Tigers lost because of form, not venue

"It was first and foremost caused by the amount of first line players we had missing from the game." - Football Tragic "we don’t have the depth to cover injuries to our better players – not even close. As I stated earlier, losing 10 of your best 22 over 2 weeks is enough to cause any team to struggle." - Football Tragic Hence pasting the injury lists. Gold Coast actually "appear" to be worse of than the Tigers, based on the information the "clubs" have supplied to the AFL. Logically, you would think if you wanted information on player injuries, this wouldn't be too bad a place to go and look for it. Where else might you expect to get this info? “The shock two-point loss to Gold Coast last Saturday means the Tigers are likely to make four changes for the match against North Melbourne this Sunday. Daniel Jackson and Dustin Martin should come back from suspension, while Ivan Maric (groin) and Ben Griffiths (calf) have not been named on the injury list following their late withdrawals on Saturday, so they should be available for selection.” This paragraph was taken from the AFL's website, discussing player in's and out's for the coming round. I concede this is "speculation", but again, being form the AFL website, based on info they receive from the "clubs", it is again probably the best and most reliable source of information, available to the football public. My point here, is that I have gone to the trouble to back up "My opinion" with information from reliable sources. I've played the game for a number of years and have a fair idea how it all works. I don't get any of that from your commentary. As far as I know you could be a bloke (or lady, for that matter) who has an opinion on everything, but not much of clue about anything. I understand the basics of what you're saying, but in reality the point you make is that every club has injuries and players carry niggles into games, it's just Richmond have a whole lot more than any other club, apparently? However, you fail to provide any proof to that effect and in reality, from the info I've provided, Richmond are doing a lot better than a lot of clubs. In reality, the Tiges ommitted Jake King with a knee and Dylan Grimes for a hamstring strain, in round 15 and then lost Matt White to suspension in round 16. So, not sure why you reckon 10 out of your best 22 had been lost over the last 2 weeks, or even that half of your best 22 were out, given the 6 names on the injured list and a typical AFL squad of about 43 players. With that argument knocked on the head, does that maybe suggest my interpretation of the data and info available, that the Tiges tokk the game a little lightly and decided they could "rest" a couple of blokes, who in reality could of and, should of, played? On top of that, I'm saying the clubs should have a duty of care to the footballing public to be as accurate as possible with their selected teams on a Thursday evening. I know their will always be the circumstances that warrant a late change, but this season it seems to be almost an epidemic. Are coaches playing funny buggers? And in reality, what do they really gain by dicking around with team selection and making late changes? Not much, based on the game in question - Richmond v Gold Coast, in Cairns. I've endeavoured to be very even handed and I've certainly noted my fondest for the Richmond Football Club, despite my allegiance to St, Kilda. However, I don't see anywhere in your responses where you have even been willing to concede any of my points. Simply, you seem to want to have the last word on the matter and keep going back over the same points - you are female, knew it! Anyway, good luck to you Tragic and all the best for the rest of the year.

You ask me not to include speculation in one sentence and then follow it up with beginning your next sentence with 'My opinion..'. Not that is irony at its best! ;) I'm not quite certain why you placed up the Injury list. Were you trying to illustrate Maric's absence? If so, I already addressed that argument - he was significantly injured but rather was carrying a minor injury he has been trying to cope with. Where's the argument here. Could and should he have played in retrospect - probably. Why didn't he, because he needed time to recover. This is not arrogance on the clubs part but more-so simple list management. Every single club does this. As I have said multiple times, the loss was not predominately due to 'club arrogance', climate conditions, travel or even God. It was first and foremost caused by the amount of first line players we had missing from the game. I wonder if you will ignore this part of the argument once again or just keep trying to harp on the Maric ommission which is a dead argument? :)

Injury Lists of the 2 clubs in question - sourced from the AFL website - Gold Coast Suns (updated 10 July) Player Injury Estimated Return Alex Sexton Hip Season Daniel Gorringe Achillies Indefinite David Swallow Knee Test Henry Schade Groin Test Jaeger O'Meara Groin Season Joel Wilkinson Ankle 4-6 weeks Luke Russell Hamstring Test Michael Coad Thumb 2 weeks Nathan Bock Leg Season Rory Thompson Ankle Season Seb Tape Knee Season Steven May Hamstring 1-2 weeks Tom Lynch Foot Test Richmond Player Injury Estimated Return Dylan Grimes Hamstring Indefinite Jake Batchelor Bruising 2 weeks Jake King Knee 3 weeks Matthew White Suspension 2 weeks Nathan Foley Heel Season Ty Vickery Shoulder Season Yep - was a ruckmen, come full-forward myself and played most seasons with bung ankles, the odd dodgy knee, sore shoulders, etc. I'm sure every team in the AFL has a number of players carrying and playing with niggles, because they "want to play" for their teamates and they cope with the discomfort - for the team, the club and their fans. As I said, the last minute ommission of Maric, especially, in an area they could have dominated the Clubbers, smacks of arrogance and you can bet Bluey would have been all over that in the pre-match address to his players. The other point I made is that "fans" deserve to know what is happening to their players and with the team and all this ducks and drakes just before the game is bloody annoying! No previous mention of an injury, anywhere. Then all of a sudden he's out and Graham is in. Named Thursday and 2 days later he's not fit enough to play. I still maintain they underestimated the Clubbers and paid the price and now they have some ground to make up, rather than being right there in the thick of it. Please give me something that can be substantiated in reply and not just more speculation and theories. My opinion on Maric is that he is a champion and I'm so pleased that he has come over to the Tiges and is getting a run and repaying the faith that the guys at Richmond put in him!

Player frequently carry injuries through a season that hinder their game and need to be constantly managed and treated. Sometimes these injuries are not enough to keep them out of the side but are enough to disadvantage them during a game. If it was the pre-season these players would not train and would be rested but during a season where every game is crucial then they need to play through the pain and discomfort. This is exactly where Maric is at and exactly why his name was not placed on the injury list. If every player who had a minor injury was documented the list would be practically the whole squad. Maic was injured and Maric is injured. Maric probably could have played against the Gold Coast but he would have only done additional damage and played underdone. Rightly or wrongly the club made the decision to protect Maric in a game they felt they could win without him. They were wrong, but the fact remains that just because a player isn't listed on an injury list doesn't mean he isn't carrying some sort of injury. Most players are injured in varying degrees at stages throughout the season. Maric is playing right on the edge. When it all comes down to it, regardless of your option of Maric's health, the fact we had almost half our starting 22 unavailable has a far greater baring on the outcome of the game than the location of the game itself.

"The shock two-point loss to Gold Coast last Saturday means the Tigers are likely to make four changes for the match against North Melbourne this Sunday. Daniel Jackson and Dustin Martin should come back from suspension, while Ivan Maric (groin) and Ben Griffiths (calf) have not been named on the injury list following their late withdrawals on Saturday, so they should be available for selection." Straight from the AFL website! If the guy has an injury and has been struggling with it for a few weeks, then don't name him in the selected side on a Thrusday evening. Very simple concept - transparency! I'm not a gambling man these days, but I reckon a few Tigers supporters who popped the odd $20 on their team getting the chocolates over the Suns, would be absolutely fuming. I love the Tigers and I feel for blokes like Deledio who try hard week in and week out and may miss out on finals footy again this year. Richmond is a great club with lots of tradition and it's always good to see them up and about. I support the Saints and we always cop it in the media - so, don't feel like you're the Lone Ranger, Football Tragic!

Always amusing to see how keen opposition supporters are to lay the boots into the Tigers (actually any well supported team for that matter!) when the opportunity presents itself. The Tigers didn't take this game lightly and it didn't rest Maric or Griffiths either for the game. They were playing with an injury for the last couple of weeks and it came to a point where they couldn't play productively at all. I'm not for a minute trying to argue that the conditions did not play a factor but they were far from the biggest factor. The reason we lost the game is largely due to the sheer percentage of changes we needed to make to the side over the last 2 weeks. We have gone from the team who has made the least amount of changes to their side in the first half of the season to the side who has made the most for the year now. Does that tell you something? Teams need continuity and talent. We have lost this over the last two weeks. Losing Foley, Vickery and Grimes for the season has hurt our structure irreparably and, unlike the better sides, we don't have the depth to cover injuries to our better players - not even close. As I stated earlier, losing 10 of your best 22 over 2 weeks is enough to cause any team to struggle.

Good article. Richmond should have won on the weekend regardless of the venue. But there are other factors: 1. Our injury list is equal to or worse than any other club in the league at their worst case scenario this year in terms of who would be playing but cant. 2. Our form over the past 5 weeks has gone missing. Hardwick has had them up for the start of the season for membership but theyre tiring now. 3. Gold Coast went into this match knowing they had at least a 50/50 chance if not better. Has anyone heard Bluey McK talk up a match so much?? They went out and played with that mental confidence while Richmond had the mental doubt after last year. 4. We are still a very young side. Yeah i know we;ve all heard it before but its true. We havent got the depth to cover the injuries like others just yet. 5. Unless youve experienced the difference in climate from a cold Melbourne winter to a humid day in Cairns be careful about commenting. Its a massive shock to the body for an elite athlete and one that cant be overestimated. All these are reasons, not excuses. But Tiger supporters should stick through it as we have improved since last year. I dont care whether we finish 9th 10th 11th 12th or lower. The signs are still positive and Im sticking with them.

Pure arrogance. The Tiges underestimated the Suns and thought all they had to do was turn up and the 4 points would be theirs. They showed that when they rubbed out Martin for 2 weeks - they thought the second weeks against the Gold Coast. so no worries. Then they drop Maric out of the ruck a few hours before the game - "No problem, it's only the Gold Coast Clubbers!" Hah - you got what you deserve, Damian Hardwick. You want to flirt with your form, you run the risk of coming undone. Which is exactly what happened. Will be interesting to see the Richmond line-up this week - will the mullet be back in? How bad was the supposed "groin injury?" Was it so bad that it will keep him out for another week? Or, as I suspect, was it non-existent and just a ploy to rest the big fella (who's in career best form) for the run into the finals. Hardwick should have realised he had a weekend off only a fortnight back and 4 points is, ......... well 4 points, regardless of the opposition! Looks like the Tiges are chasing their favourite spot - 9th!

Wot a load of rot. Blaming the conditions is absolutely ok. As a southerner, it took me two full summers to acclimatize to working in Brisbane. When I went to Cairns for work I almost died (of dehydration). For a team coming straight from the middle of a harsh Melbourne winter it would be horrible and draining. Where the blame should be laid is not with where the game was played - rather who they chose to play. Bring another sodden battler from the south. Anyone but a team that is far more adjusted to the conditions. Other than that, your own ineptitude reserves 9th place on the ladder for you Richmond. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.

That loss hurt plain and simple. A team that was 0 - 14 against a team fighting for a place in the finals for the first time in over a decade and we lose after the siren. In many ways the planets just aligned for the Suns....again. The Tigers are not the team they were even 3 weeks a go. We were missing 10 of our best 22 on the weekend. Regardless of your squad depth, that figure would hurt any club. Couple this with the injuries during the games - we had only one player left to rotate - and being unfamiliar with the conditions, and you have a problem. Credit where credit is due though, the Suns wanted the game more and played the conditions better than we did. The question though is would we have played better at the MCG or even Ethiad? Undoubtedly. Should it have made a big enough difference that it turned the tables on the Richmond FC? No. That was caused by far more than a financially decision. The money earned from the move will buy us a better chance to develop and improve going forward. We will never be able to compete with the better sides until we have the coaches, facilities and financially clout to reach at minimum, level pegging. As much as it still hurts to say, it was the players and coaches who have to answer for the loss well before we can begin to shift the blame to the administration.

Are you well?

Yeah what a club, take the money both from moving the agmme to Cairms and risking your top 8 chances and also by stuffing it to the fans who have given extra to the save the Richmond fund (or whatever it is called) to get the best from "their" footy club. Maybe these clubs should put their fans first rather than chasing the $$$$ around the country by making the top 8. You really think that if the GCS had travelled to Melbourne they would have won? Sorry how many games have they won in Melbourne? That is as ridiculous as saying Richmond will make the finals some time soon. Wow for a league that is so rich these clubs sure get around Australia or is that selling the message? Wonder if they would be prepared to sell the message if they did not make money out of it?