Matthew Richardson feels spirit soar at Richmond (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Matthew Richardson feels spirit soar at Richmond
Greg Davis | May 03, 2009

RICHMOND star Matthew Richardson says last week's win over North Melbourne last week caused spirits at Punt Rd to soar.

He said the win lifted the weight of the world off the shoulders of besieged coach Terry Wallace.

"I'm looking forward to playing against Sydney," Richardson said. "They are always extremely hard to beat up there, so we know what is in front of us.

"I had five possessions last week against North Melbourne. I can't remember the last time I got that little of the ball, but it was the best I've felt all year mentally because we had a win and everyone around the club felt pretty good.

Richardson has not ruled out playing on next season.

"I try to be as positive as possible, but I don't like to look any further ahead than the end of this year," he said. "I take each year as it comes and I'm certainly not writing off playing next season.

"I like to keep an open mind and reassess at the end of every season, which is the best way to do it when you are my age."

Richardson also suggested it was only a matter of time before the Brisbane Lions bared their claws under coach Michael Voss.

The Tigers host the Lions at the MCG next weekend in the first of three scheduled trips to the ground for Voss's men in 2009.

Richardson, 34, started his career just a year after Voss made his senior debut in 1992.

"We played against them in the pre-season and I think they have certainly changed a bit under Vossy," Richardson said."We all know what he was like.

"He was extremely hard around the ball, at contested possessions and there was a lot of emphasis on tackling.

"I'm sure they will take a lot of that into their game plan."

Richardson has overcome a buttock twinge to play today.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/afl/story/0,27046,25418708-5016169,00.html

[Muscles]

Someone should have a quiet word to Richo about playing when you are injured. After the first marking contest today he was unable to run and the Swans made the most of it.

Our lack of forward structure was a standout today at the SCG.  Our coaching staff would be well advised to take a close look at the other side today.  Micky O was way underdone and Hall could only run in a straight line, but they looked far more likely to score a goal when they needed to than we did.

[mightytiges]

Someone should have a quiet word to Richo about playing when you are injured. After the first marking contest today he was unable to run and the Swans made the most of it.

Our lack of forward structure was a standout today at the SCG.  Our coaching staff would be well advised to take a close look at the other side today.  Micky O was way underdone and Hall could only run in a straight line, but they looked far more likely to score a goal when they needed to than we did.

It was sad to watch Richo being a liability out there today  . Micky O and Hall may have been underdone but they were still going at 80%. Richo simply couldn't run or jump after that frist goal his kicked. He may have re-injured the glut after 5 mins  .

[Hellenic Tiger]

Hopefully he gets 2 weeks off to get his glute right and he can return in round 9 for Dreamtime against the Bombers when he is 100%.

[yellowandback]

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft (sound of air being deflated from Richmond tyres).

[WilliamPowell]

Richo did the wrong thing by saying he was right to go... let's be hoenst most players would say that

Shame on our medical people for giving him the OK to play... first Cousins getting the OK from the Doctor in round 1 and now this 

[mat073]

What alarmed me (in the first half) we were still bombing it to the one legged Richo who had three opponents.

[2JD]

Richo did the wrong thing by saying he was right to go... let's be hoenst most players would say that

Shame on our medical people for giving him the OK to play... first Cousins getting the OK from the Doctor in round 1 and now this 

I dont understand why the players have the final say, it should be the medicos

[WilliamPowell]

Richo did the wrong thing by saying he was right to go... let's be hoenst most players would say that

Shame on our medical people for giving him the OK to play... first Cousins getting the OK from the Doctor in round 1 and now this 

I dont understand why the players have the final say, it should be the medicos

Absolutely right 2JD as I said Richo was wrong for saying he could get through the game but the medicos would have passed him fit (eg final), so he was selected - they stuffed up big time IMHO

[Smokey]

What alarmed me (in the first half) we were still bombing it to the one legged Richo who had three opponents.

Yep, agree 110%.  That was the act of biggest stupidity I have seen from the team collectively all year.  Couldn't have been dumber if they tried.   

[TigerTime]

the day eventually has to come but unfortunately we play better without richo as a focal point, i know the players should lower their eyes and look for options but they dont.  by rnd 11 if we cannot make finals, richo must retire immediately, we all know his hearts in the right place but his mind isnt. the team must come first. on the wing he is now being exposed due to his lack in his defensive game, up fwd, all we do is bomb it to him. he cannot keep on reinventing himself.  its a sad day when gus looks a more potent ff than richo, injured or not, people keep saying riewoldt cost us the game, thats rubbish, lots of things cost us the game, richos 2 easy misses, deledios 2 misses, our kicking into the fwd line, our fwd line structure.  if jacks miss happened in the first 3 minutes, we would not even be talking about it. 
we must play jay schulz at ff for the rest of the yr and if we want richo in th eteam can play off the bench as a pinch hitter during rotations
players cannot play forever, even though we wish they could

[gtig]

spot on tigertime, maybe playing him injured will help the fans accept he's on his last (one) leg, make it easier to accept him being let go. mind you i recon let him play out this year if he's fit and uninjured.

[Infamy]

Richo did the wrong thing by saying he was right to go... let's be hoenst most players would say that

Shame on our medical people for giving him the OK to play... first Cousins getting the OK from the Doctor in round 1 and now this 

I dont understand why the players have the final say, it should be the medicos

Medico's can only do so much, even if you do a scan every day or arthroscopes they have to go on stuff from the person to see how it feels.

[3rogerd]

all departments and player can take some blame, perhaps the rest will do him and the club wonders.

[TigerLand]

the day eventually has to come but unfortunately we play better without richo as a focal point, i know the players should lower their eyes and look for options but they dont.  by rnd 11 if we cannot make finals, richo must retire immediately, we all know his hearts in the right place but his mind isnt. the team must come first. on th ewing he is no being exposed due to his lack in his defensive game, up fwd, all we do is bomb it to him. he cannot keep on reinventing himself.  its a sad day when gus looks a more potent ff than richo, injured or not, people keep saying riewoldt cost us the game, thats rubbish, lots of things cost us the game, richos 2 easy misses, deledios 2 misses, our kicking into the fwd line, our fwd line structure.  if jacks miss happened in the first 3 minutes, we would not even be talking about it. 
we must play jay schulz at ff for the rest of the yr and if we want richo in th eteam can play off the bench as a pinch hitter during rotations
players cannot play forever, even though we wish they could

Don't ring the panic button.. dear me.

We can speculate all we want if he said he was right to go and he wasn't then that is unacceptable. Richo apparently had his inner thigh tapped up so he may have got a corky early on. I'm sure the reason to why he was playing injured will come out. No need to bash Richo and the medicos and labelling the man must retire in 4 weeks.

For goodness sake.