulz not having come on as expected this year while centre-half-forward still looms as a problem area, as it is for most teams, with Troy Simmonds looking better suited in the ruck than in the key forward position.

What the coach says: "When the season started we promised one thing and that was that we were going to be competitive. We hoped that our supporters could come along to games and think when they drove to games that (we) were a chance, rather than over the last year or so in the latter part of the year when they were coming along hoping (we) weren't going to get belted and I think we've achieved that," Richmond coach Terry Wallace sums up the Tigers' improved season.

What we say: Richmond finally gave its long-suffering supporters hope of a brighter future this season but Tigers' fans will be wary of getting too carried away. To go from four wins to ten wins in one season was a fantastic achievement and shows just why Richmond was so desperate to secure Terry Wallace as coach. But amidst the excitement of the prospect of a return to the glory days at Punt Road, after just two finals appearances in the past 23 years, it is worth remembering that this time last year Carlton had risen up the ladder and had won ten games before plummeting back down the bottom this year. That is not to say the Tigers will do that next year but the second season under Wallace will be much tougher than this year when the team and in particular players such as Pettifer, Tuck and Deledio took many opposition teams by surprise. And remember the Tigers did have a good run with injury this year with Richardson, Johnson, Tuck, Coughlan, Bowden and Gaspar playing every game. The return of Brown will be eagerly awaited but given the seriousness of the injury, it would be asking a lot of him to immediately return to his best next year while the Tigers still look light on in the two key positions of centre-half-back and centre-half-forward. If the Tigers are to improve next year then Tuck, Deledio and Pettifer can't afford to go backwards while the club's senior players have to maintain their form and again stay injury-free. Improvement must also come from the likes of Andy Krakouer, Andrew Raines, Tom Roach, Daniel Jackson, Brent Hartigan, Danny Meyer, Kelvin Moore, Richard Tambling, Adam Pattison, Will Thursfield and Nathan Foley - all young players who have had a taste of senior football over the past two years but have yet to make a consistent impact at AFL level.

Paul Gough is afl.com.au's senior writer. The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the AFL or the clubs.

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=227781

[mightytiges]

A pretty accurate summary by Goughy. A little bit harsh on Schulz as he missed the first eight games through injury. One or two senior players would be ahead of him as the MIA.