JURY STILL OUT ON TIGERSMark Robinson
The Tackle - Herald-Sun
July 22, 2013RICHMOND is almost certain to play finals, but hasn't yet convinced the competition it will be a force.
It's a strange comment after 16 rounds, yet it was only yesterday against Fremantle that have beaten team to be reckoned with.
Still, the Dockers were without three of their goal-to-goal line - Pavlich, McPharlin and Sandilands - and a handy little goalkicker in Ballantyne.
The Tigers won by 27 points and arguably they should have.
That would please coach Damien Hardwick the most.
Beating a team they should hasn't been an easy agenda for the Punt Rd crew in recent years and yesterday will give them confidence.
And the most pleasing aspect was the contribution from everyone on the team.
That's the difference between the Tigers this year and in years gone by. They are a better team. They don't rely on individuals to win games, instead it's a collective.
They will need all that and more over the next two weeks when the play Sydney and Hawthorn, two teams incidentally they munched last year on the G, yet still didn't play finals.
Of the 22 players who played yesterday, only three didn't reach double-figure possessions, and two of them, Arnot and Foley, swapped sub vests.
The other was Steven Morris, but his contribution is judged by pressure acts, and not how many times he racks up possessions.
Trent Cotchin played a blinder in the middle and Ivan Maric was important in the ruck, but the Tigers won because of their depth.
Jake King's magnificent goal in the third quarter, Daniel Jackson' renaissance, Shane Edwards' pressure, Shaun Grigg's seven tackles, Jack Riewoldt's four goals and four tackles, Petterd on a back flank, and the hardness of Brandon Ellis and Nick Vlastuin were some of the examples of why the Tigers emerged victorious yesterday.
Alex Rance and Alex Chaplin together have added substance to the back half, Dustin Martin is a consistent ball-winner (30 again yesterday) and the Tigers won without Brett Deledio having a huge impact with Ryan Crowley on his ginger all day.
Defensively, the Tigers are much improved.
Their tackling numbers have ballooned and although the Dockers lacked scoring power, having just 17 points on the scoreboard at halftime is testament to Richmond's recent-found attitude.
The second quarter was most impressive.
The Tigers kicked just one goal to Fremantle's three behinds, but it was about substance rather than highlight reels.
Richmond didn't yield to the Dockers' pressure and, in fact, applied the sort of pressure itself that would make the best opposition jittery.
The Tigers landed 68 tackles to Fremantle's 70, yet had almost 60 more possessions.
They beat off several Fremantle challenges, and then kicked away.
It was professional kill from a team on the rise.
But, as always with the Tigers, or any team believing they are finals goods, the biggest tests are yet to come.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/gold-coast-captain-gary-ablett-moving-out-of-his-fathers-shadow/story-fnelctok-1226682796976