Wooden spoon!

[Goldust]

NOT sure if you caught it on SEN Monday night, but Martin Pike stated that Richmond was the "smokey" in terms of winning the wooden spoon.
Any thoughts ladies and gentlemen.
His reasoning, which is sound is that the Tigers more than any club could ill-afford to lose the services of any of its key big men. Pike says with Richardson and Simmonds already sidelined for the present, one more injury to a big man such as Polak or Schulz would decimate us.
I tend to agree with his philosophy ...though not counting opn Simmo or Richo being njured for any great length of time.
But we lose either or both for any sustained length of time, we are screwed big time!

 

[tigerdan]

Any team that loses all its big man stocks would be in trouble.

But there are worse teams than us out there.

 

[Tonycam*]

Injuries can make or break any side for the year, no matter how good you may look everyone knows that. The thing is during this period while we are waiting for these guys to come back, weather its round 2 , 4 , 6 we have to not let the young kids (& others) loose direction and not fall off too far. Nobody is going to be world beaters with injuries but also if you can win your share early and not give in the side will be back on track soon. It will be very interesting for the first few weeks of the season. must win as many as we can early.

 

[cradle of filth]

haha, Richmond are alot better than last years bottom 4 teams. I think finals are more likely for you guys.

 

[PLSC]

teams like port and geelong are improving hawthorn is going to get better and i expect an essendon or kangas to shoot up a bit

pies on the way down maybe stkilda and adelaide also but other than that i think its pretty much the same

we need to get our act together or else bottom 4 isnt that unlikely

 

[UpTheGuts]

teams like port and geelong are improving hawthorn is going to get better and i expect an essendon or kangas to shoot up a bit

pies on the way down maybe stkilda and adelaide also but other than that i think its pretty much the same

we need to get our act together or else bottom 4 isnt that unlikely

Contrary to popular opinion, PLSC speaks sense at least half the time

 

[tigerT]

wooden spoon is laughable.

but not much will change this year compared to last. We'll still be in that group of 4-5 sides battling to scrape into the finals. When youre in that position you either need to take the next step as a side and become a legitimate bonafide top 6 side, or you need everything to go right ala injuries to scrape in, I'd suggest we fall into the latter category still.

wce
syd
adel
saints
melb
freo
wb you would think these 7 are legitimate finals sides

geelong
rich
port
hawks
pies
maybe ess and roos all battling to sneak in. and of those Geelong and Port have considerably more talent than we do.

 

[PLSC]

wooden spoon is laughable.

but not much will change this year compared to last. We'll still be in that group of 4-5 sides battling to scrape into the finals. When youre in that position you either need to take the next step as a side and become a legitimate bonafide top 6 side, or you need everything to go right ala injuries to scrape in, I'd suggest we fall into the latter category still.

wce
syd
adel
saints
melb
freo
wb you would think these 7 are legitimate finals sides

geelong
rich
port
hawks
pies
maybe ess and roos all battling to sneak in. and of those Geelong and Port have considerably more talent than we do.

geelong can get into that top half no problem, thorw tredders in a port team and they will go close also and i reckon the hawks if they can get coached right will be dangerous

i see nothing to suggest we can beat teams like melb and the dogs so i dont see a top 8 anytime soon, i still think we are better then the last 2-3 teams but its those teams i mentioned that could just go right past us and before we know it we are 12th again

 

[UpTheGuts]

I'll say it again, PLSC speaks sense. We all yearn for better, but as we've been doing that for almost 30 years without much success, it's realistic not to expect any drastic change.

That said, Go Tiges!! This is the year!!!

 

[Loose Cannon]

God forbid, surely there are teams worse than us!

Another development year for the Tiges tho. 12th maybe.

2008 is the year things should start to happen for us I reckon.

 

[Tonycam*]

Come on guys , dont give in that easy. I know your only trying to think logically but I honestly think the Tigers will be fighting for that 8th spot. I dont think they are much better than that yet but I really do think Richmond is at least as good as Hawthorn & Port Adelaide. what PLSC & UpTheGuts says is fairly true but if they do have heart and I think they do, they could just suprise you and get into the 8.

 

[sante]

We might finish lower than 2006. Bottom 4 surely not. That would be a huge let down.

Kangas, Blues, Lions we are all better than...Bombers + Hawks look to be on the up but we are still better than 'em. We are equal with Port, Pies and maybe Dees this year.

 

[Loose Cannon]

Come on guys , dont give in that easy. I know your only trying to think logically but I honestly think the Tigers will be fighting for that 8th spot. I dont think they are much better than that yet but I really do think Richmond is at least as good as Hawthorn & Port Adelaide. what PLSC & UpTheGuts says is fairly true but if they do have heart and I think they do, they could just suprise you and get into the 8.

When you've supported the Tiges for a long time, it's hard to make bold predictions. Too many let downs.

If injuries leave us alone (not looking good ATM) we may play finals. I'm just concerned about our midfield depth. Also big man depth is a worry.

I can cope with development year as long as the miles get put into those young legs and we see improvement in key players.

 

[jko'neal]

After round 1 last year it was looking grim and we still won 11 games with many injuries. I say lets play the waiting game and hope our younger guys take another step.

 

[Tonycam*]

Well I have been told that the Tigers have been putting the miles in and this was the hardest preseason they have ever had. I must admit Im new to following Richmond but I have heard that the whole team really do think that they can make inroads this year. How far time will tell. I think they have the heart for it.

 

[Crumden]

Am I missing something? Richo and Simmonds are out for a few practice matches, and suddenly our big men are decimated for the season? God help us if the media are resorting to Martin Pike for expert comments.

 

[tugga]

God forbid, surely there are teams worse than us!

Another development year for the Tiges tho. 12th maybe.

2008 is the year things should start to happen for us I reckon.

agree
Welcome aboard!

 

[anth22]

We might finish lower than 2006. Bottom 4 surely not. That would be a huge let down.

Kangas, Blues, Lions we are all better than...Bombers + Hawks look to be on the up but we are still better than 'em. We are equal with Port, Pies and maybe Dees this year.

Yeah you are right about the fact your team shouldnt finish in the bottom four but of all the teams you mentioned you are not that much better and bottom four finish is a realistic possibility.

My issue is how can you say bombers are on the up, when kangas,blues and brissy are all playing in the nab cup semis this weekend ... I can understand the hawks because they showed a lot last year but essendon .. whats the rationale there!!!!!

 

[tugga]

Yeah you are right about the fact your team shouldnt finish in the bottom four but of all the teams you mentioned you are not that much better and bottom four finish is a realistic possibility.

My issue is how can you say bombers are on the up, when kangas,blues and brissy are all playing in the nab cup semis this weekend ... I can understand the hawks because they showed a lot last year but essendon .. whats the rationale there!!!!!

The four teams in the NAB Cup semis didn't make the 8 last year. Three out of the four finished bottom four. I'd say it speaks volumes about the NAB Cup and how much of a glorified practice match schedule it has become.

 

[tigerT]

Yeah you are right about the fact your team shouldnt finish in the bottom four but of all the teams you mentioned you are not that much better and bottom four finish is a realistic possibility.

My issue is how can you say bombers are on the up, when kangas,blues and brissy are all playing in the nab cup semis this weekend ... I can understand the hawks because they showed a lot last year but essendon .. whats the rationale there!!!!!

rationale is you dont take the pre season comp seriously, simple as that. You guys won it 2 years ago coming off a fighting H&A season the year before and then fell in a heap and won the spoon.

Geelong last season, looked like they were flying and had a horror season.

No disrespect but I think we're a fair way ahead of Carlton, kangas, lions and essendon, I think we have the hawks covered as well. We have a long way to go but we're not half as shizen as most muppets of BF would tell you..

 

[Crumden]

Kangas, Blues, Lions we are all better than...Bombers + Hawks look to be on the up but we are still better than 'em. We are equal with Port, Pies and maybe Dees this year.

The Bummers won 12 games in 2004, 8 in 2005 and 3 and a half in 2006. I really can't see why people think they are on the way up. They've got Lloyd back, which was maybe the difference between 8 in 2005 and 3 and a half in 2006, but other than that nothing's changed.

 

[tugga]

The Bummers won 12 games in 2004, 8 in 2005 and 3 and a half in 2006. I really can't see why people think they are on the way up. They've got Lloyd back, which was maybe the difference between 8 in 2005 and 3 and a half in 2006, but other than that nothing's changed.

Lloyd back also forces Lucas up the ground and out of his comfort zone. Lucas' 70 goals suddenly becomes 30. I can't see them doing much for a while although they did well out of this draft.

 

[Brown Bottle]

Wonder if Pikey was tipping the Bulldogs for the spoon last season when Darcy went down? It's not like their list is overflowing with talls.

Did Ormond-Allen play in the ruck in a Crows premiership season?

 

[Weaver]

Did Ormond-Allen play in the ruck in a Crows premiership season?

For one quarter because Blight hated the soft %^# and wanted to see him brutally beaten to an inch of his life

In a preview of Fremantle last week Connolly made the point that the team he field only included one player (Drum) who hadn't had at least 4 preseasons. Made the point that a 'kid' like Browne is 23 and actually been around the scence for almost 6 years.

I know many think we are going to see kids like Thursfield, JON, Hughes, Reiwoldt drive us up the ladder ... but it is just unreaslistic.

It is the 100+ gamers who win matches and we just don't stack up well there against 10 or more teams.

We have a very tough draw this year.

I'd say 6-10 wins is on the cards. And that could be a bottom 2-3 spot. But surely there is going to a be 4-win team to pick up the wooden spoon.

 

[Bifrost]

Even if we lose our another of our talls we have enough depth in the team to keep us well out of the cellar. Sure, if we have a few injuries to key players, then our drive for the finals might get just a little longer, but I can't see us competing for a bottom-4 spot this year.