List Mgmt. We Have A Bright Future

[TiggerMan22]

I disagree completely we are a long way off being a top 4 side again, it will take us a while to get Ryan, Gibcus, Bauer & Banks all to 60-70 games & that's going to take time, they will not be stars overrnight but we just need to start playing them it's why I don't think McQualter will ultimately get the job because he keeps playing guys like McIntosh & Pickett.

I could understand Dimma not dropping them because of what they did for him in the Premierships but Mini should have made some statements.

I think its a very common among footy fans to just say 'play the kids' because hey more games into young players = better for them, right?

But its more than that and the fans have to understand how little we really know about what goes into picking a team. So many people look too closely on individual stats and performances without understanding what impact they actually make. Richmonds game plan is so team based, that players can have positive impacts without you every seeing them.

A guy like Castagna had Richmond fans calling for him to be dropped for years, but he got picked week after week. The coaches clearly do not pick players just for the fun of it, so use some critical thinking into WHY he is being picked.
Most people watch the game on the TV and thats it. You see a tiny zoomed in view. Coaches have a full team of people watching the game from every view, looking at things we never see, to perform a game plan we dont know and then spend the week going over the footage and advanced stats we will never see. So why the * do so many think they know better? We've got like 5% if the information that they make decisions off. So maybe, just MAYBE, theres a reason why the coaches make these calls over and over.

For Picket and McIntosh, those guys run and run and run and know the game plan. Its nice and all to say, play x kid instead, but can they run like that? Do that have that fitness? Have they shown the understand the game plan and structure? Clearly not at the same level or else they would be playing. And yes, sometimes you can take short term pain for long term gain by taking the worse option now for the future benefit, but you can't do that all over the field.

We have actually been playing LOTS of kids this year.

Young: 17 games
Ross: 17 games
Mansell: 16 games
Ryan: 14 games
Clarke: 13 games
Miller: 13 games
Cumberland: 9 games
Rioli: 8 games
Banks: 5 games
Coulthard: 4 games
Sonsie: 3 games
Bauer: 3 games
Dow: 2 games

6 have played more than half the season. There is a limit to how many you can play at once. It actually hurts development if you play too many at once. Think about from a players perspective, say its 2018, Richmond are an elite and well drilled team, you come in to the defense and everyone know exactly what they are doing, you just have to worry about playing your role. You have leaders all around you covering your mistakes, telling you where to go and what to do. Theres little pressure on you to have to perform in a big way. You can learn little by little.

Now imagine coming in to say our backline against the Dogs 2 weeks ago. You look around and half the team is learning the gameplan, the guys around you were the guys you were playing VFL with earlier this year, you're all just trying to figure out what to do while your opponents have 100+ games of experience and are just a tier above. Your mistakes are highlighted by the fact that no ones there to cover, the pressure builds as they kick multiple goals in a row, you don't even know what you should be doing because no ones there to give you advice.

Great we get games into multiple kids at once but they don't learn and their confidence actually takes a hit. Just getting a game isn't helping development, it needs to be in a way they are actually comparable and confident.

 

[Livonski]

I think its a very common among footy fans to just say 'play the kids' because hey more games into young players = better for them, right?

But its more than that and the fans have to understand how little we really know about what goes into picking a team. So many people look too closely on individual stats and performances without understanding what impact they actually make. Richmonds game plan is so team based, that players can have positive impacts without you every seeing them.

A guy like Castagna had Richmond fans calling for him to be dropped for years, but he got picked week after week. The coaches clearly do not pick players just for the fun of it, so use some critical thinking into WHY he is being picked.
Most people watch the game on the TV and thats it. You see a tiny zoomed in view. Coaches have a full team of people watching the game from every view, looking at things we never see, to perform a game plan we dont know and then spend the week going over the footage and advanced stats we will never see. So why the * do so many think they know better? We've got like 5% if the information that they make decisions off. So maybe, just MAYBE, theres a reason why the coaches make these calls over and over.

For Picker and McIntosh, those guys run and run and run and know the game plan. Its nice and all to say, play x kid instead, but can they run like that? Do that have that fitness? Have they shown the understand the game plan and structure? Clearly not at the same level or else they would be playing. And yes, sometimes you can take short term pain for long term gain by taking the worse option now for the future benefit, but you can't do that all over the field.

We have actually been playing LOTS of kids this year.

Young: 17 games
Ross: 17 games
Mansell: 16 games
Ryan: 14 games
Clarke: 13 games
Miller: 13 games
Cumberland: 9 games
Rioli: 8 games
Banks: 5 games
Coulthard: 4 games
Sonsie: 3 games
Bauer: 3 games
Dow: 2 games

6 have played more than half the season. There is a limit to how many you can play at once. It actually hurts development if you play too many at once. Think about from a players perspective, say its 2018, Richmond are an elite and well drilled team, you come in to the defense and everyone know exactly what they are doing, you just have to worry about playing your role. You have leaders all around you covering your mistakes, telling you where to go and what to do. Theres little pressure on you to have to perform in a big way. You can learn little by little.

Now imagine coming in to say our backline against the Dogs 2 weeks ago. You look around and half the team is learning the gameplan, the guys around you were the guys you were playing VFL with earlier this year, you're all just trying to figure out what to do while your opponents have 100+ games of experience and are just a tier above. Your mistakes are highlighted by the fact that no ones there to cover, the pressure builds as they kick multiple goals in a row, you don't even know what you should be doing because no ones there to give you advice.

Great we get games into multiple kids at once but they don't learn and their confidence actually takes a hit. Just getting a game isn't helping development, it needs to be in a way they are actually comparable and confident.

This is what I joined BF to read.
Insightful measured posts about footy, the way it's played and how the Tiges play.
Thankyou.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Part of the criticism of our list by our supporters is the too high expectations of player development.

Bolton played 6 games in year 1, 3 games in year 2 and wasn't best 22 until year 4.
Ross is in year 5 before hes taking the step to looking like a good player.
Astbury took until year 7 to get over injuries and find his spot in the team.
How many years did Edwards take to get to the point where he looked great?

From 2021 we have 5 top picks that are just finishing YEAR 2. Maybe they will all be flops, but I doubt that. There is some good talent in that group that is essentially untouched.

#9 - Gibcus: 18 games played, 1 year ruined by injury. 20 years old
#17 - Brown - 0 games played, both years injury effected. 20 years old
#28 - Sonsie - 10 games played. 20 years old
#29 - Banks - 5 games played. 20 years old
#30 - Clarke - 16 games played. 19 YEARS OLD

Miller is only 23, Mansell 23, Ross 22, Ryan 22, Cumberland 22, Coulthard 22, Dow 21, Ralpsmith 21, Bauer 21, Maurice 20. There could easily be guys in this group that breakout. I think some people expect Dusty or Cotches were from day 1 you can tell they will make it but its not usually like that. Rance looked s**t at the start. Edwards did too. Astbury did too.

Even Taranto (25), Baker (25), Bolton (24), Balta (23) we look at like they have made it, yet they're not even at their peaks yet. Like Balta is doing what hes doing at 23 when guys his size really don't usually get going until 26+.

We've then got guys Dan Rioli (26), Hopper (26), Short (27) who have 5-7 years of good footy left in then.

Theres not as much obvious talent like when Dimma took over, but we a FAR way off someone like Hawthrown was post their Dynasty

 

[TheOptimum18]

I disagree completely we are a long way off being a top 4 side again, it will take us a while to get Ryan, Gibcus, Bauer & Banks all to 60-70 games & that's going to take time, they will not be stars overrnight but we just need to start playing them

But am I saying that we rely on players such as Ryan, Gibcus, Bauer and Banks? I'm not.

You look at the defence, and you have Balta, Broad, Vlastuin, Rioli and Short, all who are pretty much double or triple premiership players. The player you're adding is Gibcus.

In the midfield, we have Nank, Taranto, Hopper, Bolton and Ross. A couple double/triple premiership players, a couple mature age players entering their prime, and a player who has established himself at AFL level this past season. You then add a player in Sonsie and a player in Banks.

In the forward line, you have Lynch, Dusty and Baker. Again, double or triple premiership players. Cumberland who is a player that needs confidence more than anything, and then players like MRJ and Bauer who will learn off of players like Lynch and Baker.

That also isn't mentioning players like Grimes, Pickett, Prestia, Soldo etc. who I've left out of that selected side who can all clearly be at AFL level if played in the correct roles.

 

[Mr Unbelievable]

I think its a very common among footy fans to just say 'play the kids' because hey more games into young players = better for them, right?

But its more than that and the fans have to understand how little we really know about what goes into picking a team. So many people look too closely on individual stats and performances without understanding what impact they actually make. Richmonds game plan is so team based, that players can have positive impacts without you every seeing them.

A guy like Castagna had Richmond fans calling for him to be dropped for years, but he got picked week after week. The coaches clearly do not pick players just for the fun of it, so use some critical thinking into WHY he is being picked.
Most people watch the game on the TV and thats it. You see a tiny zoomed in view. Coaches have a full team of people watching the game from every view, looking at things we never see, to perform a game plan we dont know and then spend the week going over the footage and advanced stats we will never see. So why the * do so many think they know better? We've got like 5% if the information that they make decisions off. So maybe, just MAYBE, theres a reason why the coaches make these calls over and over.

For Picket and McIntosh, those guys run and run and run and know the game plan. Its nice and all to say, play x kid instead, but can they run like that? Do that have that fitness? Have they shown the understand the game plan and structure? Clearly not at the same level or else they would be playing. And yes, sometimes you can take short term pain for long term gain by taking the worse option now for the future benefit, but you can't do that all over the field.

We have actually been playing LOTS of kids this year.

Young: 17 games
Ross: 17 games
Mansell: 16 games
Ryan: 14 games
Clarke: 13 games
Miller: 13 games
Cumberland: 9 games
Rioli: 8 games
Banks: 5 games
Coulthard: 4 games
Sonsie: 3 games
Bauer: 3 games
Dow: 2 games

6 have played more than half the season. There is a limit to how many you can play at once. It actually hurts development if you play too many at once. Think about from a players perspective, say its 2018, Richmond are an elite and well drilled team, you come in to the defense and everyone know exactly what they are doing, you just have to worry about playing your role. You have leaders all around you covering your mistakes, telling you where to go and what to do. Theres little pressure on you to have to perform in a big way. You can learn little by little.

Now imagine coming in to say our backline against the Dogs 2 weeks ago. You look around and half the team is learning the gameplan, the guys around you were the guys you were playing VFL with earlier this year, you're all just trying to figure out what to do while your opponents have 100+ games of experience and are just a tier above. Your mistakes are highlighted by the fact that no ones there to cover, the pressure builds as they kick multiple goals in a row, you don't even know what you should be doing because no ones there to give you advice.

Great we get games into multiple kids at once but they don't learn and their confidence actually takes a hit. Just getting a game isn't helping development, it needs to be in a way they are actually comparable and confident.

Great post

 

[_RT_]

I've been saying for a while now that there are some major changes coming to the way we both play as well as the 22 that we put on the field. It's not just because we're entering the phase where a lot of our premiership players start retiring. There will be an introduction of youth that will bring a renewed energy and enthusiasm to the group, add to that a new coach and a new approach, whether it's McQualter or someone from outside, there will be a new game plan that it is brought in that will allow the speed and skills that are strengths of our younger players to shine. I know it's hard to see at the moment because for the most part the majority of fans don't watch a lot of the VFL close enough to see glimpses from the kids that give you belief that they can become good AFL players at the minimum, and like always there will be some who are a level or 2 above that as they develop.

I'm not going to sit here and say that all our young players are going to make it, it just doesn't work like that, but we need to trust the process that the club will put in place over the coming off season with the new coach coming in. It doesn't mean we can't question what is happening as no plan is ever full proof, there are always improvements that can be made, whether the club takes any notice of what the fans say or not nobody knows. If they did Hardwick would have been sacked at the end of 2016 and the 3 flags probably never happen, but at the same time I'm sure they hear the talk that comes via forums like this as well as talk back radio and through the media itself.

I read with interest the criteria for the new coach and while some may think it's a bit of bullshit, I don't mind it at all. It shows a club that is moving forward with the way the world operates. As I've said previously with regards to who the new coach should be, I don't have a favorite because quite frankly I don't know enough about them to make that call, and while it may be seen to being naive I trust the club will pick the right candidate to lead us through the next phase of the clubs journey.

I make no apologies for thinking we have a bright future, surely it's got to be better than thinking we're dead in the water.

 

[RJK Tiger]

Here is an under 27 side, I haven’t put in Graham, Ross, Sonsie but they could easily be selected. I’ve gone for more leg speed to balance out Hopper and Taranto. The defence looks pretty solid, glaring hole at KPF and lack some elite young players that project to be AAView attachment 1774452

The foundation of a good side is definitely there - its just that "elite" talent & i fear, leaders that we severely lack. we needed to get in the lottery of drafting an elite player & we did the exact opposite for 2 straight years. it undone all the courage of taking those 5 picks in 2021. A real shame

 

[RJK Tiger]

I've been saying for a while now that there are some major changes coming to the way we both play as well as the 22 that we put on the field. It's not just because we're entering the phase where a lot of our premiership players start retiring. There will be an introduction of youth that will bring a renewed energy and enthusiasm to the group, add to that a new coach and a new approach, whether it's McQualter or someone from outside, there will be a new game plan that it is brought in that will allow the speed and skills that are strengths of our younger players to shine. I know it's hard to see at the moment because for the most part the majority of fans don't watch a lot of the VFL close enough to see glimpses from the kids that give you belief that they can become good AFL players at the minimum, and like always there will be some who are a level or 2 above that as they develop.

EDIT:

I think the issue is, we might, but the upside of it will be far far slower. You can't have renewed youthful positive energy when you have removed yourself from the opportunity to recruit the best talent & leaders. Eventually we will get to the point you are saying, but its going to take a while even to get to just that point. Hopefully whoever we get has a wicked new gameplan and that might give us a unexpected spike, but otherwise our floor could be somewhere between Hawthorn & the eagles within a year or 2

 

[dean33]

Afl is cyclical, that’s just the way the system is designed. You only get a few years at the top and the key is to make it count while there, we made it count.
Expectations will change over the next few years as we look out for signs of the next dusty, Jack and Cotch to come along.
Things are never as good or as bad as they seem.

 

[Bird Man]

Afl is cyclical, that’s just the way the system is designed. You only get a few years at the top and the key is to make it count while there, we made it count.
Expectations will change over the next few years as we look out for signs of the next dusty, Jack and Cotch to come along.
Things are never as good or as bad as they seem.

unless you are Geelong

 

[wegetpumped]

Afl is cyclical, that’s just the way the system is designed. You only get a few years at the top and the key is to make it count while there, we made it count.
Expectations will change over the next few years as we look out for signs of the next dusty, Jack and Cotch to come along.
Things are never as good or as bad as they seem.

If you have smart people behind the scenes picking the right players it isn't so hard. We have a history say last 6 years of failing badly when it comes to recruiting younger players where other teams nail them? They did great bringing in already-established players eg Nank masterstroke. Prestia Lynch etc But teams are made by picking the right young players. Every year you need to get a couple of youngsters right as we are finding out an aging list with not much coming through you go down fast. People say we only lost games by 10 points but the last couple is more accurate where our list is at the other games just hide the cracks. If people think the Sonsies of the team are going to get us back up are in for an awakening.

 

[dean33]

If you have smart people behind the scenes picking the right players it isn't so hard. We have a history say last 6 years of failing badly when it comes to recruiting younger players where other teams nail them? They did great bringing in already-established players eg Nank masterstroke. Prestia Lynch etc But teams are made by picking the right young players. Every year you need to get a couple of youngsters right as we are finding out an aging list with not much coming through you go down fast. People say we only lost games by 10 points but the last couple is more accurate where our list is at the other games just hide the cracks. If people think the Sonsies of the team are going to get us back up are in for an awakening.

The same dumb people who built our 3 time premiership list yeah? What other team has won 3 flags and then contended again straight away besides Geelong?
It’s not easy mate.

 

[Lsta062]

I think its a very common among footy fans to just say 'play the kids' because hey more games into young players = better for them, right?

But its more than that and the fans have to understand how little we really know about what goes into picking a team. So many people look too closely on individual stats and performances without understanding what impact they actually make. Richmonds game plan is so team based, that players can have positive impacts without you every seeing them.

A guy like Castagna had Richmond fans calling for him to be dropped for years, but he got picked week after week. The coaches clearly do not pick players just for the fun of it, so use some critical thinking into WHY he is being picked.
Most people watch the game on the TV and thats it. You see a tiny zoomed in view. Coaches have a full team of people watching the game from every view, looking at things we never see, to perform a game plan we dont know and then spend the week going over the footage and advanced stats we will never see. So why the * do so many think they know better? We've got like 5% if the information that they make decisions off. So maybe, just MAYBE, theres a reason why the coaches make these calls over and over.

For Picket and McIntosh, those guys run and run and run and know the game plan. Its nice and all to say, play x kid instead, but can they run like that? Do that have that fitness? Have they shown the understand the game plan and structure? Clearly not at the same level or else they would be playing. And yes, sometimes you can take short term pain for long term gain by taking the worse option now for the future benefit, but you can't do that all over the field.

We have actually been playing LOTS of kids this year.

Young: 17 games
Ross: 17 games
Mansell: 16 games
Ryan: 14 games
Clarke: 13 games
Miller: 13 games
Cumberland: 9 games
Rioli: 8 games
Banks: 5 games
Coulthard: 4 games
Sonsie: 3 games
Bauer: 3 games
Dow: 2 games

6 have played more than half the season. There is a limit to how many you can play at once. It actually hurts development if you play too many at once. Think about from a players perspective, say its 2018, Richmond are an elite and well drilled team, you come in to the defense and everyone know exactly what they are doing, you just have to worry about playing your role. You have leaders all around you covering your mistakes, telling you where to go and what to do. Theres little pressure on you to have to perform in a big way. You can learn little by little.

Now imagine coming in to say our backline against the Dogs 2 weeks ago. You look around and half the team is learning the gameplan, the guys around you were the guys you were playing VFL with earlier this year, you're all just trying to figure out what to do while your opponents have 100+ games of experience and are just a tier above. Your mistakes are highlighted by the fact that no ones there to cover, the pressure builds as they kick multiple goals in a row, you don't even know what you should be doing because no ones there to give you advice.

Great we get games into multiple kids at once but they don't learn and their confidence actually takes a hit. Just getting a game isn't helping development, it needs to be in a way they are actually comparable and confident.

I think this is a really good post. We definitely don’t have as much information available as coaches do (e.g., attitude, team benefit etc.).

I want to highlight one thing though. Coaches are humans, meaning that they can make errors. This includes selecting the best side for the week. For example, I think it was a mistake for Hardwick to leave out Cumberland for so long last year. When he came into the side, he had the impact that many of us expected he would.

Also, sometimes those external to the club can see things that the people within cannot. This happens when a club turns into an echo chamber on the inside. That’s why we see some clubs poach an unwanted player from another club and successfully use them in their side.

But what you mentioned is probably the general rule here. Those inside have more information than those outside of it, which is why their decisions are more informed than our hypothetical ones. It’s probably why so many trades for unwanted players end up busting too. If even the professional AFL clubs don’t have better insight than a player’s current club, then we as supporters certainly don’t either.
Look at CCJ as an example. I was sure he’d be a star player from what I saw, but the club didn’t really play him that much. North Melbourne probably thought the same, and here we are today.

 

[Lsta062]

Afl is cyclical, that’s just the way the system is designed. You only get a few years at the top and the key is to make it count while there, we made it count.
Expectations will change over the next few years as we look out for signs of the next dusty, Jack and Cotch to come along.

I think you glass half full posters are really starting to convince me on the reality of what’s happening with us. I thought we stuffed up due to incompetence for a long time, but some really good discussion points raised over the last few weeks.

Only thing I can’t be convinced of yet is the state of our KPF stock and our current midfield’s ineffectiveness. Neither are fine and we need to address those things in the off-season, but I’m coming around otherwise.

 

[TiggerMan22]

I think this is a really good post. We definitely don’t have as much information available as coaches do (e.g., attitude, team benefit etc.).

I want to highlight one thing though. Coaches are humans, meaning that they can make errors. This includes selecting the best side for the week. For example, I think it was a mistake for Hardwick to leave out Cumberland for so long last year. When he came into the side, he had the impact that many of us expected he would.

Also, sometimes those external to the club can see things that the people within cannot. This happens when a club turns into an echo chamber on the inside. That’s why we see some clubs poach an unwanted player from another club and successfully use them in their side.

But what you mentioned is probably the general rule here. Those inside have more information than those outside of it, which is why their decisions are more informed than our hypothetical ones. It’s probably why so many trades for unwanted players end up busting too. If even the professional AFL clubs don’t have better insight than a player’s current club, then we as supporters certainly don’t either.
Look at CCJ as an example. I was sure he’d be a star player from what I saw, but the club didn’t really play him that much. North Melbourne probably thought the same, and here we are today.

Coaches absolute makes mistakes, but I feel in a situation like say, Cumberland, theres obviously as reason he isn't playing. They make a mistake not picking someone for one game where he would performed, or maybe should have given someone a chance earlier or a mistake like dropping Ross earlier this year when he then came on as sub and was excellent.

But in cases where its week after week after week where we pick Castagna or we don't pick Cumberland, then its not just a mistake, in those cases there are 100% reasons we don't see. People love to make jokes about 'he must have dirt on x to keep getting a game', but in reality there is way more going on then we see on the surface level.

The poaching unwanted players also can be a mistake by the original team to not give them the chance or role they could've preformed in. But even in those cases you don't know. After going to another club they might decide they haven't been putting in the required effort or the new environment might just click better or the new team may just have a game plan that suits them better. E.g Dynasty Richmond. We played a role oriented game plan which let essentially anyone play their best footy when they came to us. Townsend wasn't suddenly the GOAT goal kicker, we just found a role that suited him and he gave it his all to perform in it. Not like GWS made a mistake with him, they just didn't have the role or gameplan that got the best of him.

I dunno. In the end people will always have opinions because thats why this site exists, but some people need to take a step back and realize theres so much more that goes into picking teams than what we see from the outside

 

[Daka]

Just watched the 2017 GF to remind me of some things, we need to get back to hunting & tackling how much miss tackles does our team do? back than we didn't do miss tackles like we do today. need to get back to hunting the opposition it doesn't take skill.

 

[DickieKnee]

The same dumb people who built our 3 time premiership list yeah? What other team has won 3 flags and then contended again straight away besides Geelong?
It’s not easy mate.

Cats dynasty was 2007, 2009, 2011. They then went 11 years before they won another flag in 2022. Our last flag was 2020 let's see where we are at in 2031.

 

[Groupie_]

we have the worst list in the comp next year

 

[dean33]

Cats dynasty was 2007, 2009, 2011. They then went 11 years before they won another flag in 2022. Our last flag was 2020 let's see where we are at in 2031.

Very true, I was more talking about them contending between their 2011 and 2022 flag. They stayed thereabouts without achieving the ultimate.

 

[TigFan1966]

Just watched the 2017 GF to remind me of some things, we need to get back to hunting & tackling how much miss tackles does our team do? back than we didn't do miss tackles like we do today. need to get back to hunting the opposition it doesn't take skill.

Back then we had the hunger for it, at the moment it looks like they're just going through the motions, a big part of the game is mental and we are just not mentally there at the moment. It's why teams have a good run and a bad run. We see Bolton, Rioli, Balta, Baker etc do some good things for a while, but we need all players to do good things and put in 100% for the whole game.

 

[Tiger2709]

this list with the management of Balme and Dimma in the last few years has set us back 4 years of a normal rebuild

There is no possible way to know this and if you want to enjoy a few flags in a short space of time with all the equilisation measures in the AFL then I expect it may take some time to get back to the top, lets just hope its not 37 years and why not enjoy the ride, we might surprise everyone.

One thing we have that we didn't have when Dimma arrived is a very well run club with growing facilities and plenty of money.

 

[Tiger2709]

Afl is cyclical, that’s just the way the system is designed. You only get a few years at the top and the key is to make it count while there, we made it count.
Expectations will change over the next few years as we look out for signs of the next dusty, Jack and Cotch to come along.
Things are never as good or as bad as they seem.

I'm excited to begin again, nothing lasts forever and we had one hell of a ride over the last 6 years, some of our future Premiership stars may already be playing for us now.

 

[dothebowdenshuffle]

We gonna end up with Mini aren't we?

Yeah I'm sure the AFL media are 100% across our coaching situation I think this article is specifically looking at coaches who have experience coaching their own team. Thus doesn't include Yze who on balance would be well ahead of most of that handful of hopefuls. He'd also be well ahead of two of the withdrawals in Chaplin and Graham. Similarly rated to Josh Carr, so every reason to trust Benny, Blair, Tim and co.

On CPH2483 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[dothebowdenshuffle]

Yeah I've thought the same. When Dimma took over as coach we had a core group of elite potential with Cotchin, Dusty, Jack, Rance, Grimes, Edwards Houli etc. We have nowhere near that talent at the moment.

Easy to make that comment in hindsight. Edwards was very ordinary through his first 100 games. Grimes slipped through to preseason draft! Rance was extremely raw and looked seriously undersized for 4 years until we got Chaplin to play alongside him. Hardly elite potential for that trio when Dimma began in 2010. And Houli was still at bombers struggling to get a game. Agree with Cotch, Dusty and Jack.

On CPH2483 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[tony__montana]

I think its a very common among footy fans to just say 'play the kids' because hey more games into young players = better for them, right?

But its more than that and the fans have to understand how little we really know about what goes into picking a team. So many people look too closely on individual stats and performances without understanding what impact they actually make. Richmonds game plan is so team based, that players can have positive impacts without you every seeing them.

A guy like Castagna had Richmond fans calling for him to be dropped for years, but he got picked week after week. The coaches clearly do not pick players just for the fun of it, so use some critical thinking into WHY he is being picked.
Most people watch the game on the TV and thats it. You see a tiny zoomed in view. Coaches have a full team of people watching the game from every view, looking at things we never see, to perform a game plan we dont know and then spend the week going over the footage and advanced stats we will never see. So why the * do so many think they know better? We've got like 5% if the information that they make decisions off. So maybe, just MAYBE, theres a reason why the coaches make these calls over and over.

For Picket and McIntosh, those guys run and run and run and know the game plan. Its nice and all to say, play x kid instead, but can they run like that? Do that have that fitness? Have they shown the understand the game plan and structure? Clearly not at the same level or else they would be playing. And yes, sometimes you can take short term pain for long term gain by taking the worse option now for the future benefit, but you can't do that all over the field.

We have actually been playing LOTS of kids this year.

Young: 17 games
Ross: 17 games
Mansell: 16 games
Ryan: 14 games
Clarke: 13 games
Miller: 13 games
Cumberland: 9 games
Rioli: 8 games
Banks: 5 games
Coulthard: 4 games
Sonsie: 3 games
Bauer: 3 games
Dow: 2 games

6 have played more than half the season. There is a limit to how many you can play at once. It actually hurts development if you play too many at once. Think about from a players perspective, say its 2018, Richmond are an elite and well drilled team, you come in to the defense and everyone know exactly what they are doing, you just have to worry about playing your role. You have leaders all around you covering your mistakes, telling you where to go and what to do. Theres little pressure on you to have to perform in a big way. You can learn little by little.

Now imagine coming in to say our backline against the Dogs 2 weeks ago. You look around and half the team is learning the gameplan, the guys around you were the guys you were playing VFL with earlier this year, you're all just trying to figure out what to do while your opponents have 100+ games of experience and are just a tier above. Your mistakes are highlighted by the fact that no ones there to cover, the pressure builds as they kick multiple goals in a row, you don't even know what you should be doing because no ones there to give you advice.

Great we get games into multiple kids at once but they don't learn and their confidence actually takes a hit. Just getting a game isn't helping development, it needs to be in a way they are actually comparable and confident.

Great post but a couple of things - 1)I believe we've played the 2nd least amount of players in the comp and 2)Regardless of how well certain role players know the game plan, there comes a time where clearly its not working anymore and something new needs to be tried. Theres no doubt for mine that we didn't get enough games into kids. I agree that they cant play 18-22 games and that its important they go back to the vfl to work on things that have been exposed after a few games in the seniors.

Instead of throwing balta fwd late in 2-3 games, why not play Miller back for 2-3 weeks straight and play balta fwd with jack to get a good look instead of 30-45 minute cameos. Bauer shouldve played 10 weeks earlier when it was clear Jack was labouring, Brown has been in good form for 6-8 weeks now? Why not give him a run in grimes's position? Its these type of selection decisions that have disappointed some of us.