TonyK
CibbuanoWe need three more wins: Wallace
July 29th 2008 06:47
RICHMOND needs to win at least three of its five last games to qualify for only its third finals series since 1982, according to coach Terry Wallace.
The race to earn a finals berth is a tight one with just two and a half wins separating fourth-placed Sydney from 11th-placed Carlton.
The Tigers have won five of their past six matches to storm into finals contention but they face a tough next three weeks with matches against Geelong, Adelaide in Adelaide and Hawthorn before finishing with games against Fremantle and Melbourne at the MCG.
Wallace said it was important for his side to win games against fellow finals contenders.
"I don't know the answer to that but to be honest I think it matters which wins (you get)," he said when asked about the finals equation confronting his team.
"If you are playing a side in similar scenarios to yourself, if you win those type of games - well it's one less they can win so I think that could have an impact but at the very least we would say we would need three victories from this stage onwards if we wanted to play finals footy."
The Tigers meet only one fellow finals contender in the run home - Adelaide in round 19.
But Richmond is not looking beyond Saturday night's clash against reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong - the team which beat them by 157 points at Telstra Dome in round six last year.
Wallace said the match will give him a good gauge on how much his side has improved.
"We know we are in the hunt for the eight and every game is critically importantly but we are also in bigger picture mode as well and trying to build a side that can formulate a finals type scenario year in, year out over more than one finals campaign."
"So to be playing against the best - for these young boys who have been able to step up (in recent weeks) is great timing, great timing for us coming off a good run."
The race to earn a finals berth is a tight one with just two and a half wins separating fourth-placed Sydney from 11th-placed Carlton.
The Tigers have won five of their past six matches to storm into finals contention but they face a tough next three weeks with matches against Geelong, Adelaide in Adelaide and Hawthorn before finishing with games against Fremantle and Melbourne at the MCG.
Wallace said it was important for his side to win games against fellow finals contenders.
"I don't know the answer to that but to be honest I think it matters which wins (you get)," he said when asked about the finals equation confronting his team.
"If you are playing a side in similar scenarios to yourself, if you win those type of games - well it's one less they can win so I think that could have an impact but at the very least we would say we would need three victories from this stage onwards if we wanted to play finals footy."
The Tigers meet only one fellow finals contender in the run home - Adelaide in round 19.
But Richmond is not looking beyond Saturday night's clash against reigning premiers and ladder leaders Geelong - the team which beat them by 157 points at Telstra Dome in round six last year.
Wallace said the match will give him a good gauge on how much his side has improved.
"We know we are in the hunt for the eight and every game is critically importantly but we are also in bigger picture mode as well and trying to build a side that can formulate a finals type scenario year in, year out over more than one finals campaign."
"So to be playing against the best - for these young boys who have been able to step up (in recent weeks) is great timing, great timing for us coming off a good run."
| 44 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
