Lynch set to miss pre-season games as Tigers yet to make ruck callJake Niall
The Age
19 Feb 2019Richmond's key recruit Tom Lynch is highly unlikely to play in the JLT pre-season games, meaning the key forward would not have a full hit-out under his belt if the Tigers pick him for the season opener against Carlton.
And while Lynch - said to be progressing well in his recovery from knee surgery - is not ruled out for round one, the Tigers also are yet to settle one of the defining football decisions of their season: their choice of second ruckman in support of Toby Nankervis.
Richmond's football boss Neil Balme said that Lynch was "very unlikely'' to play in the JLT games now, but was still in contention for the season opener against the Blues. Richmond's two JLT games are against Melbourne and then Hawthorn, with the latter match in Launceston on March 9 - just 12 days before they meet the Blues in the first game of 2019.
While Lynch's arrival gives Richmond a potential two-tall-target attack led by Jack Riewoldt, the Tigers are reluctant to use the ex-Gold Coast skipper as a second ruck in support of Nankervis, at least at this stage, given that he is recovery from a posterior cruciate ligament operation and is a major long-term investment.
But there is a recognition at Tigerland that the unconventional set-up of rucking Nankervis solo, with support only from 190cm veteran Shaun Grigg might not be sustainable in 2019, and the decision on how to support the valiant Nankervis is not settled.
"We are still undecided about what we do," Balme said of the second ruck set-up, which was a constant discussion during 2018, as the Tigers stuck with Grigg right up until their upset by Collingwood in the preliminary final. "There are a lot of options."
The risks of rucking Nankervis with support from a midfield-sized players were underscored in the preliminary final, when Brodie Grundy was influential for Collingwood, and it is arguable the rule changes - the leniency on rucks grabbing the ball out of ruck contests (given prior opportunity now) and the six-six-six rule at centre bounces - make ruck contests more important.
The Tigers have several options for the second rucking position, and the approach could vary depending on the opposition. While they have shown little interest in playing Ivan Soldo - their primary back-up - as the second ruckman supporting Nankervis, this is more feasible if they are playing against a dominant opposition ruck, such as Melbourne's Max Gawn or Grundy.
Another possibility is that they try youngster Noah Balta, an athletic and versatile 194cm tall with a decent leap, while Mabior Chol, 199cm, can play in the ruck and Callum Coleman-Jones is the only recognised ruckman on the Richmond list.
The second ruck decision has the further complication of Lynch's arrival meaning they will be fielding a taller forward line. If the Tigers won't deploy Lynch as the second ruck - as seems likely early in his comeback - then they have to consider the impact of another part-time tall forward on their trademark forward pressure, which is predicated on speed and agility.
Balta has been played largely in defence in the VFL. Like Coleman-Jones, he was selected in the second round of the 2017 national draft.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/lynch-set-to-miss-pre-season-games-as-tigers-yet-to-make-ruck-call-20190218-p50yn3.html
