Midfield can deliver Richo an extended career
30 August 2006 Herald-Sun
Bruce Matthews
RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace says gun forward Matthew Richardson can have the same impact as Brisbane premiership ace Alastair Lynch deep into his 30s - with one proviso.
Wallace said the Tigers must make it a priority to keep improving and refining the quality and depth of the onballers and midfield performers.
"I don't think the next two to four years is about Richo; it's about the supply to Richo," Wallace said.
"You can build a team around him. There's no doubt that's the case.
"What I'm hoping is that we can have the speed in our game to be able to service him the way he needs to be serviced late in his career.
"We saw Alastair Lynch play really good football deep into his career.
"I reckon if we give him one-out opportunities as with Lynch, then he will continue to play great footy for us. That's his forte.
"He's a wonderful contesting player, probably been the best of his era.
"I think he has finished eight out of 11 years top for contested marking in the AFL.
"Prior to me getting there I just saw quite regularly him being forced to combat two and three players.
"That's not having a go at Danny (Frawley). We were still playing that style of footy even earlier this year.
"But as our younger, quicker players have come through, we've been able to move the ball quicker and give him more opportunities. He's a fantastic player and to have coached a player like that when he was absolutely at his peak would have been a wonderful thing.
"I enjoy coaching him now and I would have loved to have him when he was 24."
Wallace said the 31-year-old's athleticism was again emphasised when he won the 400m during the club's mini-Olympics day for fans at Punt Rd last summer.
Richardson's form this season, including nine goals and 19 marks against Essendon at the MCG on Saturday night, makes a mockery of a push by some Tiger fans to trade the occasionally erratic star.
"Or play him centre half-back. A lot of people said to do either. He's just so good for the footy club," the coach said.
"You talk to Richmond people about his passion for the team; how much work he does in relation to kids. You do a clinic and he's out there an hour after everyone else, signing (autographs)."
Wallace told of Richardson's response to autograph hunters when the Tigers played a practice match to help crash victims in Mildura during the pre-season.
"I reckon he was on the ground at least 90 minutes after all the other boys had showered. He just does all that sort of stuff as well as play good footy," Wallace said.
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