Forward Scout: St Kilda
4:18 PM Thu 30 August, 2007
By Brian Royal, Richmond assistant coach
for richmondfc.com.au
LAST WEEKAll season we have been chasing four-quarter efforts, and last weekend, we did that. To win such a huge game, in front of such a big crowd, attending Kevin Sheedy and James Hird’s send-off game, was a fantastic experience for our guys.
THIS WEEKI think it’s important, now that we have got some momentum up over the last three weeks, we finish the season off on a positive note – particularly after having not such a great year.
To be able to get some confidence out of another win would be fantastic.
However, it’s not going to be easy, St Kilda have probably had the wood on us in the last couple of years and they could be playing for a spot in the finals. It is going to be a tough game but we will be going out there to have a fair crack at it.
OUR DEFENDERSPrior to the game against Essendon I think we worked out we had 250 games of experience in our backline compared to Essendon with just under a thousand.
It was fantastic to see a group perform so well that could probably be together for the next ten years. That’s probably the way we are looking at it.
WHY HAVE WE TURNED THINGS AROUNDI can’t say it has been one individual thing or player that has made the difference; I think it has been a lot of little things.
Nathan Foley has had a really good year but you would probably say, in the last two or three weeks, it has been an even contribution right across the field. In the backline, Will Thursfield, Luke McGuane and Chris Newman played a fantastic game the other night, as did Andrew Raines and Jake King.
Then, though the midfield, Kane Johnson has really started to lead the way out of the middle and has been well supported by Shane Tuck, Richard Tambling, Greg Tivendale and these sorts of guys. Then you go forward and it’s been quite potent with Deledio Richardson and Brown and Pettifer and the like.
OUR WEAPONS AGAINST THE SAINTSWe have a quick team at the moment and St Kilda is not renowned for their speed, so we will be focusing on getting the ball to the guys with the leg speed. We certainly gave St Kilda run for their money last time and this time it is on our home ground, the MCG, which is a bit bigger.
Obviously they are very strong throughout the middle of the ground; I have no doubt about that. They will grow another leg with Robert Harvey, so that only strengthens the middle of the ground and forward, with Nick Riewoldt and Fraser Gehrig and maybe Justin Koschitzke; it’s fairly potent as well.
WHEN LAST WE METRichmond v St Kilda at the MCG, round 13, 2007: Saints 17.15 (117) to the Tigers 15.10 (100).
WIN PERCENTAGERichmond v St Kilda: 61.31 per cent (Tigers)
Richmond at the MCG: 55.08 per cent
St Kilda at the MCG: 36.07 per cent
Richmond v St Kilda @ MCG: 71.43 per cent (Tigers)
Last three games at the MCG: Richmond: L-W-W. St Kilda: W-L-L
http://richmondfc.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsId=50132
