Richmond's unwanted poor tackling record as Hardwick laments defensive woes (HS)

[one-eyed]

Richmond has set an unwanted record for poor tackling as coach Damien Hardwick laments defensive woes

The Tigers slumped to 11th spot with their loss to Adelaide and they have a defensive problem that coach Damien Hardwick needs to fix.

Marc McGowan
HeraldSun
April 20, 2022

Richmond is making history for all the wrong reasons as it tries to return to the finals and prove last year’s tumble was an aberration.

The Tigers’ failure to capitalise after hitting the front in the third quarter against Adelaide owed to their leaky defence right across the ground, as coach Damien Hardwick pointed out afterwards.

Veteran recruit Robbie Tarrant and co’s job wasn’t made easy with the lack of pressure further afield, with Richmond’s tackle efficiency of 49.6 per cent the worst ever recorded through five rounds.

That alarming number is one of a series of key metrics the Tigers thrived in during their premiership golden era but that are now the reason why they are slumming it in 11th spot.

Nick Vlastuin (hamstring) made his first appearance of the season against the Crows but co-captain and fellow defender Dylan Grimes (hamstring) remains at least a fortnight away.

Four-gamer Ben Miller is playing in Grimes’ absence, while fellow young footballers Hugo Ralphsmith, Daniel Rioli and Josh Gibcus have also had significant responsibility down back in 2022.

Hardwick lamented Richmond giving up 10 goals from stoppage, saying his side had been “consistently poor” in that area this season and that “a combination of factors” was to blame.

“We’ve got to get better at contest behind the ball and in and around contest,” he said.

“Giving up 10 goals from stoppages is really, really poor ... we should be able to defend those better, especially when we’ve got a plus-one at most stages down there.

“I thought we got out-bustled down there. (Taylor) Walker and (Elliott) Himmelberg looked big and strong and we just couldn’t quite get the ball to ground.

“Some of that was on their direct opponents, but some of it was pressure up the ground.”

The Tigers traded for Tarrant to shore up their backline after David Astbury’s retirement last year but his 14 goals conceded are the third-most by any key defender.

Max King got hold of the former Roo in Richmond’s second-half collapse against St Kilda, while Adelaide’s Walker booted four goals on him in the 97 minutes they were direct opponents.

Only six teams have coughed up more goals to key forwards this season than Hardwick’s Tigers.

“Your defenders are vulnerable at various stages if they get the ball out, but we just managed to lose contest or give away free kicks,” Hardwick said.

“We gave away some ‘too highs’ and some sloppy stuff, so we have to get that part of our game better.”



https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-richmond-has-set-an-unwanted-record-for-poor-tackling-as-coach-damien-hardwick-laments-defensive-woes/news-story/7c275e778344d2c1a6fe7c0ec405451f

[Tigeritis™©®]

It really shows how bad we are at our pressure now and how good we were.

We just can’t seem do it for a full four quarters and we certainly don’t look as fit as we used to be.

And someone should mention to our players that a one armed round house to the side isn’t really a tackle.

I don’t think it’s asking too much to rise to this challenge as pressure is the foundation of our whole system and our success.

[Gracie]

Get the Storm tackling coach to come over and give us some lessons

[JP Tiger]

The numbers do look bad, there's no hiding that.  They look like the numbers of a back six that has three players with less than 10 games experience in its make up.  On top of the three youngsters we also have Short & Rioli, neither of whom would send shivers down an oppositions' spine.  That left us with Vlaustin (in his first game of the year), Tarrant & Broad.  We really are missing Astbury & Houli ... what else can can be said? 
What to do about it?  Well, lets not overlook our weak midfield in all of this, but as for the back six we just have to get some mongrel on the field!   George needs to get down at half back & use his strength & speed as a tackling machine, instead of mincing about as a HFF trying to kick goals from around the corner.  Screw the pretty goal kicking routine - hunt them down & lay a tackle George!  Parker looks like a bad boy but he plays a fairy floss role on the wing.  Get down back & hurt somebody!  Marlion is a genuinely tough bloke, but again we play him as a winger instead of as a defender.  Marlion, get down in the back pocket & terrorize somebody!  Bring in Mansell, who actually scares me with that look in his eye.
Our young fellows (Gibcus, Miller & Ralphy) all have their talents, in time they will all come up to the mark.  But right now they need help!  Tarrant is one year too many, but he is all we have to mentor the young blokes around him. 
We don't need to look at the back six with accusing eyes - we need to look at the whole side & decide which ones aren't bringing it & which ones could be used better.  Put Cotch in the back pocket where he can kick anybody that he thinks deserves it!        

[lamington]

It definitely doesn’t help that opposition mids can just waltz out from the centre bounce. It really does show how good Rance was for our structure in 2017 and how our system lead by grimes astbury Vlastuin houli broad and co made a massive difference.

I dream of having a hard impenetrable defence again.

[Diocletian]

It's been the main problem for two seasons ....

[the claw]

The numbers do look bad, there's no hiding that.  They look like the numbers of a back six that has three players with less than 10 games experience in its make up.  On top of the three youngsters we also have Short & Rioli, neither of whom would send shivers down an oppositions' spine.  That left us with Vlaustin (in his first game of the year), Tarrant & Broad.  We really are missing Astbury & Houli ... what else can can be said? 
What to do about it?  Well, lets not overlook our weak midfield in all of this, but as for the back six we just have to get some mongrel on the field!   George needs to get down at half back & use his strength & speed as a tackling machine, instead of mincing about as a HFF trying to kick goals from around the corner.  Screw the pretty goal kicking routine - hunt them down & lay a tackle George!  Parker looks like a bad boy but he plays a fairy floss role on the wing.  Get down back & hurt somebody!  Marlion is a genuinely tough bloke, but again we play him as a winger instead of as a defender.  Marlion, get down in the back pocket & terrorize somebody!  Bring in Mansell, who actually scares me with that look in his eye.
Our young fellows (Gibcus, Miller & Ralphy) all have their talents, in time they will all come up to the mark.  But right now they need help!  Tarrant is one year too many, but he is all we have to mentor the young blokes around him. 
We don't need to look at the back six with accusing eyes - we need to look at the whole side & decide which ones aren't bringing it & which ones could be used better.  Put Cotch in the back pocket where he can kick anybody that he thinks deserves it!        

Cmon JP when it comes to tackling we in no way miss either Astbury or Houli. Fmd what criticism the faithful did aim at Houli it was how soft he was at times.

[the claw]

WE DONT HAVE A PLAYER WHO IS CURRENTLY GOING AT MORE THAN 4 TACKLES A GAME HOW FREAKIN BAD IS THAT. Even slow ordinary blokes like Graham who does little else is way down on tackles maybe its come down to clearing the ball from the area before slow plodders can have a tackle.
It has been a problem for how freakin long and Hardwick is only lamenting it now.