Landing a forward no small task for Tigers .... (Age)

[one-eyed]

Landing a forward no small task for Tigers

Jon Pierik
The Age
April 29, 2015


While Richmond has stated a desire for a creative small forward-midfielder who can kick goals, securing one is another story.

Based on last year's goalkicking figures, the best in the business were Luke Breust, Eddie Betts, Hayden Ballantyne, Lindsay Thomas, Chad Wingard, Robbie Gray, Josh Green, Jamie Elliott and Mark LeCras.

Hawthorn's Breust contributed the most goals of any small forward (57), placing eighth overall of all goalkickers, with Lance Franklin (79) claiming the Coleman Medal.

Betts (51) was just behind Breust, while Ballantyne (49), Thomas (45), Wingard (43), Gray (42), Green (33), Elliott (33) and LeCras (30) followed.

While key forward Jack Riewoldt finished with 61, the Tigers did not have another representative in the top 33. Dustin Martin was the next best with 27, while Ty Vickery - who has not been seen since he whacked Dean Cox in round 18 - had 27.

For a club that played finals, and needs to win a final this year for a pass mark, it's a surprising statistic. Particularly when the Tigers have preached the importance of spreading the load in recent years, so that Riewoldt was not the sole focus heading inside 50.

This year Riewoldt again heads the pack, with 10 in four games, while fellow key tall Ben Griffiths has seven. Sam Lloyd (5) and Nathan Gordon (5) follow. What the Tigers do need is a greater impact on the scoreboard from Cotchin, who has just the one major. For a player of his class, the Tigers need him to be damaging forward of centre.

The need for greater potency was reinforced last season when Brett Deledio was sent to a half-forward line, to add creativity and bite. He did that with 20 goals but has been sidelined since round one with a calf problem.

Coach Damien Hardwick last year employed Steven Morris and the now-retired Jake King as small forwards, but they had a defensive ethos, with their priority negating the opposition's rebound and retaining the ball inside attacking 50.

Robin Nahas, however, had been an attacking option until he was delisted after the 2013 campaign, when the Tigers lost patience with him. They had wanted Nahas to have a more defensive side to his game.

He was promptly snapped up by the Kangaroos as a delisted free agent. He managed eight games, with seven goals, last year before a shoulder injury ended his season. This year the speedy crumber has five goals in three matches, including three in an impressive win over Geelong on Sunday.

Would persistence have paid off in the end for the Tigers had they waited another year or two?

As it stands, the Tigers continue to assess their options. They had wanted former Melbourne captain Jack Trengove to add midfield depth during last year's trade period but he failed a medical.

They also looked to speedy Bomber Jason Winderlich, who was considering a change of scenery. But Winderlich, who had also considered retirement, returned to Essendon.

If the Tigers are looking to free agency, there's only the one superstar on offer this year, alongside a handful of solid performers and ageing greats.

That superstar, of course, is the uncontracted Patrick Dangerfield. However, the consensus appears to be that he either returns to Adelaide, or heads to Geelong to be near his family once more. It would seem improbable that the Tigers could tempt him – even if they do boast a war chest.

An interesting one could be Geelong's Mathew Stokes. He is an unrestricted free agent, and would likely consider a long-term offer, should the Cats believe, at 30, he is worthy of only a one-year offer. The two-time premiership star averaged more than 25 disposals in 20 matches last year when pushed into the midfield, and remains one of the more creative options around goal.

Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale has said his club will consider all options.

"If there was something there that met our needs – and we know what they are – we would actively pursue that opportunity, but at the same time, we would continue to invest in the draft as well," Gale said on Footy Classified.

"Midfielders that can go forward (and) kick goals, or small forwards that can go (in the) midfield and offer depth and run are worth their weight in gold.

"It's probably an area where we struggled - any ability to win the ball off the deck in the forward 50 has been a bit of an issue for us.

"I would have thought that's an area we'll focus on but there's people smarter than me that will make those decisions."

Making the decision is one thing. Finding a solution is another.


2015 free agent medium-small forwards:

Adelaide

Patrick Dangerfield (restricted)

Carlton

Dennis Armfield (unrestricted)

David Ellard (unrestricted)

Essendon

Brent Stanton (unrestricted)

Jason Winderlich (unrestricted)

Geelong

Jimmy Bartel (unrestricted)

Steve Johnson (unrestricted)

Mathew Stokes (unrestricted)


No small matter: Small forwards under contract:

Luke Breust (Haw) – contracted through 2017

Eddie Betts (Ade) – contracted through 2017

Hayden Ballantyne (Fre) – contracted through 2017

Lindsay Thomas (Nth Melb) – contracted through 2016

Chad Wingard (Port Ade) – contracted through 2016

Robbie Gray (Port Ade) – contracted through 2018

Josh Green (Bris) – contracted through 2016

Jamie Elliott (Coll) – contracted through 2015

Mark Le Cras (West Coast) – contracted through 2017


Richmond goalkickers 2014

61: Jack Riewoldt

27: Dustin Martin

23: Ty Vickery

22: Shane Edwards

20: Brett Deledio

18: Trent Cotchin

Richmond goalkickers 2015

10: Jack Riewoldt

7: Ben Griffiths

5: Sam Lloyd

5: Nathan Gordon

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/landing-a-forward-no-small-task-for-tigers-20150428-1mv3e1.html

[Diocletian]

Watch Hackson & Hartley get us Stokes or one of the Carlton hacks.

[Phil Mrakov]

Griff was tearing it up and now we've gone and injured him 

[Andyy]

Grab Jamie Elliot

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Griff was tearing it up and now we've gone and injured him 

Doesn't really fit the mould of a small forward anyway.

[Penelope]

Griff was tearing it up and now we've gone and injured him 

yep agree, was our best small forward and we played him, which naturally causes injury

[Zlatan]

these types grow on trees

what the hell is wrong with richmond    how do we not have one ffs

[bojangles17]

3 year deal to Steve Johnson 

[WilliamPowell]

3 year deal to Steve Johnson 

You've got to be kidding 

At his age, with his injury history over the last 2 years it should 1 year tops

But he wont leave the cattery unless they flick him like they did Chapman

[bojangles17]

3 year deal to Steve Johnson 

You've got to be kidding 

At his age, with his injury history over the last 2 years it should 1 year tops

But he wont leave the cattery unless they flick him like they did Chapman

I was joking  , we have a couple of black book specials in shorty and butler that could be anything , not. Sure we have too much to worry about there in the long term 

[tdy]

Why can't we grow one of our own. There ought to be plenty of them out there as juniors. The next Cyril. Our recruiting sux somewhat

[wayne]

Do Gold Coast have anyone we could lure down?

[Hellenic Tiger]

Brandon Matera and Tom Nicholls (ruckman) would be nice.

[bojangles17]

We should have got garlett however he had a wrap sheet that looked more like Charlie sheen than a league footballer 

[Phil Mrakov]

We should have got garlett however he had a wrap sheet that looked more like Charlie sheen than a league footballer 

There's a footballer over at North Melbourne that used to play for the yellow and black. Could play a bit too just quietly. I'm talking Robbie Nahas