I've only been able to watch the first pre-season game so I don't have a lot of opinions of my own yet, but from what I've read and from what I've seen, I'm VERY optimistic about the season!! I BELIEVE in Terry Wallace and his determination to turn this club into something special!

We've read a lot of hype about Delidio and Tambling in the pre-season. Of course now we know that Tambling's got a serious toe injury and that his availability is touch and go. We've also heard a lot of media hype about Brad Ottens who will be playing as an opponent this week instead of a teammate. Did Terry Wallace intentionally fan the fire this week when he suggested that Ottens left Richmond simply for money? Was he goading our opponent when he said, "When we were down and out, sides were quite happy to pick over our carcass." Time will tell.

In other news, a hand of friendship has once again been offered to former player Kevin Bartlett in a gesture of goodwill to welcome him back into the fold. Bartlett was sacked after the 1989 season and appears to be content to hold onto his grudge of 16 years. It's a pity for both Kevin Barlett and our mighty Tigers.

Former Richmond Coach Danny Frawley will be watching this week's game from the radio commentary booth. Despite his membership with the Tiges, he has tipped Geelong to win.

Meanwhile Jim Krakouer, Andrew Krakouer's father, will be watching Andrew for the first time this weekend. Jim Krakouer has spent 6 years in jail for drug trafficking. He's looking to get his life back on track and wants to be there for his son.

With all that, as my Australian friends are keen to say, only 2 sleeps to go! I can't wait!

Post Game

Ouch.

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

THIS is what we waited months for? Ohhhh, the pain.

I've been thinking about this though. We kicked 15 goals and 8 behinds. That would have been enough to beat St Kilda this week. It also would have been enough to beat Carton, Essendon, Port, Freo, Hawthorn, West Coast and Adelaide. NOT BAD!!!!! Maybe we really stunk but we proved we can kick goals, and that's something to take from this game!

I've had the 3AW audio feed this evening. We started off in such great shape. They said that Deledio had the best first quarter debut you could ask for. When Gasper kicked his first goal, Rex Hunt called it a Rip Snorter! A few minutes later he again called Pettifer's goal a Rip Snorter! I was digging that! That was some serious fun!

Then things fell apart. They said our foot skills were atrocious. They said our disposals were shocking. Chaffey was slammed for turnovers and Richo was described as disappointing. At one point they said Richo was wandering around in a state of confusion. HOW can a veteran player like that be confused about what he's supposed to do? That makes no sense at all! Brown was bagged for his non-involvement, and they're saying that Coughlin must be injured because he's simply not playing to his skill level.

When Geelong kicked their 11th goal early in the second quarter, Rex Hunt's famous "fat lady" sang. I thought he called the game prematurely but as I sit here writing in the final quarter, I have to concede he was right. I'm not even sure how you can move the footy across the field as quickly as Geelong was kicking goals. Did we have any defense on the field at all?

The Cats got their revenge for Terry Wallace's remarks when Ottens kicked his first goal in the second quarter. Geelong supported and congratulated Ottens and it must have been a sweet moment for them.

Wallace wanted us to have a 16 goal game. We're not that far from the goal despite the fact that we've performed so poorly today.

OK, well, losing one game is hardly the season, even when you lose spectacularly. I do have concerns about how we'll ever get over the percentages that this game is going to saddle us with for the rest of the season. The best we can do is to put this one behind us. Completely forget it and pretend the season starts next week. Hawthorn will come into the game thinking they've got it made. Maybe we can sneak up on them and catch them off guard.

RICHMOND
B: Newman, Gaspar, Hall
HB: Tivendale, Kellaway, Chaffey
C: Bowden, Tuck, Hyde
HF: Brown, Richardson, Deledio
F: Krakouer, Simmonds, Campbell
FOLL: Knobel, Johnson, Coughlan
I/C: Graham, Pettifer, Roach, Jackson
EMG: Hartigan, Raines, Stafford
NEW: Mark Graham (Hawthorn), Trent Knobel (St Kilda), Brett Deledio

Have something to say? Please e-mail me! I'd love to hear from you! Please be sure to reference the Richmond Tigers in the subject line for priority mail handling! THANK YOU!

From: Rankin, Tom
Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 4:21 AM
Subject: RE: Insights on the Tiges.
Hi Becky,
I tend to spend my time at the yellowandblack website chatting about Tigerish matters.

We were b.a.d. bad. But it is just round 1. I thought Chris Hyde was very good, Richo tried hard (as always) and Raines was good in the 2nds.

Hopefully things will improve next week.

Cheers,
Tom

From: johnq
Sent: Sunday, March 27, 2005 4:35 PM
Subject: Keep the Faith
Hi Becky,
Gee it was pretty disappointing yesterday wasn't it? I mean I know Geelong are a pretty good side, but I was hoping the team would put up a better showing than that! Never mind that's the great thing about football isn't it - there's always next week . . .and next year. Try and keep the faith. I know it's hard, but try. I've been lucky, to see five Richmond premierships (67,69,73,74 and 80), and in 72,73,74 they played in 3 Grand Finals in a row. They were the most feared side in the competition in those days. I wish you could have supported them in those days Becky. Anyway Hawthorn next week, and I don't think their very strong this year. I didn't watch the replay - I didn't have the heart! I probably a fair weather supporter, but Richmond supporters are notoriously fickle.

Have a good day/night.

Kind regards,
John.

Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 5:44 PM
Subject: RE: Doom and Gloom!!!
I think the fans' shock that Terry couldn't turn around the performance so quickly is being overdone. It's just a symptom of Richmond that we believe in magic cures and quick turnarounds, despite every piece of contrary evidence that it takes a long time to change the habits of an under-skilled and losing club.

I'm not at all surprised that we got our booties whacked. This was last year's 3rd placed team (and unlucky not to be a Grand Finallist) against the wooden spooners: why would we have expected to rise so quickly in a mere 5 months? Does anyone care to remember that St Kilda followed up a disastrous first season under Grant Thomas with 2 ready-made draft stars in Reiwoldt and Koschitzke - and they still missed the finals by a long way?

Despite the cleanout last season, we kept a lot of players who have ordinary football skills. No amount of energy and enthusiasm from the rookies will avoid the fact that a number of the team on Sunday cannot kick to a target in a straight line over 30+ metres. Watch the Wizard Cup tape again, then read, digest and weep. It's a kicking and catching game that needs accuracy to do it properly, and we just don't have enough of the right skill at the moment. Gaspar, Chaffey, Tivendale, Newman, Hall, Campbell, Kellaway ... purely and simply ordinary kicks. They (usually) run and chase, they look good in patches, and when the heat's on they kick like my granny. And Granny could probably push a couple of them for a starting spot.

The reasonable, intelligent and non-biased response right now is to have courage and let Terry help the younger players to avoid the skill limitations of their seniors.