Matthew Richardson; A Great of the Game?

[Drop Bear]

I remember the year before Richo broke down with his hammy (2006??). He was playing the whole season up on the wing. Absolutely dominated because nobody could play on a bloke of his size with such a massive engine.

I remember watching it and I was deverstated for him, he absolutely dominated all year until that point. (Was that the same year he polled really well in the Brownlow?)

I think it was. He was the people's favourite that year!

[White Line Fever]

Richo.
Enjoyed watching him.
Hart was reliable but boring.

[Dutchy]

Greats of their clubs yes, of the game, not so sure....

[GWW]

I'm not so sure Richardson is a "great" of the game.

My reason being, is, he's a step or 2 behind the elite players of our game such as Lockett, Skilton, Ablett Snr etc and a few others. So if Richardson is a "great", what is the next step up from that..

does it go..

..great
..star
..champion

So perhaps I'd be prepared to label Richardson as a "great" if its still appreciated that he's at least 2 rungs behind the very best to play the game.

[westozfalcon]

I never thought much of Richo, thought he was hugely overrated and was horrified when there was talk of him possibly coming to Geelong once as in my opinion he lost more games for Richmond than won games, I've never seen a player drop his head or give up so often in the AFL.

My thoughts exactly.

[FlyingHigh]

Agree with parts of Wedgie, Westoz, GWW and Dutchy.
Not the very upper echelon of greats of the game. He was good but overrated until the last couple years, when the way he finished of his career probably overall pushed him into GWW's champion category.
Does Ben Hart suffer from the fact he achieved so highly as a youngster, eg beating Lockett in a strong St Kilda side as a 16yo, perhaps make some of the last few years of his career slightly anti-climatic in comparison?

[the joker]

Greats of their clubs yes, of the game, not so sure....

98 grand final???

[Phantom Gossiper]

Richardson > Hart.. neither are 'greats' though..

[Media Park]

If you look at their dominant decade ( 90's for Hart, late-90's early 00's for Richo ) and you picked a "Best" team out of those times, Richo would be in the best side, Hart ( IMO only ) would not.

Ben Hart, a LEGEND of SA Football in the AFL era ( so not to compare with Ebert, Robran, et al ), Richo a RICHMOND LEGEND ONLY, both very good and ( for different reasons ) memorable payers.

[Rik E Boy]

Richo was a great. Over 800 goals playing for that rabble and no good? Turn it up. The guy only played in one finals series so yeah let's blame the bloke who kicked 800.

regards,

REB

[Booney]

Greats of their clubs yes, of the game, not so sure....

Richardson kicked 800 sausage rolls when all he was getting fed were spuds. Other than JC turning water into wine not many have pulled off greater feats than that. Richo is a great of our game.

[Magpiespower]

Richo was a great. Over 800 goals playing for that rabble and no good? Turn it up. The guy only played in one finals series so yeah let's blame the bloke who kicked 800.

regards,

REB

Haha!

Couldn't agree more.

Gandhi would've gone postal playing in those Richmond teams...

[Dutchy]

Yeah not sure, some players look good in shit teams, just cause they are above average. No doubt he was a fantastic player.

Thinking a bit more about Ben Hart, he was as good a 17-20 year old the game has seen IMO, the way he burst onto the scene and stood Lockett and Dunstall in their prime and ran off them to create was memorable. In a lot of ways he hit his prime early and faded in a bit in the later years which hurts peoples memory of him.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Richo was one of the most entertaining footballers in the last 20 years. Spitting the dummy, pinging a hammy, missing set shots from 10m, leading up 60m and taking a mark in the hands in front of his eyes, trying to take a chest mark with the ball in his face, whatever he did, I had many a laugh. I have never wanted someone to win the Brownlow more than when Richo nearly pinched it a couple of years ago. He is one of the best boundary riders too. Doesn't ask too many dumb questions, and you can tell all today's players love and respect him.

[Footy Smart]

Yeah not sure, some players look good in shit teams, just cause they are above average. No doubt he was a fantastic player.

Thinking a bit more about Ben Hart, he was as good a 17-20 year old the game has seen IMO, the way he burst onto the scene and stood Lockett and Dunstall in their prime and ran off them to create was memorable. In a lot of ways he hit his prime early and faded in a bit in the later years which hurts peoples memory of him.

He still recieved AA honours in 1999 and then again in his 10/11th season in 2002 (finished in 2006 after injuries all year).

Its interesting to see how people perceive players and then when you see the stats.... think sh*t i was off. I did that with Richo ( I thought he played between 200-250 games and missed a shite load of set shots yet he played just under 300 games and kicked 800 goals )

[FlyingHigh]

Yeah, it was the dummy spits and missing easy goals and how those affected team harmony and therefore results which I think lead to a bit of a question mark on him being a "great".
Have to agree, he has surprised me as a boundary rider.

[The Sleeping Giant]

He had/has a great passion for the game. I like the emotional footballers who forget they are on a stage being watched around Australia. Richo was as loyal as they come also. I'm sure every off season he would of had offers to join Carlton/Collingwood/Essendon/Sydney, but stuck by his club.

[CoverKing]

Yeah not sure, some players look good in shit teams, just cause they are above average. No doubt he was a fantastic player.

Thinking a bit more about Ben Hart, he was as good a 17-20 year old the game has seen IMO, the way he burst onto the scene and stood Lockett and Dunstall in their prime and ran off them to create was memorable. In a lot of ways he hit his prime early and faded in a bit in the later years which hurts peoples memory of him.

He still recieved AA honours in 1999 and then again in his 10/11th season in 2002 (finished in 2006 after injuries all year).

Its interesting to see how people perceive players and then when you see the stats.... think sh*t i was off. I did that with Richo ( I thought he played between 200-250 games and missed a shite load of set shots yet he played just under 300 games and kicked 800 goals )

on that note, how do you rate fevola as a kick for goal? As good as they come?

Yeah thats what most people think. Richo had a better conversion rate then him!

His goal kicking woes are highly talked about because of those easy misses from 10metres out. I would pick him to kick for me any day. The blokes passion is amazing. love him!

Good to see Booney and REB stick up for the big fella. Not sure why he is not a great because he didnt play many finals. He dominated in a side that was shiat for years. his delivery was terrible his whole career. He still kicked 800 goals. Amazing effort. Definitely a great of the game.

[The Sleeping Giant]

What am I? Chopped liver?

[Rik E Boy]

What am I?

.....tired and emotional.

regards,

REB