Should Richmond give this season up?
Its Tiger Time, but not the one you think. Last night Richmond slumped to an embarrassing 33 point loss to Melbourne and have now dropped to 1-4 on this season. The Tigers look horrible and it might be time to embrace it and play the kids.
The Tigers look completely out of confidence and spark, they are playing scared like they don’t want to lose instead of attacking and trying to win.
While the leadership is there, Cotchin, Maric, Riewoldt and Rance where all great and play that way each week. Although Rance may miss a few for that very crude act in the last quarter on Jack Watts. The Tigers don’t have much else and that lies the problem that core group can’t continually drag them along.
Brett Deledio will be back soon which the Tigers desperately need, as they are now 3 and 15 in the 18 games that Deledio hasn’t played in his career. Their boom recruit Chris Yarran will also sure up the team but that isn’t the problem.
Too many players are getting games when they shouldn’t be. Troy Chaplin was recruited as a full back and he’s now playing in the forward line. If that’s going to happen why not try Liam McBean, give him an extended run in the team and it may unearth a very good player, that won’t happen with him sitting in the the VFL.
Another is Steve Morris, while he is an honest player, Richmond need a small forward who can kick goals also, Daniel Rioli and Sam Lloyd are doing solid jobs but where is Ben Lennon or Jayden Short?
Now the kids are going to make mistakes, Corey Ellis and Connor Menadue sometimes look a little overwhelmed but with experience the hardness and composure will come. Damien Hardwick needs to stick with these guys and back them in and not send them down to the VFL and deflate their confidence.
Has the “moneyball” recruitment really worked? While the Tigers have made finals, they haven’t really achieved anything and with that the Tigers are now stuck.
While many thought this was the Tigers year to push for top four and win at least one final, clearly it’s time to look in the other direction. Play the kids, get a good draft pick and rejuvenate the list. The likes of Cotchin, Martin, Rance and Riewoldt are still relatively young, Richmond can’t afford to waste the prime of the careers in no mans land. Embrace the change Dimma, it’s what you need.
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