Mike Sheahan: Terry Wallace dramas just so Richmond FC

[WilliamPowell]

Terry Wallace dramas just so Richmond FC

Mike Sheahan | May 20, 2009 10:16pm

IN the words of Gary March, Richmond Football Club became a "bit of a circus" yesterday.

An astute observation it was, too. Unfortunately for March, he was talking about the football club of which he is president.

While the club clumsily tried to sell a story of status quo, beleaguered coach Terry Wallace was nowhere to be seen at Punt Rd.

Nor was he his usual accommodating self to the dozens of reporters and friends who bombarded his mobile telephone.

So, we had an AFL club with its coach - and a significant number of senior players - absent from a scheduled training session, yet we were supposed to believe it was business as usual.

Make sense of that. Yes, March's "bit of a circus" observation seemed pretty much on the money.

Imagine trying to reassemble a Rubik's cube from all its pieces and you have the Richmond FC this week.

As best we understand it, Wallace put his head down on Monday night with a hangover imminent and his coaching career over.

Wallace, said to be in the company of assistant coach Jade Rawlings, apparently had been drowning his sorrows that night.

Yet, at a meeting yesterday morning he was able to persuade those who mattered, senior officials and senior players, they should, shall we say, plough on.

The conviction among the players and officials that time was up for the coach wavered as Wallace did what he does so well: pitch his case.

He apparently persuaded the meeting the club could move forward if it stuck together.

Yet a player deputation led by captain Chris Newman is believed to have told him on Monday afternoon that he had lost the faith of the group after the loss to Port Adelaide on Sunday afternoon.

The veteran coach barrelled young forward Mitch Morton after his ill-conceived attempt to seal the game went amiss.

Morton played on after a mark with Richmond three points in front and just 90 seconds left on the clock at AAMI Stadium.

He miscued a shot at goal, the ball went out of bounds and Port was able to win the ball from the resultant throw-in and find Warren Tredrea, who kicked the winning goal.

Sources close to the players said a bitterly disappointed Wallace virtually accused Morton of costing him his job.

The coach reportedly stripped paint from the walls of the visitors' rooms at AAMI after his team lost from a seemingly impregnable position.

Players also are believed to have been increasingly frustrated by what many of them saw as inconsistencies in matters of team discipline.

In reality, Wallace has been seen to be on borrowed time since Richmond's shock Round 4 loss to Melbourne by eight points.

The loss to Port left the Tigers at 1-7, second-last on the ladder and out of finals contention.

Remarkably, it was left to the general manager of football, Craig Cameron, and skipper Newman to front a media horde at midday. No president, no CEO (Steven Wright).

Both Cameron and Newman denied any dissatisfaction with the coach or, indeed, any problem of any significance.

They were uncomfortable and unconvincing, yet they stuck to their task.

Wallace, in his fifth year at Punt Road, hangs on.

How long for is anyone's guess.

We are, after all, talking about Richmond FC.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25509624-19742,00.html

[Jackstar is back]

will say this
The press conference today was a joke, complete and utter rubbish.
They made an example of Newman as the article that Mike Sheehan has written is 100% correct.
Newman tried to lead the exit of Wallace, problem is the club pay his wages, today was just a case of "'towing the line "" I am afraid.
Dont bite the hand that feeds you Chris

[Infamy]

will say this
The press conference today was a joke, complete and utter rubbish.
They made an example of Newman as the article that Mike Sheehan has written is 100% correct.
Newman tried to lead the exit of Wallace, problem is the club pay his wages, today was just a case of "'towing the line "" I am afraid.
Dont bite the hand that feeds you Chris

Ironic given Newman's been so crap this year
If he was a real leader he wouldn't be passing the buck onto Wallace

[1980]

LMFAO at Newman the big girl crying because Wallace raised his voice to Morton

Our club is full of girls.

Good on March telling them to STFU. Every one of those senior players at the meeting should be sent to Coburg this weekend.

Newman is a bigger homo than Daffy was. I hate him. 

[TigerTime]

newman is the captain of teh club and has every right to represent his team and explain to the board that terry is a selfish arse and cannot coach and the team has no respect 4 him

he is not a girl sissy or squib, he wants to play real footy noy this poo that terry wants


proof is in the pudding, and terry cannot coach , he has no idea

[TigerTime]

at least newman has the balls to express the teams feelings to the president unlike sugar who is the real weak turd

[Ox]

and herein lies the real problem.

Weak,insipid so called leadership.

A captain,supposedly expected by his gutless support crew to demand the removal of Wallace,
yet in the heat of battle,relinquishes his soft cok friends request by allowing an outside opinion sway his tepid loyalty.
.
Not to mention,being perplexed by the coach berating a completely selfish act,to the point where
he felt the "right" thing to do was,in essence,run to the school rector and have a big cry over the fact
somebody dared to speak to them like the failed,incompetent psuedo sportsmen they are.

This infuriates me no end and proves Newman is merely another weak,soft arshole ala Joel Bowden
who has been handed the captaincy because of his connections with the old culture existing within the walls of punt road.

The sucker fish hanging ott the coat tails of the club are as cancerous as the self destruct senior core that hold the club ransom both on and off the field.

[Ox]

not to mention the brave way they leaked it to the media .....can't even get that right - LOLLLLL

effEN LOSERS MAN!

The joints stuffed !

pooMAN RUNNING AROUND ALL OVER THE PLACE - LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Someone just burn the effen poohole to the groud and pur toxic waste on the oval and let's be done with it,once and for all.

eff em !!!!!!!!

[mightytiges]

Tell us what you really think of the club Ox lol.

IN the words of Gary March, Richmond Football Club became a "bit of a circus" yesterday.

An astute observation it was, too. Unfortunately for March, he was talking about the football club of which he is president.

Pretty sure Gary was talking about your media circus Mike  .

Players also are believed to have been increasingly frustrated by what many of them saw as inconsistencies in matters of team discipline.

How about no team discipline or brains on field boys    . 9 points up with under 3 minutes to go there is no excuse to lose from there  .

[Ramps]

thats probably the best spray ive ever seen on OER 

as for other things

Newman is finished as captain. He cant and shouldnt be captain in 2010. Infact if he was leading a player revolt, Id suggest his name will come up as a trade option in October.

[Francois Jackson]

thats probably the best spray ive ever seen on OER 

as for other things

Newman is finished as captain. He cant and shouldnt be captain in 2010. Infact if he was leading a player revolt, Id suggest his name will come up as a trade option in October.

sensational spray and a fair estimate of what should happen really.

Re: Newman trade bait. Great point. Last chance for us to do a Hawthorn and gain some valuable picks.

I actually think Newman can be replaced. Rumour was Blues wanted him and i dare say they would throw up a pick inside 20 for his services.

Someone big has gotta go. its just got to happen. Sticking with the same formula has not worked we must invest heavily in youth.

Miss the boat this year and we could be gone for the next 5 years

[Tigermonk]

and herein lies the real problem.

Weak,insipid so called leadership.

A captain,supposedly expected by his gutless support crew to demand the removal of Wallace,
yet in the heat of battle,relinquishes his soft cok friends request by allowing an outside opinion sway his tepid loyalty.
.
Not to mention,being perplexed by the coach berating a completely selfish act,to the point where
he felt the "right" thing to do was,in essence,run to the school rector and have a big cry over the fact
somebody dared to speak to them like the failed,incompetent psuedo sportsmen they are.

This infuriates me no end and proves Newman is merely another weak,soft arshole ala Joel Bowden
who has been handed the captaincy because of his connections with the old culture existing within the walls of punt road.

The sucker fish hanging ott the coat tails of the club are as cancerous as the self destruct senior core that hold the club ransom both on and off the field.

Joel Bowden was put on Tredrea to curb him after 2 other opponants failed so calling him a softy just goes to show your a stuffing idiot as Bowden had done a great job Sunday
Bowden has always for years played the role as the under sized defender on the bigger opponants & does his job most times. He is put there because Richmond fail to fix the backline problems they have refused to fix for many years persisiting with midfielders & Fiora, Meyer, Graham, Kingsley, & many other type players
Your attack on Bowden is stuffing outrages at times & you need to control yourself better you gutless little man

[Ox]

and herein lies the real problem.

Weak,insipid so called leadership.

A captain,supposedly expected by his gutless support crew to demand the removal of Wallace,
yet in the heat of battle,relinquishes his soft cok friends request by allowing an outside opinion sway his tepid loyalty.
.
Not to mention,being perplexed by the coach berating a completely selfish act,to the point where
he felt the "right" thing to do was,in essence,run to the school rector and have a big cry over the fact
somebody dared to speak to them like the failed,incompetent psuedo sportsmen they are.

This infuriates me no end and proves Newman is merely another weak,soft arshole ala Joel Bowden
who has been handed the captaincy because of his connections with the old culture existing within the walls of punt road.

The sucker fish hanging ott the coat tails of the club are as cancerous as the self destruct senior core that hold the club ransom both on and off the field.

Joel Bowden was put on Tredrea to curb him after 2 other opponants failed so calling him a softy just goes to show your a effing idiot as Bowden had done a great job Sunday
Bowden has always for years played the role as the under sized defender on the bigger opponants & does his job most times. He is put there because Richmond fail to fix the backline problems they have refused to fix for many years persisiting with midfielders & Fiora, Meyer, Graham, Kingsley, & many other type players
Your attack on Bowden is effing outrages at times & you need to control yourself better you gutless little man

Bowden Plays one good game every 5 weeks....and ur up his ars for it - ur the gutless old board monkey,
who likes to tell people on here how you've played "alongside" known people and how yoy have a vast experience in football - lol u wanker

Newsflash - nobody gives a stuff and it makes u look like a desperate old turd,so LMAO !!

[Tigermonk]

you always prove yourself a wanker. Bowden has played some good games this year & you hate the fact his proven you wrong so you need to try throw it off Bowden to attack me 
my football speaks for itself & what l given back to the game & still do to this day. Someone like you aint ever going to tarnish me  you need to be a bigger man than that. if you were standing next to me at the back of the boozing shed l would pee on your leg 

Bowden is playing good football & l just love reminding you weekly otherwise if you had so much knowledge on football Bowden would not be in the top 22 today
Just to remind you that his a All-Australian & Best & Fairest winner & represented his country, oh good gracious he made it in front of all them other AFL top players
that means his a very exceptional footballer but you denie that to yourself cause you know no-other way as you suffer some illness 

[TigerLand]

Bowden has been a great servent of our football club and still has the ability to play really good football.

Looking froward to his tribute night.

Unfortunately I think Bowden can't go on next year. He's durable and if we finished in the top 5 or 6 he'd be going on but when your 1-7 everything points to playing listed players that will be at the club in 3-5 years time. I don't see Joel being a player at 36.

Hope he goes out with a bang and on his own terms.