The season reports are in ladder position they finished so first up we have the Melbourne Demons and now the Richmond Tigers. If you would like to do up a report on any other team, please contact us.
Ben Cousins' comeback was stalled by injury but he returned to be a vital part in the end of the season
Year It Was
- Finished: 15th with 5 wins, 1 draw and 74.29%
- Kick2Kick Season Prediction: 5th – 9th
What Went Right
Cousins playing 15 games and leading the young players in showing them the standard they must train and play at. Morton had his best year playing forward and was rewarded with a F&B a rewarding year in front of goals.
The only other factor that went right down at Punt Road would be that they stuck to a process in looking for a coach. They took the longest time between them and North and only time will tell if Hardwick was right or not.
What Went Wrong
Everything!
A 83 point flogging with Cousins getting injured in the first game saw Richmond behind the 8 ball and with a loss to 16th side Melbourne in round 4, the writing was on the wall. Even 9th spot would have been a welcomed sight.
With Wallace’s spot on the line, the old tigers of old rose up with infighting with players and coaches against each other.
Player(s) that Stepped Up
Daniel Jackson, Morton & Riewoldt all had years where they improved from bit players to players that demand a spot and could have the future built around them.
Trade Bait/ Goodbye’s
Kane Johnson, Joel Bowden, Nathan Brown, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls & Mark Coughlan have already been showed the door and you expect at least 3-4 others to follow.
Some of the others that will be lucky to be on Richmond’s list next year are:
- Cleve Hughes – Simply has not showed enough in 3 years.
- Jake King – While has the heart is not up to AFL standard.
- Jordan McMahon – contracted until next year but could be shipped off this year or next year to the Gold Coast.
- Kayne Pettifer – Morton and others have taken his spot on the list.
- Graham Polak – Out of contract & would only be retained out of sympathetic reasons.
- Andrew Raines - Rumours of looking at Brisbane.
- Mathew Richardson – Could be used as trade bait for forward starved clubs, highly unlikely though.
- Jay Schulz – Will only be kept as a big man insurance.
- Troy Simmonds – Five years & a big contract and has shown nothing in return.
Improvement Needed by
Brett Deledio simply must step to an A-lister, in 2008 he won the F&B but he is still too inconsitent. Others who need improvement is Riewoldt’s goal kicking and gut running ability and Cotchin’s injury luck. If they can get a full 18-22 games out of him, Richmond are a better team.
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September 3rd, 2009 at 12:22 pm
OK – let’s pull a few of these comments apart, because there are certainly some things that need to be straightened out. For starters, while Mich Morton had an improved year, he has not won our best and fairest (which is the Jack Dyer Medal). The confusion may have come about because he won the Michael Roach Medal for highest goalkicker in the season.
To mention players who stood up without mentioning Richard Tambling would be a grave injustice. Tambling has gone from struggling for a place in the Richmond side to becoming a part of the core midfield group, and has got a chance at taking out the aforementioned best and fairest. Brett Deledio was very ordinary early, but improved later in the year. I’m not sure that your comments about him are quite fair.
Matthew Richardson has said repeatedly that he will retire rather than be traded to an opposition club. And I think that Graham Polak has shown enough improvement over the year to justify the idea that he could be the tall key forward Richmond need. Riewoldt is not big enough to be our sole marking option up forward. Vickery is the only other possibility for that spot. Jake King is also contracted for next year.
But, don’t let it be said that I’m not realistic about how ordinary the side is. For starters I think you are being very generous to Riewoldt who was good in patches, and certainly improved, but devastatingly inconsistent. Adam Pattison is another name I’d be adding to the list of trade-bait: he’s still young enough and big enough to possibly pinch a middling to late draft pick and with Angus Graham, Tyrone Vickery and Browne we should probably take it. Also Hislop and Thompson were both disappointing pick ups, but I’m not sure about either of the contract situations there, though Hislop did start to show a bit more before he was suspended. Strongly agree with the other inclusions on your list.
For Richmond to build any kind of long term success, we cannot afford to pick up a single recycled player in the next two to three years. Hardwick probably has the toughest job in football right now: I hope he keeps his nerve.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:11 pm
@Geoff – Thanks for the spot on Mortons medal being the goal scoring one and not the F&B, corrected it. Yes I probably did miss Tambling but he was still inconsistent when tagged but he does deserve a mention. Again your prob right with Pattison but I stand by my other comments.
Richardson should retire, Hislop & Thompson will stay because of their contract but I would get rid of King as he is not up to AFL standard (heart aside) and Polaks injury has made him a liability.
I think the whole recycled player issue really depends on the player, if it was someone like Sandilands you would take him but a rejected hack who has not been able to get a game at another club, you pass him by. However Cousins & Morton have showed something.
Thanks for your comments Geoff
September 4th, 2009 at 9:17 am
“I would get of King”. There’s not really a choice about that, unless someone wants him as a trade. He’s contracted for next year.
Geoff Matheson´s last blog ..Bowden Bowin’ out
September 4th, 2009 at 9:23 am
@Geoff – I realise that but just because he is contracted does not mean he is a guarantee to stay on the list. He will stay on the list but mainly because the draft is thin this year.
Richmond needs to get ruthless and make tough decisions, yes it means they may have to pay out the contract but that is the price you may have to pay for success.
Just my 2c
September 10th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
i believe king showed enough at the end of the year to be given an oppertunity. he tagged well. and richardson will not be traded… if he was it would be a insult to him. cleve hughes has to go, i reckon we could trade pick 3 for the likes of maybe david hale, he would be ideal for the tigers. and i hope andrew raines stays, he is such talent and fitsthe mould that hardwick wants.
September 10th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
@Bard – Thanks for your comment mate!
Hale for #3? Uggghhhh it would keep up with their bad recruitment tradition but I think for a #3 you would rather Petrie. Hale would only be worth a 20-30 pick imo…
Latest news is that Hughes has been showed the door, so no surprise there. Did he not play 5-7 games last year and really impress and since then he has not had a chance.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I agree with most of your comments and some have already come to fruition. Pettifer and Hughes have been shown the door and it seems Polak won’t get another run. A pity, he is only 25 and has player 100+ games. I think we sorely missed an extra hard body in defense this year. Thursfield seems injury prone, Raines also was missed and will be missed. That left us relying on guys like King who has heart but is too short,angry and gives away frees.
I suspect most of your lucky to stay list will be gone by the end of next year. Rumour on one eyed tiger says Putt may also go.
September 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am
Yeh King has heart and probably more than the other Tigers players but I have said before and before you cannot ‘carry’ players on a list. Kings disposal is a worry but as Geoff has commented about, he showed a bit under Rawlings. I hope he can become a good tagger under Hardwick.
September 14th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
haha i didnt mean pick three i meant our third round pick lol… and roos wont get rid of petrie, hale could solve a couple of problems we have… and polak should not be shown the door… he is the most courages player w we have
September 15th, 2009 at 10:24 am
Ahhh a third round pick, yes that would be a better decision
I think the Roos are saving Hale for the Gold Coast though, even though he just resigned a new contract.
September 15th, 2009 at 5:26 pm
well we do need a key forward. people saying vickery could be our next key forward is a joke becasue we desperatley need a ruckman and i believe he is the answer… who do you think we will keep, pattison or simmonds??
September 16th, 2009 at 8:43 am
Yeh Vickery looks best when playing ruck, hope you do not make the same mistake you made with Ottens who was always a better ruckman than forward as demonstrated by his role for Geelong. I Think Hale is the same who is a better ruckman than forward, just because someone can play forward does not make them a forward you can build the team around.