Greg Tivendale

Greg Tivendale
By Chris Greenway

I first remember seeing Tivers in 1998, he had just been promoted to the rookie list and it was late in the season. The first thing I thought when I saw him was winger. His build, style of play, everything just screamed born wingman. I liked him from the start, loved that left foot, by the way I'm convinced that his right leg is only there for balance! (If anyone has a pic of Tivers kicking off the right foot send it to Becky's website. They'd have to be as rare as those showing KB handballing). He was one of the players who showed any spirit and tenacity in 1998's inglorious season ender against Melbourne. In 1999 he was in and out of the side and found it hard to cement a spot, although I really couldn't see why. Danny put him in early in 2000 and left him in the side. That was when we started to see his run, long left foot kicks and those deady accurate goals from anywhere forward of the wing on the left side of the ground. He continued this in 2001 and his physical resemblance to Bowden and his continual linking up with Bowdo had me theorising that they were in fact twins who were separated at birth. He plateaued a little late in the 2001 season and I think this led to his annus horribilus in 2002. His run seemed stilted, his kicks were short, if he kicked out from fullback the kick either went over the Richmond players head or hit an opponent on the chest, worst of all his left foot radar around goals deserted him. Somewhere along the preseason he must have decided to get serious, because this year he has been outstanding. His left foot is finding the goals again, he covers kilometres every game and he's our go to guy kicking out from fullback and he rarely misses. When we rebuild this side one of the guys we're going to rebuild it around will be Greg 'Tivers' Tivendale.

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