Chris Yarran could be the key for Richmond in 2016, says David KingJAY CLARK
Herald Sun
January 29, 2016RICHMOND recruit Chris Yarran is the key to unlocking the Tigers’ premiership potential this season, according to analyst David King.
Coach Damien Hardwick faces a major tactical conundrum in the final year of his contract, deciding whether to play with more dare or maintain faith in the Tigers’ go-slow tactics of last season.
The Tigers were one of the most cautious ball-users from Round 7 last season, averaging only 89 points per game in a style change that helped net 13 wins from the last 16 regular season matches.
But the scoring drop-off left Hardwick’s men almost two goals per game short of triple premiers Hawthorn and Grand Finalist West Coast.
According to Champion Data’s 2016 statistical bible “AFL Prospectus”, 15 of the past 16 flag-winners have averaged more than 100 points per match (save for Sydney in 2005), leaving a question mark over the Tigers’ ability to score enough to win finals.
The Tigers have lost the elimination final in each of the past three seasons.
But dual premiership backman David King said the addition of former Carlton linebreaker Yarran, 25, can be the difference for the Tigers in 2016.
“Yarran can almost be the Andrew McLeod-type across half-back for them,” King told the Herald Sun.
“Everyone has wanted to put the slows on Yarran, but it’s only now they have got him, (Bachar) Houli, Nick Vlastuin and maybe Dustin Martin coming off half-back.
“So now, they will be able to take some genuine risks with the ball back there.
“Given their personnel, Damien Hardwick would have been foolish to try to play at breakneck speed with the types of players he’s had down back in the past couple of seasons.
“He just hasn’t had that artillery.”
David King says Chris Yarran can almost be the “Andrew McLeod-type” for the Tigers across half back. Picture: Bohdan Warchomij
The Herald Sun revealed last week Yarran has endured an interrupted pre-season dealing with a niggling calf complaint.
However, the man Richmond exchanged pick No.19 for in last year’s trade period is tipped to play in the back end of the NAB series in a bid to be fit for the season-opener against his former side, Carlton.
King said the Yarran trade continued a smart recruiting strategy for Richmond, after passing up on new Fremantle speedster Harley Bennell.
The Tigers face Fremantle in their first NAB Challenge game in Mandurah on February 19, although Bennell is expected to miss with a calf problem.
“When you look at their list build they have done it well,” he said.
“Looking at their top-liners they are not far off.
“And they have learnt to become a stable club.”
Hardwick could sign a contract extension as early as next month after the club’s next board meeting.
But according to Champion Data’s AFL Prospectus, Hardwick still faces a challenging season, declaring that “teams in 2016 will be well-prepared to stop the Tigers’ crawl”.
The Tigers played on from only 26 per cent of their marks last season, ranked last in the competition.
“The concern is whether it will hold up in finals — a big question for a team that has been knocked out in the first round in each of their past three seasons,” the AFL Prospectus says.
The conservative game style meant Richmond conceded only 73 points per game to the opposition last season, their lowest since 1967.
Their games included the second least amount of scoring of any side.
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