Deledio's honour can't mask finals letdown
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen
12:37 PM Thu 04 September, 2008
RICHMOND forward Brett Deledio says it's an honour to be named in the All-Australian squad.
The 20-year-old has been named in the initial 40 from which the final 22 will be selected after a season that saw him ranked inside the AFL's top-20 in marks, handballs, disposals, inside-50s, and goal assists.
Deledio said he was fairly happy with his season.
"What can you say about it? I'm just honoured, really," he told richmondfc.com.au about his nomination.
"To be honest, I hadn't really thought about it – they're the sort of things that just come along, so I hadn't given it too much thought.
"My season wasn't too bad – there were a couple of down games, but I thought it was pretty consistent throughout the year."
But he was far more effusive when it came to talking about the progress the team had made through the season.
"I think it's been a huge step forward, what we've been able to achieve this year.
"Coming from three-and-a-half wins last year to 11-and-a-half this year ... a couple of things go our way, and we should be playing finals, sitting up there nearly with the double-chance if we won a couple of those games that we should have.
"But what can you say? In the end, I don't think it's such a bad thing that we didn't make it, because it'll make us hungrier to make it next year, and we won't just rest on our laurels.
"We'll strive to do bigger and better things next year."
As a result, frustration is the word for the week – maybe the month – as finals action fires up, and Deledio is forced to watch it all happen around him.
"It is disappointing – the body's still feeling fine so you want to be still playing, that's why you play the game, really.
"But like I said, it's a good and a bad thing, in a way."
http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=67046
