Richmond 2016 report card: Who has improved, who is struggling?Al Paton
Herald Sun
April 17, 2016IS IT the coach or the players?
That’s the ‘chicken or the egg’ question baffling footy fans as Richmond sinks further into the 2016 mire.
Sitting at 1-3, it’s easy to forget this is the same team that won 13 of its last 16 home-and-away games last year — including victories against Hawthorn, Sydney and Fremantle — to just miss the top four.
“I don’t think it’s battle stations just yet,” All-Australian defender Alex Rance said today. It’s just about growing our confidence and believing we can play at level which we can. You don’t make three finals series in a row just off luck.”
Rance also told SEN radio the Tigers have “an amazing game plan” but the players aren’t executing it properly.
“You can’t be too rigid with your game plan. We’re given a big paddock and strong fences — that’s the game plan,” he said.
“We’ve got certain elements of our game plan which are quite structured and there are other elements where we need creative players because football is such an open field sport where it’s not like the NBA or NFL where you can have set plays and one player to win the game for you.
“You need to have individual players that are really conscious of how the game’s going and being able to adapt accordingly.
“That’s what I love about our game plan. It’s not too rigid, it’s not at the point where we’re not thinking for ourselves and we need to develop that thinking power because that’s what good teams do.”
So that turns the spotlight back on the 28 players who have taken the field this year.
While some have made surprising gains from last year, some of Richmond’s biggest stars are miles off their 2015 form. And it doesn’t help that two of the Tigers’ best five players are yet to play a game this season.
Asked about the source of Richmond’s problems after a 1-3 start, coach Damien Hardwick said: “It’s a nice and easy (answer) — we’re out of form.” That was in 2014.
In that 2014 press conference, Hardwick added: “We’ve just got to hang tough because it can easily turn.”
Will that be enough this year?
IMPROVERSConnor Menadue
SuperCoach average 2016: 58
SuperCoach average 2015: 29
Difference: +29
Averaged just six disposals in four senior appearances last year, and averaging 16 in four games this year. Can run and has some talent, but still a work in progress.
Kane Lambert: 94, 66, +28Big tick. Former VFL star is averaging five more disposals a game, more tackles and inside-50s and has kicked five goals.
Kamdyn McIntosh: 92, 65, +27Move to defence a qualified success. Getting more of the ball but it’s all deep in defence, robbing the Tigers of some midfield run.
Sam Lloyd: 76, 51, +24Second in the club goalkicking with eight in four games.
Corey Ellis: 58, 36, +22Top draft pick from 2014 being given plenty of opportunities. Nice left foot kick but doesn’t get a lot of the ball at this stage of his career.
Alex Rance: 110, 98, +12Colossus down back. Stopped Josh Kennedy from booting 10 last night. Where would they be if he had quit to go backpacking around Europe?
Trent Cotchin: 107, 97, +10Lightning rod for criticism but effort and output this year can’t be questioned. Leading the team for disposals, clearances and contested possessions — averaging four more than the next best Tiger. Handballs that missed the mark against the Eagles stood out.
PASS
Bachar Houli: 101, 95, +6Averaging 28 disposals a game, up from 22, and is the Tigers’ main avenue out of defence. Stats say he is committing fewer clangers but has made some very costly fumbles.
Brandon Ellis: 99, 97, +2Disposal numbers up but they are mostly uncontested and in the back half. Yet to hit the scoreboard this year.
David Astbury: 57, 57, —Was holding his own until he went down with yet another injury in Perth.
Shaun Hampson: 57, 57, —Hitout numbers good but struggles to provide a contest around the ground. Spent most of last night’s game on the bench with his leg packed in ice.
Ben Lennon: 55, 56, -1Lovely kick but disposal average of 11 a game hasn’t moved. Pick 12 in the 2013 draft needs to start making a bigger impact.
Jack Riewoldt: 91, 93, -2Can’t fault Jack who is trying his heart out as always. Supply has dried up.
Shaun Grigg: 88, 91, -3Getting a bit less of the footy and contested possessions also down. Kicked 16 goals last year, has one so far in 2016.
STRUGGLING
Jacob Townsend: 75, 80, -5Played only one game for GWS last year and lost his spot in the Tigers’ line-up after two rounds.
Dustin Martin: 96, 104, -8Overall disposal numbers haven’t changed but last year Dusty averaged 17 kicks and eight handballs a game, this year it’s 13 and 12 — symptomatic of Richmond’s problems. Has kicked just one goal (26 last year) and has two fewer inside-50s per game. His dad being deported wouldn’t help in keeping your mind on the job.
Nick Vlastuin: 68, 76, -8Tiger fans dream of the former Vic Metro captain moving into the midfield and becoming a contested ball beast. But his average contested possessions have dropped from 5.3 to 3.8.
Ben Griffiths: 58, 66, -8Key forward had taken just five marks for the season (none contested and one inside 50) before getting the axe after Round 2.
Troy Chaplin: 62, 74, -12Left out of the side for the first two rounds and has played at both ends of the ground against Adelaide and West Coast with uninspiring results.
FAIL
Ty Vickery: 62, 78, -16Maligned forward kicked 31 goals last year and has seven so far in 2016.
Shane Edwards: 68, 91, -23Rated elite as a medium forward by Champion Data at the start of the year, Edwards has taken a big dive, not helped by shoulder and hand injuries. Big drop in contested possessions from 10 a game to six with clearances and tackles also down. Has kicked one goal.
Anthony Miles: 74, 98, -24Big falls in contested possessions (11.6 to 7.7) and clearances (5.9 to 4) have really hurt Richmond’s engine room. Dropped to the VFL this week.
Taylor Hunt: 42, 67, -25Averaging five fewer disposals and one more clanger a game.
Steven Morris: 23, 48, -25Had four touches in Round 1 and hasn’t been seen since.
Dylan Grimes: 21, 50, -29Injured early against Collingwood.
NEW FACES
Daniel Rioli: 49Four goals and nine tackles in three games. Providing some rare Richmond highlights.
Jayden Short: 49Three goals on debut against Collingwood but couldn’t repeat it the next week and found himself back in the VFL.
Andrew Moore: 32Former Port Adelaide midfielder had nine disposals (two contested) and three clangers in an underwhelming Richmond debut last night.
AND DON’T FORGET THESE GUYS
Brett Deledio: -, 111Richmond’s best player last year is unsighted in 2016. Coach says he has “turned a corner” with his quad injury but comeback date still unknown after playing only a half of footy this year.
Ivan Maric: -, 93Spiritual leader hampered by a back problem. Playing VFL today and set to replace Hampson next week.
Jake Batchelor: -, 55A regular in defence last year has been running around for the VFL side. Might replace Astbury.
Chris Yarran: -, 74Tigers hope foot surgery will clear the way for a comeback in the second half of the year. Run and skills out of defence desperately needed.
Reece Conca: -, 59By now the top-10 draft pick from 2010 should be a midfield star. Injuries haven’t given him a chance.
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