Tigers lead from the back Emma Quayle
The Age
March 4, 2013 Richmond's off-season acquisitions and pre-season form have convinced Alex Rance that the club's defensive group has developed enough depth to match its more accomplished midfielders and forwards.
Rance believes Dylan Grimes, Troy Chaplin, Ben Griffiths, David Astbury and Jake Batchelor could all play important roles as tall defenders this year, placing pressure on the club's selection panel.
''Our back-line group is really starting to come together,'' he said. ''It's something that's been a bit maligned about Richmond over the past few years, but we've brought some good players together and I think we've started to build some real depth.
''We've always had a pretty good midfield group in my time here, and a few really good players up forward, so the back line's been the last part of it and we're still developing, but I think this year we'll have a lot of players who can come in and play well.''
Chaplin, recruited as a free agent from Port Adelaide, is expected to play half of Richmond's NAB Cup clash with Hawthorn, in Launceston on Saturday, having arrived after knee surgery.
Grimes is in the final stages of his recovery from a major hamstring injury and recently rejoined the main training group. He expects to be available for selection in the Tigers' round one side.
Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric, Steve Morris, Chris Knights and Reece Conca missed the Tigers' eight point win over Essendon in Wangaratta but will be worked back into the team in the next two weeks, with Nathan Foley also hoping to return soon from a ruptured Achilles.
Rance said Chaplin, after nine years with the Power, had already been able to instil some assuredness into his new teammates.
''He knows how to play and he makes you feel like you know how to play,'' he said. ''I've said to the boys, 'I feel so confident knowing that he's there and that it doesn't need to be me there on the last line all the time'. And I've seen him do that for the other boys as well.''
Read more:
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-lead-from-the-back-20130303-2fefh.html#ixzz2MV1BwUlN
