Richmond List Stronger Than Ever

[The Optimist]

It has been 3 years since Richmond bottomed out on the AFL ladder and it appears that there has been a great change down at Tigerland.

Not only with the appointment of Greg Miller as Director of Football and subsequently Terry Wallace as Coach.

Over the last 3 seasons Richmond has turned over their list with many new names added and many old names gone.

With 9 top 30 draft picks now in the Richmond squad plus the likes of Simmonds, Patrick Bowden, Pollack and Kingsley finding their way to Punt Road it looks that the depth of talent has never been greater than it is today at Richmond as compared to the past 25 years.

The competition for positions at Punt Road will be immense this year.

Yes, Mark Couglan will be a loss to Richmond for this season, but the depth of inside midfielders will mean that his loss will be less felt than if this was to occur in years gone by.

Injuries will always play a big part in how your footy team fares from year to year, but it has a major impact on the lesser teams and a minor impact on the league leaders due solely to the depth and strength of the applicable teams playing list.

The Richmond list is developing well and whilst they will probably not achieve a top 4 finish this year they are well on their way to an improved season, which should mean more than 11 wins and a top 8 position.

Richmond is a team that will be a quiet achiever this year, and if they achieve finals action perhaps they will be not so quiet come September given that the tiger faithful have been subdued for near on a quarter of a century with only seeing finals action twice in this period.

The Richmond list should get stronger year on year for the next couple of years and this all bodes well for the tiger army from about 2009 through to 2012 when these top 30 draftees should be stepping up significantly to not only play games, but to well and truly influence games.

[Tippaz]

I see the Tigers list as far too young to be a major threat this year. They've used their draft picks well since Wallace arrived, but the progress has been slow. Wallace likes to hold em' back a while, unlike the Hawthorn-approach of throwing them in there straight away. I have left one position for either Hawthorn or Richmond to make my 8, and i've gone with the Hawks. Right now, i have Richmond 9th (yes, i really do think 9th) with the expectation of holding ground in 2007, and making their move in 2008. I would stick to the old plan of 'building for the future' rather than just 'playing for the finals', and this would be my preferred lineup:

fb - raines, thursfield, p.bowden
hb - j.bowden, polak, polo
c - tivendale, tuck, hyde
hf - pettifer, richardson, krakouer
ff - brown, kingsley, hughes
r - simmonds, deledio, johnson
i/c - knobel, meyer, oakley-nicholls, tambling

[The Optimist]

Tippaz,

I agree with your take on the tigers, however, I believe that they are a more mature side than the hawks due to the recruitment of the more mature bodied types of Simmonds, Patrick Bowden, Pollack and Kingsley as compared with the hawks just going for all kids with their drafting. This will see the tigers push a little bit higher on the ladder.

My best tigers team would look like this:

FB - Raines, Gaspar, Polo
HB - J.Bowden, Polack, Deledio
C - P.Bowden, Tuck, Hyde
HF - Pettifer, Richardson, Tambling
FF - Brown, Kingsley, Pattison
R - Simmonds, Johnson, Foley
I/C - Thursfield, Tivendale, Meyer, Howat

[Dozer]

I think Kingsley is a good pick up for the Tigers. He has been bagged in the past, but he is not capable of being the main forward target for a whole year. As a secondary target behind Richo, he will have less pressure, the second best back instead of the best and should be able to deliver 2-3 each week which is 50 in a season. A return which they will be very happy with.

Polak has always looked as if he is going to be something special to me, but has failed to deliver so far. A change of scenery may help and if he can get some consistency, he will be very good.

I still think their young ones are a year or 2 away, apart from Delidio and Raines. Tambling shows a bit, but needs to do it more often.

Where will they finish? Dare I say 9th.

[Plugg3r]

The Richmond list may be stronger then last years, but being stronger then it ever has been is a great over statement.

My only game I got to see last year was the Swans V Richmond in round 8 if im not wrong.
And we saw how that turned out.
They haven't got any backup, reserves and there current bright names in the list are becoming... Gone.

Gasper and Richo are probably going at the end of this year then whom will they have?

The rest of the senior list is young kids, some being bright prospects.
Others are....

[ALI-G]

Richmonds biggest defiency is Forward/Ruck.

If one of those big men crisis strike Richmond that hit the dogs last year your nowhere near a top 8 team IMO. If Richo/Knobel/Simmonds all go down poor Pettifer will most probably have to play KPF alongside P.Bowden with Ray Hall and Shane Tuck having to share ruck duties and thats far from a wish on you guys as many may remember I did a similar thing to Geelong last year and it cost them their finals spot

[Plugg3r]

Thats why alot of top teams have atleast 1 backup ruckman.
Swans have 5 RUCKMAN :/ :P
But if a forward-line player goes down atleast we can shuffle, but we could always throw a Ruckman down there to do the job also.

[Back Flank]

Troy Simmonds is however one of the best ruckmen in the business, and Knobel a sufficient backup. If all else fails Ray Hall can do the duties. Their forward line is certainly not a problem, Pettifer and Kingsley are capable of 40 goal seasons and Richo at least 60. Not to mention the much improved Nathan Brown who could kick 30 or more depending on how much time he gets up forward and Jay Schulz, one of Richmond's more underated players. If Krakouer and Tambling can discover some kind of consistancy, the forward line will be one of the most complete and well rounded in the league.

Best Team

Back P. Bowden R. Hall C. Newman
Half Back J. Bowden G. Polak A. Raines
Centre B. Deledio S. Tuck C. Hyde
Half Forward K. Pettifer M. Richardson G. Tivendale
Forward N. Brown K. Kingsley A. Krackouer
Followers T. Simmonds K. Johnson N. Foley
Interchange J. Schulz R. Tambling D. Gasper T. Knobel

[ALI-G]

I meant the dorward line is deficient in depth. But I completely forgot about Kingsley becoming a Tiger. I wouldnt put it amongst the top forward lines in the league though probably midlevel. Shulz is only underrated by opposition supporters because your coach obviously underrates him, whats he played like 5 games in 2 years?

[Back Flank]

Through injury. He came back and played the second half of last year and was very consistant, kicking 2 or more goals in all but 2 matches. Apart from the 6 starters in Richo, Kingsley, Brown, Krackour, Pettifer and Tivendale you have Schulz and Tambling on the bench and more than enough youth coming up, in Riewoldt, Hughes and Pattison. I really think the forward line is Richmond's strength. The midfield is lacking but on the improve. Foley and Deledio set for big ones.