Expectations?

[One-eyed Tiger]

Thanks 1980, I've got no idea what they'll do with Spud next year, which is why I took an each way bet.

Most here, including myself, seem to think his days are numbered.

How high do people think we have to finish for Richmond to contemplate keeping him on?

If we finished top 4 (ROIDS kicking in again) it would be pretty hard to get rid of him........

 

[sante]

i dont reckon fleming will b gone, he is tough at it, we need those players and if we dont end in the 8, i hop we end low and get a good early pik and dont trade it.

 

[One-eyed Tiger]

Fleming gets by on his reckless endeavour. He lacks legspeed and skills but not guts. If his intensity drops 10% then he's in trouble. Don't get me wrong as I like him but realistically I can't see him being around long term. I initially thought he could be a half decent tagger but that would mean he'd have to hang off someone instead of diving headfirst into packs. If he plays, better off letting him make an all out attack on the ball and carving a path for Johnson and Cogs than to be tugging someones jumper all day. Also I didn't say Fleming would definitely go next season, just that he'd have to be amongst the guys being looked at. He's still got all next season to prove his worth and with all the young bodies coming onto our list, mature bodied hardnuts like Fleming are probably worth holding on to.............so long as he keeps up the intensity.

 

[Captain Blood]

The ruck position has to be a key factor in our thinking. Just look at Brisbane, and how they won the last 3 flags, with Keating dominating in the ruck. He takes them apart and dominates during the big games. Their goalkicking is spread fairly evenly, although Lynch does always get over 50 goals.
If we get a gun ruck (Ottens) a gun midfield (Brown, Cogs, Johno), and we can get Richo and one other forward to fire, then we are half way there. And with the emergence of Newman and Zantuck, and continued hard running from defence from chaf and Tivendale, anything is possible. My one concern is CHB, we don't have one, even though Andy K is consistant, we need another tall. And we need a Chris Jonson type running back pocket, who is also a hard nut.
Can't wait for the first game - bring it on and Merry Christams to all

 

[CJH]

A ruckman's primary job is to move the ball to a position that favours his midfielders. A midfielders job is to kick the ball to the forward. The forward's job is to kick the goal. The boundary umpires job is then to take the ball back to the centre and give it to the field umpire who's job is then to bounce it, allowing the ruckman to move the ball to a position that favours...

Therefore, a dominant ruckman will always have more influence over a game than a dominant key forward. This is based upon the fact that a forward is useless unless someone kicks the ball to him.

Based on this, to play Ottens in any position other than ruck is sheer madness.

Take a look at the last few games we played this year, when Otto finally had some kind of fitness up. He really was starting to dominate this position, especially taking Spider Everitt apart in the last game.

Not only is he tall and now big enough to run in the ruck, he also has agility beyond any of his peers. The only players who match this agility are the smaller Goodes and Darcy types... who don't have the height to match him in the middle.

Despite being 201cm tall, he has the leg speed to be able to run down smaller players - remember Byron Pickett!

The only time Ottens should go forward is to have a spell and catch his breath, releasing Stafford onto the ball.

On the other hand, I think Stafford would be a more effective Full Forward than Ottens. Granted Otto is a better kick but Stafford is a better pack mark, especially close to goal. Staff's set shot kicking is OK as well.

Ask how many opposition coaches would relish the prospect of matching up on a 203cm giant who has the ability to take big marks in front of goal! Not too many I bet!

Especially when Stafford is the 2nd string forward. Try matching up to him AND the enigmatic 197cm Richo.

All we really need is some decent service into the forward line! Which leads right back to the opening paragraph!

 

[One-eyed Tiger]

Good post CJH.

What would be your preference for our forward line?

Traditional 2 talls, or 3 talls?

With 3 talls i.e. Morrison at CHF and Richo and Stafford deeper in attack we look to lose a little mobility. We have gone with this 3 tall setup for a while now and the ball constantly gets swept out of our forward line. For it to work the midfield delivery has to be spot on, something that it hasn't been in the past.

I would prefer 2 talls from either Morrison/Richo/Stafford and a 3rd more mobile marking forward along the lines of Bowden or Zantuck. I don't think this will happen.

Club has indicated Richo will play FF, Morrison will play CHF, Ottens will ruck and I guess Staff will also play forward swapping with Ottens. If this happens, and our delivery is once again below par, the ball will spend a bit of time on the ground up forward. Our smaller forwards (Brown, Krak, Rodan, Nicholls, Houlihan, Fleming, Campbo?, Rogers?, Bowden?, Blumfield?, Zantuck?) are going to have to work their butts off to keep the ball locked in.

Our midfield looks better. Adelaide and Brisbane have around 6 genuine quality midfielders each. We've got:
1. Johnson
2. Coughlan
3. Brown
4. Campbell/Bowden - returning from injury but their best work is not in the clinches.
5. Rodan/Krak - showing promise but not there yet
6. Blumfield/Tivendale/Fiora - outside players more suited to wings and flanks than midfield
7. Fleming/Fletcher - nuisance value
8. Dunc/Rogers ?

We need one more player in the Johnson/Coughlan style. I reckon it could be Newman. If he can manage it then we will have a pretty decent Ruck/Midfield combination. It was not that long ago Campbo had to carry the load himself.

Big concern is our backline and hopefully should be the area we target in PSD. Lost my train of thought, betta go...................

 

[nut]

on the 'roids?








NOTE: roids = richmond optimism in december syndrome

Looks like we have a bad case of the roids again...... gooda luv it.

 

[Jisha]

Looks like we have a bad case of the roids again...... gooda luv it.

lol. nice work digging that up

 

[jimmy15_]

Looks like we have a bad case of the roids again...... gooda luv it.

love that