What if....

[lacrow]

Something that someone mentioned in one of the other threads about our forward line got me thinking about something.

I know that some of the long-time posters on this site will probably beat me down for flogging a dead horse...

BUT

Seeing as how we really lack a key FF, what if Neil Craig had been the head coach during the Adam Richardson experiment?

Wasn't Richardson kicking tons of goals in the SANFL? Yet Ayres gave the guy like 3 games at AFL level. I can't help it but it sticks in my craw that he should've been given a real shot...especially when we had no other options. What a waste.

Wonder if Craig would've gotten him to performan in the AFL like he did in the SANFL?

Thoughts?

 

[just maybe]

My thoughts EXACTLY.

Richardson performed well in the pre-season, averaging 3 goals a game, then in his first game did well with 5 shots at goal - but managed 1.4, all gettable (nerves I'd imagine, as he was a dead-eye ******** in the SANFL). If he'd kicked 4.1, or 5.0, he would have been flying, but if I recall he was dropped, brought back for one more game against Richmond, where he had a shocker of a first half, was not brought back on in the 2nd half and never played again.

He went back to the SANFL and was kicking bags of 10 and 12...I thought given how hard he worked to be drafted, and his obvious talent, it was a huge mismanagement to have treated him like that, and he deserved a few more opportunities than that.

What could have been.

 

[marvin]

Richardson's fate was sealed by the fact that in his second game, not only did he not get a touch, he never looked like getting a touch. With a midfield of McLeod, Jarman, Johnson, Bickley, Edwards, Roo and Goody putting the ball in his direction, he was never going to get better service.

He went off at half time, and the forward line was reshaped around McGregor, Burton and Robran. A 22 point deficit was turned into a 26 point lead in one quarter, and it was game over, and sadly for Adam Richardson, career over.

Richo was never recruited as a long term option. As a 26 year old picked with the very last pick in the pre-season draft, he was only ever the #40 player on a list of 40, and so he was never going to get an extended chance to prove himself. He had a chance, he couldn't take it and that was that.

 

[drakeyv2]

As a 26 year old picked with the very last pick in the pre-season draft, he was only ever the #40 player on a list of 40, and so he was never going to get an extended chance to prove himself. He had a chance, he couldn't take it and that was that.

So I guess you're telling me that at 42 I've left my run a bit late! Oh well, at least I can go back to eating all the pies.

 

[baaaallllll]

Also think what hurt Richo was that he was unable to apply the necessary forward line pressure when they had the ball and his defender were to easily rebounding off of him. But did think Ayresy did not give him enough of a go.

I have wondered if NC had considered throwing Rutten down forward every now and then for a short spell just to break things up a bit. After all his first 3 kicks in AFL were goals. This would obviously depend on the opposition and match ups.

 

[Leaping Lindner]

He was beaten by Bourke! AFL Career over.

 

[marvin]

So I guess you're telling me that at 42 I've left my run a bit late!

I always held out hope of being a Fantasia smokey while DJ was on the list. Sure, he was younger than me, but we both got rounder and rounder, and slower and slower, and somehow he kept getting a game.

I've finally had enough counselling to accept my fate.

Oh well, at least I can go back to eating all the pies.

Don't you have a John Meesen petition to organise?

 

[Mad Dog]

Something that someone mentioned in one of the other threads about our forward line got me thinking about something.

I know that some of the long-time posters on this site will probably beat me down for flogging a dead horse...

BUT

Seeing as how we really lack a key FF, what if Neil Craig had been the head coach during the Adam Richardson experiment?

Wasn't Richardson kicking tons of goals in the SANFL? Yet Ayres gave the guy like 3 games at AFL level. I can't help it but it sticks in my craw that he should've been given a real shot...especially when we had no other options. What a waste.

Wonder if Craig would've gotten him to performan in the AFL like he did in the SANFL?

Thoughts?

I think in principle NC would give Richo a go.....but our current environment is a bit more condusive to trying new talent than it was back in 2001 when we still had Robran, Jarman, Vardy.

I think it's fine to summise whether he was given a fair go or not.....(2 games is not alot to make a judgement), but I can still remember watching his second efforts at the ball if he didn't take a mark........the phrases "Queen Mary...." and ".....elephant looking for a marble...." come to mind.

Another example along with Smith, Hodges, Beinke, Schell of fine SANFL forwards who couldn't quite take the next step.

 

[lacrow]

Originally Posted by Mad Dog

I can still remember watching his second efforts at the ball if he didn't take a mark........the phrases "Queen Mary...." and ".....elephant looking for a marble...." come to mind.

Maybe that's true... but then again maybe the guy just needed a little time to adjust to the quicker pace and higher demands of AFL. I honestly don't know since I never got to see him play.... but it seems as if he worked his @ss off to get into the side and should've been trialled a little more.

At the time we had NOBODY at FF, absolutely nobody.

 

[AdelaideFan]

I think in principle NC would give Richo a go.....but our current environment is a bit more condusive to trying new talent than it was back in 2001 when we still had Robran, Jarman, Vardy.

I think it's fine to summise whether he was given a fair go or not.....(2 games is not alot to make a judgement), but I can still remember watching his second efforts at the ball if he didn't take a mark........the phrases "Queen Mary...." and ".....elephant looking for a marble...." come to mind.

Another example along with Smith, Hodges, Beinke, Schell of fine SANFL forwards who couldn't quite take the next step.

Thought old stinky provided good service and di some good things during his tenure. Wouldn't put his name along side schell's or Richardson's. Bit harsh by my account.

 

[Mad Dog]

Thought old stinky provided good service and di some good things during his tenure. Wouldn't put his name along side schell's or Richardson's. Bit harsh by my account.

fair enough point....Beinke was good for us when he was the third string forward....on a few occasions he slipped under the guard of the third string defender and kicked a few goals......but a couple of times he was tossed to the wolves as the main forward and was taken to the cleaners.

I mention him in the same breathe as the others only because they have all had very fine SANFL careers

 

[AdelaideFan]

fair enough point....Beinke was good for us when he was the third string forward....on a few occasions he slipped under the guard of the third string defender and kicked a few goals......but a couple of times he was tossed to the wolves as the main forward and was taken to the cleaners.

I mention him in the same breathe as the others only because they have all had very fine SANFL careers

Fair enough. Looking at it though it is interesting to see schell has really started to mature probably in the last couple of years. Do you think he would have been worth persuing??? How old is he now???

 

[just maybe]

Fair enough. Looking at it though it is interesting to see schell has really started to mature probably in the last couple of years. Do you think he would have been worth persuing??? How old is he now???

Definitely not. He was always a good SANFL player, including the time he was with us, but even in the SANFL he goes missing for long periods. He would be gobbled up in the AFL, and he never had the commitment or the heart to be an AFL player, although he had the talent (remember that Lions game, 4 goals on Mal Michael?).

 

[AdelaideFan]

Definitely not. He was always a good SANFL player, including the time he was with us, but even in the SANFL he goes missing for long periods. He would be gobbled up in the AFL, and he never had the commitment or the heart to be an AFL player, although he had the talent (remember that Lions game, 4 goals on Mal Michael?).

Fair enough was just wondering if he was starting to mature a bit now and coming into the best part of his obviously ordinary career. I can still remember how excited the media was when we picked him up.