Richmond veterans to play on
Caroline Wilson | August 22, 2008
RICHMOND veterans Kane Johnson and Joel Bowden have both confirmed they will play on in 2009 although Johnson has indicated he will wait until the end of the season to reach a decision with the Tigers over the club's captaincy.
Having overcome some early season doubts about his 30-year-old body standing up to the rigours of another season, Johnson is on the verge of signing a one-year deal but is understood to have indicated he would look at handing over the captaincy after four years in the job.
Bowden, also 30, is about to come to terms with the club on a one-year deal, which guarantees there will be no high-profile retirements at Tigerland this year with reigning club champion Matthew Richardson, 33, having also signed a one-year deal with the club last month. The Tigers other 30-year-olds, Nathan Brown and Troy Simmonds, are both contracted next year.
"Kane and I have had regular discussions on where he's at and I've told him I'm very keen for him to play on," coach Terry Wallace told The Age. "Anything further on the subject is up to him.
"While the season's on, Kane is our leader but at the end of the season we'll sit down and talk about it again and see where he sits with it and, if he has any issues, then it becomes a club matter."
Johnson took over the captaincy in Wallace's first season and, while he remains one of the competition's lower-profile leaders, the club has been delighted with the influential role he has played in the development of the younger group.
Mortified earlier this season after he was caught intoxicated and urinating outside Victorian Police headquarters in St Kilda Road, Johnson suspended himself for a week and offered to quit the captaincy but was talked out of it. Moving from a midfield role to the half-forward line has proved a successful strategy both for Johnson's body and his form, which has been good particularly during the second half of the season.
Should Johnson indicate the captaincy be passed on, Chris Newman probably would be narrow favourite to take the position over Nathan Foley. The prevailing view at Richmond is that emerging debutant Trent Cotchin is in the box seat to become a long-term captain of the club once the top draft pick reaches his early 20s.
Bowden's future looked shaky when he was dropped with Kane Pettifer for four games after struggling with the defensive side of his game but the dual best and fairest winner has returned with a vengeance and has played pivotal roles in three of the club's heart-stopping victories.
He has also indicated to the club his determination to play on next season.
Johnson will lead the Tigers in tomorrow's must-win clash against Fremantle at the MCG. A victory would see Richmond's finals hopes remain alive following its wooden spoon in 2007. Richmond's last game is also at the MCG against Melbourne.
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