Jack Riewoldt - Triple Coleman medallist [merged]

[one-eyed]

Get off Jack Riewoldt's back, says Damien Hardwick

    Damien Hardwick
    From: Sunday Herald Sun
    August 14, 2011

RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has praised Jack Riewoldt for his ability to deal with extra attention this year and for accepting the Tigers' need to share the goalkicking load.

Riewoldt remains a chance to become the first back-to-back Coleman Medal winner since Fraser Gehrig in 2004-2005, despite suggestions he has been a fair way short of his 78-goal breakout 2010 season.

But Hardwick believes the 22-year-old has fought hard to overcome an injury-interrupted pre-season to kick 54.22 from his 18 games.

"I think some people have been a bit hard on Jack," Hardwick said. "He hasn't quite played to the level that we know he can, but he has still kicked 54 goals.

''He had surgery after the International Rules. He had a pretty significant knee injury (at a training session in February) and I thought he had done his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) when I saw him go down. So he was behind the eight-ball before the start of the season and for him to battle away, as he has done, is a credit to him.

"It becomes pretty hard because they (opposition teams) put a lot more time and effort into him now."

Hardwick made the comment during the pre-season that Richmond needed to follow the lead of other successful clubs by having a wider spread in goalkicking, which more than likely meant fewer goals from its No.1 man in attack this year.

"When you look at the really good sides, there is that spread of goalkickers, and that's been the really pleasing thing for us this year," Hardwick said.

Last year Riewoldt kicked 32 per cent of the Tigers' goals; this year he accounts for 22.5 per cent.

Richmond is scoring more than two goals a game more than last year and that has much to do with the development of Ty Vickery (30 goals) as well as 24 goals to Jake King and 20 to Dustin Martin.

"Ty is a 200cm key position player, but he is still growing into his body. The improvement he has made has been significant," Hardwick said.

"It is good to see because a lot of time and effort has gone into him, from Danny Daly, the forwards coach, and the other coaches."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/get-off-jack-riewoldts-back-says-damien-hardwick/story-e6frf9jf-1226114330446

[Tigermonk]

Confidence plays a huge part in football & Jacks game today suffered by our poor season. we must keep winning games to keep confidence & moral among the players. 

[one-eyed]

Jack was on 3aw last night. Here's a summary and audio link....

http://media.mytalk.com.au/3AW/AUDIO/150811_Sports_Today_Replay.mp3

* After six weeks of a few downs and some heavy loses, we're back on the winning sheet and the boys are pretty wrapt this morning and happy to do it for the fans and for the Club and put the Club in the right direction.

* We've probably fallen into the trap of getting ahead of ourselves a little bit at the start the year. We won a few games and were going along pretty nicely then we had a lot of young guys sort of hit their high end early so we're happy to be back on the winning sheet. Against West Coast last week we had a really good third quarter and start of last quarter and this week we put four quarters together so that's the real pleasing thing for the Club.

* Russell said its possible we can finish off the year with 4 wins (play Melb, Adel and North) and the Club can go into the preseason with a real positive look on them. Jack replied that's something we're focussing on. Whether we're playing Melbourne or Geelong, the last few weeks are really important getting into some really good form and finishing off the year really well. It certainly was a trap we fell into last year where we finished off the season with a few losses and it put a bit of a bummer going into the preseason. This year we're looking win, improve and keep getting games into guys like Post, Batchelor who was sensational on the weekend, and we've started to build a bond. Guys like Houli and Grigg who were new to the club to finish the year off well and they start to jell with our other half-back flankers and midfielders.

* Russell mentioned the media especially the print media were lining up to bag us this week expecting us to lose to the Swans. So the team picked a good week to pull out a win. Jack replied that's how the media works - friends one day then bag you the next. We're not focused on what people outside of the Club are thinking of us going forward. Dimma has got a really clear concise plan of where we want to go and every player on the list believes in where we’re going. We’re just happy for the victory.  It was really important for our fans to see our young guys coming up and playing some good footy. It gives them that bit of relief and they can see light at the end of the tunnel. We’re not setting any benchmarks on where we want to go. We just want to keep improving and keep our fans seeing an enjoyable brand of footy.

* Healy mentioned last week while commentating he noticed Jack was wrestling with Darren Glass too much rather than playing the good footy he can. Jack said he knew what Healy said as he watched the replay as part of the review. He did a couple of times wrestle with Glass and Glass being bigger he took that out of his game to play better and because Glass was making him look like a fool a bit.

* Our delivery inside 50 was really good. He can’t stress enough how good it is to have guys like Cotchin through the midfield and Bachar Houli coming off the half-back flank getting the ball and kicking it to you as they’re great users. If we move it well off half-back and through the midfield then Jack said himself, Vickery and Kingy - the guys up forward - know they are finishing off the work of those upfield.

* Jack said knows he's had some down weeks through this year and the Coleman’s always talked about but it’s not something he's really fussed about any more. He just hopes to finish off the year with a couple of good games. Just happy that the Club’s got a bright future and he's looking forward to playing this weekend and finishing off the season hopefully on a good note.

* It's hard to mark your own season. He's always asking the coaches for feedback as to where he's at. Prior to last two week had some really poor games and not playing his role well enough despite still getting 16 touches. Rate's himself this year as 60-65 [out of 100 ] as far as where he wants to go as a player and leader. Jack said he's got plenty to work on the mental and leadership of his game in terms of where he wants to go as a player and where he knows he can go as a leader. He's still got plenty to work on in his game. He's got plenty to work on in the mental side and the leadership side. Just really excited and looking forward to doing that over the pre-season and then hopefully coming back a better person and a better player next year.

* Jack asked fans to get on the RFC website and come to a great Jack Dyer B&F night as the young stars will be polling well.

[one-eyed]

Season barely a pass for Richmond star Jack Riewoldt

    Grant Baker
    From: Herald Sun
    August 16, 2011 5:53PM

HE'S second only to Lance Franklin in the race for the Coleman Medal, but Tigers star Jack Riewoldt reckons his season has been no better than 65 out of 100.

Riewoldt, who won the medal last season and kicked 56 goals so far this year, says he has plenty more to give as a footballer and cited leadership as a focus for work over the pre-season.

“It’s hard to mark your own season, I’m always asking for feedback from the coaches to say where I am at,” Riewoldt said. “Prior to the last two weekends (West Coast and Sydney), I’ve had some really poor games in my eyes.

“I was still getting my 15 or 16 touches but in the way I was influencing games and as a leader of our club I didn’t feel like I was playing my role well enough.

“This year, I would rate myself around a 60, 65 (out of 100) in terms of where I want to go as a player and where I know I can go as a leader and taking us forward with this group I’ve still got plenty to give, plenty to work on in my game, plenty to work on the mental side and the leadership side which I’m really excited about, really looking forward to working over the pre-season with, coming back a better person and a better player next year.”

Riewoldt said the Tigers may have over-estimated their improvement early in the season, but were now focused on heading into another pre-season on a positive note.

“We’d fallen into the trap, got ahead of ourselves a little bit at the start of the year, won a few games and we were going along pretty nicely and then we’ve had a lot of young guys who hit the hump, basically,” he said on 3AW

“Last week against West Coast we played a really good third quarter and this week were able to put four quarters together, so that was a really pleasing thing as a club.

“The last three weeks are really important for us to find some good form because last week we fell into the trap, we lost a lot of our last games going into the end of the season and it put a bit of a bummer on it going into the pre-season. This year, we’re looking to win and improve.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/season-barely-a-pass-for-richmond-star-jack-riewoldt/story-e6frf9jf-1226116206827

[wayne]

* Russell mentioned the media especially the print media were lining up to bag us this week expecting us to lose to the Swans.

That's why we're seeing all this Milne/McGinnity stuff. 

[mightytiges]

Another 4 to Buddy last night so he's now 10 ahead. It's hard to see Jack catching him now unless he pulls a massive bag or two out of nowhere in the last 3 games.

[Go Richo 12]

Another 4 to Buddy last night so he's now 10 ahead. It's hard to see Jack catching him now unless he pulls a massive bag or two out of nowhere in the last 3 games.

That hopefully will free up Jack's mind and he will play better without the Coleman rubbish hanging over his head!

[8.8.56 Brother!]

I would love nothing more than to see Jack kick a bag tomorrow.
Unfortunately for him though, Chipper Frawley has got the better of him in the past.

[mightytiges]

Cloke's now past Jack so Jack will need to kick a few to regain even second spot in the Coleman.

[Eat_em_Alive]

I would love nothing more than to see Jack kick a bag tomorrow.
Unfortunately for him though, Chipper Frawley has got the better of him in the past.

Would be a pity if chipper ate an elbow sandwhich 

[TigerTimeII]

wgaf about the coleman

[10 FLAGS]

I wouldnt play him again this season. Just rest him up so he can have a good preseason.

[Loui Tufga]

I wouldnt play him again this season. Just rest him up so he can have a good preseason.

Why?? The logic of some of these post's are unbelievable! Do you think the only reason we play him is to win the colman? And I sure he would be wrapped to be told "Jack, we know your still fit and healthy but we want you to sit the rest of the season out because some of our lamer supporters don't want us to win another game" FFS Jack lives to play for the club and you just want him to sit out because? Get a grip man.....

[10 FLAGS]

I wouldnt play him again this season. Just rest him up so he can have a good preseason.

Why?? The logic of some of these post's are unbelievable! Do you think the only reason we play him is to win the colman? And I sure he would be wrapped to be told "Jack, we know your still fit and healthy but we want you to sit the rest of the season out because some of our lamer supporters don't want us to win another game" FFS Jack lives to play for the club and you just want him to sit out because? Get a grip man.....

Every club does what I suggest with there best players once they see that their season is coming to an end. If you cant fathom that then that is your problem. There is no harm in giving Riewoldt an extended break of 2 weeks.

[Loui Tufga]

I wouldnt play him again this season. Just rest him up so he can have a good preseason.

Why?? The logic of some of these post's are unbelievable! Do you think the only reason we play him is to win the colman? And I sure he would be wrapped to be told "Jack, we know your still fit and healthy but we want you to sit the rest of the season out because some of our lamer supporters don't want us to win another game" FFS Jack lives to play for the club and you just want him to sit out because? Get a grip man.....

Every club does what I suggest with there best players once they see that their season is coming to an end. If you cant fathom that then that is your problem. There is no harm in giving Riewoldt an extended break of 2 weeks.

I can fathom it no problems, what I can't fathom is Knobs like yourself not wanting us to win the last couple of games and would prefer us to Tank instead   I'm pretty sure we just tought the last lot of Tankers a lesson did we not??