Tigers running out of chances
31 July 2006 Herald-Sun
Comment by Mike Sheahan
ALL of a sudden Richmond has more to worry about than a spot in the final eight.
The Tigers won't play finals, and that's something they have known since their loss to Melbourne in Round 15.
The issue now is whether they can arrest their slide, currently three losses in a row, and prove they have improved this year.
They still need to win two of the remaining five games to match their 2005 return of 10-12.
For the second year in a row they are in freefall. Last year they were 7-2 before winning just three of the last 13; this year they were 8-6, now 8-9.
Richmond's 103-point loss to StKilda on Saturday was its third loss by 100 points or more this year, hence a percentage of 79.8, which is lower than that of Essendon (80.9), and the Bombers didn't win a game for 15 rounds.
Richmond has been badly wounded by injuries, with six of its best 22 missing on Saturday and Matthew Richardson and Nathan Brown under duress or injured during the game.
But the extent of the margin (59 points at halftime) was unacceptable.
St Kilda half-back flanker Jason Gram kicked four goals for the game, including three in the first quarter.
That translates to Richmond players refusing to meet their responsibilities to the team.
Fraser Gehrig's bag of 10 is far more understandable. The Saints went into their forward 50 65 times, and the delivery to the big bloke equalled Australia Post's best.
He kicked 10.1, indicating the distance and angle was just about perfect every time.
While the Saints were good, they were aided and abetted by an opposition that butchered opportunities time after time.
The Richmond clanger count was 51, which almost matched Hawthorn's 54 on Friday night. Which proves the point.
The same blokes make the same mistakes they have made for years.
If Richmond is to play finals in the next year or two, up to six of Saturday's 22 won't be wearing yellow and black at the time.
Fortunately, there are youngsters named Andrew Raines, Brett Deledio and Dean Polo, and the emerging Chris Hyde, making their way, with a fit Brown plus Mark Coughlan and Chris Newman to return next year.
The Tigers finished just 11 points astern of St Kilda in their Round 2 encounter; they were required to be at least competitive this time.
On Saturday they face the Bulldogs, who won their previous encounter, in Round 1, by 115 points.
Hawthorn is another club that seems to be going backwards on the field, with one win from 12 games, but that's a story for another day.
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