One-Eyed Richmond Forum
Football => Richmond Rant => Topic started by: one-eyed on May 14, 2012, 03:44:59 AM
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Richmond's improved defence the key to its revival
Mark Stevens
From: Herald Sun
May 14, 2012
THERE have been more brave new dawns at Richmond than cold beers at the Punt Rd end.
But after so much false hope, this revival finally has some substance.
Defence is the cornerstone of sustained success and the big squeeze is on at Tigerland.
One stat says it all: Richmond is conceding 83.1 points a game this season - its lowest average since 1969.
Yes, you read it right. We are talking the Tommy Hafey era 43 years ago.
Granted, we are only seven rounds into the season, but the signs are strong that the Tigers era of fatal shootouts could be over.
Finals teams in the modern era, on average, concede 83 points a game. If the Tigers can somehow keep it around this mark, could it take them all the way to September?
The emergence of Dylan Grimes (if you haven't backed him for the Rising Star award do it in a hurry) and Alex Rance as reliable key defenders has no doubt had a massive influence.
Grimes not only stops opponents, but uses the ball with poise. Richmond might even have the better of the Grimes brothers.
But Tigers coach Damien Hardwick has his players producing a far more accountable brand of footy.
While the Tigers are holding up OK once the ball gets inside the defensive 50 paint, allowing a goal from 25.2 per cent of all entries (ranked 10th), the key is stopping teams getting it in there in the first place.
And with an increased defensive mindset from the midfield, Richmond is on top-eight pace when it comes to curbing entries.
Last year the Tigers allowed 55.1 forward-50 entries a game. You can't win giving teams so much freedom.
This season they have slashed that to 47.6 entries a game (fifth in the AFL). Once you keep it under 50 regularly, you are in the ball park.
If you've got the ball and your opponents haven't, it will ease pressure on your defence and this has been another feature of Hardwick's focus.
The Tigers average 390 disposals a game - again ranked in the top echelon - and only Carlton and Essendon have a better time-in-possession differential.
The ploy of patiently building from defence with precise kicking stifled Sydney early in Saturday's win and the Swans couldn't get their hands on the ball.
Richmond had the ball 48 per cent of the time, Sydney 34 per cent and it was in dispute 18 per cent of the time.
As a result the Tigers smashed the Swans in the most basic stat of all, total possessions - 417 to 287.
They're on the march. "T-shirt Tommy" would be proud.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/richmonds-improved-defence-the-key-to-its-revival/story-fn7si05c-1226354274806
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It was a pleasure to be at the ground on Sat and see this full-ground defence in action. The literally strangled the Swans in the first quarter. As the boys got a little tired it fell away but then the brilliance of our midfielders lifted when required to finish off the game in that last term.
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
FINALS......
And the depth????
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
I agree. We are coping with 2 full time 'talls.' Hawks aren't exactly breaking records but they don't have a large back line either. This is why I think the club is looking at the state comps for another mature, tall defender to come in when we're up against sides with bigger forward lines, as opposed to spending a ND pick or paying overs (trade or FA) for a full time third/second tall. :shh
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
I agree. We are coping with 2 full time 'talls.' Hawks aren't exactly breaking records but they don't have a large back line either. This is why I think the club is looking at the state comps for another mature, tall defender to come in when we're up against sides with bigger forward lines, as opposed to spending a ND pick or paying overs (trade or FA) for a full time third/second tall. :shh
Voice of reason Dwaino, good post.
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Yep, then wait until Grimes and Rance go down or get reported.. ::)
Where is our other talls or big bodied players......depth in the back line......we don't have it, two more players, IMHO???
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McGuane :cheers
What more depth do you need?
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McGuane :cheers
What more depth do you need?
:whistle
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:whistle
:whistle :whistle
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:whistle
:whistle :whistle
:whistle :whistle :whistle :thumbsup
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
I agree. We are coping with 2 full time 'talls.' Hawks aren't exactly breaking records but they don't have a large back line either. This is why I think the club is looking at the state comps for another mature, tall defender to come in when we're up against sides with bigger forward lines, as opposed to spending a ND pick or paying overs (trade or FA) for a full time third/second tall. :shh
Exactly, we will establish depth over the next 2-3 years, but we are well on our way.
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
I agree. We are coping with 2 full time 'talls.' Hawks aren't exactly breaking records but they don't have a large back line either. This is why I think the club is looking at the state comps for another mature, tall defender to come in when we're up against sides with bigger forward lines, as opposed to spending a ND pick or paying overs (trade or FA) for a full time third/second tall. :shh
Exactly, we will establish depth over the next 2-3 years, but we are well on our way.
FFS..........DEFUCKINGVELOP........PLEASE, how many more years..... :banghead
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:banghead
:outtahere
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Snip
Pyramids are on the outer too
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And I will repeat myself....one to two more big backs and we are there!
Where will we be with 1 to 2 more big backs? I don't think it's a 'must' to be perfectly honest one would be enough as long as they can kick and create properly.
I agree. We are coping with 2 full time 'talls.' Hawks aren't exactly breaking records but they don't have a large back line either. This is why I think the club is looking at the state comps for another mature, tall defender to come in when we're up against sides with bigger forward lines, as opposed to spending a ND pick or paying overs (trade or FA) for a full time third/second tall. :shh
Exactly, we will establish depth over the next 2-3 years, but we are well on our way.
FFS..........DEstuffINGVELOP........PLEASE, how many more years..... :banghead
We will play finals this year you clown, but to truly have that depth it takes 5-6 years of drafting the way we have for the last 2.5 years. No point in trading for depth players, we are slowly starting to develop some now.
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you cant trade for depth players. lmao.
Imagine going to a player at another club and asking them to come to richmond, but we only want you as depth and will play you at coburg unless we have an injury or drop in form?
Gee, they would be falling over themselves to change clubs with that on offer.
Depth is only built over time through continued development, and if you get to a point where good players cant get a game, you will lose them to other clubs who have a need and can offer the game time they crave.
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No Al, your reserves is supposed to be full of guns ::)
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ours is already.
......pop guns and water pistols
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ours is already.
......pop guns and water pistols
I prefer to think of them as Throw Downs........
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Might I remind you we have one of the best Centre Half Forwards ever to play the game in our seconds?
Honestly, I don't know why we have to put up with some of this.