T.Simmonds & A.Raines.......

[FAITH]

Hey Guys,

Whats happening with T.Simmonds, he is such a good player when he is playing?
Is he expected to play this season, how has his pre-season been?

Also do you guys also beleive that Raines is likely to have a big season this season?

 

[Bifrost]

Simmonds has had a full pre-season and SHOULD pick up where he left off before his ankle last year. He lacks match fitness and might start slowly as a result, though a few media outlets have reported that he hired his own fitness coach (paying from his own pocket) to work with him one-on-one, so hopefully we'll see a real speedy fitness improvement and he'll remain injury-free.

Raines plateued last season after showing fantastic signs in 2006. He's still servicable IMO, though he's not standing out and other players have overtaken him in terms of real drive out of the backline and I think he's started to lack the confidence of youth which he had in spades back in 2006. However, I think a lot of people are judging him too soon. He is still only 21 (as of Saturday) and still averaged 19 possies a game in 2007. With another season under his belt, he might start to pick up again and be able to cope with A) the level of hype which had been applied to him after 2006 and B) the level of players he's expected to cover week-in week-out.

 

[krustyman]

wallace kept moving raines around and playing him on bigger players like riewoldt, etc, so its hardly surprising he had a down year in 2006 and stopped his development. he was 2nd in b&f and rising star in 2006 while playing on the back flank. delidio is having similar problems settling into a position after winning rising star in 2005.

 

[tigertiger]

wallace kept moving raines around and playing him on bigger players like riewoldt, etc, so its hardly surprising he had a down year in 2006 and stopped his development. he was 2nd in b&f and rising star in 2006 while playing on the back flank. delidio is having similar problems settling into a position after winning rising star in 2005.

I thought Wallis and he said something late last season about playing Raines on the ball more next season. He played rugby as a kid i think and was put in the back line to build his fitness and skills initially

 

[Chris111]

It really suprised me that Wallace continued to put rains on such tall classy forwards. It shows he must have a lot of faith. While I think an apprenticeship in the back line is great for development. The kind of feedback he has been getting from fans is strikingly familiar to the Zack Dawson attacks you see on Hawthorns board. He consistently misses targets, turns it over and is out marked. The similarities don't stop there, remember the very public "zacks lost his confidence episode". I think they have to be careful with Rains and make sure he can recover from the battering he's received and get his confidence back. Alot of these richmond players look like burn out cases, Johnson is a classic. Rains has the natural talent to come back it he can pull his head in and focus.

 

[sante]

Man, the spelling in here is attrocious.

 

[Chris111]

yepp

 

[Bifrost]

Man, the spelling in here is attrocious.

That's "atrocious".

 

[Audacious]

Simmonds reportedly injured his foot on the weekend.

 

[Roachy8]

Simmonds has had a full pre-season and SHOULD pick up where he left off before his ankle last year. He lacks match fitness and might start slowly as a result, though a few media outlets have reported that he hired his own fitness coach (paying from his own pocket) to work with him one-on-one, so hopefully we'll see a real speedy fitness improvement and he'll remain injury-free.

Don't know what I think about this!
Pleased that Simmonds is so commited to getting 100% again that he would hire his own fitness coach but at the same time, surely a prefessional AFL club like the Tigers should be providing everything possible to recover from injury & get match fit.
Unless this is something specific to managing his recovery from the blood clot problem. But still...

Regarding importance to the team:
Simmonds - fully fit is very important. Almost AA in 2006 and provides huge value around the ground and floating down forward. Massive difference around stopages. Add Coggs back in there and we are heading back in the right direction.
Raines - I reckon he was overated marginally in 2006 & therefore his year last year was judged a little harshly. His stats stacked up pretty well to his 2006 numbers and that was with him getting tougher asignements. (Goodes in Sydney etc...) His disposal skills have been discussed at length but as a stopping HBF who goes in pretty hard, runs the lines and then kicks long (albeit too high) he gets a gig in our best 22 for mine.

 

[Madtiger2006]

Raines kicking was fairly poor last season

 

[SHIGHT BLOKE]

Simmonds has had a full pre-season and SHOULD pick up where he left off before his ankle last year. He lacks match fitness and might start slowly as a result, though a few media outlets have reported that he hired his own fitness coach (paying from his own pocket) to work with him one-on-one, so hopefully we'll see a real speedy fitness improvement and he'll remain injury-free.

Don't know what I think about this!
Pleased that Simmonds is so commited to getting 100% again that he would hire his own fitness coach but at the same time, surely a prefessional AFL club like the Tigers should be providing everything possible to recover from injury & get match fit.
Unless this is something specific to managing his recovery from the blood clot problem. But still...

Regarding importance to the team:
Simmonds - fully fit is very important. Almost AA in 2006 and provides huge value around the ground and floating down forward. Massive difference around stopages. Add Coggs back in there and we are heading back in the right direction.
Raines - I reckon he was overated marginally in 2006 & therefore his year last year was judged a little harshly. His stats stacked up pretty well to his 2006 numbers and that was with him getting tougher asignements. (Goodes in Sydney etc...) His disposal skills have been discussed at length but as a stopping HBF who goes in pretty hard, runs the lines and then kicks long (albeit too high) he gets a gig in our best 22 for mine.

Probably paying out of his own pocket so that he can claim it on his Tax.

 

[ToroHombre]

Raines kicking was fairly poor last season

And Nathan Brown had a slight leg injury

 

[Jisha]

Simmonds reportedly injured his foot on the weekend.

And where was this reported? Links are required.

 

[thegrach]

Simmonds reportedly injured his foot on the weekend.

I think that was Polak with a bruised heel.

 

[Bifrost]

I think that was Polak with a bruised heel.

Simmonds was taken off the ground due to "stiffness in his quadricep". He was basically rested due to a slight niggle during the game - not anything devastating.

Indeed, Polak suffered what they called a "bruised heel", so that could be anything from a blister to a near amputation, but they've said he'll be available for Round 1, so it's unlikely to require a voodoo ritual and a month in bed.

And here's your link: http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=55764

 

[Jisha]

Simmonds was taken off the ground due to "stiffness in his quadricep". He was basically rested due to a slight niggle during the game - not anything devastating.

Indeed, Polak suffered what they called a "bruised heel", so that could be anything from a blister to a near amputation, but they've said he'll be available for Round 1, so it's unlikely to require a voodoo ritual and a month in bed.

And here's your link: http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/News/NewsArticle/Default.aspx?newsId=55764

Ta Bifrost Much appreciated

 

[Rayzorwire]

It really suprised me that Wallace continued to put rains on such tall classy forwards. It shows he must have a lot of faith.

It shows he's still trying to find a role for Raines which he can play competently...in this case, the Campbell Brown 'small on tall' hurting them going the other way role.

He had a crack and looked as lost as that as he has on good small forwards.

King went past him like he was standing still last season, and there will be plenty more who do the same thing.

 

[Elite Pete]

what about nathan brown did he do all pre-season and is he over the leg injury cos when he is going i love to watch him play

 

[davemills]

I think they have to be careful with Rains and make sure he can recover from the battering he's received and get his confidence back. Alot of these richmond players look like burn out cases, Johnson is a classic. Rains has the natural talent to come back it he can pull his head in and focus.

I think the 'big' problem with Raines is that he is not quite fit enough to really play the role we require. (Perhaps similar to how Jimmy Bartell only pulled it all together last year after some 'teaser' years before that)

If he does improve his fitness, his skills will pick up a touch, and thus confidence etc.

Now, I am not saying he is unfit. Just that he is 'not quite' fit enough to be a real star.

 

[Rayzorwire]

I think the 'big' problem with Raines is that he is not quite fit enough to really play the role we require. (Perhaps similar to how Jimmy Bartell only pulled it all together last year after some 'teaser' years before that)

If he does improve his fitness, his skills will pick up a touch, and thus confidence etc.

Now, I am not saying he is unfit. Just that he is 'not quite' fit enough to be a real star.

The coaching staff are on record as saying he didn't put 100% into his pre-season last year...got ahead of himself.

Massive endurance will be the one attribute which he can actually attain...and he'll need it seeing he's average or worse on skills, pace and a football brain. Whether he works hard enough (or is physically capable) to get that endurance is anyone's guess. Hopefully last year was a wake up call for him.

 

[Azzleberry]

Raines kicking was fairly poor last season

That is one thing most of our tigs players are missing. The whole team is constantly scrappy, especially when they stand beside more polished sides like Geelong and the Sainters a couple of weeks ago. Players like Browny, Delidio, Foley etc are players you can rely on with the ball and then their are the others like tuck and richo.
This is a real problem that the tigs need to be workin on week in week out but haven't seen a lot of improvement in the last couple of years

 

[Rayzorwire]

That is one thing most of our tigs players are missing. The whole team is constantly scrappy, especially when they stand beside more polished sides like Geelong and the Sainters a couple of weeks ago. Players like Browny, Delidio, Foley etc are players you can rely on with the ball and then their are the others like tuck and richo.
This is a real problem that the tigs need to be workin on week in week out but haven't seen a lot of improvement in the last couple of years

It's partly a fitness problem. Much of our transition from the back half to the forward line which does break down, happens when there are too few easy options in space. Against good sides, those options come from hard running where you break your opponent and he can't go with you.

Right now, you can count our genuinely hard runners who can go all game on one hand, however, we have recruited plenty of the type which will be capable of it when they further mature.

It sounds weird perhaps, but our skills will improve quite a bit when the fitness base of our juniors does.

 

[smokey_58au]

It sounds weird perhaps, but our skills will improve quite a bit when the fitness base of our juniors does.

Very, very true.