What Would You Do?

[Darth_Tiger]

Hypothetically you have just replaced Damien Hardwick as Richmond coach for the remainder of 2015. What changes would you make to salvage the season and prepare for next.

Personally I would bring Lennon and McDonough in and play them as half forwards telling them they have at least four full games to show what they have. I would try playing Rance as a tall defensive midfielder and put Elton in the backline to replace him. I would elevate Short to play forward pocket and Castagna to play back pocket. I would try McBean, Griffiths and Jack as the three talls and put TV in the ruck and leave him there. Astbury is our swingman. I'd probably put lids across half back with Bachar. I'd give Arnot a decent run at it and give games to Menadue as well.


Sent from my brain using ESP.

 

[caroma]

Tell the players that anyone who slips over, kicks backwards, kicks sideways, kicks less than 20 metres, squibs out of a contest, doesn't protect their team mates and doesn't run and chase at 100% from the first bounce will be spending the next week in the twos.

The following week i would have to inform the AFL that we forfeit, as i would be unable to field a team...

 

[wegetpumped]

 

[wegetpumped]

Or i might send her and him and his friends into punt road to sort them out.

 

[Equus]

Cyborg coach with instruction from BigFooty Gamely thread.

 

[Equus]

Cyborg coach with instruction from BigFooty Gamely thread.

Actually no. Cyborg world explode.

 

[tigerninja]

Play Arnot every week. Play players in positions that they can play in only and let them master their craft. Remove the captaincy from Cotchin and give to a man, if we have one. Play Jack at full forward, yes, full forward. Stop selecting injured players, this part in particular is a genius thing to do. Discontinue any talk to the media about how we plan to take on the opponent and giving away tactics etc...it will be an enforced club rule. Set minimum number of tackles per game per player or be omitted. That's just to name a few things, don't want to give to much away before i get called up for the job.

 

[TheProwler]

First, Go to Gale & O'neil and ask for a blank cheque to get the best assistants and development staff I can get. At the end of the day we are a football club so football results need to be right at the top of the to do list. No use being the richest club in the bottom four.

Second, player interviews & assessments. Going to need a few red pens though. Make sure from day one they buy into some hard footy and expectations. Those afraid of hard stuff can tell me which clubs they want to go to and I will either get it done or assist them in mutual release from their contract.

Third, play players in positions or roles that best suit their attributes. If you are a mid, you play there. If you are a fwd you play there. Glaring gaps indicate the players required to draft and trade for.

Fourth, shut my mouth and stick to the facts when I do have to speak. Media and fans can sniff a turd salesman a mile off.

 

[unfoley926]

Would tell Trent that I want him to concentrate on just playing the best footy he can and relieve him of captaincy and change up our leadership group. I would drop players such as Thomas pettard Chaplin Newman Morris and give all our youth opportunity to cement there place on the team.

 

[caroma]

First, Go to Gale & O'neil and ask for a blank cheque to get the best assistants and development staff I can get. At the end of the day we are a football club so football results need to be right at the top of the to do list. No use being the richest club in the bottom four.

Second, player interviews & assessments. Going to need a few red pens though. Make sure from day one they buy into some hard footy and expectations. Those afraid of hard stuff can tell me which clubs they want to go to and I will either get it done or assist them in mutual release from their contract.

Third, play players in positions or roles that best suit their attributes. If you are a mid, you play there. If you are a fwd you play there. Glaring gaps indicate the players required to draft and trade for.

Fourth, shut my mouth and stick to the facts when I do have to speak. Media and fans can sniff a turd salesman a mile off.

Fifth: Write down 22 different catchphrases so you're not left recycling "Just couldnt get the game on our terms..." every week.

 

[TheProwler]

Fifth: Write down 22 different catchphrases so you're not left recycling "Just couldnt get the game on our terms..." every week.

Well if that floats your boat so be it.

 

[mopsy]

First, Go to Gale & O'neil and ask for a blank cheque to get the best assistants and development staff I can get. At the end of the day we are a football club so football results need to be right at the top of the to do list. No use being the richest club in the bottom four.

Second, player interviews & assessments. Going to need a few red pens though. Make sure from day one they buy into some hard footy and expectations. Those afraid of hard stuff can tell me which clubs they want to go to and I will either get it done or assist them in mutual release from their contract.

Third, play players in positions or roles that best suit their attributes. If you are a mid, you play there. If you are a fwd you play there. Glaring gaps indicate the players required to draft and trade for.

Fourth, shut my mouth and stick to the facts when I do have to speak. Media and fans can sniff a turd salesman a mile off.

Agree with this. Would add starting immediately. Well balanced sides with adequate experience and good structure. With a priority on junior and development players who have good defensive attributes getting a game.

 

[nick1408]

Great topic of conversation but I can see a lot of really interesting topics being buried really quickly. Anyway, I'll have my go:

Backs:
My plan would be to play a main group of six of Grimes, Astbury, Rance, Chaplin, Houli and Vlastin. The first three maintain the forward targets while the last four provide the run out of defence. I don't want Astbury or Grimes trying to run the ball out and I don't want Chaplin being used on one of the main marking targets. I would use Morris as support to the backline depending on who the opposition is. I need Vlastin to provide run but I may also need him to be in the midfield as well. Astbury and Rance can both mark so they need to be used in this capacity but at the moment they both need to be told to pull their head in (Rance especially). If Rance's contract is having an effect on his game we need to get it sorted out one way or the other really quick and let him know it is having an effect on the team and not just him.

The backline is the sum of it's parts and I think 3-4 of the six are more than capable but while the other two provide cover there are better players around. Typically, the backline is used to blood players. This may not be ideal right now as I think we need experienced players in the backline. If Houli goes out I would move Deledio there. If one of the talls goes down it is a bit different and harder to replace but Elton would be the immediate replacement with Hampson or Vickery also entering my thaughts. The later does go against my earlier comment of 'experienced' but I feel while Hampson cannot mark he can provide a contest if we need three talls and Vickery is mobile enough to run with more versatile players. Unfortunately, unlike the forward line there aren't too many tall backs ready to go.

Forwards:
I need a diagram for this -



Riewoldt leads along the red line. Vickery leads along the purple line. Griffiths operates in the circle above the 50m line. My reasoning here is simple - Riewoldt gets himself stuck on the purple side too often and is a right footer so it really closes the angle off. Vickery would be used as a decoy along this line. Griffiths has a massive kick so can take shots from this area easily. This to me is the easy part. I have faith in Vickery as a forward but he also needs to know that McBean and McKenzie are hot on his tail. Any half efforts will be scrutinised - this goes for the other two as well but Vickery is the one that will be most likely to put a half effort in. Also, it makes the VFL players know a spot is available.

The hard part here is the small forwards or lack thereof. Obvisually Edwards is the man here and doesn't move out of this spot. We have no-one else. We will be robbing Peter to pay Paul here. Martin will be rotating with Deledio and to a lesser extent Cotchin. I don't have faith in McDonnough but could definately use Corey Ellis here. Lennon would take a spot on the flank with Conca on the other but between the three small players they will rotate positions quite regularly as they all have attributes that can help closer to and further away from goal. If injury strikes (and it will) this is where I rotate the likes of Menadue, Butler, McDonnough, etc. through here.

Midfield and Ruck:
I have heaps of talls in the side but Maric is the ruck obviously. Maric's backup is Griffiths, McBean, McKenzie or anyone who isn't Vickery. His ruck numbers are just plain putrid so I cannot afford to lose the centre taps when Maric is resting. The three midfielders I have sitting under his nose are Cotchin, Grigg and McIntosh. McIntosh is a bit of a punt but I think he can be the big bodies player and looks to have a bit of mongrel about him. Ellis and Deledio are on the wings as they provide a lot of run here and hurt the opposition most here. Deledio doesn't handle a tag well so needs to be mobile enough to work through it and if he is operating in and around a pack I feel he can become impotent. Grigg is the tagger and needs to be inside as he becomes impotent when he is used as an outside player. Cotchin is the main man. If he is getting tagged Grigg and McIntosh need to hurt the tagger. Alternatively, Cotchin can go forward and Martin can go into the midfield.

Bench:
Here I can use four small blokes because of how tall the team is. Hunt, Newman, Morris and whoever deserves a game from VFL performances get the four spots. Morris and Hunt are not to be used as a sub because they aren't explosive enough.

Tactical:
It doesn't take a genius to spot Riewoldt's lead. Because of this, he needs to be smart enough to lead closer to the boundary and effectively clear the forward 50 for the other tall forward to lead a bit more central. He effectively becomes the decoy when he is double-manned.

From the midfield the ball needs to come quickly to the forward 50. We have the talls so we need to get the ball to them before the opposition have a chance to flood back. The midfielders are all capable of outmarking players bigger than them - Deledio and Martin in particular. Use this advantage to get the ball moving forwards. A long direct kick - even to a two on one means we have a distance advantage. If it is quick to go forward we as well as the opposition won't have huge numbers forward so it shouldn't be a slingshot back if we do lose it forward. I envisage three talls and two smalls as the targets and I can't see any opposition really having mcuh more to be defending for this type of movement. If they do it becomes harder to slingshot the ball back as there are less targets for them to pick out.

We don't have the players to play a short ball movement game or the flair to play an expressive game. What I see us having is hard runners and hard tacklers. We need to use this to our advantage. It does mean ball movement in a quick but methodical way. Also, what we can do is hit players hard when they have the ball. They need to walk away from a contest hurting. Ball movement needs to be first thought kick. Second though kick. Third thought maybe handball if a kick isn't on. Again, if the ball is lost don't be afraid to run hard at a player to hurt them. If someone gets suspended I am prepared to wear it. There is much to be learnt from this type of play and eventually a player will time their hits better and will become adept at hurting the opposition both on the scoreboard and physically.

Going Forward:
Nothing too in depth here. We need a ruck this draft as Maric won't last forever. We also need small forwards and flairy/expressive midfielders. Whether it is through trade or draft I'm not too concerned so long as the right player is picked. Previously I have identified Tom Mitchell but James Aish may be another that could work. Matthew Leuenberger would be the ruck I would aim for right now.

After my caretaker position was up I would be getting Nathan Bassett in. Back him with all the resources required. Keep the current assistants but also get in some more experienced types like Matthew Knights to complement Mark Williams as experienced coaches.

 

[Roachy8]

^^^^
Mate if you aren't going to put any effort in and you're just going to rush a quick post then GTFO!

 

[nick1408]

^^^^
Mate if you aren't going to put any effort in and you're just going to rush a quick post then GTFO!

Funny you say this - it was all off the top of my head! Funny what you take in by watching from behind goals each week

 

[SplintWhisky]

I would sit down each and every player and look them dead in the eye and ask "Why do you want to play football?" then follow that up with "Why do you want to play for the Richmond Football club?". The answers would tell me who was serious and who was not. I would gather the data and relay it back to the players.

Whilst this is happening I am on the phone to the Rebals or the Storm. I want to set up 2 solid weeks of tackling training. I don't care if we get smashed for those two weeks but there would be no football skills drills or gameplan drills for those two weeks. Just weights, cardio and tackling training.

Depending on the attitudes of the players at training will then decide on how I would attempt to make them mentally tougher. From the pictures that I have seen of the club's training photos and a lot of the time they seem to joke around when on the boundary. If there is not a professional attitude to improve and get better then they are in for a bad time. One day I would have them come in a little early and get some skills and game plan drills done. At midday I would invite them inside to find a large pasta meal. Giving them false praise I would say that they have been working hard and this was a small reward. Half way through the meal I would walk in and tell them to get outside as they are doing time trial laps around the oval and a brutal crossfit kind of work out. Tyres, ropes and all that stuff will be there but there will also be a bell. I would tell the players that anyone who thinks it is getting too hard or wants to quit only needs to ring that bell and they get to go home. However anyone that does ring that bell adds 2 extra laps for the remaining groups final run. Yes this is military but I want them to understand that letting down their teammates on the field is as painful as it is here.

From there I want the players who are properly committed to improvement and playing well to take the best 22 regardless of who they are. If you are not committed and not giving 100% then you are not playing and that goes for everyone. Martin or Cotchin all the way down to Short and Butler it doesn't matter what they did under Hardwick. Yesterday does not matter and it is what they do from now on that will make me judge them. This will also allow for some of the kids to be played so we can get a better look at the list.

On terms of game plan is simple run through the corridor and run with freedom. Only look to go down the line if the corridor is too crowded or look to do the quick switch. Get and go football. Players will be played in their natural positions and the positions that work best for them.

 

[_RT_]

If I was to be put in charge what I would do is the following:

List Management
I'd call Newman Grigg Petterd Knights Thomas Gordon Lloyd Hunt & Foley into the office on Monday morning and tell them that the VFL plays at Punt Rd for home games and that the only way they'll be playing is if injury dictates they have to be picked. Following that meeting I'd be calling Vickery & Conca into the office and telling them that they have 2 choices either they take the rest of the season to prove that they have a future with the club or they tell me now that they want to move on at seasons end. If they want to move on then they can join the above group in playing at VFL level and getting games if injury dictates. The following meeting I'd be calling Rance into the office and slapping a contract down in front of him and saying this is our best and last offer for a new contract and he has until the end of the week to commit to a future with the club or to let us know he is either walking away or taking up a free agent offer with another club.

Following this I'd be heading to the auditorium and holding a meeting with the rest of the playing group as well as Vickery Conca & Rance if they have committed to the club and telling them that they are the foundation of the list that will be taking us forward. In this meeting I'd be telling the players that they will be given every opportunity if they want it to prove that they have what it takes to turn this club around. I'd then inform the group that I see them playing in the following areas of the ground and based on form they will be selected in the side.

Small Defenders: Houli Morris Castagna
Medium Defenders: McIntosh Batchelor Grimes Dea
KPD: Rance Astbury Chaplin Elton
Small Forwards: Edwards McDonough Butler Short
Medium Forwards: Deledio Martin Lennon
KPF: Riewoldt Griffiths McKenzie McBean
Inside Midfielders: Cotchin Miles Vlastuin C.Ellis Arnot Lambert
Outside Midfielders: B.Ellis Conca Drummond Menadue
Rucks: Maric Vickery Hampson

From that the basis for the side would be:

B: Morris Astbury Chaplin
HB: Houli Rance McIntosh
C: B.Ellis Vlastuin Conca
HF: Deledio Griffiths Martin
F: Edwards Riewoldt Vickery
R: Maric Cotchin C.Ellis
Int: Miles Lennon McDonough Menadue

Game Plan
First things first is win the contest and when we do spread hard to create options. In 2013 when we won 15 games that was the way we did it, sure we got opened up on occasions on the rebound, but with an improved understanding of what is required to stop this happening we should be able to stop it from happening or at least react quicker when it does happen. If we don't win the contest then we spread even harder to make sure we get back and stop the opposition from getting an easy score.

When we're in possession of the ball everyone will be encouraged to go first option and to play on instinct, again back in 2012-13 we played with dare and excitement. With Deledio Martin and Edwards in the forward line we have every reason to move the ball quickly into the F50 and give these guys along with Jack the chance to work 1-1 against their opposition. The other benefit of a stack forward line is that it stops the opposition from simply zoning off and focusing on the one player like what happens now.

Development of Kids
With regards to the likes of Lennon McDonough Menadue McIntosh C.Ellis and co they would be told that once in the side they get a 4 week block of games to settle and become comfortable with the pace of AFL. None of this come in for 1 game and then go out again if they have a quiet one. These kids are talented players but they don't get to show it if they are being subbed out of the game or used as the sub to start with. I'd be playing them in the roles they were developed and wouldn't be looking at reinventing the wheel with them. Half the time that is what stunts their development rather than aiding it. This approach would also be enforced in the VFL side. Kids are to be played in the roles that they are recruited to play, you don't need to play a midfielder/forward as a defender to teach them to be accountable as players you work with them during the week in the video room and show them things they could have done better to stop their opponent.

With 16 games left in the season there is a very good opportunity for the incoming coach to have a good look at what we have to offer and what they have to work with.

 

[Ralll]

I would simplify the gameplan, with about 10 recycled players in our squad our gameplan shouldn't be one that relies on retaining possession with pinpoint accuracy and fast offensive run when we dont have either attribute.
We have strong contested players and clearance specialists so we should base our gameplan around this, put more emphasis on having a longer option down the field as an out kick for our less fortunate skilled players(there are alot of them), and set up a type of clearance situation in our favor if the tall cant mark it. Dont let them play a loose man in def... man him up.
This would probably need 3 tall forwards so we can always have someone setting up 50m off the ball.

Other than that our backline is pretty good, Rance and Astbury stay down back and make a solid unit with the others, Miles is used as a stoppage player only, (none of this forward crap, he can snag them when he comes in for stoppages) and the Lids/Sheds/Gordon/Morris/McDonough/Cotchin types rotate/play as smaller forwards, they all have pace and can put alot of defensive pressure in our forward line.

I think tweaking/simplifying the gameplan in this type of way would free up the players to play more on instinct and help them get the defensive stuff right.

 

[sante]

I would say forget about structures and roles and KPI's and play bloody football.

 

[no orange peeler]

I would simplify the gameplan, with about 10 recycled players in our squad our gameplan shouldn't be one that relies on retaining possession with pinpoint accuracy and fast offensive run when we dont have either attribute.
We have strong contested players and clearance specialists so we should base our gameplan around this, put more emphasis on having a longer option down the field as an out kick for our less fortunate skilled players(there are alot of them), and set up a type of clearance situation in our favor if the tall cant mark it. Dont let them play a loose man in def... man him up.
This would probably need 3 tall forwards so we can always have someone setting up 50m off the ball.

Other than that our backline is pretty good, Rance and Astbury stay down back and make a solid unit with the others, Miles is used as a stoppage player only, (none of this forward crap, he can snag them when he comes in for stoppages) and the Lids/Sheds/Gordon/Morris/McDonough/Cotchin types rotate/play as smaller forwards, they all have pace and can put alot of defensive pressure in our forward line.

I think tweaking/simplifying the gameplan in this type of way would free up the players to play more on instinct and help them get the defensive stuff right.

100% agree. Take on a Bulldogs/saints plan where they just take the game on play without recourse. Been mindful of the oppostion but take it on.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Somewhat like EAD I'd simplify things including selection by outlining to players that they are in distinct groups and that is who they are competing against the best performers in those roles play .
I'd also piss non Chico Williams , Lade and Francis Jackson off , replace them plus beefing up the midfield coaching panel .

RFC List , doesn't include those yet to debut:
Defenders :
Talls : Elton, Chaplin, Rance
Mid Sized : Grimes, Batchellor, Dea
Small : Morris , Houli, newman
Back up at best , Hunt

Outside mids half forwards :\
Grigg, MCDonough , Lennon, McIntosh, Gordan , BEllis, CEllis, Lloyd, Newman ( can play this role )

Inside mids, defensive forwards when resting :
Arnott, Miles, Foley, Vlaustin, Conca, Thomas

3rd Tall Forwards, not necessarily lead up
Jack, Bean,

KPF
Astbury , Griffiths

Ruckman
Maric, Vickery, Hampson

Offensive weapons who play every week and wherever needed.
Martin, Cotchin , Edwards, Lids

IMO The side structure should be picked based on the form of the above players in their positions and obviously opposition dependent.

FB : Tall Defender, Tall Defender, Medium Sized
HBF : small Defender, Tall defender, Small Defender
C:Outside mid, Offensive weapon , outside mid
HFF : Offensive weapon , tall forward, outside mid
FF: 3rd tall, tall forward, inside mid

Ruck, inside mid, offensive weapon
Int : Ruck, inside mid, offensive weapon
Sub : outside mid

ATM, time to simplify it, you have a role and you fight for it and perform for it or VFL.:
Chaplin Elton Batchelor
Morris Rance Houli
Bellis Cotchin McIntosh
Lids Griff Newman
Jack Astvbury Vlaustin

Ivan , Sedwards, Miles
Int : Hampson , Arnot, Dustin
Sub : Grigg

 

[billywhizz]

You could almost re-title this thread "What Would Mark Neeld Do" such are some of the responses in here

 

[nick1408]

You could almost re-title this thread "What Would Mark Neeld Do" such are some of the responses in here

Care to elaborate?

 

[billywhizz]

Care to elaborate?

Players need to respect their coach if the coach wants to get the best out of them. Becoming their worst nightmare/some sort of drill sergeant straight out of Full Metal Jacket will not do this, especially if the players also think you have NFI.

The only thing that could (remotely) be linked to the word 'military' that should be involved is making any player with a shit haircut shave it off. Hair gel should be banned until after a premiership has been won. Then we'll really see these fashionistas give their all for the RFC guernsey...

 

[nick1408]

Players need to respect their coach if the coach wants to get the best out of them. Becoming their worst nightmare/some sort of drill sergeant straight out of Full Metal Jacket will not do this, especially if the players also think you have NFI.

The only thing that could (remotely) be linked to the word 'military' that should be involved is making any player with a shit haircut shave it off. Hair gel should be banned until after a premiership has been won. Then we'll really see these fashionistas give their all for the RFC guernsey...

Fair enough. As I posted above, I think it's a gameplan and selection thing rather than attitude