The Benny Awards return for their fifth season. Last years’ top three were Dusty, Cotch and Alex Rance. Casting votes was often a miserable experience. Comments included; this game should be ‘thrown into the dustbin of history’, never to see the light of day again and No-one played well and complete, embarrassing capitulation.
However – the sun always comes up in the morning. We have had the perfect off-season, and the mood across this yellow and black land is optimistic. I do feel like the optimism is attached to individuals rather than the team. Jack looks red hot, Rance is the best backman in town, Rioli is bigger, Caddy and Prestia are serious midfield tanks, Nankervis is a great pickup, Shai Bolton is silk. But consensus is still that we are a 12th – 15th side. We really need these units of the machine to click and the ideal time for that to happen would be on Thursday night, when we apply the blowtorch to Carlton and really give the Tiger army something to be excited about in 2017.
Voting will again be crowdsourced this year, so put up your hand if you’d like to volunteer for a specific game or for your general availability. I’m hogging Round 1 for myself.
We also welcome written non-Benny contributions such as these. And please continue to nominate worthy footballers, club staff and diehard fans for a badge on the Virtual Duffle Coat.
See you on the other side of Thursday!
Eligibility criteria for the Benny awards are as follows:
The Benny: free-for-all.
Blair Hartley Appreciation Award: for players who have joined Richmond from another club.
Eligible 2017: Caddy, Grigg, Hampson, Houli, Hunt, Nankervis, Maric, Miles, Prestia and Townsend.
Anthony Banik Best First Year Player: not just new draftees but anyone who is yet to debut before the start of this season.
Eligible 2017: Shai Bolton, Dan Butler, Ryan Garthwaite, Jack Graham, Ivan Soldo, Tyson Stengle,
Joel Bowden’s Golden Left Boot: for the leftys of the group, and not talking politically.
Eligible 2017: Batchelor, Chol, Corey Ellis, Grigg, Nankervis and Houli.
Greg Tivendale Rookie List Medal: upgraded from the rookie list during the current season.
Eligible 2017: Castagna, Chol, Moore, Stengle and Soldo.
Maurice Rioli Grip of Death Trophy: This one is not voted; simply recognising the club’s top tackler, across AFL and VFL teams.
Great to see this back, so hoping its onwards and upwards for our Tigers.
Thanks Kerrie, we hope so too.
Hey Chris, that’s a beautiful pic of Dusty.
I’m feeling unreasonably optimistic about the Tiges this season. It’s so strange, the way that hope always seems to spring eternal like this. I’m not sure what evidence I’m basing this feeling upon. But then I tell myself that no-one really gave the Bulldogs much chance of doing what they did last year, either…
Thanks Malcolm – I have been asked to illustrate a kids book about Richmond, so I’ll be posting some scraps and offcuts from that here from time to time.
The Dogs story certainly gives hope to the hopeless. I think we were so bad last year that we could lift 25% or 30% and still miss finals. Great first game though, lots to feel optimistic about.