We are getting exposed for poor drafting decisions. Eg fail to draft a small forward and failure to invest in youth in the main draft. We have lost leg speed eg loss of White and we are paying for it. We have failed completely to recruit a genuine line breaker.
But why does this always happen?
Why is there always a merry-go-round of poor decisions?
Why do guys like Hardwick, nurtured at successful clubs, uncompromising on field in his toughness & endeavour only to compromise on everything he seemingly stood for?
Why do our players become Prima Donnas when they haven't achieved anything?
Why is it that we struggle so much just to make finals?
Why is it that poor drafting is seemingly always an issue?
Why is it that development is always a problem besides the $$$ the club has invested?
Why do we ask the same questions & bitch about the same issues every 3-5 years???
....its Tigeritis.
It's bad culture: A lot probably are rolling there eyes but that's what I call it.
OX says the club lost its soul and I totally agree with that. It probably happened sometime in '83 & it's progressively got worse ever since.
Nothing will change unless this is addressed first. I always hope that a new coach will do this and there's no way of really knowing until you see results come to fruition.
Everyone starts to play for each other, there's hardness, there's no spectators, a youngsters slots in without any disruption to team continuity, consistant performances, never give up attitudes, fight for one another, etc etc etc.
It's not just bad decisions, those decisions are a by product of poor culture.
At Richmond it's worse than any club.
Because of us, starved of success as we are we go crazy with excitement at anything remotely positive and that frenzy blinds the club of the its true status.
We need a strong leader that can withstand the overlay of hype and stand firm on the foundations of excellence he implements at the beginning. Someone who is uncompromising with high standards of excellence and will not waver from its coarse.
Only someone with strong convictions that is willing to see through the frenzy that masks mediocrity.
I hope we can find someone before the throngs of supporters we have turn apathetic to footy. I know my teenage kids aren't like me and I reckon when I get grand kids it might already be too late.
I truly thought Hardwick was the one but he's totally blinded. He had the disease and he already a goner.
Who can be this footy savior for us?