Roach Junior to debut

[WilliamPowell]

From:

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=143162

Disco dazzles with pride!
2:50:01 PM Thu 15 April, 2004
Tony Greenberg


Michael Roach achieved plenty throughout a 12-year league football career with Richmond.

From 1977-89, the man affectionately known as ‘Disco’, or ‘Roachy’, played 200 games, kicked 607 goals, became just the second-ever Tiger to boot a century of goals in a season, was the Club’s leading goalkicker seven times, topped the competition’s goalkicking twice, and was a member of Richmond’s all-conquering 1980 premiership side.

A couple of years ago, Roach was recognised for his accomplishments at Punt Road by becoming one of the inaugural inductees into the Tigers’ Hall of Fame.

But, as far as the man himself is concerned, all those fine feats he achieved through his ability on the football field, pale in comparison with the overwhelming pride he’s feeling right now as his oldest son, Thomas, prepares for his AFL debut with Richmond.

“I just can’t believe it – it’s just awesome,” Roach said a few minutes after learning Thomas had been selected to play in the Tiger side that will take on Geelong in Saturday night’s Round 4 clash at Telstra Dome.

“You hope one day that your kids can grow up and make it at that level (AFL football), if that’s what they want.

“With Thomas, there’s never been any doubt about his desire – he’s always wanted to play for Richmond.

“As much as I hoped, I didn’t ever realistically think it would happen. But now he has, and it’s unbelievable. He’s lucky enough to have got there, but he’s worked really hard along the way and deserves his chance.

“Hopefully, it’s the first of many. It’s up to him now just how far he goes.

“He’s only got 199 to go to catch his old man . . .

Tommy Roach was taken by the Tigers as a 3rd round father-son selection at the 2003 National Draft.

He played in Richmond’s Wizard Cup campaign (the win over the Bulldogs and the loss to St Kilda), but has spent the opening weeks of the season proper playing with the Coburg Tigers in the VFL.

An eye-catching display for Coburg against Springvale last Sunday won the 18-year-old his promotion into AFL ranks this week.

In further Round 4 selection news from Punt Road, Ben Marsh, Jay Schulz and Kayne Pettifer were brought into the Tiger team for Matthew Richardson (injured), Greg Stafford (suspended), Tim Fleming (omitted) and David Rodan (omitted).

 

[oxx]

Go Tekno.

Good luck to the son of a real TIGER GREAT.

 

[rfctigerarmy]

David Rodan (omitted).

We are finally making some right decisions.

Roachy.. show em how its done.

 

[nineteen eighty]

Go Roachy. One of his coaches from his school days talks him up. Lets wish him all the best.

 

[Coach Required]

what I wanted to see:

INs: Roach, Raines, Shulz

Out: Dud, Reject and Hack


so its close enough

 

[Coach Required]

Marsh to play enough though his is currently injured?

Im lost

 

[mighty tiges]

Originally posted by WilliamPowell
In further Round 4 selection news from Punt Road, Ben Marsh, Jay Schulz and Kayne Pettifer were brought into the Tiger team for Matthew Richardson (injured), Greg Stafford (suspended), Tim Fleming (omitted) and David Rodan (omitted).

Well done to Roachy. Good to see him get a senior game.

I thought Marsh was still another week away?

 

[Wrenny]

This is how the side is lined up on afl.com.au


PLAYERS
Backs: M. Chaffey A. Kellaway T. Zantuck
Half Backs: C. Newman D. Gaspar K. Johnson
Centre: T. Roach M. Coughlan B. Hartigan
Half Forwards: J. Bowden J. Schulz A. Fiora
Forwards: A. Krakouer B. Ottens S. Morrison
Followers: W. Campbell, N. Brown, B. Marsh
Interchange: R. Hall, G. Tivendale, C. Hyde, K. Pettifer
Emergency: L. Weller, R. Hilton, S. Fletcher


Wait a minute look at hydes selection on the bench? I think that may be a decoy for the geelong players. I expect fletcher to get a call up this week. Weller wont be needed due to their lack of talls up forward and hilton to play VFL again to get more match fitness at Coburg.


Just like to say good luck and congratulations to Marsh and Roachy for making their debut for the tigers.

Hope they have a blinder. Look at that midfield
roach coughlan hartigan

Thats sumthin for the future.

 

[wagstaff]

I'm a big fan of Rodan but I'm not surprised at his omission after his disappointing last two weeks. Perhaps this could be the best thing that's happened to him - he's probably been lucky to play 47 games in a row.

Tim Fleming looks to have had it - seems to have gone backwards this season as far as skills go. At least his sniping skills haven't diminished though - only notable things he's done so far this season was try to clean up Buckley at the first bounce of Collingwood match and then started a bit of a ruckus at end of 1st quarter of Saints game.

 

[Crumden]

Congrats to Roach and Marsh on their first games for us. Good game for Roach to play his first. Geelong have a pretty young team so less likely to be intimidated than against some of the bigger teams. Hopefully the change of teams will see Marsh back to some of his early career form. Will have to be better than Hall or Royce Vardy as a back-up ruckman anyway.

Wrenny, I think the word was that Hyde and Marsh should be fit by Saturday. I don't think they would be naming Hyde as a ruse. Naming Marsh as rover and Campell as ruck may be though. I think Marsh will start on the bench with the bus driver in the ruck, Morrison at CHF and Hall or Sarge at FF.

 

[Cuneyt]

roach coughlan hartigan-thats exciting

 

[Crumden]

Originally posted by wagstaff
I'm a big fan of Rodan but I'm not surprised at his omission after his disappointing last two weeks. Perhaps this could be the best thing that's happened to him - he's probably been lucky to play 47 games in a row.

Pity he couldn't carry his first round form for a few more games. I doubt many players would have played 50 consecutive games straight off from being drafted. Although I think only our lack of depth saved him a spell in the magoos last season.

 

[wagstaff]

Originally posted by Crumden
Although I think only our lack of depth saved him a spell in the magoos last season.

I'm pretty sure he played for Coburg during the mid-season break last year so he was certainly on the borderline of being dropped last year. He had a great start to the season but had a flat patch in the middle and I was surprised he wasn't dropped around rounds 10-13.

He still does good and creative things when he gets the ball but he doesn't get if often enough. A look through his career stats show that he's had too many games where he's had 10 possessions or less, espeically in the past 12 months.

Andrew Krakouer has come back a better player from losing his senior spot on more then one occasion during the 2002 season, hopefully Rodan will also benefit from this reality check.

 

[sante]

I thought Hyde would not play, because he is injured and Marsh the same. Rodan can hopefully learn from this. Go Roachy, show your stuff!! Hopefully Pettifer can play well and Marsh. Schulz hopefully plays the whole game

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

great to see hartigan,roach,shultz all in the side.if we lose at least we are giving these kids some valuable experiance at the top level.
the side looks much better.

cheers!

 

[mellowyellow]

Whether by design or having his hand somewhat forced, it s good to see frawley give opputunties to the likes Roach Shultz and hartigan. Roach showed a touch of flair in the wizz wok so the likes of fleming & co can expect there days to be numbered if he continues to develop .

Marsh is somewhat of an unknown but i hope he can at least cover the hole left by staffords suspension.

Hopefullly Rodan can use his dropping as motivation to recapture some form again as his worth persisting with.

 

[cairo tiger]

they didnt go far enough pettifer and hyde should not be there and serious questions over 3 others

 

[Wrenny]

Richmond is set to unveil 18-year-old Thomas Roach – the son of club great Michael – for his first AFL game, when the Tigers meet Geelong at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

Roach, who was selected in last year’s National AFL Draft via the father/son rule, will join another new Tiger recruit – 1998 Adelaide premiership player Ben Marsh – in the side.

The Tigers have also recalled Jay Schulz and Kayne Pettifer.

As expected, crack forward Matthew Richardson is a forced omission with a hamstring injury, while Greg Stafford has been ruled ineligible for the next three matches after being found guilty of engaging in rough play on St Kilda’s Jason Blake.

David Rodan’s consecutive streak of 47 AFL games comes to end, after the livewire forward/midfielder was dropped for the first time in his AFL career. Tough-nut Tim Fleming has also been sent back to the VFL.

 

[Wrenny]

6:36:40 PM Thu 15 April, 2004
Matt Burgan
Sportal/Exclusive to richmondfc.com.au

Tom Roach and Ben Marsh are set to make their senior debuts for the Tigers against Geelong at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

Roach, the son of former Tigers great Michael Roach, will line-up on the wing while Marsh, a former Crows premiership ruckman, has been named as first ruck.

Jay Schulz and Kayne Pettifer also come into the team in place of the Matthew Richardson (hamstring), Greg Stafford (suspended) and Tim Fleming and David Rodan who've been omitted.

It's the first time that Rodan's been dropped since he made his senior debut in the opening round of 2002.

The Cats will welcome back three experienced campaigners - Brenton Sanderson, Peter Riccardi and Ben Graham.

They replace Corey Enright, who will miss up six weeks with a fractured wrist, and David Spriggs and Jarad Rooke who have been dropped from the line-up that went down narrowly to Sydney at the SCG last Saturday.

GEELONG v RICHMOND
Saturday, 7:10pm, Telstra Dome

GEELONG
B: Harley, Scarlett, Sanderson
HB: Rahilly, Mooney, Milburn
C: Chapman, Ling, Wojcinski
HF: Riccardi, Graham, Haynes
F: Gardiner, Playfair, Kingsley
FOLL: Chambers, Corey, Kelly
I/C: Tenace, Hunt, Johnson, Mackie
EMG: Bartel, Spriggs, Rooke
IN: Riccardi, Graham, Sanderson
OUT: Enright (wrist), Spriggs, Rooke

RICHMOND
B: Chaffey, A.Kellaway, Zantuck
HB: Newman, Gaspar, Johnson
C: Roach, Coughlan, Hartigan
HF: Bowden, Schulz, Fiora
F: Krakouer, Ottens, Morrison
FOLL: Marsh, Campbell, Brown
I/C: Hyde, Pettifer, Tivendale, Hall
EMG: Hilton, Weller, Fletcher
IN: Schulz, Marsh, Pettifer, Roach
OUT: Richardson (hamstring), Stafford (suspended), Rodan, Fleming
NEW: Thomas Roach (Carey Grammar/Oakleigh Chargers), Ben Marsh (Adelaide)

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=143356