The turning point ...

[Joker91]

Saturday May 31st
Dream Time @ the G...
Essendon defeated Richmond by 50 points and embarrassed us.

After the game the players bunched up and a few spoke - Cotch, Chaplin and Riewoldt.
The boys looked very emotional. In my opinion, that moment was the turning point.

Yes, we lost to Norf, Fremantle and Sydney after that game BUT we were competitive and the effort was there.
The game style was a bit iffy against Sydney but we did match it with them for 4 quarters.

The rest is history we went 9-3 after that... Winning our last 9 and creating history by being the first team to make the finals after being 3-10. IF we can't win a final this season is a failure. But I honestly believe this club has changed and the next few years are going to be very exciting.

 

[leekok]

If we don't win on Sunday, I wouldn't call the season a failure. It's reinvigorated my love for the tigers.

 

[Crow_Sting]

A loss this week would no doubt be disappointing, but the season can't be a failure considering where we came from 9 weeks ago to where we are now. As long as we take the 2nd half of the year into next year and really hit the ground running and not start like we did this year I'll take it.

 

[DontArgue4]

That may have been the turning point as far as the effort the boys put in goes, but the turning point for the Richmond football club as a whole?

The black cat.

 

[TigerImposter]

That may have been the turning point as far as the effort the boys put in goes, but the turning point for the Richmond football club as a whole?

The black cat.

I would love to skin the hooped cats. I'm fxxking sick of them and their arrogant fans

 

[DontArgue4]

I would love to skin the hooped cats. I'm fxxking sick of them and their arrogant fans

I meant the black cat on Adelaide oval

 

[TigerImposter]

I meant the black cat on Adelaide oval

Yeah I know the kids thought it was the funniest thing they'd ever seen on a footy field. They played it over and over again
Mate I want the hooped ones our last 30 years against them haunts me and I hate all forms of domestic cats bc of them

 

[Crow_Sting]

I would love to skin the hooped cats. I'm fxxking sick of them and their arrogant fans

I live down here. The local paper is all Geelong Cats. Have you seen some of the promotions they do?? Box cats, car flags etc.
Anyway not on topic so I'll leave it there! Why am I still up? I have to be at the airport to check in at 6:20 for my flight to Adelaide, surely that's better wen you've had some sleep!

 

[TigerImposter]

I live down here. The local paper is all Geelong Cats. Have you seen some of the promotions they do?? Box cats, car flags etc.
Anyway not on topic so I'll leave it there! Why am I still up? I have to be at the airport to check in at 6:20 for my flight to Adelaide, surely that's better wen you've had some sleep!

Cheers buddy

 

[Joker91]

If we don't win on Sunday, I wouldn't call the season a failure. It's reinvigorated my love for the tigers.

I would. The aim preseason was to win a final... Just because we have won 9 in a row doesn't change the fact that we were 3-10.

 

[tigers_of_old_08]

I would. The aim preseason was to win a final... Just because we have won 9 in a row doesn't change the fact that we were 3-10.

Surely the success of this season will be measured by more than how many wins we've had and whether or not we win this Sunday's final. It's been an invaluable growth year and I believe a real turning point for the club.

 

[TigerTank]

I suspect the turning point was when Jack Riewoldt was honest with the media.

 

[RunningBounce]

That Dreamtime game has been a thorn in our side. We've won 1 from 5 in the Hardwick years, even though we have finished in a pretty similar ladder position to Essendon all that time. I can understand the players getting sick of being uncompetitive during a winnable game in front of so many supporters. Again. I could believe that the corner was turned after that game.

I like the way Steve Morris puts the change - "We started sweeping the sheds".

Remember the Collingwood game when Cotchin had Macaffer hanging all over him? Not a single ****ing Tiger knocked Macaffer over once. Putting that block on is sweeping the sheds. Small, seems insignificant, but indicates a level of pride in the team. Every player has started doing those small things to make the game easier for his teammates during this streak. It's beautiful to watch.

 

[Schlurp]

I've always judged success as extracting everything you possibly can out of a situation irrespective of whether you win or lose. There's no shame in losing to a better performer if you've given it your best. Those losses just give you the information you need to lift to the winners' standards. Richmond's performance this year seems to exemplify that principle. We were a disjointed mess for the first half until we decided as a group to stop losing and start winning. Not sure what part Leading Teams had in this but it may have been significant. Whatever, we have made a paradigm shift from an acceptance of mediocrity to a demand for excellence that has been sustained for almost three months. I can't see any of the remaining Clubs relishing the prospect of meeting us for the remainder of 2014 and beyond. It is an exhilarating time to be a Tiger.

 

[Tigerforlife78]

I honestly think the boys had thier mid 2000's Geelong moment this year when we were at 3-10 where they all got together and said enough is enough either play your heart out for 100% of the time were on the field or dont bother coming in Monday. God i hope so cause its all there for Richmond unlike any other time in the last 30 years, weve got the football department, the coaches, the talent and most importantly except for Newy (who i love almost the same as richo) most of our guns are young and just hitting there prime. If they have indeed had that watershed moment that every great team seems to need its exciting days ahead for the Yellow and Black faithful.

 

[Put a Lids on it]

Making finals 2 years in a row is far from a failure even if we lose to port, fact. Proud of the boys definitely turned the corner this year the game plan seems to be executing a helluva a lot more efficiently, exciting times ahead.

 

[tigertaskforce]

i long for the days were a win was expected and not dished as an upset like it is now

 

[SpudsLoveChild]

i long for the days were a win was expected and not dished as an upset like it is now

I've been to every Sydney v Richmond game for years now, and in past years when we got in front it just felt inevitable that they'd grind us down and we'd find a way to lose.

This year was different. Even when the Swans got their noses in front it felt like we were a good chance to win.

The most notable difference is the decision making. The guys are making the right choices when spreading, and when we don't have the ball we now make the right choices of who to cover. The Swans rarely found easy outs, and when they tried to run it their options were well covered.

In the past it seemed that when the chips were down, opposition teams could run it or find options too easily.
Now they can't.

Why the change? This year the team is stronger and fitter than before. But why didn't they do it earlier in the year? I haven't got a freaking clue.

 

[TigerImposter]

I suspect the turning point was when Jack Riewoldt was honest with the media.

You got it buddy. Thanks for your honest opinion

 

[Ralll]

I agree OP it was the Ess game where the penny finally dropped.
I find it interesting that even though Dimma admitted some fault as to what we were concentrating on throughout preseason, he never wavered on putting the blame on the players themselves, as if to say its their responsibility to put in 100% effort no matter what we are or not training, some things like effort are a non negotiable and he isnt taking blame for players complacency and put it solely on our leadership group to lead them out of the rut we were in.
Now I believed at the time he should be taking more blame for the players complacency and our start to the season, but it seems to have done the trick, its the players that took responsibility and he justly gives them the credit for our turnaround.
It was reinforced by what Gale said last week about Dimma setting up the environment for the players to succeed, but ultimately its the players who have to make it happen.

I also believe this lesson was the catalyst for the players learning to stop the opp getting a run on and not to panic and go into their shells.

 

[tigertaskforce]

I agree OP it was the Ess game where the penny finally dropped.
I find it interesting that even though Dimma admitted some fault as to what we were concentrating on throughout preseason, he never wavered on putting the blame on the players themselves, as if to say its their responsibility to put in 100% effort no matter what we are or not training, some things like effort are a non negotiable and he isnt taking blame for players complacency and put it solely on our leadership group to lead them out of the rut we were in.
Now I believed at the time he should be taking more blame for the players complacency and our start to the season, but it seems to have done the trick, its the players that took responsibility and he justly gives them the credit for our turnaround.
It was reinforced by what Gale said last week about Dimma setting up the environment for the players to succeed, but ultimately its the players who have to make it happen.

I also believe this lesson was the catalyst for the players learning to stop the opp getting a run on and not to panic and go into their shells.

PLAYERS MAKE COACHES its rare the other way

 

[billywhizz]

I have no doubt it was a select few forum members on here that turned our season around. Without those countless threads calling for Dimma to be sacked, we would not have made the finals.

Well done to all those posters. You're contributions were invaluable to our success this year.

 

[JR82]

the poor start to this year could be the making of us....

 

[TJTIGER]

Great post billywhizz !!

 

[caroma]

I have no doubt the turning point was our first match against sydney. When the final siren rang, the players were drawn to look at the crowd, and in that moment they saw the disappointment on the face of a young(ish) lad who goes by the name of Caroma, distraught at the fact his first ever journey to the 'G' was met with an agonising loss.

From that moment on they dedicated the rest of the season to giving me something to celebrate!