Tigers' coach draws fans

RICHMOND fans flocked to Ballarat's Eastern Oval yesterday.But the main attraction was not a sprinkling of Tiger players running around with Coburg against North Ballarat in a Victorian Football League clash.The spotlight was squarely on Richmond's new coach Jade Rawlings, as he oversaw the Coburg Tigers for the last time _ at least for this season.Richmond announced on Saturday that Rawlings had been appointed to take over the reins from Terry Wallace at Punt Road Oval.And the Richmond faithful were eager to yesterday get up close and personal with Rawlings, which is possible in the VFL environment.Accompanied by an eager band of photographers and television camera crews, Richmond fanatics and curiosity seekers swarmed around the Coburg huddle at quarter and three-quarter times just to get a glimpse of the Rawlings brand of coaching.The opportunity to do this has always been there over the past couple of seasons, but suddenly it means so much more now that he has been given the task of leading Richmond for the last 11 games of the AFL season.Coburg officials, led by general manager Ryan O'Connor, monitored the scene to ensure Rawlings and his players were given enough room.While Saturday's announcement was a special moment for Rawlings, he will be hoping his day at the Eastern Oval bears no resemblance to what lays ahead in the Richmond coaching box.North Ballarat gave Coburg a 50-point towelling in heavy conditions, 14.12 (96) to 7.4 (46), to move to top position and relegate the Tigers from third to fourth.Richmond fans will be hoping there are better times ahead in 2009 for Rawlings and themselves.