Where are our gaps .. what do we really need?

[Rimmer]

I am just going to ramble for awhile because I like to dream:

As usual we are not mentioned in any dispatches about high profile players moving clubs ... can't fault our recent recruiting though ... i guess its better than being Freo or Collingwood where you do put your hand up year after year and cannot attract any of them.

I don't really know what we need at Richmond. I feel we are pretty well equipped and just need the group as a team to take the next step.

Either Griffith or Vickery (or both) could go up a level and be that second tall forward every team covets.

Rance, Chaplin and a fit Astbury supported by Dylan Grimes, Houli, Morris with Newman, Delidio as backup ... its a backline to test even Sydneys 4 talls. Its like pieces of a puzzle and Astbury is the final piece.

We know Lumumba is good, he will fit in any team, perhaps he is an option. Malcheski is good but are we in our premiership window yet or still a year or two away. He won't get any better though he was a lone light in last weeks gf for sydney.

Our mids are starting to run deeper with Cotch, Miles, Lids, Conca, Vlaustin, Edwards, Ellis and Dusty in bursts. Do we need another inside player or a run and carry player?

Every club now has a big warchest and even a mid range player at one of the weakest clubs in Frawley is likely to get twice what he is worth. We know that if we could add a Dangerfield and or Selwood we would start next year at short odds for the premiership but we know that cannot happen. Dare to dream haha.

We have Maric in the ruck and he goes well even running most of the day. Not sure we really need another ruckman unless he is a goal kicker too. Hawthorn, Sydney and Geelong do not have gun ruckman but have midfields who can easily overcome this.

All of our players need to become elite with ball delivery and like Hawthorn the players on the ground need to be able to take control as a group and make decisions on the run about position changes and strategies.

We have the cattle to go up next year ... and a history which suggests that this rise remains uncertain ..

 

[PaddyO]

3 more run and carry mid/half backs with decision making skills and foot skills. This releases Deledio and Martin forward of centre which is ideal.

A decent back up for Maric so Hampson is never selected again.

 

[cairo tiger]

Spped skill and speed

 

[juss]

Speed, skill and xfactor.

Draft Pickett.

 

[TigerImposter]

Players with a football brain followed by Skill speed and class
Need guys that can think ,create space and work there way out of traffic under pressure
Plus more coaching nous to support DH

 

[Infamy]

Other than needing an injection of speed I don't think we have any massive holes in the list and I don't think we absolutely need to trade to fix them unless the right player/deal comes along.
If we could land Greenwood, Hannebury or Dangerfield for the right price then of course they would be a great target, but don't sell the farm to get them.
I think we need a proper goal sneak and would like to get Garlett from Carlton if we can trade away a fringe player or a 3rd-4th round pick to get him. His defensive side needs work, but he has something we don't have on the list.

I'm happy to go to the draft to get the best midfielder we can with our first pick, I'm hoping Weller slips through as he will also give us some pace, likewise someone like Nakia Cockatoo later on. We need polish now, fast running, good kicking line breakers, a proper goal sneak and a project ruckman.

 

[CHIMP MAGNET]

Phil McCrackin from GWS would be a good get

 

[Taylor]

In my opinion you need;
A fast skillful half back.
A ruckman/forward (you should have this player for 4 quarters next year out of one of Griffiths or Vickery)
A fast small forward

 

[bananatigz]

We need
A small back- assuming Morris doesn't make the grade, willing to give him another crack with 2 shoulders
Rebounding half back- Only have houli, sit on him and our run out of defence dries up
Inside mid- Greenwood?
1-2 Outside types with speed- Outside Ellis we really lack this type
Genuine small forward

Outside that we just need guys like Griff, Ty, Lennon, McDonough etc to take the step towards consistent best 22 players

 

[peterbuch74]

Inside mid
Ruckman
Small forward

Inside mid - go to draft, talk Greenwood into not signing contract and get him in PSD
Ruckman - go to draft, and either select Shaun McKernan as a rookie, or go get Currie from North as a rookie
Small forward - get Garlett in cheap trade

With any remaining picks get the best talent available at our picks.

 

[Tiger71]

Players with a football brain followed by Skill speed and class
Need guys that can think ,create space and work there way out of traffic under pressure
Plus more coaching nous to support DH

Agree with the support for DH. I am stunned we have yet to appoint a proven coach to assist Damien Hardwick in game day and tactical planning. Seriously, we run a risk of everyone that runs our footy department to all think the same way, as they have been together now for awhile and the new inclusions are new to the caper. WE NEED EXPERIENCE and we need it NOW.

It is my one major knock on our admin.

As to players. We need to keep working on our midfield. We need another big body who can play a super defensive roll at a stoppage but also able to release with clean hands. We need outside players with speed who make good decisions and we need at least 2 badly. We need another number one ruck to be developing to replace Maric when his output slows due to age. Tyrone in my belief wont be it but I hope I am wrong as the only way Tyrone will stay on our list is if he develops as our main ruck ( assuming Griffiths development continues).

So for this draft I would aim for the below.

• Get a big body midfielder either via draft or in a trade - Sorry but Matt Thomas is not it.
• 2 mids who have speed and can make sound decisions- via ND
• A small forward with speed and X factor.
• A Ruck with talent who we can develop

 

[TigerImposter]

Agree with the support for DH. I am stunned we have yet to appoint a proven coach to assist Damien Hardwick in game day and tactical planning. Seriously, we run a risk of everyone that runs our footy department to all think the same way, as they have been together now for awhile and the new inclusions are new to the caper. WE NEED EXPERIENCE and we need it NOW.

It is my one major knock on our admin.

As to players. We need to keep working on our midfield. We need another big body who can play a super defensive roll at a stoppage but also able to release with clean hands. We need outside players with speed who make good decisions and we need at least 2 badly. We need another number one ruck to be developing to replace Maric when his output slows due to age. Tyrone in my belief wont be it but I hope I am wrong as the only way Tyrone will stay on our list is if he develops as our main ruck ( assuming Griffiths development continues).

So for this draft I would aim for the below.

• Get a big body midfielder either via draft or in a trade - Sorry but Matt Thomas is not it.
• 2 mids who have speed and can make sound decisions- via ND
• A small forward with speed and X factor.
• A Ruck with talent who we can develop

I agree with most of that
I don't agree so much on the ruck as we have Tyrone and Griff to do chop out cameos and who still have improvement in them
If things get dire our development projects are Soldo and Hampson(2years to work on). Plus McBean could become another option
I reckon Ivan has four seasons left IF IF IF we manage him properly and rest him a bit like Brissy did with Prime Minister Keating
Forget the ruck stocks IMO and go for mids with all the skills you myself plus others have all mentioned
This small fwd thing is getting over played as if you have classy mids who can rest in the fwd line their class will be enough to do damage against most attacks
Ask KB Mathews and the CFC mosquito fleet of the late 70/mid 80. Dusty and lids enjoy it down there as well

 

[Tango67]

The way i see it is our back 6 is:
Vlastuin,Astbury, Grimes
Houli, Rance, ? need a classy, skilled, running HBF

Mids/Rucks:
Ellis, ? need a big bodied mid, Gordon
Maric, Cotchin, Miles

Fwd 6:
Martin, Griffo, Deledio
Lennon, Jack, Edwards

I: Mcdonogh ? ? need 2 mids

Not considered:
Newman, Pettard, Chaplin, Morris

 

[Tango67]

sorry missed conca, lets not forget this is a starting 22 and doesnt allow for development or injuries

 

[theflea]

Agree with the support for DH. I am stunned we have yet to appoint a proven coach to assist Damien Hardwick in game day and tactical planning. Seriously, we run a risk of everyone that runs our footy department to all think the same way, as they have been together now for awhile and the new inclusions are new to the caper. WE NEED EXPERIENCE and we need it NOW.

It is my one major knock on our admin.

As to players. We need to keep working on our midfield. We need another big body who can play a super defensive roll at a stoppage but also able to release with clean hands. We need outside players with speed who make good decisions and we need at least 2 badly. We need another number one ruck to be developing to replace Maric when his output slows due to age. Tyrone in my belief wont be it but I hope I am wrong as the only way Tyrone will stay on our list is if he develops as our main ruck ( assuming Griffiths development continues).

So for this draft I would aim for the below.

• Get a big body midfielder either via draft or in a trade - Sorry but Matt Thomas is not it.
• 2 mids who have speed and can make sound decisions- via ND
• A small forward with speed and X factor.
• A Ruck with talent who we can develop

Choco is your proven coach on game day tactics, however more cant hurt either.

 

[_RT_]

Depth Chart:
Rucks - Maric Vickery Hampson Soldo
KPF - Riewoldt Griffiths McBean
KPD - Rance Chaplin Astbury Grimes Elton
Small/Medium Forwards - Deledio Petterd Gordon Lloyd McDonough Knights
Small/Medium Defenders - Houli Morris Batchelor Newman Dea McIntosh
Inside Midfielders - Cotchin Miles Edwards Conca Vlastuin Foley Arnot Thomas
Outside Midfielders - Martin Ellis Grigg Lennon

That is my view on the breakdown on the list. Based on that it's clear that we need some more outside midfield depth, ideally with a bit of ball winning ability, and maybe another young KPF. Outside that not sure we need to go chasing anyone desperately, seems to be plenty of depth on the list in other areas, however, if we were able to upgrade on what we currently have for a deal that we win on we may take the deal.

 

[Dragonss]

1. Another game changer i.e. x-factor and speed
2. An upgrade on Jake Batchelor

 

[Nuffers]

Anyone who can make a tackle stick.

 

[GroggSquad]

Rance needs more support. It feels like we're playing a one man backline in most games.
Chaplin & Newman are average & not part of the future.
I'm not sold on Grimes or Bachelor making the grade either. I think our fans overrate them and what they have achieved so far.
Hopefully Morris and Astbury get their bodies right, but that isn't certain. Houli needs to rediscover his pre-2014 form also.
I think Frawley would have been a good fit for us and I'm surprised we didn't express interest at least.

 

[telsor]

A fast mid with at least average skill levels.

 

[thefendoff]

It's a weird one the club keeps saying inside mids but I think most on here agree we need outside pace. Seems like they plan to keep recruiting insides so blokes like cotchin Martin and lids can play predominantly outside

 

[theflea]

It's a weird one the club keeps saying inside mids but I think most on here agree we need outside pace. Seems like they plan to keep recruiting insides so blokes like cotchin Martin and lids can play predominantly outside

We do need speed, but we also 1 more inside beast imo.

 

[Parquet Court]

Speed is an illusion. Use the footy well and get to good spots and you don't need much speed.

We need another KPf, a small forward and 3-4 more midfielders, inside or out

 

[SumTingWong]

Why the hell would we need another KPF?

 

[TigerTime3]

We need more Brett Deledios - he can play everywhere to a high standard, probably even ruck. Find a few more Deledios and problem solved!