How do Richmond turn their season around?Richmond are in flux and without star Tom Lynch there may be more pain to come. So what do they need to do to turn it around? Lauren Wood analyses where it’s going wrong at the Tigerland.
Lauren Wood
HeraldSun
April 13, 2023 - 4:00PMRichmond has flicked the switch.
Only problem is, the power has been cut off.
As the “transitional” Tigers desperately hunt a Gather Round scalp to provide a much-needed spark in the wake of Tom Lynch’s debilitating foot injury, the team’s scoring and stoppage ability has come under the spotlight.
Damning statistics tell the story.
The Tigers’ snarling attack that ranked among the competition’s best last season has fallen away dramatically in the opening month of the season, condemning Richmond to now sit among the competition’s worst for scoring.
At 12th on the ladder with a 1-2-1 record and spearhead Tom Lynch sidelined, premiership forward Jack Riewoldt is set to be cemented as a target up forward while Shai Bolton finding touch against the Bulldogs last weekend with three goals could not have come with better timing.
Richmond’s points from turnovers has tumbled from the top of the game (an average of 61.8 per game in 2022) to 15th this season (40.2).
The team’s points for – which sat atop the competition at an average of 98.4 last season – has dropped by almost 25 points per game to sit at 74.8 and 15th in the competition.
“Jack has to come in now and just play his role as the key forward,” club great Matthew Richardson said this week.
“He’ll be the No. 1 man. We know how competitive Jack is – he’s 34 years of age now and he’s past his best, but he’s got a big role to play in the coming weeks. It’s a big game, Friday night.”
It comes as the team’s stoppage work has also come under question after a hammering by the Bulldogs, who dominated centre clearances 16-8 and overall clearances, 41-26.
It needs to be the team’s “one-wood”, coach Damien Hardwick said, and simply hasn’t been.
Key recruits Jacob Hopper and Tim Taranto have been highlighted, particularly in the wake of giving up a future first-round pick for the former.
Addressing clearances had been a prime focus in targeting the pair, who have had varied results between them over the first month.
While Taranto – who is above average for metres gained, but poor on kicks – ranks above average in Champion Data statistics for clearances, disposals, contested possessions, Hopper is rated as below average in all three of those categories.
Both of the pair are rated average for score involvements with whether the Tigers gave up too much – including this year’s first-round pick – to jag the pair out of western Sydney on seven-year deals.
In the run to the turn of the season, Richmond will play five teams that currently sit above it on the ladder and five below.
“They’re in a transitional phase,” Richardson said on 3AW this week.
“One thing I’m confident about with the Tigers is that they’ll be competitive. They’ve just got to find a way to win some of these close games sometimes. (There’s been) eight games since Round 6 last year where they’ve been decided by less than a goal and they haven’t won any of them.
“I know they’re going to be competitive. I’m looking at the glass half-full … Judson Clarke should play for the rest of the year. (Tyler) Sonsie should play for the rest of the year. Get another 15 to 20 games into these kids, because it is a transitional period for them.
“I’m looking at that as an opportunity to get these kids in.”
https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/afl-news-how-do-richmond-turn-their-season-around/news-story/0db253622d46ec37c97edf28fdc18b8d
