Learning to travel

[Piping Shrike]

I can't help but feel that the trip west was a good example of amateur hour with no players to cover what was clearly going to be uncertainty over Stafford. Seems to me the club just tries to minimise the loss of interstate games, and then focus on winning in Melb.

Problem is, the way the ladder is looking Richmond is going to have to play interstate finals (if it makes it). This means it has to face up to the travel.

I'd like to see the club ask for all 6 interstate trips each year, plus Manuka, Launceston and any other place anyone wants to play their home games.

You still get your 11 home games (preferably all played at the MCG, especially against non-Melb clubs). But it forces the team to deal with travel. Otherwise any finals success will depend on the luck of the draw at finals time - Richmond don't make the finals enough to rely on that.

 

[CJH]

I don't know why Hall was even named as an emergency. Apparently, he wasn't even fit enough to play. I guess that they decided to take Stafford over in the hope he would come good. The only real cover that was available for him is Jay Schulz and I very much doubt that they would like for him to be thrown straight into the ruck.

I am more worried about the wasted effort of playing Campbell. Didn't play more than a 1/4 of a 1/4 and we've lost him probably for at least another 2 weeks. Stupid!

Would have been better off bringing in someone that is going to be able to play the whole game - even Nuff Nuff's like Mills or Hyde.

In reference to the topic, I don't read too much into the results against either Port Adelaide or West Coast. With so many players missing up against a near full strength team (esp West Coast), it was always going to be a struggle.

Maybe we will find out more when we travel to play against Fremantle later on this year, hopefully with a stronger team!