An Open Letter...

An open letter to Alex Rance

Dear Alex,

I would like to offer you an apology.

In season 2010, I watched you play, and never doubted your attack on the ball. What concerned me was the lack of awareness. I watched with angst, each time you attacked or got the ball and attempted to run through traffic. Always a frontal attack. Invariably into a turnover or an opposition free.

I silently criticised this lack of game awareness. I did not voice this criticism, but it was there.

Then came season 2011. You took a more pivotal role in defence. I was worried. I was afraid for the club and its defensive abilities.

You proved me wrong. Very wrong.

Your season in 2012 showed a maturity and increase in awareness that lifted you to a new level of key position player.

I am sorry I thought bad things about you.

Humbly,

BigTigerCasey

Dear Robin,

I would like to offer you an apology.

This time last year I thought that your chicken legs left you lying on the deck far too often. But what concerned me more was your inability to score kickable goals on the rare occasions you kept your feet.

I openly criticised your poor form, even though it was only preseason, albeit that you 2010 form was terrible. I thought you should have been shown the door.

Then come 2011 season proper. I was worried. I was afraid for the club. I though if your legs rubbed against nason's that a fire would start and burn punt rd to the ground.

You proved me wrong. Oh so wrong.

Your season in 2011 was a little ripper. You kept your feet, avaded tackles and even kicked goals. Your gut running was inspirational. You carried the ball across the lines. Ran to space and became a weapon in your own right.

I is sorry. So sorry.

Humbly,

Wiffa.

P.S We all know that You on Kingeees shoulders would make nick nat look like a duddd.

BTC - I am sorry. Alex's 2009 and 2010 seasons can be blamed on me since I sponsored him in 2009 and we all know my sponsorship curse lasts 1-2 years (just ask Axel!). He shrugged off the curse and has come back bigger and better than ever - and hopefully continues on with it in 2012 and beyond.

as for Nahas - he and King are two that I love becaue they came through the hard way! Through the VFL and picked on merit as rookies then elevated - most definitely NOT show ponies (unless you count how much oil Kingy gets slopped on!).

My open letter of apology is to all those players I sponsored (Axel, Rance, Taylor)... I'm sorry!

I think I need to apologise to Nahas as well. I was his advocate for the 2010 season and done a shocking job of it, to the point where at the end of the season I said he needs to be delisted. Anyhow, Nahas came out in 2011 and showed the kind of talent and tenacity that I seen in him when I first chose to advocate for him in 2010. I have no hesitation in saying that Nahas is currently and automatic selection for our side at the moment and if he continues his form he will be an important cog in our push for Grand Final success.

OK, a big sorry to Tyrone for referring to him as 'Wacky flailing arm tube guy' before the 2011 season...

Cheers!
Ms Tantie.
xox

Hmm, good pick up TBR, can't see how to edit the post though.

Meh, I will just put it down to prophetic insight...

You don't happen to have a copy of the 2050 Sports Almanac do you?

Who was the President in 1985?

I think TBR owes Brad Miller a big apology. Still waiting ...

Alot of these guys like Rance, Nahas and co we are very judgemental on especially in their first 1-2 years of senior footy while we need to relax and let them find their feet in the quicker environment
Sometimes it will come and sometimes not

I think a few have questioned why Grimes continues to go the punch instead of marking but once he finds his feet and backs himself he will start marking it and become a gun
Post seems another who is just starting to find his feet and back himself

You will be waiting a long time, Miller gave his maximum 4 out of 10 performance the other night, pre season footy suits him because he is one back from AFL level.

Dear Mr Deledio,

I lived in London for the first five or so years of your career ('04 to '09). Given the performances Richmond was turning in during that period, I didn't really take the time to search out much footage on the internet. Suffice it to say, I knew you were kind of our great white hope, but I also kinda figured that anyone* could've won a Richmond B&F during that period. When I came back and went to a few games, you appeared to be one of many dark-haried 6-foot-and-a-bit blokes a Richmond guernsey on the diagonally opposite flank. I couldn't readily pick you out (but then, I couldn't really pick anyone out). Suffice it to say, the first few games under Dimma did nothing to disabuse me of the idea that we weren't real good and that you were, perhaps, somewhat overrated. I know I wasn't basing it on anything more than a hunch, but there we are.

Then I watched a Richmond game on TV. Then I realised I was wrong about you and that you are, indeed, a very good footballer. Over the past two years, I've seen enormous improvement in the football that Richmond plays. If you want to play finals, just stick around here. It hasn't happened over night, but so on and so forth.

Yours apologetically,

Flemingtige

*I emphatically deny that I could win a B&F at any football club, at any level including, but not limited to, the AFL clubs

Dear Jordie and Tivva ,

err....um....nah bugger it , I aint apologising for shit.

Dear Clinton Casey and Greg Miller,

Where do I start.........suddenly I'm lost for words.

Tivva and Jordie cannot be spoken about in the same breath. Poor old Tivva.

Good to see you've come round on Bachar, though.

Back to your letter BTC, having just watched a replay on the 2nd half against North, and while I agree with you that Rance has largely overcome the awareness issues re being caught with the ball, he still has two, that concern me, and they were on display in this replay I just watched. That is his kicking and his decision making under pressure.

His endeavour, courage, attack on the footy and competitiveness, key ingredients in a good AFL player, are all up to the required level, and if he can lift these 2 areas of his game this year, he'll be a star KPP of the emerging Tigers.

But IMHO, he is not quite there yet.

Hopefully, he'll prove me wrong in the first 6 rounds of the season, when we play the best teams.

Hmm, on "form" shown thus far this year did I let him off the hook too soon?



Mrrf.
Ms Tantie.
xox

Every forward line needs one.

I think big Ty just needs his Lambert moment...and I mean the Disney cartoon sheepish Lion rather than our former long sleeved handballathon midfielder.

Amigo no problems with that response. I thought that Alex reverted to old type in the Collywobbles game as well.