He joined to late and had to accept the assistants he had. didn't have time, so unless he is thrilled with who he has, I would expect a few changes.
Each new coach tends to bring in his own team.
Analysis Richo's Report Card
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He joined to late and had to accept the assistants he had. didn't have time, so unless he is thrilled with who he has, I would expect a few changes.
Each new coach tends to bring in his own team.
Stan_Darsh72
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On the outside he does seem relaxed and calm and that does show during matchday.
During the week however behind closed doors im sure he gives the players the hairdryer treatment.
During the week however behind closed doors im sure he gives the players the hairdryer treatment.
psychosaints
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IMO, I think he comes across well and has the respect of the players. As a previous poster said, he might not be tough enough, publicly it seems that be I could be wrong. Hopefully, the players respect him but are sh1t frightened when they stuff up but not enough to hate him.
I think he gave a consistent message and spoke well on most occasions.
I like the fact he played the full list, part due to injury, but in any case, he got to see what he's working with.
I think he's the development coach we need going forward.
On the down side. I think his post match messages were exactly the same every week and didnt give us much insight but I can only guess how hard that is to do straight after a game and generally to constant big losses.
I am not sure what his actual game plan is. I would say with youth and also injury he may have a bit more 'lets see what they can do' first before the game style is fully imposed.
He needs time though as he came in late and don't even think he brought in any of his own staff. He may do that over this summer.
Overall though, I'm happy and give him a 6 out of 10.
I think he gave a consistent message and spoke well on most occasions.
I like the fact he played the full list, part due to injury, but in any case, he got to see what he's working with.
I think he's the development coach we need going forward.
On the down side. I think his post match messages were exactly the same every week and didnt give us much insight but I can only guess how hard that is to do straight after a game and generally to constant big losses.
I am not sure what his actual game plan is. I would say with youth and also injury he may have a bit more 'lets see what they can do' first before the game style is fully imposed.
He needs time though as he came in late and don't even think he brought in any of his own staff. He may do that over this summer.
Overall though, I'm happy and give him a 6 out of 10.
psychosaints
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Couldn't agree more mate
sammm
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Not sure I remember hearing about poor fitness levels. Come to think of it, the coach did not slag watters at all. And not just watters, but also how the team performed. So I don't think he did say anything.
Hubnester
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I have faith in him.
If reports are true, the training load is up to bring us up to speed. Short term pain for long term gain.
Seems to have the playing group behind him which is good. No indication that the players are unhappy with him.
Good experience, while he hasn't been a senior coach before he's got experience in a number of roles at a number of clubs.
I like the way he speaks to the media, a bit plain and has his safe media-focussed phrases but he certainly seems competent.
Basically, I have no reason to doubt anything he's done so far and I think he's the right man for the job going forward. I hope I'm right!
If reports are true, the training load is up to bring us up to speed. Short term pain for long term gain.
Seems to have the playing group behind him which is good. No indication that the players are unhappy with him.
Good experience, while he hasn't been a senior coach before he's got experience in a number of roles at a number of clubs.
I like the way he speaks to the media, a bit plain and has his safe media-focussed phrases but he certainly seems competent.
Basically, I have no reason to doubt anything he's done so far and I think he's the right man for the job going forward. I hope I'm right!
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Rating 7/10:
Positives:
Came with a great deal of AFL credibility and is well respected amongst his peers - which is a great start!
Competent manager and media performer, will remain consistent in that field.
Appears to show faith and trust in his assistants qnd support staff.
Has backing and belief of playing group - although not winning games they appeared to remain positive!
Riewoldt has grown as a leader under him.
Questions:
Difficult year with injuries but Im not sure any of the players made significant improvements this year?
At times I was convinced he/club was not interested in winning games?
I wonder if he truly has the ability to motivate the group and have them running thru walls for him?
Again difficult to assess but at times the team played with what appeared to be no belief?
Positives:
Came with a great deal of AFL credibility and is well respected amongst his peers - which is a great start!
Competent manager and media performer, will remain consistent in that field.
Appears to show faith and trust in his assistants qnd support staff.
Has backing and belief of playing group - although not winning games they appeared to remain positive!
Riewoldt has grown as a leader under him.
Questions:
Difficult year with injuries but Im not sure any of the players made significant improvements this year?
At times I was convinced he/club was not interested in winning games?
I wonder if he truly has the ability to motivate the group and have them running thru walls for him?
Again difficult to assess but at times the team played with what appeared to be no belief?
Kildonan
Premium Platinum
I think Richo has adapted well to the hand he was dealt.
As VDS66 explained, his late recruitment did mean he had less input than the other head coaches on the make-up of his staff and playing list.
That changes after this off-season and we will be able to make a more objective analysis of his coaching performances.
I am not prepared to give him a glowing report like many on here. There are several reasons for this.
First a positive - I liked the way we started the season full of fire and passion. It wasn't just that we were winning, it was the style of footy we were playing. While Beau Maister did not kick many goals, he presented well, took several contested marks and was dangerous enough to draw a man away from double teaming Riewoldt, and he was canny enough to lead away from the hole that Riewoldt wanted. I understand the desire to give up on Maister and try other options (as Maister was never going to be part of our long term plans), but what was a strength became a weakness. Our poor disposal to Riewoldt (and it was almost always him) led to turnovers. Most teams were able to create from these turnovers so we responded by bringing in defensive forwards. This further concentrated the focus of our forward movements onto Riewoldt - making us predictable and vulnerable to very simple strategies by our opponents.
Our matchday responses to opposition strategies seemed either ineffective or non-existent on many occasions.
We played a number of players out of position - without first priming them to the new position by playing them there first in the VFL, (although that did seem to change with Bruce and Murdoch later in the season). The Bruce move up forward was a winner, but most of the other players that were moved around and tried in positions that they were not yet proficient in were (unsurprisingly) failures - and may give a false impression on those player's potentials. I was mystified by the move to take Tom Lee off at half time (substitute) in one match, only to play him in the next match. WTF???
I remain unconvinced on Richo's match day prowess, however I think he has put together a lovely, fast flowing, attacking brand of footy which is attractive and effective when it comes off, but is very reliant on footskills we don't quite have. Mind you a number of our better skilled players were lost to injury and I can't blame Richo for that.
A second preseason will reinforce the gameplan and put a bit more muscle on our less resilient kids - so that will help us see more of what our future may bring.
Another thing that I am not yet sure about yet. This is something I noticed about the coaching of our VFL affiliate - they do not seem to focus on some of the basic skills - in particular the one percenters - and maybe I am just being a little pessimistic here but they should be setting a high focus on defenders learning how to position themselves for a spoil, all players should be protecting their team mates with shepherds, and one skill we don't seem to focus on much at all is the knock on - where we knock a ball to advantage - something that I note Hawthorn are brilliant at. They make it look easy, they can make it look like they are just lucky that the ball bounced their way - but it is actually a measure of their skill level. They can use this skill to avoid being tackled by not taking possession of the ball, that way they keep their feet and are able to back up the player who cleans up.
The coach of Sandringham is being promoted into the role of Manager of the Player Academy, and while most of the reports I have heard seem to have great regard for Simon McPhee, I worry about the fact that these basic things have not been "beaten into" our developing players. These skills need to be practiced until they are performed without hesitation. Will the players graduating from the Academy be as skillful as we need them to be? Do we have the right focus? Do we have the right people?
These are my concerns. I don't know the answers.
As VDS66 explained, his late recruitment did mean he had less input than the other head coaches on the make-up of his staff and playing list.
That changes after this off-season and we will be able to make a more objective analysis of his coaching performances.
I am not prepared to give him a glowing report like many on here. There are several reasons for this.
First a positive - I liked the way we started the season full of fire and passion. It wasn't just that we were winning, it was the style of footy we were playing. While Beau Maister did not kick many goals, he presented well, took several contested marks and was dangerous enough to draw a man away from double teaming Riewoldt, and he was canny enough to lead away from the hole that Riewoldt wanted. I understand the desire to give up on Maister and try other options (as Maister was never going to be part of our long term plans), but what was a strength became a weakness. Our poor disposal to Riewoldt (and it was almost always him) led to turnovers. Most teams were able to create from these turnovers so we responded by bringing in defensive forwards. This further concentrated the focus of our forward movements onto Riewoldt - making us predictable and vulnerable to very simple strategies by our opponents.
Our matchday responses to opposition strategies seemed either ineffective or non-existent on many occasions.
We played a number of players out of position - without first priming them to the new position by playing them there first in the VFL, (although that did seem to change with Bruce and Murdoch later in the season). The Bruce move up forward was a winner, but most of the other players that were moved around and tried in positions that they were not yet proficient in were (unsurprisingly) failures - and may give a false impression on those player's potentials. I was mystified by the move to take Tom Lee off at half time (substitute) in one match, only to play him in the next match. WTF???
I remain unconvinced on Richo's match day prowess, however I think he has put together a lovely, fast flowing, attacking brand of footy which is attractive and effective when it comes off, but is very reliant on footskills we don't quite have. Mind you a number of our better skilled players were lost to injury and I can't blame Richo for that.
A second preseason will reinforce the gameplan and put a bit more muscle on our less resilient kids - so that will help us see more of what our future may bring.
Another thing that I am not yet sure about yet. This is something I noticed about the coaching of our VFL affiliate - they do not seem to focus on some of the basic skills - in particular the one percenters - and maybe I am just being a little pessimistic here but they should be setting a high focus on defenders learning how to position themselves for a spoil, all players should be protecting their team mates with shepherds, and one skill we don't seem to focus on much at all is the knock on - where we knock a ball to advantage - something that I note Hawthorn are brilliant at. They make it look easy, they can make it look like they are just lucky that the ball bounced their way - but it is actually a measure of their skill level. They can use this skill to avoid being tackled by not taking possession of the ball, that way they keep their feet and are able to back up the player who cleans up.
The coach of Sandringham is being promoted into the role of Manager of the Player Academy, and while most of the reports I have heard seem to have great regard for Simon McPhee, I worry about the fact that these basic things have not been "beaten into" our developing players. These skills need to be practiced until they are performed without hesitation. Will the players graduating from the Academy be as skillful as we need them to be? Do we have the right focus? Do we have the right people?
These are my concerns. I don't know the answers.
Where did I say he slagged anyone off? He never had a go about anybody. But if you remember Watters left, and it was a fair while until Richo came on board. Laidley had gone. The assistants did their best, and he praised them for holding the ship. But later it came out he had been surprised at poor fitness levels. 20% lower than Port was a comparison used. I didn't dream it, but the context I can't remember. How it came out I don't know. But we were off the pace fitness wise all season.
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Hard to judge from afar. Also the normal criteria we would use, mostly aren't as relevant to assessing Richardson. His focus was on exposing players to game time, trying them in different positions, roles, responsibilities and not just making the game more competitive.
He and Pelchen and the rest of the club are playing the long game, so will need to be assessed in such. He obviously has the respect and admiration of the players, so that is a good enough start with all else that is in place for me. A more considered judgement is still a long way down the track.
He and Pelchen and the rest of the club are playing the long game, so will need to be assessed in such. He obviously has the respect and admiration of the players, so that is a good enough start with all else that is in place for me. A more considered judgement is still a long way down the track.
sammm
Premium Platinum
A rookie coach walks in to the worst team in the league and people think Richo is the reason we had a poor year? Come on guys.
Will be go even further backwards next year but its nothing to do with the coach. Let the man teach his game plan and add and develop more talent, will be a horror year on field next year.
Richo is rated very highly by The Pelican and the board and even higher by the playing group, especially the youngsters.
Will be go even further backwards next year but its nothing to do with the coach. Let the man teach his game plan and add and develop more talent, will be a horror year on field next year.
Richo is rated very highly by The Pelican and the board and even higher by the playing group, especially the youngsters.
A rookie coach walks in to the worst team in the league and people think Richo is the reason we had a poor year? Come on guys.
Will be go even further backwards next year but its nothing to do with the coach. Let the man teach his game plan and add and develop more talent, will be a horror year on field next year.
Richo is rated very highly by The Pelican and the board and even higher by the playing group, especially the youngsters.
Will be go even further backwards next year but its nothing to do with the coach. Let the man teach his game plan and add and develop more talent, will be a horror year on field next year.
Richo is rated very highly by The Pelican and the board and even higher by the playing group, especially the youngsters.
Impossible to judge imo. As others have said coming in late with a crap/inexperienced list it would have taken a miracle to get us put of the bottom 4.
That said, we finished dead last. He has achieved precisely nothing so far as coach from an on field perspective. I think after our start we should have at least won 5-7 and avoided the spoon. On that basis: C
That said I think we all agree we have to look at this long term. Next year will be more telling and (provided he doesn't go full watters) the year after that critical.
That said, we finished dead last. He has achieved precisely nothing so far as coach from an on field perspective. I think after our start we should have at least won 5-7 and avoided the spoon. On that basis: C
That said I think we all agree we have to look at this long term. Next year will be more telling and (provided he doesn't go full watters) the year after that critical.
I think that's a fair call.
There is absolutely no way we can judge what happens on the ground becuase firstly, we have probably had the most unsettled line ups in recent history. Secondly, we don't have the developed players yet.
Lyon walked into a team that was 80% + at it's peak.
There is absolutely no way you can say that match day moves were ineffective if the players are not able to execute. If the team is playing poorly due to inexperience, then shuffling them around the ground isn't somehow going to magically improve them.
Likewise, if you want players to be given an extended run to see what they can do, you cannot criticise selections.
From the outside, it would seem that he has healed the club to a large extent after the whole Watters experiment. This is a massive plus. He has the seniors on board as well as the kids. Let's not forget that he is rated as one of the best player developers going around.
Get the players on board and half the battle is won. Building a team is more than just 22 players. It's about nurturing trust... trust between players and coach... trust that all players are putting in and striving for the same goals... trust in each other on the field. This is the biggest challenge when rebuilding, next to player recruitment.
I suggest that perhaps we judge based on how players have improved this year... especially our younger crop. Of the seniors, the biggest question marks have been over Joey and Gwilt. Otherwise, not withstanding injuries, all senior players have delivered.
Then we have guys like Newnes, Webster, wright, even Armo who have improved.. along with Rhys.
So on that basis, I rate Richo very highly so far.
As stated, I reckon the heat comes after 2016, once he has built his list and the kids have 40 - 60 games under their belts.
The biggest thing for me is he seems to have unified the whole playing group, results this year were never going to be so important.
Whenever I hear the players talk about Richo, they give very good accounts of him and are all aware of the situation the club is in, but seem happy to work through that together.
Unlike under Watters, where it seems there was a lot of player discontent, things look like they have ran smoothly off of the field and whilst the results weren't what we were hoping for, I think we have to give Richo and the club a big tick for getting the support of the players for the direction the club is heading in.
Next year will give a better indication of his actual coaching ability, as he has a full pre-season to implement his regime and game plan in training and the like. Even then though, I don't think we can really start judging him on results until 2016, when our list shouldn't be quite so unbalanced.
For the time being my rating is a 7/10.
Whenever I hear the players talk about Richo, they give very good accounts of him and are all aware of the situation the club is in, but seem happy to work through that together.
Unlike under Watters, where it seems there was a lot of player discontent, things look like they have ran smoothly off of the field and whilst the results weren't what we were hoping for, I think we have to give Richo and the club a big tick for getting the support of the players for the direction the club is heading in.
Next year will give a better indication of his actual coaching ability, as he has a full pre-season to implement his regime and game plan in training and the like. Even then though, I don't think we can really start judging him on results until 2016, when our list shouldn't be quite so unbalanced.
For the time being my rating is a 7/10.
sammm
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Richo can't be that bad a coach, if you've got 21 players happy to be at Seaford and re-signings being announced.
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In my opinion we should have won both the Brisbane and first Carlton games and would have had it not been for underestimating Brisbane and then failing to kick straight against Carlton. 6 legit wins with our current list would have been damn good.
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I don't know if they are friends or not but I remember David Parkin saying on League Teams that Richo was "the best development coach the game had ever seen."
Now there may be a bit of mayo on that, but that is some seriously high praise.
Now there may be a bit of mayo on that, but that is some seriously high praise.
Kildonan
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Some years ago I was peripherally involved with junior development programs here in Queensland and David Parkin was heading a panel of ex Brissy players going through the process of talent identification and development. Parkin was quite hands on and I believe he was involved in other areas of youth development in other states - so if he has made that statement, Periphery, I think it carries a fair amount of weight
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I don't come on here after a big day in the mowing fields to read common sense
Yep we forget that part...
The players like him and work hard for him. He needs more time in the role to develop more players, structures, etc. Will wait til I see the development of the fringe players (Ross, Murdoch, Saunders,etc) over the course of the next couple of years before I really decide.
But so far I'm fairly happy with his progress
But so far I'm fairly happy with his progress
