Roach holds no grudges
Daryl Timms
Herald-Sun
November 17, 2006
TOM Roach wasn't worried when his captain Kane Johnson jumped the gun and publicly farewelled both Roach and David Rodan at Richmond's best-and-fairest night on September 20.
Tigers officials quickly tried to rectify the gaffe and said no decision had been made on their future. But the pair was officially delisted two weeks ago.
Roach said coach Terry Wallace had told him on the day of the vote count that he would be delisted.
"I sort of knew late in the season that it was on the cards because they have to get rid of five or six players at the end of each season," Roach said yesterday.
"I knew my name was going to be up around that area, but I unluckily got chopped.
"I already knew I'd been delisted, but no one in the audience knew that and I think that's where everyone got confused and made it bigger than it was."
Roach says the Tigers wanted to keep the delistings quiet in case players they no longer required could be used during trade negotiations.
"Kane was trying to do the right thing and, although it didn't come out too well, that's all right. I wasn't worried about it at all," Roach said.
"I'd been told that day by the coach, so I already knew."
Although Roach, son of champion Richmond full-forward Michael Roach, is no longer at Punt Rd, he hasn't give up hope of resurrecting his league career.
He started training with St Kilda this week in the hope of being picked up in the pre-season draft.
"I'm having a new crack at it down at St Kilda and hopefully they'll give me a chance and I'll see what happens," Roach said.
"I had a chat to (new coach) Ross (Lyon) and he said, 'Just give it your best shot. There are no guarantees, but give it everything you've got', and that's what I'll be doing."
Roach broke his jaw in Round 3 against West Coast when he collided with teammate Shane Tuck's shoulder. He missed seven weeks and says he lacked confidence when he returned.
"I just struggled at first. It took me at least five weeks to play good footy," Roach said.
"I started to play some good footy by the end of the season."
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