Stopping Saints' surge shows Tigers have learnt lessons Michael Gleeson
The Age
July 21, 2015 When St Kilda started marching home against Richmond on Sunday a few things happened. Richmond didn't goal, but they did halt the Saints' scoring. The players responded in a way they previously would not have, ruckman Ivan Maric said.
"It wasn't pretty and I thought we did all right to slow them down when they got the momentum," Maric said.
"We are making a lot of calls as players out on the field to stop teams' momentum and I don't think we were doing that two or three years ago, so that is the good thing about the leadership we have shown on the field. It is not just one player, it is eight to 10 guys who are standing up and setting the standards.
"I was playing forward then and I probably should have put my hand up and got up there a bit more because I love being in the action and taking control but having said that Shaun (Hampson) did well."
Maric said the nature of the 16-point win reminded his team that against any opposition the fundamentals of how they play must remain the same.
"Contested ball, clearances, tackles all those little things are fundamentals for us. We have to play the Richmond way for four quarters because if we don't we are going to get beaten. Luckily we did it for not four quarters but for long enough to get the win.
"It's a good reminder for everyone and we still won the game. We have got a huge one coming up this week and it is going to require four quarters."
Richmond now confronts its most defining period for whether they can yet claim fourth place. Fremantle at home and then Hawthorn in back-to-back weeks is the brace of games they have eyed for several weeks.
Damien Hardwick also acknowledged after the game that while it was satisfying to beat teams they were expected to beat, being challenged now against teams above them on the ladder was the crucial stage.
Richmond's win over Fremantle at Subiaco was the upset that enhanced the Tigers' claims – after a sluggish start – to be a deserving top-four candidate. The victory over Sydney away weeks later only enhanced that view.
"Freo would be pretty dirty about how they played against us last time and it's not going to be like that at all this time I think," Maric said. "They are a really disciplined team and that is what we are trying to be as well so it is pretty exciting really."
For Maric the contest holds the added challenge of taking on Aaron Sandilands but he is comfortable with how his own form has gone this season both in the ruck and being able to press forward.
"That's important for me when it comes down to selection I want the team and coaches to feel a lot of trust when I am in the ruck, because the heat is on and with big games coming up against some really good teams you want your best players around the footy."
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/stopping-saints-surge-shows-tigers-have-learnt-lessons-20150720-gigil8.html
