Terry Wallace says his players are "too emotive"
Mark Stevens | June 12, 2008
BODY language is again on the agenda at Punt Rd after the emotional outpourings during Richmond's loss to Adelaide on Saturday. Tigers coach Terry Wallace says his players too readily fall into the trap of being "too emotive".
The most glaring example against the Crows was veteran Matthew Richardson, who slipped into old habits and allowed his frustrations to erupt.
"I think at times we are still too emotive . . . too emotive to the scoreboard," Wallace said.
"If it says one thing we get up . . . if it says another thing we get down.
"We're too emotive with each other at times on the ground. I think good sides control that."
Wallace said he would talk to Richardson about overtly showing his disappointment against the Crows.
"I'll have that conversation with him," Wallace said.
"He's been really wanting to improve that part of his game and he has improved that part of his game.
"We'll have that conversation and I think it will go away again."
Wallace also defended Richardson, saying his angst was a by-product of struggling with a sore knee and feeling helpless up forward as Adelaide seized control.
"I think he's a little frustrated with his body at the moment," Wallace said.
Wallace said Richardson remained calmer on a wing, simply because he didn't have time to think about the game unfolding.
"He's been much better on a wing because he's had so many other things to be worried about," Wallace said.
"The game's buzzing around everywhere and all his focus and concentration's on that.
"When he gets down in the forward structure, and we've had to play him down there a little bit to get him through, he does get a lot more angst and frustration.
"He can see things developing around him which he can't control."
Richardson could not hide his frustration when his kick after the halftime siren was touched on the line.
He clearly berated teammates for not shepherding, even though the kick from 40m, heading straight through the goals, never appeared to have enough height on it.
If the ball had crossed the line, the Tigers would have gone into the halftime break with a 19-point lead.
They had to settle for a 14-point break and it was quickly erased in the third term.
Wallace said he was unsure if Richardson's antics had an effect on the side heading into the rooms for the halftime break.
"I always find those things very difficult," Wallace said.
"Sometimes you can read too much into those things."
But Wallace indicated Richardson went too far in his reaction to a single missed shot.
"What I do know is that a shot missed should be a shot missed and there should be a focus on getting on with the rest of the game," Wallace said.
"At that stage, we'd won the first two quarters. Ticked off two boxes.
"Could we have been further in front? Yes. But we'd ticked off both boxes. To me, that's where it should have stayed. Let's see if we can tick the third box."
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23849913-19742,00.html
