The outside contenders

[The_Captain]

This thread proves 1 thing. There are 6 delusional essendon supporters out there!!

WHATEVER IT TAKES!

[quinny88]

Loving the discussion and while I agree Richmond have recruited well as I posted earlier concerned with their rookie drafting this year with no youngsters drafted only recycled players. Still interested to hear your opinion what will happen at end of year with these mature aged rookies. Only Miles will be under 24 at season end.

And I re-iterate not a general attack on Richmond as I believe you will finish 5th but just a concern as to your future in 4/5 years.

Well the rookie drafted players I think you will find were more brought in to bolster our VFL side. A first year team that was full of kids and needed some more mature players that can also step up to AFL level hopefully.

Just to shed some light on the over all "mature age" strategy this year, I remember an interview with Francis Jackson (recruiting manager) saying that they felt it was a shallow draft. There was great top end talent but it fell away very quickly which is why we elected to use our first round pick on Lennon and then seek ready made mature players. Remember we even traded a fairly high pick for Hampson and then used later picks on Gordon and Lloyd.
Then in the rookie draft we took 3 mature aged players as you said but  really if you look at all of the mature players
Banfield (23) Hampson (25) Lloyd (23) miles (21) Gordon (23) Thomas (26) apart from Thomas and probably Hampson they can all be 10 year players for Richmond still. All will play VFL apart from probably Hampson so that will help the VFL side a lot having some guys with AFL experience and as far as turning the list over at the end of the year Richmond have never been shy of chopping players that need to go. This years draft I'm told is much stronger and deeper so I'm sure they will take some more kids on now that we have our own VFL side

[Noz]

If Todd Banfield is a 10 year player for Richmond then you may swell just book yourself in for another decade of failure.

[quinny88]

If Todd Banfield is a 10 year player for Richmond then you may swell just book yourself in for another decade of failure.

You really pick and chose what you're gonna respond to don't you Noz ::)

He is 23, my point is that he has 10 years of football in him. Weather he lasts 1 year or 10 years is unknown but he was recruited to play in the reserves and to be an option as a small forward after we lost Nahas and White in the offseason.

I'll back our recruiting team who have an almost flawless recent record over your opinion thanks mate ;)

[The_Captain]

Richmonds depth no good? WTF! It's one of the better depths in the league at the moment.

Our midfield is classed as one of the best in the league not just by Richmond people but every commentator and so called expert.
Cotchin
Deledio
Martin
Jackson
Conca
Foley
Vlastuin
Ellis
Edwards
Grigg
Arnot
McDonough
Thompson
Miles

Sounds like a pretty strong and deep batting midfield to me.
If we lost a KPP we would struggle but name a team that wouldn't?

Noz seriously get over you're hate for Richmond, it's getting to your head
Tiges will finish top 6 and every chance to finish top 4

Not a Richmond fan.. But for the past 3-4 years i have been saying Richmond have an awesome midfield. Dusty deledio and cothin alone would be an awesome midfield but they have lots of others now. Lost Tuck. But still plenty of talent to run tghrough there. I used to say a few years ago they had awesome mid but no backline and a 1 fan forward line. But alex Rance has turned into a star and they added some talent back there now. Forward line is slightly improving especialy with mids running through there.

I have no doubt that Richmond will finish top 6 again this season.,

[Ringo]

Loving the discussion and while I agree Richmond have recruited well as I posted earlier concerned with their rookie drafting this year with no youngsters drafted only recycled players. Still interested to hear your opinion what will happen at end of year with these mature aged rookies. Only Miles will be under 24 at season end.

And I re-iterate not a general attack on Richmond as I believe you will finish 5th but just a concern as to your future in 4/5 years.

Well the rookie drafted players I think you will find were more brought in to bolster our VFL side. A first year team that was full of kids and needed some more mature players that can also step up to AFL level hopefully.

Just to shed some light on the over all "mature age" strategy this year, I remember an interview with Francis Jackson (recruiting manager) saying that they felt it was a shallow draft. There was great top end talent but it fell away very quickly which is why we elected to use our first round pick on Lennon and then seek ready made mature players. Remember we even traded a fairly high pick for Hampson and then used later picks on Gordon and Lloyd.
Then in the rookie draft we took 3 mature aged players as you said but  really if you look at all of the mature players
Banfield (23) Hampson (25) Lloyd (23) miles (21) Gordon (23) Thomas (26) apart from Thomas and probably Hampson they can all be 10 year players for Richmond still. All will play VFL apart from probably Hampson so that will help the VFL side a lot having some guys with AFL experience and as far as turning the list over at the end of the year Richmond have never been shy of chopping players that need to go. This years draft I'm told is much stronger and deeper so I'm sure they will take some more kids on now that we have our own VFL side

Thanks Quinny for the expose and now puts into context why the mature players were taken. Will still be interested to see who Richmond cut to get into draft this year but will wait on that.

[quinny88]

Yeah absolutely noto, Our midfield has as much high end talent and bats as deep as almost any in the league.

Our Backline was always our issue but is one of the best in the league now which is proved by the fact that we conceived the 3rd least points against in the comp last year behind only Sydney and Fremantle, 2 defensive juggernaughts.

Our forward line was one dimensional for years, first with Richo, then with Jack but that has also been improved massively and we are one of the better scoring teams in the league (5th overall)

Noz, hates Richmond so he doesn't like to admit we are a good side and that's all there is to it. If he was told he would get a million dollars if he predicted the correct top 8 he would put Richmond top 6 ;) no doubt about it

[The_Captain]

Yeah absolutely noto, Our midfield has as much high end talent and bats as deep as almost any in the league.

Our Backline was always our issue but is one of the best in the league now which is proved by the fact that we conceived the 3rd least points against in the comp last year behind only Sydney and Fremantle, 2 defensive juggernaughts.

Our forward line was one dimensional for years, first with Richo, then with Jack but that has also been improved massively and we are one of the better scoring teams in the league (5th overall)

Noz, hates Richmond so he doesn't like to admit we are a good side and that's all there is to it. If he was told he would get a million dollars if he predicted the correct top 8 he would put Richmond top 6 ;) no doubt about it

For sure, they have put together a real decent side. Would be good if they had Richo now. They lack a strong centre half forward. But thats about all i reckon. Theyll still finish well without because they can use a Ty vic or Hampson for that role. Won't be as good. But still fills the void.

Should be an interesting season. But i think HAw, fre and Syd will still be a class above the rest.

[quinny88]

Loving the discussion and while I agree Richmond have recruited well as I posted earlier concerned with their rookie drafting this year with no youngsters drafted only recycled players. Still interested to hear your opinion what will happen at end of year with these mature aged rookies. Only Miles will be under 24 at season end.

And I re-iterate not a general attack on Richmond as I believe you will finish 5th but just a concern as to your future in 4/5 years.

Well the rookie drafted players I think you will find were more brought in to bolster our VFL side. A first year team that was full of kids and needed some more mature players that can also step up to AFL level hopefully.

Just to shed some light on the over all "mature age" strategy this year, I remember an interview with Francis Jackson (recruiting manager) saying that they felt it was a shallow draft. There was great top end talent but it fell away very quickly which is why we elected to use our first round pick on Lennon and then seek ready made mature players. Remember we even traded a fairly high pick for Hampson and then used later picks on Gordon and Lloyd.
Then in the rookie draft we took 3 mature aged players as you said but  really if you look at all of the mature players
Banfield (23) Hampson (25) Lloyd (23) miles (21) Gordon (23) Thomas (26) apart from Thomas and probably Hampson they can all be 10 year players for Richmond still. All will play VFL apart from probably Hampson so that will help the VFL side a lot having some guys with AFL experience and as far as turning the list over at the end of the year Richmond have never been shy of chopping players that need to go. This years draft I'm told is much stronger and deeper so I'm sure they will take some more kids on now that we have our own VFL side

Thanks Quinny for the expose and now puts into context why the mature players were taken. Will still be interested to see who Richmond cut to get into draft this year but will wait on that.

Without knowing where the club sees these guys in the future I would say all of these are on notice..

Banfield, age 23
Astbury, age 22
Batchelor, age 22
Darrou, age 20
Dea, age 20
Elton, age 20
Helbig, age 21
Ohanlon, age 20
Thomas, age 26
Verrier, age 20

Then the only possible retiries are Newan who's 31 and King who's 29 but plays In a style that would cause early retirement.

So they are all a similar age the guys on the crossroads but we don't have any older guys that aren't performing well enough to hang onto. Of course a lot can change in 12 months though

[elephants]

Tigers and Pies

*daylight*

Everyone else.

Oh and special obligatory mention to West Coast #PREMIERS2014

[quinny88]

Yeah absolutely noto, Our midfield has as much high end talent and bats as deep as almost any in the league.

Our Backline was always our issue but is one of the best in the league now which is proved by the fact that we conceived the 3rd least points against in the comp last year behind only Sydney and Fremantle, 2 defensive juggernaughts.

Our forward line was one dimensional for years, first with Richo, then with Jack but that has also been improved massively and we are one of the better scoring teams in the league (5th overall)

Noz, hates Richmond so he doesn't like to admit we are a good side and that's all there is to it. If he was told he would get a million dollars if he predicted the correct top 8 he would put Richmond top 6 ;) no doubt about it

For sure, they have put together a real decent side. Would be good if they had Richo now. They lack a strong centre half forward. But thats about all i reckon. Theyll still finish well without because they can use a Ty vic or Hampson for that role. Won't be as good. But still fills the void.

Should be an interesting season. But i think HAw, fre and Syd will still be a class above the rest.

Yeah true but in saying that, Jack only came good after Richo left. Richo was just such a massive focal point that it was a struggle for anyone else to step up. I guess jack was a lot younger to then though.

Well Dimma has said that jack will play CHF with Vickery closer to home. Hampson I think more of a deep forward that is there to help Maric in the ruck mostly.
I still have high hopes for Vickery. He's still only 23 which is very young for a 200cm bloke. They always take a bit longer, but he's already shown signs kicking 35 goals in one season. He has been made to play ruck where he is not great, hence the recruitment of Hampson, so I think Vickery will come on a lot in the next season or 2.
And the other one that most wont know about yet is Liam McBean who I think will be the best of the lot of them. Only thing holding him back is his frame needs a lot more weight but he is a freak. So good at ground level for a big guy, great overhead mark, nice kick. Can't wait till they get games Into him

[The_Captain]

Yeah absolutely noto, Our midfield has as much high end talent and bats as deep as almost any in the league.

Our Backline was always our issue but is one of the best in the league now which is proved by the fact that we conceived the 3rd least points against in the comp last year behind only Sydney and Fremantle, 2 defensive juggernaughts.

Our forward line was one dimensional for years, first with Richo, then with Jack but that has also been improved massively and we are one of the better scoring teams in the league (5th overall)

Noz, hates Richmond so he doesn't like to admit we are a good side and that's all there is to it. If he was told he would get a million dollars if he predicted the correct top 8 he would put Richmond top 6 ;) no doubt about it

For sure, they have put together a real decent side. Would be good if they had Richo now. They lack a strong centre half forward. But thats about all i reckon. Theyll still finish well without because they can use a Ty vic or Hampson for that role. Won't be as good. But still fills the void.

Should be an interesting season. But i think HAw, fre and Syd will still be a class above the rest.

Yeah true but in saying that, Jack only came good after Richo left. Richo was just such a massive focal point that it was a struggle for anyone else to step up. I guess jack was a lot younger to then though.

Well Dimma has said that jack will play CHF with Vickery closer to home. Hampson I think more of a deep forward that is there to help Maric in the ruck mostly.
I still have high hopes for Vickery. He's still only 23 which is very young for a 200cm bloke. They always take a bit longer, but he's already shown signs kicking 35 goals in one season. He has been made to play ruck where he is not great, hence the recruitment of Hampson, so I think Vickery will come on a lot in the next season or 2.
And the other one that most wont know about yet is Liam McBean who I think will be the best of the lot of them. Only thing holding him back is his frame needs a lot more weight but he is a freak. So good at ground level for a big guy, great overhead mark, nice kick. Can't wait till they get games Into him

Yeah, well sounds good for Richmond then in the talls department then. Should have no problems there for a while.

Im not sure if i like reiwodlt pushing up the ground more. He is just too good around goals. But might still work for him!!

[elephants]

Jroo has trimmed down a lot hey, reckon you're on the money there quinny.

[quinny88]

Yeah I share the same view. I'd have him in the goal square every week but I think the theory is that it makes us less predictable and he is more creative and clean at delivering the ball inside 50 than most would realise so it brings another dimension. Will have to wait and see on that one though

[quinny88]

Jroo has trimmed down a lot hey, reckon you're on the money there quinny.

Yeah big time. He's never been one of those guys that looks in great physical shape but he is looking very trim and cut this year. Preparing for more running I guess