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2007 Blog: Polish

April 1, 2007 1:53 am
By Chris Greenway

When the coaching panel, the players, the media and the supporters look back at this game and wonder how the team could be up by 27 points against Carlton in the 3rd term and still lose by 17 points one word will continually come up: polish. They have it, the Tigers don’t. For years we, the supporters, have been waiting for Richmond to attain this polish and they never seem to. I’m starting to think that they never will. It’s going to be a long season and I’m sure Richmond will get a few wins and even knock off a top side or two in an upset, but until they improve their skill and their mindset right across the board they will never rise above mid table and will still be scratching their heads about how they can let games slip away. I just hate being behind the 8 ball at season’s start. I suppose it can only get better.

1. Chris, I’m surprised at you! Ever the optimist, I thought you’d find the close match to be a positive sign after our losses in pre-season. I didn’t get to hear the game of course so I’m only going from what I’ve read in newspapers. I’m looking forward to next week’s game for my first glimpse at the 2007 Tigers. I’ll reserve judgment until I actually get to hear a game.

Comment by Becky — April 1, 2007 @ 5:17 pm

2007 Blog: Skills

April 8, 2007 7:36 pm
By Chris Greenway

Well 2 games for 2 losses. One thing that both of these games had in common was that Richmond were in a position to win both, but ultimately came up short. The Swans are a good side, actually they’re a great side. They won the Grand Final in 2005 and lost the 2006 Grand Final by a point to West Coast. Last year they beat Richmond on the 2 occasions that they played by an aggregate total of 166 points. On the face of it a 16 point loss could be seen as honourable. You wouldn’t be entirely wrong if you looked at it that way, but for the 2nd week in a row two things let the Tigers down: skills, especially the lack of them when disposing of the ball by foot, and poor decision making. Richmond players are experts at that, if there is a wrong decision to make then they will make it. It is imperative that the group as a whole improve in these 2 areas or they simply will not move forward and will continue to lose games that they should win.

1. I got to listen to this game live via the Internet. I thought I could probably go to bed at halftime, having been beaten to a pulp. However the boys stepped it up in the second quarter and gave us an exciting game!

I really thought we might be able to pull this one off! It was very exciting, even at 2am when I was dead tired!!

I think there’s reason to be optimistic. 0/2 isn’t good, obviously, but they gave us an entertaining game this past week!

Comment by Becky — April 11, 2007 @ 7:59 pm

2. Becky, the first game was entertaining, in terms of the round it was one of the best to watch as a contest, but after years of waiting entertaining isn’t enough anymore. Richmond’s problem has for many many years been the 2 things I keep harping on and it just isn’t improving. There are those who say that if Troy Simmonds had played we may have beaten both Carlton and Sydney, this is true, but it’s also very worrying that we don’t have the depth to carry an injury to one player.

Comment by tigerland — April 11, 2007 @ 11:50 pm

2007 Blog: Sick of it!

April 14, 2007 9:58 pm
By Chris Greenway

They did it again! Once again Richmond were in a winning position and yet again they lost the game. This time added to the poor disposal skills and terrible decision making was a complete and total lack of heart and desire to actually win. The Pies are not a highly skilled side and they were hard hit by injuries, however they genuinely wanted to win and weren’t prepared to go down without a fight. Once Collingwood put pressure on Richmond the Tigers gave up.

I am sick of it! I’m sick of losing! I’m sick of not having any respect from opposition supporters! I’m sick of waiting! I’m sick of being told that we’re improving! I’m sick of spin from coaches and recruiters! I’m sick of rebuilding! I’m sick of not seeing any evidence that the side is getting any better! I’m sick of excuses! I’m sick of watching other sides and their supporters enjoying September! I’m sick of always finishing in the bottom half of the ladder! I’m sick of always saying there’s always next year! I’m sick of being the worst performed Victorian side of the last 20 years!

I want to be proud of the club, but when the players keep turning out rubbish like Friday night when others say that the Tigers aren’t up to much all you can do is nod your head and agree with them.

1. I didn’t get to hear the game this week, but I’ll take the other road while agreeing that ‘We did it again!’ We’re SO close to pulling off a victory!

We’re doing some things right. We’re staying competitive. If we can catch some lucky breaks or improve our skill just a tad, we can turn this thing around!

Easy for me to say, I know, when I’ve only heard one game thus far this year, but I’m going to keep my hopes up just the same.

Go Tigers!

Comment by Becky — April 15, 2007 @ 3:04 pm

2007 Blog: When?

April 25, 2007 12:44 am
By Chris Greenway

When is a question that many of the yellow and black persuasion are asking themselves right now. When are they going to win a game? When are they going to let us sing that famous song?

I’m asking that too, but I also have something else I’m asking when about. For years, really since 1982, what has let Richmond down time and time again has been their skill by foot and the decisions they make. I know I sound like a broken record on this, but I cannot emphasise the importance of these two factors enough.

On Friday night Richmond yet again allowed a lack of skill and poor decision making conspire to see them lose their 4th game in a row. Only the massive injury list at the luckless Melbourne is keeping the Tigers from the bottom of the ladder. When Terry Wallace arrived at Richmond it was all going to turn around. This was a man who valued skill and instilled that into the sides he coached. Part of the reason for the Bulldogs resurgence under Rodney Eade is the players that Wallace recruited, the skills and speed that he coached into them before he left. They then topped this up with high draft picks following low finishes under the inept Peter Rohde. It hasn’t happened at Richmond. I keep seeing the same players make the same mistakes and the young players coming through do not seem to be picking up any new skills, only retaining the ones they brought to the club. Wallace has been there for 2 years, this is his 3rd year and I’m not seeing any improvement. I want to hear what he’s doing to develop players and improve their skills, not spin at his weekly press conferences. The season is shot, start working on getting rid of the dead wood and putting games under the youngsters. If not the side will be in the wilderness for another 25 years.

2007 Blog: Positives

April 29, 2007 1:09 am
By Chris Greenway

I’ve been fairly negative in the blog up until now, although in my defence it is hard to find positives out of losing. Yesterday’s loss to the West Coast Eagles was one of those rare occurrences.

No one gave the Tigers any real chance of beating the Eagles, and with good reason, they are defending Premiers, they’re undefeated and the last time they met Richmond at the MCG they handed out an 88 point hiding.

Although Richmond failed by 23 points to take out the win a number of positives emerged from the match. They held their own with the best team in the competition and did it without compromising their own attacking style, unlike the upset against Adelaide last season. They never gave in. Richard Tambling continued to emerge as a genuine game breaker with 4 first quarter goals. Brett Deledio’s 60+ metre bomb in the 3rd quarter. Luke McGuane did a good job again in defence and took mark of the day. Graeme Polak’s performance at centre half back proved that a strong defence can be built around him. Jay Schulz (despite his sudden inaccuracy) and Cleve Hughes showed that Richmond does have a forward line without Matthew Richardson and are not totally reliant on big performances from Richo to kick winning scores. It was still disappointing to lose, but at last there are heartening signs for the future.