We've Been Blind

[Goldust]

If we wanted to be brutally honest, we'd admit that in hindsight it was a mistake to bring Cousins to Punt Rd. But we're Richmond supporters...

He was 50% the player he was at the Eagles, so we kid ourselves with all this "he helped the kids in the midfield" garbage.

Yeah, sadly only 50% of the player he was at West Coast ... but ...
at 50% of his former self he was 50-80% better than 90% of players on our list during those two years!!!

Picking up Cousins was far from a mistake!

You still hear rumblings about players he supposedly kept out of a game .. who excatly were they? Troy Taylor, Andy Collins????

 

[Damo80]

Geez, we whinge about a lack of experience and leadership on field, and then (some) whinge that Cousin's took the place of a kid. Can't have it both ways.

For mine, there was a spot for a Cousins (last year) and is for someone like Tuck this year and beyond. In our regular 22 there would be only 1 or 2 guys over 25. By my maths, that's 20 spots for the under 25's, and the vast majority of these are 22 or under... how many kids do you want to play?

It's no wonder we're getting belted... no matter how much talent is there, while our average age is around 22 yrs, we're gonna get done for experience. We need to have some experienced heads out there, give the kids time (don't delist or trade them away just because they've had 3 seasons on our list and for some reason aren't playing like a superstar), and BE PATIENT.

 

[Spluff]

You're suggesting he had no positive influence on the midfield, either as a player or in a de-facto coaching sense, Spluff?

There were statements from practically all our onballers last year that Cousins had helped them with a huge amount of things as individual players - that alone constitutes coaching, does it not? Campbell is on record as saying that Cousins held sway over all others when it came to making his opinion known at midfield meetings regarding what our plans and tactics should be.

Do you think it's fair to question whether this help, and whatever else he was contributing, perhaps needed to be more ongoing and that we've been left with, at best the lack of a mentor for the younger players, and at worst a serious brains vacuum?

I mean, our supposed best players are getting more than enough ball, we've had some really solid improvement from relatively unexpected players this season, but we've gone backwards even from last year and the midfield has been where we've really fallen down most weeks.

Cousins had some extremely positive effects on the development of our young mids, no doubt about it. His individual encouragement and tips were invaluable.

What I'm saying is that he will never be a good midfield coach, because he just doesn't care about gameplans. This is a guy that can't even sit down and watch footy without getting bored. To suggest he was responsible for the tactical direction of the team just isn't true. That's not what he does. He may have been behind Cotchin's increasing ability to beat a tag, Martin's amazing first year impact, Jackson's sudden ability to tag a player out of a game in 09, but these individual improvements are where his influence stopped. He did not come up with our tactics, in fact, he barely grasped them.

If the Cuz has a future as a coach, it's in a developmental role (which I would most definitely want him at our club for).

 

[1980]

Maybe but the Hoopla on his arrival at the club was magnificent...

No doubt. And I was at his first training session telling everyone he would better for us than Judd.

 

[IDGAF]

No doubt. And I was at his first training session telling everyone he would better for us than Judd.

LMAOO

so much hatred but we go to training sessions

 

[1980]

I respectfully disagree 80. Malthouse is about 5% the player he was when he was running around in our premiership side but I don't think many believe he offers nothing valuable to his players.

I'm a cynical observer of the media but the amount of times Cotchin, Deledio, Foley, Martin and even our coaching staff praised his ability to pass on knowledge suggests Cuz at least brought something to the table in this respect.

You might say the proof is in the pudding, results wise, but I could point to Cotchin's (and, early on, Martin's) progress this year as possible evidence of Cuz's contribution. There are also the financial benefits of our record breaking membership and the goodwill we gained by taking on the then basket case.

We also gave up nothing for him.

Yes, but the objective of bringing him to the club was to win us games and improve our position up the ladder, not to develop young players. In hindsight we forget why we got him and now convince ourselves it was for an entirely different reason.

Cousins was yet another example of the club prematurely ejaculating all over itself and topping up. In fact, I would go so far to say that Cousins added fuel to the Gary March lit fire of expectation of us being a consistent finals side.

I'm sure Mark Graham had great tips for young defenders, Kent Kingsley had a experience to impart on young forwards, and Paul Hudson also did before him. But Cousins we recruited to win us games, and sadly, I dont think he won too many for us off his own boot. We recruited him for his talent, not his ability to develop kids around him- which was no doubt a positive, but a byproduct nevertheless.

A big thanks to Kevin Sheedy

 

[1980]

LMAOO

so much hatred but we go to training sessions

But not recently !

 

[IDGAF]

Yes, but the objective of bringing him to the club was to win us games and improve our position up the ladder, not to develop young players. In hindsight we forget why we got him and now convince ourselves it was for an entirely different reason.

Cousins was yet another example of the club prematurely ejaculating all over itself and topping up. In fact, I would go so far to say that Cousins added fuel to the Gary March lit fire of expectation of us being a consistent finals side.

I'm sure Mark Graham had great tips for young defenders, Kent Kingsley had a experience to impart on young forwards, and Paul Hudson also did before him. But Cousins we recruited to win us games, and sadly, I dont think he won too many for us off his own boot. We recruited him for his talent, not his ability to develop kids around him- which was no doubt a positive, but a byproduct nevertheless.

A big thanks to Kevin Sheedy

... not to mention the fact that Wallace didnt want him

Always good when the board tells tells the football dept. what to do

 

[IDGAF]

But not recently !

hatred or the training sessions ???

 

[1980]

hatred or the training sessions ???

You first

 

[NQTIGER]

Geez, we whinge about a lack of experience and leadership on field, and then (some) whinge that Cousin's took the place of a kid. Can't have it both ways.

For mine, there was a spot for a Cousins (last year) and is for someone like Tuck this year and beyond. In our regular 22 there would be only 1 or 2 guys over 25. By my maths, that's 20 spots for the under 25's, and the vast majority of these are 22 or under... how many kids do you want to play?

It's no wonder we're getting belted... no matter how much talent is there, while our average age is around 22 yrs, we're gonna get done for experience. We need to have some experienced heads out there, give the kids time (don't delist or trade them away just because they've had 3 seasons on our list and for some reason aren't playing like a superstar), and BE PATIENT.

22 every week, so they can learn to lose with dignity

 

[IDGAF]

You first

i asked first

 

[Bojangles17]

Cousins is well documented as having no real care for tactics or for strategy. He just plays on instinct, any plan goes out the window.

it's pretty arbitrary really to suggest just how much influence cuzz did have, many would have you believe he travelled pretty close to the line during his time at punt rd with bouts in hospital and mystery ailements, what kinda influence would that have had....or the rockstar enterouge that followed his every move. Would be fool not to balance both sides....Just shows how we're battling when we're clutching at the gap ben cousins left with this playing group

 

[tugga]

it's pretty arbitrary really to suggest just how much influence cuzz did have, many would have you believe he travelled pretty close to the line during his time at punt rd with bouts in hospital and mystery ailements, what kinda influence would that have had....or the rockstar enterouge that followed his every move. Would be fool not to balance both sides....Just shows how we're battling when we're clutching at the gap ben cousins left with this playing group

One of your best pieces of work BJ.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

it's pretty arbitrary really to suggest just how much influence cuzz did have, many would have you believe he travelled pretty close to the line during his time at punt rd with bouts in hospital and mystery ailements, what kinda influence would that have had....or the rockstar enterouge that followed his every move. Would be fool not to balance both sides....Just shows how we're battling when we're clutching at the gap ben cousins left with this playing group

On the field was where he did his best work... ...