Richmond’s innovative move to play a small forward line has ‘hallmarks’ of ‘16 Dogs, says Gerard HealySeptember 11, 2017 1:31pm
Sarah Olle
FOX SPORTSRICHMOND’S innovative move to play just one tall forward has the “hallmarks” of the Western Bulldogs of 2016, says Brownlow Medal winner Gerard Healy.
The Tigers have persisted with a small forward line all season, with key forward Jack Riewoldt leading a mosquito fleet that boasts the likes of Daniel Rioli and Dan Butler.
Healy told the Fox Footy podcast that other clubs may be tempted to follow the Richmond blueprint and opt for a smaller forward line that was built on pressure acts.
“I think on reflection we’ll look back and think, ‘why didn’t we consider the Tigers would be more of a threat in the finals given they could have well finished on top of the ladder had they have won all of those close games earlier in the season?’” Healy said.
“It’s an incredible story and has the hallmarks of Bulldogs written all over it.”
Ben Griffiths — who has a history of concussion and also suffered a shoulder injury midway through the season — has been touted as a possible inclusion if Richmond were to opt for a second tall forward.
But Healy dismissed the proposition.
“Why would you bother putting in a bloke who’s yet to prove he can hold down that second tall position when your formula is absolutely fantastic?” Healy said.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to win a flag with what you’ve got and sometimes you win them with having a step on the competition.
“The Bulldogs won it with their quick hands last year, it added to their pressure. Maybe the Tigers have had a look at that and said, ‘we don’t need to have a superstar centre-half forward, we don’t need three talls in the forward line’.
“And all of a sudden maybe everyone will be looking to mimic them if they win the flag.”
In terms of the Richmond blueprint, Healy suggested it wasn’t as straightforward as playing small forwards.
“It’s not so much the size, but the speed,” he said.
“And if you look at the Giants, that’s why they’re in trouble because they haven’t got that speed in the forward line and their pressure in the forward line hasn’t been up to the other flag contenders.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/why-innovative-richmond-has-hallmarks-of-2016-western-bulldogs/news-story/d6ef83d007eff2b4d08ab5b49385bad4
