Fox Footy Jury: How can Richmond fix their issue?
This isn’t the Richmond we are used to. What is the problem at Tigerland and how can the reigning premiers regain their mojo? Three experts have their say, and one has a star forward in the firing line.
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Did Geelong rush Jack Steven back too quickly?
The former Saint was extremely quiet in his first game for the Cats, winning just six touches against the Blues.
Geelong lost the match by just two points, leaving many big questions facing coach Chris Scott.
We asked our panel of Fox Footy experts for their verdict on Steven.
Also on this week’s agenda, just how much trouble are the Tigers in?
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Was Jack Steven rushed in too quickly by Chris Scott to make his Geelong debut?
Mark McClure: I don’t think Jack Steven was the difference between winning and losing. They must have thought he was up to speed and ready to go. He didn’t play a big part in the game but he hasn’t played for a long time. He’s a quality player and he’ll get better as they go on. But Chris Scott says he’s got some problems and he’s got to sort them out. Maybe it might be him. Maybe Chris needs to rethink his coaching strategy.
Nick Riewoldt: I don’t think so because it’s not like they were desperate for form or anything like that. They were coming off a pretty healthy performance. I think they made a judgment call. I’ve seen Jack play off limited preparation before and absolutely brain the opposition so I don’t think we can sit externally and make that sort of call. They know what kind of physical shape he’s in better than most and even if he’s not 100 per cent, we’re still talking about a four-time best-and-fairest winner. I think he’ll be great for them.
Alastair Lynch: He’s had a poor game but Scotty and the team down there think he will help them be a better team and give them a chance to win it this year. They felt that the best way to get him up to speed was by playing him. So I don’t think it was the wrong move.
What is Richmond’s biggest problem and how do they fix it ahead of Saturday’s clash with St Kilda?
MM: They’re nowhere near it at the moment. They’ve lost the hunger to fight. They’re not hitting the contest at the right pace. I didn’t see them have a winner last Thursday night. Everyone in the back half got the most possessions and no one else did because the ball was there the whole time. They’re in a world of pain and St Kilda have a chance to roll them over. I can’t see any resemblance of what I’ve seen in the past two or three years from Richmond in their past two games. They need to get their hunger back and they need to find a way to score more. Jack Riewoldt must be injured because he can’t kick it, he can’t get the distance now and his jumping’s not there, either. His timing’s not there and, to me, he looks a bit distressed.
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NR: I think it’s probably just about finding a little bit of that hunger that they’ve possessed the past few years. It’s a different situation they find themselves in, but I don’t have any long-term concerns about the Tigers. I’m really confident in their ability to be able to turn it around. I imagine they’re having some pretty frank discussions, but they’re such a proud group with great leadership that I’d expect them to be able to turn it around pretty quickly.
AL: I think their dramas have been overstated. They’ve been jumped the past two weeks and haven’t been able to get back. But they had a draw with Collingwood who we are all tipping as the flag favourites, so I don’t think there is any concern. With any well-drilled team, you still need your stars and a few of their stars either aren’t there or aren’t playing well at the moment. They don’t seem to be connecting well going forward at the moment but they’ll review that heavily and there certainly won’t be any panic behind closed doors.
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Originally published as Fox Footy Jury: How can Richmond fix their issue?