Losses, fans eat away at Punt Rd
Russell Gould
MX Sport
April 19, 2007
You won't hear the crackle of talkback radio blaring in the Punt Road gymnasium this week.
As Richmond players sweat their way through another pain-filled session in their quest for a breakthrough win, the last thing they need to hear are rants from unhappy supporters.
And history says that when Richmond isn't winning, the Tiger Army gets angry fast, and no one is spared from the vitriol.
There were calls to sack Wallace after round one.
Two-time Tiger best and fairest winner Joel Bowden has experienced the eat-your-own mentality of Richmond supporters for longer than all bar two of his teammates - Matthew Richardson and Darren Gaspar.
It's his job to foster in the younger, newer players the thick skill needed to survive when you play for the yellow and black and their passionate band of fans.
"You need to, as a senior player, say if you are going to read the paper or listen to the radio that is fine, but the best feedback you get is from your playing group and your coaching group," Bowden told MX.
"Listen to that more intently than anything else because that is what is going to make you a better player."
And while the players must only take notice of their own, they still share the pall of losing, just as the fans do.
In fact, Bowden said that as players, and men with pride, there was a personal and constant ambition to win and they were as passionate, if not more so, than the supporters.
"I understand that football means a lot to people, and that Richmond has not had success over the past two decades," he said.
"And I can understand, growing up as a Richmond supporter, they are crying out for it, and I am crying out for it.
"Supporters should understand that players hurt just as much as supporters, if not more, because it is our life.
"We are at the football club every day, living it, breathing it, eating it, sleeping it.
"Sometimes it may be seen that we don't hurt as much, but it really does engross your life.
"If you have a bad game it is hard to get through the week almost because all you want to do is get that next chance for redemption.
"I do sympathise with supporters, and Richmond supporters who want success, because I want success myself."
Three weeks in and without a wm, that success seems a long way off.
But Bowden said if the Tigers could crack it for that win, possibly this week against the Bulldogs, the masses would be sated. Even if only for a while.
"I believe they are not too scathing of us yet," he said.
"We want results and so do they and we are working on getting that result this week.”
