Tigers bite, scratch & maul, is that opponents or themselves?

[Asgardian]

Gee this task has taken some time, I guess some of you have seen that I am doing reviews of playing squads. Well it's the turn of the Tigers. I'm a Port supporter, so by some kind of miracle, you may possibly know more about your players than I do, yeah, I know it's not likely, but anyway, .
So if there are some points you disagree with, be specific, don't do a cop out, "your full of crap, piss off" post, tell me where you reckon I have gone wrong.

I try my best to be fair and unbiased, lets have a look

Craig Biddiscombe :- Spare part back up, can do a job
Joel Bowden :- Chief Tiger midfielder, great mover
Leon Cameron :- Consummate defender, Dogs biggest mistake
Wayne Campbell :- Leagues sloppy disposal king
Mark Chaffey :- Link player, watch Cameron go to him
Mark Coughlan :- Can find the ball, moves nicely
Marc Dragicevic :- Bad knee ruined a good season for him
Craig Ednie :- Yet to see him play, bloody small
Aaron Fiora :- Damaged shoulder, but he is a smooth mover
Darren Gaspar :- Hardly ever beaten
Ray Hall :- Gives a tall option, nothing special though
Rory Hilton :- Tough nut, likes it in close
Ben Holland :- Seems to have found a spot at CHB
Scott Homewood :- Yet to see him play
Paul Hudson :- Hack, why did you bother?
Andrew Kellaway :- Can be relied on, just like Duncan
Duncan Kellaway :- Most tigerish of all Tigers
Clinton King :- Tigers still laughing getting him for McKee
Matthew Knights :- Not many good games left, hack in 2002
Andrew Krakouer :- Can see the goal sense, & magic baulks
Andrew Mills :- Dud
Chris Newman :- Yet to see him play
Brad Ottens :- Next generation big man
Kayne Pettifer :- A smart player, loves a goal
Ezra Poyas :- Needs to step up in 2002 or he'll miss out
Matthew Richardson :- Best is great, worst is when he sulks
Matthew Rogers :- Good mark for size, offers forward option
Greg Stafford :- Major hack
Steven Sziller :- Has made most of career, despite limitations
Greg Tivendale :- Moves well, good goal kicker on the run
Jason Torney :- Good checker, reliable
Royce Vardy :- Back up player at best, semi dud
Ty Zantuck :- Looks to have time, and a footy brain

Tigers will miss Benny Gale, Stafford is no replacement, so Ottens will have to do more of the ruckwork, robbing the Tigers of his forward influence. There are a number of good players who like a goal though, so with a reasonable run of injuries, there is no reason why the Tigers can not be a major player in the finals race for 2002.

My guess is the Tigers will end up around 5, 6 or 7

 

[TigerTank]

Once again, an excellent summary.

I'd offer a couple of amendments -

Rory Hilton: Tiger fans can't wait for him to become the player Asgardian says he is - not there yet and not consistent enough!

Greg Stafford: Major hack in 2001. If he plays like 2000 will be useful.

Wayne Campbell: Disposal lacks penetration, but not necessarily "sloppy". Gets the ball often but lacks ability to "drill" a pass.


The rest is spot on, and I think that you're prediction of 5th-7th is probably about right.

 

[kretchy]

Rarely recall Campbell missing a shot at goal this season espically from the set shot.

 

[CJH]

Originally posted by Asgardian

...

Joel Bowden :- Chief Tiger midfielder, great mover

...

Wayne Campbell :- Leagues sloppy disposal king

...

Craig Ednie :- Yet to see him play, bloody small
Aaron Fiora :- Damaged shoulder, but he is a smooth mover

...

Ray Hall :- Gives a tall option, nothing special though
Rory Hilton :- Tough nut, likes it in close

...

Paul Hudson :- Hack, why did you bother?

...

Matthew Knights :- Not many good games left, hack in 2002

...

Chris Newman :- Yet to see him play

...

Greg Tivendale :- Moves well, good goal kicker on the run

...

Ty Zantuck :- Looks to have time, and a footy brain

...

Some additional commentary:

For someone with the kicking ability that Joel Bowden has, he should be hitting a target more often than he does. Also tends to go missing at times.

Not sure that Campbell's disposal is as bad as you make out. Sure, he's no Tivendale off the boot, but he's not that bad.

Craig Ednie is way too good for the VFL level but is way too small for AFL! He is not unlike Brent Harvey - is very quick, is into everything, and can't help but find the ball. Just needs a decent feed and some time in the gym!

Aaron Fiora needs to work on his precision when kicking. Tends to get up and under them a bit too often, leading to them being big floaters. Give him a tape of Tivendale kicking!

Ray Hall is about 198cm tall but can move like a 6' footer. During games was often mistaken for Tivendale! This kid has heaps of potential left in him.

Rory Hilton. Missing in action. Sure he plays well when the team does; has never taken the game on himself when we are down.

Paul Hudson had a crap year but still kicked near 40 goals. Paul Broderick had a reasonable year for us as a small forward but kicked less than 20. I'll leave the maths up to you as to work out why we picked him up!

Matthew Knights is one of the cleverest, most creative kicks in the game. Pity he can't turn this skill directly into goals. Is frustrating when he keeps searching for the perfect pass inside 50 when the goalface is beckoning! Just kick the bloody thing!

I was wary of us picking up Newman as he didn't seem to show much. Then I saw him going around with Coburg a few times! He is way, way better than I thought he would be. He is a typical half back flank who plays like Andrew McKay. He is the type of player who you'd describe as a good driver in heavy traffic. Has a cool head for a young player.

Greg Tivendale has pace to burn and is lethal while on the run with his left foot. Two things that he needs to improve on...

When taking a set shot on goal, he tends to get under them, maybe like a 7 iron! The ball gets too much loft and loses accuracy. He doesn't strike them low and hard like when he's on the run.

He also has a tendency to fumble the ball when under pressure. He is a classical receiver and will never be an inside one.

Not sureif Ty Zantuck has the ability to make it. Certainly doesn't at the moment, though if he improves he will make a handy defender. Will end up a very strong boy, just the sort we need to dish out a bit of aggro to the opposition. (It can't be good when Wayne Campbell is your chief enforcer!)

 

[RichmondEmma]

Asgardian even trough your a Port supporter you know more about my beloved Tigers than i do only joking anyway i'm only 14 also Excellent thread agree with nearly everything u said trough i wont say that few things i don't agree with u on since your older and smatter than me

 

[Asgardian]

As a follow up, now that all the team lists have been reviewed by me, and comparisons done, just putting the final touches on my predictions for 2002. As I commented previously, I am not a fan of Greg Stafford, however the Tigers are now relying on him to provide a contest, this will free up Ottens to be the dangerous tall forward in tandem with Richardson. This combination, if allowed to remain as is, will cause many headaches for opposition backmen.

Your defence looks reasonably solid, Gaspar and Holland are good tall defenders, add in Cameron and other smaller types you have a good mix of skill and strength. The midfield is not the best in the league, and is getting a little old, however there is still sufficient quality to propel you forward.

Like just about every other team in the AFL you need to have a reasonable run with injury. The depth in your squad is okay, not brilliant, so KEY injuries would hurt you bad. However all things being equal the Tigers look to be on the right track to me, they will again be significant contributors to the finals next year.

I predict the Tigers will finish season 2002 in 5th position

 

[TMcC]

Asgardian,

I agree with most of your comments on Richmonds players and overall list but I would like to see your full ladder prediction, especially the 4 teams that will finish above Richmond. We did finish 3rd last year so it will be interesting to see which other teams will be ahead of us, apart from Essendon and Brisbane.

 

[TigerTank]

Originally posted by TMcC
Asgardian,

I agree with most of your comments on Richmonds players and overall list but I would like to see your full ladder prediction, especially the 4 teams that will finish above Richmond. We did finish 3rd last year so it will be interesting to see which other teams will be ahead of us, apart from Essendon and Brisbane.

My bets are Hawthorn and Port. All three are about the same on overall ability, with Port lacking good key position players, and Richmond and Hawthorn lacking power midfielders.

 

[Asgardian]

I've got 4 summaries left to do, and then PORT, okay okay, I'm biased about Port, so sue me, when those 4 are done I'll put on the main board my predicted premiership table for 2002.

It has been fun doing these reviews, I've learnt some stuff, and hopefully they have been interesting as to how an outsider sees your team.

Anyway, some off-season discussion has occurred

 

[TigerTank]

Originally posted by TMcC
Asgardian,

et.al

TMcC

You should also be aware that Asgardian is a Port scum.

And while he is pleasant, intelligent, humourous and remarkably balanced in his analysis of the 16 clubs, Asgardian is still a Port scum.

I forgive him for this because I know that Asgardian is a Richmond supporter who is a little lost at the moment. The fact that he is pleasant, intelligent, humourous and remarkably balanced shows that he is far more Richmond than Port.

Cheers,

 

[TMcC]

Even though Asgardian is Port scum, he has at least provided a balanced, non-biased assessment of Richmonds list. I started going to the football every since early 1980's so I have seen some of the worst football anyone in a black and yellow jumper can do so because of that I'm still nervous even if we're 40 points up at the 25 minute mark of the last quarter. I am as skeptical and nervous about Richmond walking onto the ground each week as any Richmond supporter who been witness to the last 20 years of Richmond atrocities, but under Danny something is different.

Last season was great by the tigers but we never finished off a team, we really had no big wins and although we did beat Essendon, Brisbane and Carlton they were not convincing wins. Back in 95 we looked like we could always win, even without Richo for most of the season, everything clicked.

Unless Richo or Ottens both do their knees in round 1 I think we can finish third, yes you read correctly, I said third. We should never have lost to Hawthorn last season, it was just one of those games where the Tigers aren't switched on, it happens every three weeks, Geelong, Bulldogs in round 2 and if someone could just tag McCleod for 5 minutes we should not have lost to Adelaide either. So that is another 4 wins we should have had except for mental lapses. This is thing that Danny needs to fix, we have the talent but the mind is not their for 4 quarters. Tivendale should come back to form and learn how to handle a tag and if they put Kingy in the centre and leave him there then we should be able to get the ball out of the centre and not start each bounce with a quick opposition kick into there forward line.

As for Port, they are quick and they have a sturdy defence but I still don't think they can kick enough goals, we only lost last year because Richo kicked 1 goal, 3672333 behinds and 23424 out on the full (I think that was the Port game). We have not played Port in Melbourne since 1996 (that famous game where Duncun kicked his first ever goal, perhaps one of the greatest Richmond moments in the 90's), Port have a huge home ground advantage but on the MCG or Colonial I don't think their that formidable and I can't see them containing both Ottens and Richo and Gaspar can hold Tredrea.

As Asgardian said it all comes down to injuries but for once Richmond has a potent forward line (except for a crummer) and a backline that can match up on just about anyone so I am optimistic (for once) about Richmond's chances in 2002, I'm not going to buy a Grand Final ticket yet but I'll put some money aside, just in case.


I'll step off my soap box now.

 

[CJH]

TMcC,

I think you will find that Port came into the competition in 1997!

With regards to a crummer, although Paul Hudson did have a crap year with the Bulldogs, he still managed to nail about 40 goals, something that we were sorely missing!

 

[TMcC]

Originally posted by CJH
I think you will find that Port came into the competition in 1997!

Gieschen was coaching so it must have been late 97 or 98.

 

[RichmondEmma]

Originally posted by CJH
TMcC,

I think you will find that Port came into the competition in 1997!

With regards to a crummer, although Paul Hudson did have a crap year with the Bulldogs, he still managed to nail about 40 goals, something that we were sorely missing!

yes Port did join the afl in 1997 and Huddo did kick over 40 goals this year.

 

[rickster]

re:

Isn't that "risking head and skin ?


Cheers

 

[rfctigerarmy]

Very good thred. I agree with some of the things that you said but i still think that Stafford will be main ruckman untill 3 quarter time. Say i am only 13 so you prbebly have a better footy brain then i do.


Cheers..... but i dont drink beer but hey.

 

[CJH]

Re: re:

Originally posted by rickster
Isn't that "risking head and skin ?


Cheers

On very good authority: Richmond Club Song

WORDS
Oh we're from Tigerland
A fighting fury
We're from Tiger land
In any weather you'll see us with a grin
Risking head and shin
If we're behind then never mind
We'll fight and fight and win
For we're from Tiger land.
We never weaken till the final siren's gone
Like the Tiger of old
We're strong and we're bold
For we're from Tiger (yellow and black)
We're from Tiger land.

 

[rfctigerarmy]

Correct.

CJH and any1 else do you guys and girls have MSN?