#26 - Richard Douglas

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Mad Dog

Mad Dog

Yoda's life coach
Veteran Veteran 10k Posts
Aug 12, 2004
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The van Berlos
Richard Douglas

(courtesy of bus24)​


​


Jumper No: 26​

Height: 180​

Weight: 74​

DOB: February 6, 1987​

Age: 20​

Recruited From: Broadford/Calder Cannons - 2005 National Draft Selection #16​

Career Matches: 16​

SANFL Club: Glenelg​



Honours:​

- Assumption College Captain​

- Assumption College Best & Fairest​

- U/16 and U/18 Victoria Metro Representitive​

- Calder Cannons Premiership player 2004​

- Named in the 2005 TAC Cup Team of the Year​

- 2005 TAC Cup Coaches Award​

- Calder Cannons Best & Fairest 2005 (Best 3; 15 times in 18 games)​







bus24 nominated to be Richie's watcher.
 
People continue to underrate this lad. Excellent agility, footy smarts, clocked 2.96 seconds in the 20m sprint, a strong mark, watch him make a Knights-like improvement in 2008. :thumbsu:
 

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fightingdreamer88 said:
People continue to underrate this lad. Excellent agility, footy smarts, clocked 2.96 seconds in the 20m sprint, a strong mark, watch him make a Knights-like improvement in 2008. :thumbsu:
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Pretty sure there is a fair few out there who rate this kid very highly, myself included, injurys aside he should play the full 22 games, hopefully he gets a lot more time in the midfield as this is where he will carve it up. One player i can't wait to see next year.
 
From the afc website, article on Biglands comeback.
http://afc.com.au/tabid/4417/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=54352

afc website said:
Biglands and Hentschel both impressed in Monday morning’s two-hour conditioning session where half of the players completed a 3km time trial before the entire group was split into teams for a series of in 800m, 400m and 300m races.

The gruelling schedule and warm weather got the better of some players who left the track completely exhausted, but aspiring midfielder Richie Douglas starred, edging out the super-fit Brett Burton and Nathan van Berlo in the final sprint of the day.

“Richard [Douglas] is one guy who has been particularly impressive in the pre-season so far,” Schwerdt said.

“He’s a terrific competitor and he’s been at the club a couple of years now. You might have seen him take on Brett Burton and do a pretty good job.”

“Overall it’s been a solid five weeks of training. Last week was a bit of a light week, so we thought we’d crank it up again this week before the boys break for Christmas. It’s been pleasing so far. You can never fault the way our guys come back, they always present themselves in good shape.”
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Douglas will become yet another Crow to embarrass the rising star award system in 08, go Richie!
 
i think collectively weve been too harsh on this lad. for gods sake he is just starting his 3rd season. he is SO FAR ahead of where reilly (who had injuries) was at the respective stage it aint funny. look where reilly is after 5-6 seasons...

he has plenty of work to do obviously - consistently use the ball better, make tackles stick and work on acceleration away from contests but there is alot to work with from what i am seeing. i think later in 2008 and 2009 we will see a SOLID afl player with douglas. i cant ever see him being a star but a solid backbone player for the club
 
He's a frustrating player - absolute gun in the SANFL yet seems so far away from making the step in the AFL.
 
He has it, its just a confidence thing, like other players he just needs to get the confidence and know what he can do and use that arrogance.
 
Rd03_Douglas_246.jpg

Douglas shines in brutal Showdown​
THE CROWS are confident they’ve escaped Sunday night’s brutal Showdown win over Port Adelaide with minimal damage despite finishing the game with only 19 fit men.

Port Adelaide’s Matt Thomas had his number taken for a crunching tackle on Nathan Bassett, which left the All-Australian defender unconscious on the AAMI Stadium turf.

Bassett suffered severe concussion, but is expected to be available for Sunday’s clash with Hawthorn.

The incident triggered a period of utter carnage for the Crows, with four more players going down with injuries.

Jon Griffin and Luke Jericho also copped heavy knocks in Adelaide’s gutsy six-point win, and like Bassett, will be monitored over the next 48 hours, but should be cleared to play.

Kris Massie suffered some hamstring tightness during the second half and is likely to be sidelined for round four, while the extent of Jason Porplyzia’s shoulder injury won’t be known until later in the week.

In the week leading up to the Showdown, Port Adelaide had flagged a renewal of the fierce attack on the ball that served it so well in 2007, with Sunday's high injury toll and collision rate a by-product of their aggressive approach. However, young Crows midfielder Richard Douglas said he was “not sure” if the Power had overstepped the mark with their physical tactics.

“I think there was a few more sore blokes than usual, but we’ll have a lighter week this week and be ready for next Sunday,” he said on Monday.

Douglas was one of a handful of inexperienced Crows players who held their nerve during the tight and tense final quarter.

The classy midfielder got on the end of a ball inside Adelaide’s forward 50m and burned off Power speedster Shaun Burgoyne to help ice the game with his third goal.

“I didn’t really know it was Burgoyne at the time. I just saw a bloke there, took him on and saw the big sticks, so thought I might as well try to kick a goal,” Douglas said.

“That game definitely gives us [young guys] a lot of confidence going forward and taking on Hawthorn this week. We were up against a strong side in Port Adelaide, they were hard at us and at the ball, so we’ll take confidence out of that and move forward.

“Of the four Showdowns that I’ve been involved in, it was definitely the best win we’ve had. Just by the response of the boys after the game, you could tell it meant a lot to the playing group.”

Onballers Rob Shirley and Bryce Campbell could push for selection this week while the injured quartet of Brent Reilly (wrist), Chris Knights (quad), Brad Moran (finger) and Trent Hentschel (knee) are on track to play around the weekend of the bye in May.
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Source
 
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Crow races into big time​

IT HAPPENED in the blink of an eye. Only one player could stop Richard Douglas from running into an open goal as the epic Showdown XXIV was nearing its dramatic conclusion.

It was Port Adelaide's Shaun Burgoyne - one of the most explosive in the AFL - but it didn't make a difference. Douglas tucked the ball under his wing, put on the afterburners and managed to put a space between himself and Burgoyne.

"I didn't really know it was him at the time but it's always nice to kick a goal," Douglas, 21, said.

"I just think he (Burgoyne) was probably a bit buggered at that time of the game."

Instead of blazing away in front of goal, Douglas - as he has so often done for Glenelg in the SANFL - steadied and split the centre with an immaculate drop punt.

"I didn't really know it was him, I just saw a bloke there, took him on and saw the big sticks, so I thought I might try to kick the goal," Douglas said. And sink it he did - in emphatic fashion.

But Douglas hadn't just put the Crows two goals clear of the Power.

Two minutes into the final term of his 19th AFL game, the boy from Broadford had arrived on the big stage.

"It was probably my best game for the club so far," Douglas admitted of his 19-disposal, three-goal performance at AAMI Stadium.

"It's good to have a permanent sort of a role in the team playing midfield and forward now and knowing my roles takes a bit of pressure off.

"I'm just enjoying my footy and doing my bit, so it's going well."

Douglas, who struggled to make an impact in his opening two matches this season, always had faith, having banked a solid pre-season during summer. Eventually his moment would come and when it did on Sunday the speedster certainly made the most of it.

"I just kept training hard and I kept working on getting stronger and fitter and learning from the other guys, which has helped," he said.

"I'm just looking forward to the next few weeks now."

Rarely does Douglas miss a session on the training track. It has allowed the fledgling Crow to take his fitness level to an unexpected height.

And if you ask Adelaide physical performance manager Stephen Schwerdt, Douglas' best is yet to come.

"For sure, that's exactly right," Schwerdt said with little hesitation.

"He'll continue to improve and with his attitude, professionalism and attention to detail - and the good leadership he shows the young guys - I don't see that being an issue. One of Richard's best traits is that he's very durable. He never misses a training session.

"He's a professional footballer in every sense of the word, the way he goes about looking after himself at training and preparing."
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Source:
 
According to the Advertiser this morning he finished first in the 3km time trial which was held yesterday. Mackay finished second with a time of 10 minutes and 7 seconds.

If there was something Douglas needed to improve in the off season it was his endurance, so clearly he's done that :thumbsu:
 

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-CG- said:
According to the Advertiser this morning he finished first in the 3km time trial which was held yesterday. Mackay finished second with a time of 10 minutes and 7 seconds.

If there was something Douglas needed to improve in the off season it was his endurance, so clearly he's done that :thumbsu:
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I read that in the Indigenous game article yesterday.

It said "after Douglas lead a small group in the 3 km time trial....."

I didn't know if it meant 1st of just a leader in the small group vocally....pretty stupid I know.

Good to hear as this was one big area he needed improvement.
 
cmndstab said:
Him and Mackay as the two leaders? I find that hard to believe but either way, if he's improving that's all that matters. Can't wait to see if he can take that next step this year!
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Was a small group that did the run.

Perhaps it was those who didn't meat their target time in the previous run?
 
http://www.afc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4417/newsid/78286/default.aspx


Man in the Middle

SMALL forward Richard Douglas says it's time to step up and claim a permanent place in the Adelaide midfield.

Douglas, for team balance more than any other reason, spent his first three years at West Lakes filling the Crows' vacant crumbing forward position.

The former first-round draft pick kicked 22 goals to finish fourth in Adelaide's goalkicking last season and also laid 72 tackles in the offensive/defensive forward role patented by Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli.

Douglas, 22, harboured aspirations of playing on-ball in 2009, but endured an interrupted pre-season and took up his regular spot in the Crows' forward line in round one.

"I hadn't really been pushing the issue [of playing in the midfield]. I was happy just being in the team," he said.

"I played a bit of everywhere as a junior, in the middle, up forward and down back, so forward wasn't new to me, but the midfield definitely comes more naturally."

Douglas expressed his desire for a greater midfield role during a regular meeting with coach Neil Craig.

"I had a general catch-up with Craigy, which we do almost weekly, and he asked me how I was going and where on the ground I thought I was best suited," Douglas said.

"I told him I'd like to play a bit more in the midfield and he put me there. I think it's time for me to step up a bit and take on more responsibility, so hopefully I can play some good footy and repay the faith."

Douglas, who averaged 13 possessions last year, has increased that number to 20 over the past five weeks.

The 2008 Coach's Award winner starred with 25 touches and six tackles against Carlton in round nine and Craig said he was pleased with what he saw from the skilful Victorian.

"Richard brought a new dimension and a new look to our midfield. We'll continue to play Richard in there because with what he showed against Carlton I think he's ready to play in there," Craig said.

"He's been really patient because he's had to play some roles where you don't get a lot of recognition publicly; they are important roles, but because they have been non-statistical roles you don't get a lot of recognition for it.

"He's done that and done it to the letter. He's done it willingly with no complaining, so I'd like to think he can play in the midfield now and it might be the next step of his career."
Douglas' move to the midfield has been facilitated by the form of pinch-hitting forwards Chris Knights and Patrick Dangerfield.

Ball-magnet Knights has booted 14 goals in four games, while Dangerfield is creating his own presence inside 50m.

"It's been good with Knighta and Danger kicking goals and also applying that defensive pressure," Douglas said.

"We know they can both play in the midfield, so they've just added more parts to their game and that's good for the team not just myself."

Douglas, who is still doing extra fitness sessions on his days off to compensate for a limited pre-season, will notch up his 50th game against North Melbourne at AAMI Stadium next week.

The former Calder Cannon said he was hopeful of playing out his career with the Crows.

"The games tick over and 50 games is pretty good to start with, but I'd like to play a lot more," he said.

"I hope to be here for the long haul. I just bought a home over here and we have a good, young, close team, so I think there are some good times ahead."
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Well done Dougie. Certinaly showed his worth in the midfield in the last couple of weeks, not getting caught as much as he was in the forward line. Not sure if thats anything to do with him being more comfortable in the middle of the ground or not. In any case he's turning into a good player.
 
I just thought of a role that might suit Douglas a bit more.....play off half back??? He played there in the TAC cup and well if he doesn't become that attacking midfielder that would great for him he could reinvent himself as a small backman. One query i have with this is he seems to lack good decision making at times. He needs to play where he plays with natural instinct and does not come into a situation where he hgets all fllustered.
 
He did OK tonight from the sounds of it. Never been a big fan, but obviously cannot call into question his endeavour tonight from all reports.
 
Golumless said:
Had a very good season, for sure, but i'd like to see some consistency before throwing that around.
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Has had much better fitness levels since a few years ago so I am sure he will be great again
 
Bailey01 said:
Has had much better fitness levels since a few years ago so I am sure he will be great again
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I hope so man. A firing Douglas puts us two-three steps closer to a decent finals series.
 
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