Richmond football boss Neil Balme has launched a scathing attack on the media, as he defends his club's decision to hold off on naming its leadership group.
The Tigers face Carlton in seven days to kick off the 2017 AFL season, but are yet to name a captain or a leadership group.
Speaking to SEN radio on Thursday morning, Balme said the club would make the announcement when they were ready, and won't conform to the media's timetable.
“We haven’t set our timetable up to suit your (the media’s) insatiable appetite for meaningless news. That’s our problem, obviously,” he said on SEN radio.
“I don’t think it is late. What is the timetable? Who has got that? Didn’t Geelong name theirs yesterday and Collingwood the day before?
“We need to spend our time making a good decision. We can either rush it and suit you guys and get it wrong or we can take whatever time it needs and get it right. What do you want me to do?”
The AFL will hold it's 'Captain's Day' on Thursday, with the captain of all 18 clubs coming together for the open media session, as well as making their predictions for the upcoming season.
Balme doesn't believe in the event though, calling the day a "waste of time."
“We aren’t responsible for the fact the AFL calls the captains’ day, which is the greatest waste of a day in the history of footy I reckon.
“Wouldn’t they (the captains) be better off down at training?"
