Rookie Draft Twitter

[Sedat]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

TWO - He is already blaming someone else for the decision.

This is the oldest Teflon trick in the book. It's always, "the players didn't carry out instructions", or "we had to play 6 of the top 8 twice this season", or "we had to travel interstate 6 times this season", etc......

I'd be desperate too if in the last 6 completed seasons of coaching at senior AFL level I hadn't tasted any September action, let alone 8 completed seasons since tasting any success in September.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

I guess so. Slightly off topic, Ben Cousins is paying for himself already. Apparently the Richmond Membership department is being flooded atm with new members.

All to be ripped up by round 7

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

From a playing point of view, Cousins at his finest would almost guarantee the tigz a finals birth.

What's Cousins at his finest? 4 years back with preseasons of coke and ice?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

While I appreciate your points, TBB, I think you're giving Richmond far too much credit by assuming they planned the whole thing all along. All through the process they've shown an absolute inability to do even the simplest things (like think logically), and essentially stumbled from one joke to the next, all on their own and without anyone even remotely standing in their way.

They managed to screw themselves over and make themselves look like fools with their Polak application to the AFL etc., and no one was even stopping them from doing anything they wanted! (they got Gourdis via the rookie draft anyway) Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

So to suggest that somehow this shambolic administration will be able to strategically profit from the situation is the stuff of fantasy. They got him because he was floating about and Terry got desperate, and there is no way they've planned for this -- Wallet even admitted as much by saying that he was swayed at the last minute by the fans. How's that for a planning process.

Credit where it is due, but none due here -- Richmond weren't clever, they were just a bumbling club falling over themselves, which somehow qualifies as news in a quiet off-season. If you really think they've done a thorough risk/reward analysis that's not a conclusion I share.

And if you think they'll have any idea of what to do the moment this blows up in their face you have more faith in Tigerland than the greatest optimist. Sure, they COULD disavow any responsibility, but I doubt that will know how, or have the nous to do anything remotely as well as you think they will.

I think you've mis-read the entire post, or perhaps I should've been a little more clear with the finishing line. Either way - I didn't mean Richmond purposely thought this all out. I did say they manipulated the situation of Cousins/Polak, trying to find a loophole, but overall I was alluding to the timing of it all. Rightly or wrongly, for better or worse - the timing of their final decision is going to benefit them as a club as far as membership, exposure and team improvement is concerned.

So no, I'm not giving them any credit, I'm basically stating what and how I think the situation will pan out - particularly if Cousins plays up again - and that, IMO, leaves them without the mud on their face they WOULD of had if they committed to him earlier, purely and simply because of the public's desperation for him to 'rehabilitate' in AFL football again.

Hope that's clearer.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

TBB, you can't have it both ways -- GT was a senior coach of a 'professional' AFL team. If he's a halfwit what makes the 'professionals' at Richmond so much better?

Again you're taking my point out of context...

The players of the Richmond football club aren't there to only pay attention to Ben Cousins. Why would they be distracted? If Cousins got involved in antics again, then yes your point's valid, but I think it's a ridiculous statement to make without reason. Cousins is there to get his life back on track, yes, but he's also there to play football - just like the rest of the squad. So long as he stays clean, why would players lose focus on what they're supposed to do just because Cousins is in newspapers or having tests? They know about Cousins' extra baggage, hence the decision to take him or not.

You're far too pessimistic.

It's fine to be against drafting him, I wouldn't want him at The Dogs, but I think some people are making silly claims without serious evidence. You're relying far too much on the "IFs". IF he gets caught again, then yes it has the potential to rock the foundations of the club, but if you're suggesting simply because he's going to have so much coverage that the other Richmond players are going to get distracted and fall in a slump, then you sir are mr. pessimistic. Why don't we give them a dummy incase they say something wrong? They're adults, I'm sure they can deal with Cousins' exposure if they were willing to take him on.

[mighty_west]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

Not club comments and Cousins took recreational drugs so not hypocritical to me.

Drugs are drugs mate whichever type they are, performance enhancing, recreational, all BANNED!

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

Not club comments and Cousins took recreational drugs so not hypocritical to me.

Akermanis made the comments but the club supported him.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22210057-23211,00.html

[Sedat]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

Can someone please jog my memory, was it Cotchin's old man that went to the papers last year before the ND and stated that he would hate to see Trent end up getting drafted by West Coast because of their appalling club culture? Wonder what he's thinking today.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

What's Cousins at his finest? 4 years back with preseasons of coke and ice?

Verry funny

You may recall his 30+ possesion games coming off a extended layoff and minimal training. The guy is one of the greates players to ever play this game and I believe Richmond have got themselves a bargain. Not only is this guy going to tear it up this year, he has already paid his own contract.

As for the hysteria around what impact he will have on the club off the field and it's young players, give me a break. Suggesting that the club will somehow disintegrate into a drug hazed stupor in the space of a year or 2 is ridiculous. The players know what they are going to get with this bloke and the decision to take him was unanimous amongst the playing group, so lets all take deep breath.

[Desipura]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

Can someone please jog my memory, was it Cotchin's old man that went to the papers last year before the ND and stated that he would hate to see Trent end up getting drafted by West Coast because of their appalling club culture? Wonder what he's thinking today.

Dont know about Cotchin's dad however it was reported that Browny earlier this year said on the footy show there is NO WAY he would want Cousins at the tigers.
Apparently when asked the same question yesterday he looked away from the journalist and said in a less than convincing way " he will be good"

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

Verry funny

You may recall his 30+ possesion games coming off a extended layoff and minimal training. The guy is one of the greates players to ever play this game and I believe Richmond have got themselves a bargain. Not only is this guy going to tear it up this year, he has already paid his own contract.

Sure, there are the short term costs of his contract, which a few thousand members may well pay off.

And then there are long term costs -- the significant damage to your brand, the ending of the careers of the senior coach and administration, another ten years of recovery from being a laughing stock for not doing your due diligence when everyone else did, and the very real prospect of your younger playing stock being caught up in the glare of the spotlight, either indirectly in thousands of interviews about the same thing over and over, or worse still, directly, by being influenced by or falling in with Cousin's 'associates' here in Melbourne. These influences have already destroyed the playing list of one club, broken up what should have been a multi-premiership winning midfield, forced a living legend (Judd) to leave, and killed a former superstar (Mainwairing).

Richmond is nowhere nearly as well set up as West Coast from a player management perspective.

Alan Didak's underworld connections are baby milk compared to Cousin's.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

And don't get me started on the media with this -- they've written their own story the whole time. They were the ones who hounded him out of the game in the first place, and then they've been the ones at the forefront of the bandwagon pressuring the footy world into taking him back.

Shameless, amoral hacks who will do anything to create a story.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

I'm torn on this one. I'd like to see Ben, or any other human being get their life back on track.
But I would seriously LOVE to see this all blow up in the Tigers face. Especially Teflon, Leatherneck, Wallet.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

And don't get me started on the media with this -- they've written their own story the whole time. They were the ones who hounded him out of the game in the first place, and then they've been the ones at the forefront of the bandwagon pressuring the footy world into taking him back.

Shameless, amoral hacks who will do anything to create a story.

I dig your passion, man!

I think in a situation like Richmond's or ours sometimes big risks need to be taking. We took one with Aka and it did nowhere near the damage most said it would. Imagine Cuz keeps his nose clean (boom tish), I beleive he will be a great football teacher to a very young midfield who will learn so much from his football skill and training methods.

Sure, it could all come crashing down and Richmond will again be a laughing stock, that's the risk they take to help them make the finals and give their supporters something to finally be excited about.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Rookie Draft Twitter

Haha TAMA. What's life without a bit of passion.

You know what? I guess if there was a club with truly nothing to lose, it's Richmond.

They already are a laughing stock.