They’re at a crossroads’: Caro’s concern for Richmond (3aw)

[one-eyed]

They’re at a crossroads’: Caro’s concern for Richmond

3AW Football   
22 Sep 2018

Caroline Wilson says Richmond are at a crossroads after crashing out of the finals on Friday night.

The Tigers lost to Collingwood by 39 points in one of the biggest upsets in recent memory after entering the game as premiership favourites.

Caro compared the loss to Essendon’s one-point defeat to Carlton in the 1999 preliminary final.

“(Richmond) were a team that could have but will they (sustain success) now,” she told 3AW Football.

Lloydy said “everyone at Essendon” understood they underachieved in 1999.

“I’m still grateful for the one premiership I’ve got because I know how hard they are to win,” he said.

“You’ve got to turn up on prelim and Grand Final day and perform.”

AUDIO: https://omny.fm/shows/3aw-is-football/caroline-wilson-richmond-are-at-a-crossroads/embed?style=artwork

[Loui Tufga]

I wouldn’t say we’re at the cross roads but we certainly can’t let our guard down again.
We desperately need a second ruck and to freshen the group up a little by cutting sme dead wood.
We need to find upgrades for Houli, Grigg, Conca and B Ellis plus add to our midfield depth.
The future still looks rosey to me but we should be kicking ourselves for letting this one get away!

[Diocletian]

STFU Caro ya stuffin' drama queen....

[georgies31]

What a over reaction.Fine tune game plan and get a second ruck forward and a few inside midfielders to win clearances and contested ball be fine.Make hard calls on players to.

[Owl]

Everyone knew we pulled off a hell of a stunt last year without the ideal list.  Just hope we can still make the most of blokes like Jack while they are peaking.

[Rampsation]

I'm not sure we are at the crossroads but people shouldn't be under any illusion here. If we make mistakes in the next trading and drafting period we will be in trouble down the track.

[pmac21]

I think 18 wins would suggest we're ok.  Game plan needs adjustments as we've been worked out a bit.  2nd ruck a huge concern.  Need to play 2 rucks or a Balta hybrid tall who can at least compete. 

Don't throw the toys out of the cot after a bad game

[WilliamPowell]

I wouldn’t say we’re at the cross roads but we certainly can’t let our guard down again.
We desperately need a second ruck and to freshen the group up a little by cutting sme dead wood.
We need to find upgrades for Houli, Grigg, Conca and B Ellis plus add to our midfield depth.
The future still looks rosey to me but we should be kicking ourselves for letting this one get away!

Agree Loui.

Unfortunately, Grigg and Houli are staying. Actually think it is one of the "disadvantages" when you win a flag some clubs tend to hang on to blokes too long because they helped you win that flag. Reckon sentiment plays a part

My view this year has always been we shouldn't have offered both Grigg and Houli new deals. Should have been 1 only. Think we also need to be ruthless at the trade table. We have players that although we as supporters don't rate highly other clubs do. We need (IMHO) to be ruthless and trade at least one possibly two out to get better placed in the draft and /or bring in some talent to fill needs

[Francois Jackson]

I think 18 wins would suggest we're ok.  Game plan needs adjustments as we've been worked out a bit.  2nd ruck a huge concern.  Need to play 2 rucks or a Balta hybrid tall who can at least compete. 

Don't throw the toys out of the cot after a bad game

Exactly pmac. Talk of deficiencies  with Rance, Nank etc is over the top. We were beaten by a better team and in reality the writing was on the wall long before Friday.

Our biggest issue is now a lack of height and if we miss out on lynch I think we are in real strife next year to contest for a flag. He will be a massive inclusion, and in fact if he played Friday we come close to winning. We had more inside 50’s in the first half but outside of Jack no one else stood up around there. Caddy Georgie were pathetic.

I also think we are one quality inside mid short. Let’s hope that area improves when grigg plays regilr vfl time.

WP is right one of Grigg/Houli should have been kept on the list, but it happens. Both played a very big part in helping us achieve succcess so they got rewarded.

[Lebowski]

I think 18 wins would suggest we're ok.  Game plan needs adjustments as we've been worked out a bit.  2nd ruck a huge concern.  Need to play 2 rucks or a Balta hybrid tall who can at least compete. 

Don't throw the toys out of the cot after a bad game

Exactly pmac. Talk of deficiencies  with Rance, Nank etc is over the top. We were beaten by a better team and in reality the writing was on the wall long before Friday.

Our biggest issue is now a lack of height and if we miss out on lynch I think we are in real strife next year to contest for a flag. He will be a massive inclusion, and in fact if he played Friday we come close to winning. We had more inside 50’s in the first half but outside of Jack no one else stood up around there. Caddy Georgie were pathetic.

I also think we are one quality inside mid short. Let’s hope that area improves when grigg plays regilr vfl time.

WP is right one of Grigg/Houli should have been kept on the list, but it happens. Both played a very big part in helping us achieve succcess so they got rewarded.

I agree with you both.

I think Nank is a very very good ruckman who is not elite but was beaten by one of the best players in the comp - theres no shame in that.  Grundy is hands down the best ruckman in the comp.  alls to bring in a new ruck are ridiculous. Hes only 23 with 50 games exp and will continue to improve.



Hopefully balta/Chol keep developing and start getting some gametime to give us a genuine 2nd ruck option. Grigg as second ruck is done. I think once Lynch fully heals he will also take the ruck in the fwd line allowing nank to sit behind the play. Its the big centre square ruck contests that we wont see Lynch going up in due to his pcl.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

I’d put it to Balta that there’s a spot in the backline between him and Nathan Broad.
I’d like to put the same challenge to Oleg for Houli’s spot and Menadue/Lloyd for Grigga spot.
Lynch will come and it will be up to us to see if he can be that pinch hitter in the ruck, the experiment with Grigg obviously started to get exploited through the year and we were increasingly exposed through the back half of this season.
I think the spine of Rance, Astbury, Dusty, Jack and Lynch is a once a generation set up.
Possibly not equaled in my memory and the equal of Brisbane in the early 2000’s and Hawks of the 80’s.
The only chink is midfield depth where I hoping the emerging youth of Higgins, Graham, Menadue, Naish and Rioli can begin to be the start of a second string that offer support to Cotchin, Prestia, Martin and Shedda.
This group has 2, maybe 3 years to stamp itself into immortality as the group of this decade - even ahead of the Hawks.
They’ve proven themselves to me, I’d think another flag or 2 will consolidate the view of the broader football world that they are one of the all time great teams of the AFL - something I think they’ve now
deserved, particularly after the humility they showed after Friday nights game.
They are a great team and they have started to restore our reputation as a great club, something that I will always cherish this group for achieving.
The first flag was for us the fans, I think they owe to themselves to win a second flag for them - the players.

[🏅Dooks]

STFU Caro ya stuffin' drama queen....

calm down pls

[Diocletian]

Dooks and Caro sitting in a tree.....

[Assange Tiger 😎]

S o o k i n g

[Rodgerramjet]

I agree with Caro, we are at a cross roads, the game will change a little bit next year with the new rules, and the arrival of Lynch will def change the way we play some what. Things are evolving. Our decisions in the next 2 months are sooo critical to our success moving forward hence the term "cross roads". Balme needs to send Dimma on holidays and just let the list management dept get on with it, to hell with sentiment.