Tigers smell danger
14 June 2006 Herald Sun
Jim Wilson
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace says speculation on the future of Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson and Peter Everitt's 250th game makes Sunday's clash a danger game for the Tigers.
And another reason Wallace is wary about the match is it will be the first time the Tigers have ventured to Aurora Stadium in Launceston.
"It's Spida's 250th and with all the talk around Alastair's circumstances, we are extremely aware of how dangerous this game will be,' Wallace said.
"The Hawks are coming off a massive loss and have pretty good form at a ground where we haven't played.
"Add it all up and we know it will be tough."
Wallace confirmed star spearhead Matthew Richardson would miss the match, despite his desire to play in his home state.
Richardson will almost certainly return after the mid-season break for the showdown against Collingwood.
Wallace said he was disappointed the Magpies had refused to play the Tigers twice next year, including the financially appealing season-opener.
Richmond was keen to end a dispute with Collingwood over gate receipts that erupted in 2004, but the Magpies have refused, claiming they were "dudded" by the Tigers.
"To me, it's history and happened before this administration and I arrived here,' Wallace said.
"I don't know if anyone was dudded by anyone who now has a position at this club."
Wallace backed the AFL's crackdown on players who attack the head of an opponent.
"There needs to be a loud message out there that we don't lose someone for unnecessary acts,' Wallace said.
"It's a split-second decision, but every decision has a consequence.
"On the weekend, there were other alternatives available to players, apart from the actions they took."
His comments follow an incident involving young Tiger Richard Tambling, who was hit on Saturday by Kangaroo Jade Rawlings.
The tribunal suspended Rawlings for one match last night.
Wallace has also renewed his call to closely monitor the use of caffeine tablets at all levels of the game.
Caffeine is likely to be returned to the banned list by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
WADA will again discuss its use in September, after taking it off the banned list and listing it as a substance to be monitored.
"I don't think you want 15-year-olds turning up to football matches to get their caffeine limits high to perform,"' Wallace said.
"A kid will follow the example set by an elite athlete."
Caffeine tablets became a contentious issue last year after an admission from several high-profile players that they regularly took them.
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