Andy 4A New Position? Big Wing
June 27th 2008 04:15
At the start of the season you wouldn't have been alone in thinking that Richo was in the twilight of his career and that he would offer little more than a couple of goals and a good dummy spit per game.
For mine, he's always been one of those odd ones caught between greatness and mediocratity. He'll take mark of the year, play on, fall over, get up, baulk a couple of players then kick it out on the full (and in some games that will happen every time he touches the ball). As frustrating as I can see this being for some die hard Richmond fans, you can't help but love him.
From looking like just another dinosaur foward who was little more than a curiosity from a bygone era, to a game breaking wing man who has closed to fourth favorite in Brownlow betting is quite a turn around. It's hard to understand just where this seasons form has come from until you consider the newly invented position he's been playing - the big wing.
This season he has in many ways redifined how an AFL wingman is viewed in the modern game. Once the domain of the quick and nimble of foot (of which Richo is niether), it would now appear that height and endurance are the modern wingers primary weapon.
Richo is not the only foward to find some success pushing up the ground. The last few games Mathew Lloyde has played in a similar role and had his best outings in many a season. While Ryan O'Keefe (even though technically playing as a half foward) is turning in consistant good numbers playing something akin to an old fashion winger.
It would not surprise me to see more clubs try this move. Nick Reiwolt would be an obvious candidate. He's big and can run all day but his major downside has always been his poor goal kicking - so why not move him upfield? So you don't have him as a target up foward, maybe it's time for the Saints to try something different.
Another awesome prospect for this new big wing position would be Buddy. He's failed to kick a bag the last couple of weeks and you can't help wondering if adding this new dimention wouldn't turn some opposition heads.
For mine, he's always been one of those odd ones caught between greatness and mediocratity. He'll take mark of the year, play on, fall over, get up, baulk a couple of players then kick it out on the full (and in some games that will happen every time he touches the ball). As frustrating as I can see this being for some die hard Richmond fans, you can't help but love him.
From looking like just another dinosaur foward who was little more than a curiosity from a bygone era, to a game breaking wing man who has closed to fourth favorite in Brownlow betting is quite a turn around. It's hard to understand just where this seasons form has come from until you consider the newly invented position he's been playing - the big wing.
This season he has in many ways redifined how an AFL wingman is viewed in the modern game. Once the domain of the quick and nimble of foot (of which Richo is niether), it would now appear that height and endurance are the modern wingers primary weapon.
Richo is not the only foward to find some success pushing up the ground. The last few games Mathew Lloyde has played in a similar role and had his best outings in many a season. While Ryan O'Keefe (even though technically playing as a half foward) is turning in consistant good numbers playing something akin to an old fashion winger.
It would not surprise me to see more clubs try this move. Nick Reiwolt would be an obvious candidate. He's big and can run all day but his major downside has always been his poor goal kicking - so why not move him upfield? So you don't have him as a target up foward, maybe it's time for the Saints to try something different.
Another awesome prospect for this new big wing position would be Buddy. He's failed to kick a bag the last couple of weeks and you can't help wondering if adding this new dimention wouldn't turn some opposition heads.
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