Clog and dagger
Garry Lyon
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 11:20am
IT is about this time of the year that clubs out of the picture or next address what one football heavyweight described to me as “list clogging”.
That is, identify players sitting on club lists with no great prospect of enhancing their team’s chances of winning a flag.
On pure statistics they may be able to justify playing from one week to the next, but the harsh reality is their time has almost come and all they are effectively doing is tempting the club to continue playing them in the hope they may continue to make the club competitive now.
Ultimately, however, it is to the detriment of the club’s future.
And quite often, a list clogger can be drawing a significant salary, compromising the team’s ability to re-sign existing talent worthy of a wage increase, making them vulnerable to offers from other teams.
Richmond has finally hit on the right formula. Graham Polak was good last year for the Tigers, but Will Thursfield, Kelvin Moore and Jack Riewoldt are far more suited to the modern game. Alex Rance is a terrific pick-up who is also earmarked for a key post.
Greg Tivendale has been list clogging. His demotion to the VFL has allowed the Tigers to introduce the likes of Matthew White and Shane Edwards into the side and they haven’t looked back.
Interestingly, Joel Bowden appears to have been given one last chance to retain his place at Richmond. I had him pencilled in as a clogger. He may yet prove me wrong.
WHO’S CLOGGING YOUR TEAM’S LIST?
RICHMOND Greg Tivendale
Graham Polak
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