TigerTime, TW is an easy target but the damage was done before and around him. Our recruiters should shoulder a lot of the blame for our current list as should our current leaders. TW should be held accountable fore his tactics and style of play which I feel are too advanced for our players atm.
We have had multiple discussions on this board about the sheer amount of players that TW has turned over in his time at the club and the amount of games he has invested into them. Many other teams have a young list but Richmond has more young players with AFL experience than any other club.
The reason for that is two fold, one - in an attempt to fast track their development and find out who would make it and two - because they were better options than the older players they were replacing. TW could and can only work with the players he is given but given the state of the list when he arrived and then the players he was given afterwards, he has done all he can to build a platform for future success.
One thing I do blame TW for is our game plan. There is a reason we have the lowest tackle count in the league, struggle with the 1% and appear very individualistic. Terry's game plan revolves around winning the hard-ball and clearnaces and quick movement of the ball into the forwardline. What is fails to achieve his the offensive defense that the ball carrier needs, particularly now with the rolling zone, to create space to execute unpressured kicks and handballs. The reason we turn the ball over so much, have so many clangers, rush our desposals and look for shorter options is because we leave the ball carrier unprotected.
TW needs to encourage (which I believe he is starting to do more now) our players to shepherd, block and protect the ball carrier then they would have more time and space to look for longer options and deliver the ball more skillfully to their target. This is a problem for our team.
The other big factor in our lack of success is ourll 'culture' which is passed down from the leadership group to the younger players each year. Our leaders are leading the team but leading them in the wrong way and modelling to them the wrong attitude and style of play.
For all his skills and level headedness, Bowden is a blight on our side. He plays completely the opposite to which TW wants the team too - holds up the ball, waits until the opposition have settled, looks for the uncontested target then runs forward to recieve the ball again while the opposition set up comfortably further up the ground. Bowden is not a risk taker which is required essential in todays game and while he may rack up the uncontested possessions and recieve the handballs as he runs to assist the ball carrier, he will never try and break the lines, block, shepherd, tackle or do any of the 1%. He is a strong personality but he is a poor player and poor leader.
Richo is another individualistic player as is Brown and Simmonds. We need good leadership from players of the ilk of Hodge, Voss etc. I hope someone such as Cogs can regain form because he would be the type we need. If Riewoldt and Cotchin can step up soon they could also be just the type of leaders we need, I just hope they don't catch the Richmond 'culture-disease' before that time.
So while you might say what has TW done in his 5 years at the club and point to our win-loss ratio and form of the kids at the moment, the facts remain that TW has less to do with our current predictament than our leadership and past recruiters.
If we are lacking confidence and the leaders give the team no hope and don't support the coach's message then who's fault is that.
I still support TW but just wish he would change that game plan before it is too late.
Stripes