Richmond’s tackling has been shocking the past 10 years .... (H-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Field Marshal: Richmond’s tackling has been shocking the past 10 years

SAM EDMUND
Herald Sun
July 5, 2016

WE’D like to say Richmond has been bringing a knife to a gun fight, but it’s worse than that.

For a decade, the Tigers have been wielding feather dusters.

The Herald Sun can reveal Richmond has been the worst — and close to the worst — tackling side in the AFL for most of the last 10 years.

The astonishing lack of pressure and defensive intent, dating back to the Terry Wallace era and continuing well into Damien Hardwick’s reign, has continually sabotaged the Tigers’ finals aspirations.

Since 2007 Richmond has ranked last for tackles four times, second-last once and third-last once. Incredibly, its best league ranking in the last 10 seasons is 10th.

Of course, logic says if you’re winning the ball then tackle numbers will dwindle. But Richmond isn’t doing that either.

In the Tigers’ last two losses — to North Melbourne and Port Adelaide — they’ve been obliterated in both. Against the Kangaroos they lost contested ball by

15 and tackles by 36. Against the Power it was 17 contested ball and 41 tackles — the second-biggest differential in any game this year.

Tackling speaks to intensity and attitude. Sydney is the best tackling team in the competition and is a game off top spot. Hawthorn ranks fourth and is on top.

The irony is that, as a player, Hardwick was a gritty, aggressive back-flanker who would tackle a truck if he had to. One can only imagine his frustration at his side’s refusal to roll the sleeves up.

“I thought they outhunted us and were more physical around the contest than we were. We got beaten in those areas,” Hardwick said in Adelaide on Friday night.

In the Power disaster, 12 Richmond players had two tackles or less.

Dustin Martin had two, Brandon Ellis one, Brett Deledio one, Shane Edwards had one, Taylor Hunt one and Nick Vlastuin didn’t even lay one.

Martin averages 3.7 tackles a game in 2016. To put that into context, his contemporaries in the elite midfielder sphere — Gary Ablett (6.3 tackles a game),

Dan Hannebery (5.4) and Scott Pendlebury (5.1) — all show more desire to stop the opposition.

Martin is having a superb season and possesses an offensive threat matched by few, but surely behind closed doors Tigers officials lament his lack of defensive intent.

Ellis goes at only 2.7 tackles each week and another ball winner, Shaun Grigg, sits on 3.9. It’s nowhere near enough.

Wallace, the former Richmond coach-turned commentator, said Richmond “just aren’t playing with enough physicality”.

“My belief has always been the best sides take something away from their opposition. I don’t think Richmond do that; I don’t think Richmond take anything off the opposition,” Wallace told SEN.

“If you don’t come with physicality to your game you’re going to get beaten.”

CLUTCHING AT THIN AIR

Tigers’ tackle rankings

2007 — Last

2008 — Last

2009 — 11th

2010 — 12th

2011 — 15th

2012 — 10th

2013 — Last

2014 — 14th

2015 — 17th

2016 — Last

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/field-marshal-richmonds-tackling-has-been-shocking-the-past-10-years/news-story/0cab77379b440cf43e66a859bbcf6bb9

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Wallace, the former Richmond coach-turned commentator, said Richmond “just aren’t playing with enough physicality”.



2007 — Last

2008 — Last

2009 — 11th



Thanks Terry..........the lack of tackling started under you!

[mat073]

Tigers have been soft since jon northey left the building.

[Tigeritis™©®]

Tigers have been soft since jon northey left the building.

[Francois Jackson]

Tigers have been s h i t since jon northey left the building.

[Yeahright]

Merge with (my) tackling thread

[Willy]

No doubt Dimma has some excuse for it

[tony_montana]

reckon the journos are trawling the richmond boards these days and rehashing threads and discussions that have been going on for a while amongst the supporter group

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Tigers have been soft since jon northey left the building.

Maybe we should bring him back!

[tdy]

I bet sydney won the tackle count in 2005 and 2006 when they were playing and winning with our slow game style.

[wayne]

reckon the journos are trawling the richmond boards these days and rehashing threads and discussions that have been going on for a while amongst the supporter group

Yep, no coincidence all of our rants are now newspaper articles.

[Willy]

reckon the journos are trawling the richmond boards these days and rehashing threads and discussions that have been going on for a while amongst the supporter group

Yep, no coincidence all of our rants are now newspaper articles.

Looking forward to a feature article about how Claw is always right and we're all idiots.

[mat073]

reckon the journos are trawling the richmond boards these days and rehashing threads and discussions that have been going on for a while amongst the supporter group

Yep, no coincidence all of our rants are now newspaper articles.

Looking forward to a feature article about how Claw is always right and we're all idiots.

Claw saw this disaster happening 10 years ago.

[Lozza]

Its not all about tackle numbers but what constitutes an effective tackle. To me an effective tackle is holding an opposition player in a way that prevents them from disposing of the ball in a legal manner.

Very few tackles we lay during games achieve this and with a lack of trust in teammates to make the tackle we as a result have too many players drawn into the tackle so when the opposition player ultimately breaks the tackle they have a free player and a easy clearance.

Its not rocket science but again i dont know if its the cattle or the coaching but our execution of basic elements of the game are poor to say the least.

[Stalin]

reckon the journos are trawling the richmond boards these days and rehashing threads and discussions that have been going on for a while amongst the supporter group

Claws post history > war and peace