RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace renewed his attack on the AFL`s interchange penalties after revealing a simple bungle over player numbers could have cost the Tigers a goal.Richmond was one of five clubs that would have conceded certain goals from 50m penalties had the new interchange protocols been enforced at the weekend.
But their issue was no glaring player error, simply an interchange steward writing the player No. 12 (Matthew Richardson) on the required post-it note, instead of 21 (Shane Tuck).
No Tiger stepped over the line too early, and the club did not have 19 men on the ground, as Sydney did in Round 6.
"I don`t know if you should have people who are not on the ground affecting the work these blokes are doing on the ground, and having an impact on matches. That is my only concern," Wallace said.
"It`s obviously an issue in the game, and we have to get them right. Whether we agree with everything that`s put in place or not, that`s the rules.
"Our circumstances on the weekend was we would have given away a 50m penalty, which would have finished in a goal, from somebody writing a 12 and not a 21 on a sheet of paper."
Meanwhile, the Tigers enter this weekend`s Dreamtime at the `G clash against Essendon playing what Wallace said was their best football in his four seasons at the club.
But while the game against Essendon shapes as a must-win encounter to cement gains made against quality recent opponents, Wallace did not buy into that line of questioning.
Instead, he said the next two months would show if the club`s progress translated into success on the ladder.
"We believe we have been playing much better football in the last month than we have been at any time I have been at the club, and certainly haven`t got the results," Wallace said.
"If we continue to do what we are doing, eventually the results will come our way. Over the next six to eight weeks we have to show that to ourselves."
Wallace was thrilled with No. 2 draft pick Trent Cotchin`s debut, while veteran Joel Bowden is a certain starter after a strong performance against Geelong.
"I thought Joel played really well," Wallace said.
"He was in our best half-dozen players. He went back to learn a new role and showed clearly in coming back into the side that he handled that role really well."
