Have we heard all this before? The spudster used to feed us this sort of stuff regularly. Who can ever forget his "we wont be pushed around" barb.
I love the last paragraph. Hope he keeps his word.
Tigers will be fighters: Wallace
By Dan Oakes
February 16, 2005
Richmond coach Terry Wallace signalled the start of a new era at Punt Road yesterday, revealing that a quarter of the squad to face Collingwood in the Wizard Cup opener on Friday night will start their first games for the club.
Last season's wooden spooner also will run out under a new captain, albeit temporary, with stalwart Joel Bowden being given the opportunity to stake his claim for the job on a full-time basis.
As foreshadowed by Wallace, No. 1 national draft pick Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling will get their first taste of the big league, and will be joined by surprise selection Adam Pattison, the No. 16 pick.
Also pencilled in are former St Kilda ruckman Trent Knobel, ex-Fremantle big man Troy Simmonds and veteran defender Mark Graham, recruited from Hawthorn.
Wallace confirmed that, despite speculation to the contrary, former skipper Wayne Campbell would be part of the squad.
Last season's top goalkicker Nathan Brown came through an unannounced training session "with flying colours" yesterday to put himself in contention for selection.
Tambling and Deledio have been earmarked as stars of the future, but Wallace said yesterday that there was no pressure on them to start their Tigers careers with a bang. He pointed to the media's treatment last year of Western Bulldogs starlet Adam Cooney as a situation he wanted to avoid. "The expectation is not huge. Last year, I thought some of the pressure that was put on Adam Cooney in the first half of the season . . . was just ridiculous," Wallace said.
"Our expectation is not huge of Brett, just go out there and find your feet at the level."
Bowden is part of four-man leadership group, with Nathan Brown, Matthew Richardson and Kane Johnson, from which this year's captain will be drawn.
He won the club's best-and-fairest last year, shining as a rebounding defender in a substandard team, but it was not all plain sailing for him as he was dropped to the VFL by then-coach Danny Frawley, breaking a 135-game stint in the seniors.
Bowden said yesterday he hoped to emulate his father Michael, who won a premiership with the Tigers in 1969. He also praised the ability and work ethic of this year's draftees.
"This is my 10th year and I've never seen young players come in and be so equipped to play AFL footy," Bowden said.
"Richard Tambling and Brett Deledio have fitted into our training superbly. Their selection, in my eyes, warrants their training performance and dedication already. They're only young guys, 17 and 18, and it's been exciting for me and I think the other older guys . . . that not only did we get some really good players in the draft but also we've added Trent Knobel, Troy Simmonds and Mark Graham for a bit of experience."
Wallace said his key demand on his players was that they play with a competitiveness that was missing from the side under Frawley.
"That's the one thing we have to get back in our actions, when the Richmond supporters decide to pull out of their driveway, that they're driving to a game of footy that's going to be a nice competitive game of football," Wallace said.
I love the last paragraph. Hope he keeps his word.
Tigers will be fighters: Wallace
By Dan Oakes
February 16, 2005
Richmond coach Terry Wallace signalled the start of a new era at Punt Road yesterday, revealing that a quarter of the squad to face Collingwood in the Wizard Cup opener on Friday night will start their first games for the club.
Last season's wooden spooner also will run out under a new captain, albeit temporary, with stalwart Joel Bowden being given the opportunity to stake his claim for the job on a full-time basis.
As foreshadowed by Wallace, No. 1 national draft pick Brett Deledio and Richard Tambling will get their first taste of the big league, and will be joined by surprise selection Adam Pattison, the No. 16 pick.
Also pencilled in are former St Kilda ruckman Trent Knobel, ex-Fremantle big man Troy Simmonds and veteran defender Mark Graham, recruited from Hawthorn.
Wallace confirmed that, despite speculation to the contrary, former skipper Wayne Campbell would be part of the squad.
Last season's top goalkicker Nathan Brown came through an unannounced training session "with flying colours" yesterday to put himself in contention for selection.
Tambling and Deledio have been earmarked as stars of the future, but Wallace said yesterday that there was no pressure on them to start their Tigers careers with a bang. He pointed to the media's treatment last year of Western Bulldogs starlet Adam Cooney as a situation he wanted to avoid. "The expectation is not huge. Last year, I thought some of the pressure that was put on Adam Cooney in the first half of the season . . . was just ridiculous," Wallace said.
"Our expectation is not huge of Brett, just go out there and find your feet at the level."
Bowden is part of four-man leadership group, with Nathan Brown, Matthew Richardson and Kane Johnson, from which this year's captain will be drawn.
He won the club's best-and-fairest last year, shining as a rebounding defender in a substandard team, but it was not all plain sailing for him as he was dropped to the VFL by then-coach Danny Frawley, breaking a 135-game stint in the seniors.
Bowden said yesterday he hoped to emulate his father Michael, who won a premiership with the Tigers in 1969. He also praised the ability and work ethic of this year's draftees.
"This is my 10th year and I've never seen young players come in and be so equipped to play AFL footy," Bowden said.
"Richard Tambling and Brett Deledio have fitted into our training superbly. Their selection, in my eyes, warrants their training performance and dedication already. They're only young guys, 17 and 18, and it's been exciting for me and I think the other older guys . . . that not only did we get some really good players in the draft but also we've added Trent Knobel, Troy Simmonds and Mark Graham for a bit of experience."
Wallace said his key demand on his players was that they play with a competitiveness that was missing from the side under Frawley.
"That's the one thing we have to get back in our actions, when the Richmond supporters decide to pull out of their driveway, that they're driving to a game of footy that's going to be a nice competitive game of football," Wallace said.
