Make a case for hope?

[bigstyletiger]

Friday night hit me where it hurt. No two ways about it. Watching Melbourne and the Dogs this year it has crossed my mind that our rebuild has again been for nothing as you could make a good case that these two teams are rapidly overtaking us. Knowing that the Demons were missing Viney and Petracca hurt even more. So with all that said and done I'm trying to find a glimmer of hope. What do we need to happen for this list to be a regular top 4 side? Can we pull it off or are we just going to go through another cycle of mediocrity?

 

[tigerninja]

We had a slow start last year and turned things around

Look at how the bulldogs manhandled the crows, no shame in losing to them

We are also hit again with injuries just like early last year

McIntosh Rising star

 

[scarecrow2k1]

The only thing I'd say is everyone expects teams to follow some logical arch. Bottom out, draft youngsters, show promise while losing, gradually start winning more until it culminates in a flag.

Remember Brisbane and Geelong both copped thrashings in the first flag season of their dynasty. Bomber nearly was sacked before that season started.

Brisbane won the spoon three years before their three peat. Hawthorn came second last in 04 and won a flag four seasons later

I'm not saying where going to be as good as them- but people act like you can see this success coming a mile away. But it often comes when you least expect it.

It doesn't mean success is coming to Richmond. It just means that you can't say it isn't either.

 

[Roachy8]

We had a slow start last year and turned things around

Look at how the bulldogs manhandled the crows, no shame in losing to them

We are also hit again with injuries just like early last year

McIntosh Rising star

Correct - little shame in losing to the Dogs based on their form however, this is a real indictment on our football department over the past couple of years to see them cruise right past us.

Dee's close behind...

 

[Drunken Wookie]

It's such a ride being a Tigers supporter. It is way too early in the season to be declaring such and such has gone passed us. Teams come roaring out of the blocks every year only to peter out and come crashing back down to earth. If we beat Geelong this week and I'm tipping we will, I guarantee you everyone is back on board and our list is fantastic again. We have the talent, it's just a matter of getting things right between the ears and performing on gameday.

 

[Roachy8]

I'm not saying where going to be as good as them- but people act like you can see this success coming a mile away. But it often comes when you least expect it.

It doesn't mean success is coming to Richmond. It just means that you can't say it isn't either.

Lol - love the logic!
Based on that, I can not categorically rule out the chance that I might pick-up and root Jen Hawkins this weekend...
Big smile on face now!

 

[scarecrow2k1]

Lol - love the logic!
Based on that, I can not categorically rule out the chance that I might pick-up and root Jen Hawkins this weekend...
Big smile on face now!

Best of luck to you!

I'm precisely not saying we will succeed. Just saying we can't say it's as doomed as everyone hear thinks. All those other teams were far worse off than us and turned it around.

 

[Tiger Toffee]

Friday night hit me where it hurt. No two ways about it. Watching Melbourne and the Dogs this year it has crossed my mind that our rebuild has again been for nothing as you could make a good case that these two teams are rapidly overtaking us. Knowing that the Demons were missing Viney and Petracca hurt even more. So with all that said and done I'm trying to find a glimmer of hope. What do we need to happen for this list to be a regular top 4 side? Can we pull it off or are we just going to go through another cycle of mediocrity?

And we went in with our full strength side did we.

 

[Jimmybob]

The only thing I'd say is everyone expects teams to follow some logical arch. Bottom out, draft youngsters, show promise while losing, gradually start winning more until it culminates in a flag.

Remember Brisbane and Geelong both copped thrashings in the first flag season of their dynasty. Bomber nearly was sacked before that season started.

Brisbane won the spoon three years before their three peat. Hawthorn came second last in 04 and won a flag four seasons later

I'm not saying where going to be as good as them- but people act like you can see this success coming a mile away. But it often comes when you least expect it.

It doesn't mean success is coming to Richmond. It just means that you can't say it isn't either.

 

[bigstyletiger]

And we went in with our full strength side did we.

We dont exactly have two young gun midfield bulls to bring into the side. Walked past petracca at the g on friday and he is a beast. Bringing in conca will help our midfield (as he tackles) but we do need a midfield enforcer to help out. Pretty confident the club will go hard for one this off season. Was hoping vlastuin would develop as one but he's really struggling to find the footy atm And surely the club would have rotated him through the guts by now. Brisbane was the perfect opportunity. Even the game against the demons when it was clear we were done.

 

[Tigerbob]

The worse we are. The better the draft pick we have to trade for Shiel.

 

[Bojangles17]

We re 2/2 with 18 rounds to go and very good players to return , it's that easy

 

[TheTigerArmy]

Injuries are hurting...what i dont agree withis bringing players like Arnot Gordon lloyd and co in our side will never get us anywhere and r crap they are vfl at best ..much prefer we bring in Foley and Ellis

 

[Tiger71]

Bottom line, our best 22 is the 6-8th best side, has been for over 24 months now. We have two main issues which can be fixed pretty quickly. 1st we have zero depth, the draft will help but we need to trade and trade aggressively to make up the lost ground. 2nd our coaching group have drank there own bath water. They have stopped innovating and working at our strength, simply they expected the natural improvement to carry us and were wrong. The fix, get hungry, get angry, and actually stick to non negotiable. A player avoids a contest, does not play. A player does not follow instruction, does not play. The coach needs to also pull his finger out and work, not just watch.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Clubs do not generally see great improvement untill 3-4 years after they have drafted well and top 4-5 years after such draft they become a serious challenger . Our good drafts should have been 08-09 as is when we had good early picks . Unfortunately we screwed it up and are unlikely to see the improvement from draftees for at least another 2 years . We got into the 8 by recruiting opposition fringe players and the shear class of our top 5 players . With one or two of our top 5 out we are in big trouble . Brace yourselves for a couple of years of sub par performances as the younger players force older rejected players out . Once this transition has taken place we will be a serious challenger .

 

[Tigerland]

Nearly every top 4 side of the last 10 years has played with an intensity (chase, harass, gut run) that Richmond never delivers.

This intensity creates pressure that wins games.

Of all the top sides possibly Hawthorn and Geelong are 2 sides that have in the past make this look effortless. These 2 sides are also probably at the lower end of the scale of bringing that intensity and they were able to do that because of their sublime footskills and decision making.

Unfortunately our footskills are average. Our decision making is horrendous and our intensity is bottom 4 material.

This intensity should be a non-negotiable for our side but our brilliant coach doesn't demand it, and that is why when the heat gets turned up, we always go missing.

 

[wegetpumped]

In every competitive sport it all starts with a good defensive game. Eg tackle, chase, in our game shepherding so on. We were promised all that and have failed miserably cause our coaching staff think that another plan is worth having. This game plan looks good when another side doesn't do the defensive game appropriately but once we get side's that do our game plan does not stack up hence crappy performances and bad looking loses. We then are promised that we know the problem and well fix it, which again fails to be put in place. If we don't fix our defense structures all over the ground we will be siting here wondering why we are going like this year in and out.

 

[prodigy1311]

Clubs do not generally see great improvement untill 3-4 years after they have drafted well and top 4-5 years after such draft they become a serious challenger . Our good drafts should have been 08-09 as is when we had good early picks . Unfortunately we screwed it up and are unlikely to see the improvement from draftees for at least another 2 years . We got into the 8 by recruiting opposition fringe players and the shear class of our top 5 players . With one or two of our top 5 out we are in big trouble . Brace yourselves for a couple of years of sub par performances as the younger players force older rejected players out . Once this transition has taken place we will be a serious challenger .

Agree with your logic but the chances of RFC screwing it up again are more than we becoming a serious challenger..! for almost 35 years its been the same story, just the director changes every 4-5 years.!

 

[Lsta062]

Nearly every top 4 side of the last 10 years has played with an intensity (chase, harass, gut run) that Richmond never delivers.

This intensity creates pressure that wins games.

Of all the top sides possibly Hawthorn and Geelong are 2 sides that have in the past make this look effortless. These 2 sides are also probably at the lower end of the scale of bringing that intensity and they were able to do that because of their sublime footskills and decision making.

Unfortunately our footskills are average. Our decision making is horrendous and our intensity is bottom 4 material.

This intensity should be a non-negotiable for our side but our brilliant coach doesn't demand it, and that is why when the heat gets turned up, we always go missing.

Come to think of it, when was the last time I heard someone say "And Richmond were ferocious and relentless tonight, leaving nothing in the tank".

 

[TigerTime88]

2 more years - McIntosh, Corey Ellis and Lennon replacing Gordon, Lloyd and Steve Morris.

Bring in a couple of RFA's and we will be a decent side. But we need a better coach....Dimma just doesn't get them up and about and his game plan involves limited pressure shown by our tackle count. A couple of years ago we got smashed by this in the media and he came out and said something like "there are other ways to pressure"........but unfortunately the main way is to tackle.

 

[RunningBounce]

What keeps me hopeful is:

• It's only Round 4
• McIntosh
• We have some good players to come back in
• I'm a Richmond supporter, and I have an bottomless well of hope
• We beat Carlton in Round 1, which is pretty much my Grand Final
• 9-0 run home last year

 

[This Is Anfield]

Nearly every top 4 side of the last 10 years has played with an intensity (chase, harass, gut run) that Richmond never delivers.

This intensity creates pressure that wins games.

Of all the top sides possibly Hawthorn and Geelong are 2 sides that have in the past make this look effortless. These 2 sides are also probably at the lower end of the scale of bringing that intensity and they were able to do that because of their sublime footskills and decision making.

Unfortunately our footskills are average. Our decision making is horrendous and our intensity is bottom 4 material.

This intensity should be a non-negotiable for our side but our brilliant coach doesn't demand it, and that is why when the heat gets turned up, we always go missing.

Doesn't deliver enough, but you can't say that we didn't for nine weeks last season.

 

[This Is Anfield]

Agree with your logic but the chances of RFC screwing it up again are more than we becoming a serious challenger..! for almost 35 years its been the same story, just the director changes every 4-5 years.!

Historically you are correct, however, I would argue that we are much, much better placed now than any time over the last 35 years, our club is financially stable, our facilities at PRO are now first class (including the playing surface), our list (underperforming as it did and with important injuries) is still young and we are standing still rather than going backwards.
We are making calm professional decisions, not irrational emotional ones and this season is far from over yet.

 

[Punt_Road_Roar]

We re 2/2 with 18 rounds to go and very good players to return , it's that easy

Come back in 6 weeks when we are 3-7 lol

 

[Mr Magic]

Gale gives me hope.

Unlike many posters I am not seeing panic with him.

If we pick up Shiel and Bartel plus the draft we will be fine as a base to draw on in the short term while we develop our team further