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..an arsonist does not waste 23 matches....
runyon likes this post.
Average side that you can never count on what they're going to actually produce on any given day.
Goldstein good ruckman no doubt but again would rather have Nic Nat in my side than him, a lot of players on the wrong side of 30 in that side and far too many players like Lachie Hansen, who are way too unreliable for my liking.
Harvey himself identified it several years back now and publicly called them out on it that they needed to step up consistently and not much has changed.
They have made finals last 3 years and haven't improved, time to give someone else a go.
If you are not growing you are dying.
They went missing when it really mattered, supposed stars and genuine team leaders don't do that.
Hardwick has taken them from nowhere to a regular finals contender and they probably don't have the necessary cattle yet to be a genuine flag threat but Deledio and Cotchin respectively were poor to say the least.
Think they still rely too heavily on the likes of those two players and several others to get the job done but they have found several more good players this year in McIntosh and Lambert so despite the loss they're heading in the right direction under Hardwick but they need to slot in one or two more genuine class players.
Legless, kane likes this post.
Also the Eagles hierarchy had all but run their race tactically and they certainly hadn't made the finals for three years straight, Richmond are still lacking some key pieces to the puzzle but despite this failure you don't do the typical Richmond thing and throw the baby out with the bathwater so to speak as they are making steady progress.
The Eagles despite being super fit were getting continually over run late in games because of the constant extra workload they were causing themselves through continually turning over the ball.
This continually resulted in scores against them and the players having to work twice as hard during games as their opposition to try to run down the other end and win the ball back.
Simpson very astute observed how extraordinarily fit the Eagles were when he arrived far more so than other teams but he also noted how poor their skills were in comparison to the top teams as well.
He and his coaching staff then set about doing something about that, having acknowledged a problem which had been staring the previous Eagles hierarchy in the face for years.
The job that he and his staff have done and the belief that they've instilled in this playing group has been extraordinary, especially given the shocking run of injuries they've endured all year.
If they pull this off and win the flag and there is still a hell of a lot of water to pass under the bridge just yet, it will be one of the most extraordinary flag winning performances of all time.
Downbythepalms likes this post.
End of the day a new coach bought belief and structures which turned the club around, the cattle are predominantly the same who didn't suddenly learn to kick and make good decisions overnight, a change was req'd at the top and I believe a change is req'd at Richmond as their list is pretty good and if they don't act now, then they will waste what might have been in the next few years.
That is just my opinion on where that club is at but I am a strong believer that if you allow for mediocrity then you will never succeed, and they are nothing but average at present under Hardwick.
I just explained succinctly exactly why in my opinion and the opinion of many good judges why the Eagles have improved.
It was coming late last season as their finish to the season indicated they were arguably one of the form teams of the comp at that stage but unfortunately they just missed the finals.
That upwards spiral has not only continued this season but has accelerated at a velocity that no one including the Eagles themselves expected but as they say when opportunity knocks you've got to grab it..
loose_goose likes this post.
You just went and spilled what a new coach and his team have brought to the table to turn around a stale team under Woosha yet you cant see the same thing being applied at Richmond.
The analysis of the Eagles you wrote is the same content you have dribbled on about all year that is constantly covered in the media, it is not new, and I dont care to read about it every time you feel you need to explain it again and again as if you are doing us all a favour.
It is very condescending on your part and mind numbing for us to read the same sh1t spouted every single day because you feel the need to be heard about why the Eagles have improved this year and what genius bets you have made to take advantage of your superior grasp of all things football...
Here's an idea, only post something when you have something to say that you haven't already posted a million times on here already...hopefully that should shut you up for a little time at least so our eyes will stop bleeding.
fifodynamo, RIO, trooper, brady, kane, JayJay, Carlosa, squid69 likes this post.
The Eagles skill level previously was deplorable virtually across the board with the notable exception of LeCras, Shuey, Gaff, Darling, Kennedy and too much was being asked of too few, fatigue obviously played a part in that as well so it became a vicious circle, the more they became fatigued due to their poor skills resulting in continual turnovers the worse their skills became.
The Eagles needed massive improvement across the board from the so called lesser players and they have thankfully got it and amazingly en masse.
The likes of Cripps, Sheppard have been outstandingwhile Ellis & Butler, Wellingham being fit and relatively healthy again and again displaying what they're capable of when they're fit and firing has given them an enormous boost.
Le Cras is fully fit and healthy and back to his brilliant best thanks to again getting some continuity into his footy, the emergence of young Duggan, Hutchings who I said quite some time ago now would emerge as a very valuable player once he got fully fit again has also played an enormous part in their resurgence
Then you have Sheed's huge improvement from his first to his second season which I also predicted after seeing him in the preseason and of course Yeo who is potentially an absolute superstar, ditto McGovern and with Nic finally getting a full pre season under his belt and getting a decent run at it along with Sinclair's belief that he now belongs and is capable at this level, has made a phenomenal difference to this team.
Also Masten's vastly improved skill level and Hill's arguably best ever season have been integral to the Eagles form.
A large number of those players wouldn't have got the opportunity under the previous hierarchy and a very large number of those players weren't there under Worsfold or had received very limited opportunities.
None of Sheed, Ellis, Sinclair or Yeo were there under Worsfold, you throw four players of that calibre into that Richmond team and suddenly they would be a different team as well.
Hardwick may not have had his best day in the box by any stretch of the imagination but they simply don't have the required personnel to consistently produce high quality footy that will match it with the best on a consistent basis.
When things go their way and when they have a day out they can look world beaters i.e. against Freo here but it's the same old story with them, they rely on too few to get the bulk of work done and when they don't fire or are severely restricted they're nowhere near as effective.
Richmond problems have very little to do with the coach and thankfully their hierarchy is a lot smarter and more forward thinking than the old Richmond mantra of just sack the coach and they're clearly a hell of a lot smarter than you.
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RIO, oldhendo likes this post.
"You're Welcome"
If they get up in a thriller, instead of losing, would hardwickes head still be on the block? I think overall he's had a good year and that decision crushed them.
Carlosa, AndrewCarter likes this post.
No, his head wouldn't be on the chopping block had he won the game, but that one decision didn't cost them the game and you cant keep making excuses for him.
I think they have stagnated and need a change, only my opinion, but if another year rolls by and they haven't improved when their list would be starting to peak age wise its another year wasted.
Based on that philosophy, the Kangas need to win next week to have equalled their last year's effort. I reckon they have been overall worse this year than last, but may achieve the same results. Go figure?
AndrewCarter likes this post.
I remember seeing that one and thinking.... gee whiz, we just dodged a huge bullet there.
Reckon Freo will get him because I think they will offer more to GC, and I still believe the career coach is willing to part with more to keep his team in premiership mode at the cost of the future.
RIO likes this post.
Legless likes this post.