I am thrilled to be announced the new coach of the Richmond Football Club. With the NAB Cup starting this week I will get right into the swing of things, and look to try out some new players in new positions during this competition. I think we have a good list with a good mix of youth and experience, however we are 2-3 years of being genuine premiership contenders. We will aim to finish in the top 10 this year with at least 10 years, and anything less will be seen as a failure. Our list is fairly solid in all areas but we could probably use 1-2 good taggers and a couple more star small forwards.
Nab Cup Round 1: Richmond v Sydney
B: Raines - Hall - Moore
HB: Newman - Rance - McMahon
C: Cotchin - Meyer - Richardson
HF: King - Riewoldt - Pettifer
F: Tambling - Bowden - Hughes
R: Putt - Coughlan - Deledio
I/C: Tuck - Collins - Polo - Gourdis
Nab Cup Round 1: Richmond v Sydney
B: Raines - Hall - Moore
HB: Newman - Rance - McMahon
C: Cotchin - Meyer - Richardson
HF: King - Riewoldt - Pettifer
F: Tambling - Bowden - Hughes
R: Putt - Coughlan - Deledio
I/C: Tuck - Collins - Polo - Gourdis
We have gone with a very different looking side for the first hitout of the season. Joel Bowden will line up at full forward and Schulz at full back, and the beauty is we know that both are capable of playing at either end of the ground. Big Matty Richardson is going to start on the wing to see if we can use his endurance and marking more fully than we have in the past, as I believe he is wasted when used solely up forward. He still will go forward in patches but he won't be there all game. We are also going in with Putt and Gourdis as our 2 starting ruckmen, both of whom are unlikely to play in round one. Brown, Simmonds, Johnson, Foley, Pattison and Polak are all being rested but will probably play round one.