Richmond's improved defence the key to its revival Mark Stevens
From: Herald Sun
May 14, 2012 THERE have been more brave new dawns at Richmond than cold beers at the Punt Rd end.
But after so much false hope, this revival finally has some substance.
Defence is the cornerstone of sustained success and the big squeeze is on at Tigerland.
One stat says it all: Richmond is conceding 83.1 points a game this season - its lowest average since 1969.
Yes, you read it right. We are talking the Tommy Hafey era 43 years ago.
Granted, we are only seven rounds into the season, but the signs are strong that the Tigers era of fatal shootouts could be over.
Finals teams in the modern era, on average, concede 83 points a game. If the Tigers can somehow keep it around this mark, could it take them all the way to September?
The emergence of Dylan Grimes (if you haven't backed him for the Rising Star award do it in a hurry) and Alex Rance as reliable key defenders has no doubt had a massive influence.
Grimes not only stops opponents, but uses the ball with poise. Richmond might even have the better of the Grimes brothers.
But Tigers coach Damien Hardwick has his players producing a far more accountable brand of footy.
While the Tigers are holding up OK once the ball gets inside the defensive 50 paint, allowing a goal from 25.2 per cent of all entries (ranked 10th), the key is stopping teams getting it in there in the first place.
And with an increased defensive mindset from the midfield, Richmond is on top-eight pace when it comes to curbing entries.
Last year the Tigers allowed 55.1 forward-50 entries a game. You can't win giving teams so much freedom.
This season they have slashed that to 47.6 entries a game (fifth in the AFL). Once you keep it under 50 regularly, you are in the ball park.
If you've got the ball and your opponents haven't, it will ease pressure on your defence and this has been another feature of Hardwick's focus.
The Tigers average 390 disposals a game - again ranked in the top echelon - and only Carlton and Essendon have a better time-in-possession differential.
The ploy of patiently building from defence with precise kicking stifled Sydney early in Saturday's win and the Swans couldn't get their hands on the ball.
Richmond had the ball 48 per cent of the time, Sydney 34 per cent and it was in dispute 18 per cent of the time.
As a result the Tigers smashed the Swans in the most basic stat of all, total possessions - 417 to 287.
They're on the march. "T-shirt Tommy" would be proud.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/richmonds-improved-defence-the-key-to-its-revival/story-fn7si05c-1226354274806
