Richmond best 22, team for 2017 AFL season: Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy, Brandon EllisBen Waterworth
FOX SPORTS
10 January 2017THE shoulders of five specific Richmond players must be tired and sore.
Over recent seasons, the Tigers’ so-called ‘fab five’ — which consists of Alex Rance, Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Brett Deledio — have been heavily relied upon. All of them are stars and would walk into any club’s best 22.
But as talented as they are, they can’t win games of footy off their own boots.
And with Deledio now at another club to chase premiership success, it’s imperative other Tigers step up this season, with the club — as much as coach Damien Hardwick wants to deny it — on the verge of a rebuild.
So who could replace Deledio in that elite five-man group? Ideally, which players can turn that five-man group into a club of seven or eight — or more?
On talent alone, Dion Prestia has the ability to slot straight into the Tigers’ top five players. Barring his injury-interrupted 2016 campaign, the former Sun had already established himself as one of the top contested ball and clearance players in the game, especially during his career-best 2015 season.
The Tigers gave up a significant amount — their first selection of the 2016 draft (Pick 7) and a future second-round pick — to secure Prestia, so they’ll hoping the on-baller can have an immediate impact.
Deledio’s departure opens the door for Caddy to play a similar role across both half-forward and on the ball. Playing predominantly in the forward 50 for the Cast last year, Caddy snagged 21 goals from 18 games while averaging 20 disposals — a season that seemingly went unheralded. While he doesn’t have the same explosiveness as Deledio, Caddy can certainly fill the positional chasm vacated.
Then there are the Tigers already at the club.
Shane Edwards has been on the brink of joining the Tigers’ A-Graders for a while. If he can up his scoreboard impact to around 1.5 goals per game while also racking up his 19 to 20 touches, he could join that elite group.
Nick Vlastuin has shown glimpses of his best, but still hasn’t had that breakout year Tigers fans are hoping for. Sam Lloyd, who took a major step forward in 2016 by booting 35 goals while averaging almost three tackles an outing, will be hoping to continue his improvement.
And then there’s Brandon Ellis, who should be among the Tigers’ elite but took a step backwards in 2016. More on him below.
With a large, impatient membership base, it’s crucial that some of these younger Tigers players grow in 2017.
Otherwise it could be a long, stressful year for Hardwick.
Over the next month, foxfooty.com.au will be previewing your team’s best 22.
As always, there will be some contentious decisions — and some unlucky omissions.
NB: These line ups don’t take into account current injuries or suspensions.
THE LOCK
Alex Rance — There mightn’t be a more certain lock in any position in any team around the league. An All-Australian in the past three consecutive seasons, Rance is clearly the best key defender in the game — both according to pundits and the AFL’s official number crunchers. His ability to beat opponents one-on-one then distribute the ball efficiently when rebounding out of defence is a major strength for the Tigers. While David Astbury is finally injury-free and Dylan Grimes is a much-improved player, Rance is undoubtedly the glue that holds not just the Tigers’ backline together, but the entire 22.
THE BUBBLE
Bachar Houli — As proficient as he has been at racking up the footy, Houli’s decision-making has frustrated Tigers fans over recent years. During the early stages of the 2016 season — before his wrist injury — more scores came from Houli’s turnovers than any other player in the competition, according to Champion Data. With a few emerging small defenders at the Tigers, it’s important for Houli, 28, to recapture his best form, where he finds a good balance between attack and defence, as well as using that left-foot kick effectively.
THE RISING STAR
Jayden Short — One of those youngsters keeping Houli accountable is Short, who enters his third season on Richmond’s list. After breaking into the Tigers’ best 22 as a small forward, Short returned towards the backend of the season as a rebounding defender — and impressed. In his 11 games as a defender, Short averaged 18.1 disposals at an impressive 79 per cent efficiency. One of the best kicks on Richmond’s list, expect the 20-year-old to play an important role in the Tigers’ 2017 campaign.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR …
Brandon Ellis — Besides skipper Trent Cotchin, Ellis was at the forefront of criticism aimed at the Tigers last year as they plummeted down the ladder. While his durability can’t be questioned, Ellis’ impact on games diminished compared to his previous two seasons, averaging just 85.4 Champion Data ranking points per match — 15 less than his 2015 output. The first-round draft pick was also ranked 24th for average uncontested possessions, which was well down on his 2014 (third) and 2015 (sixth) returns. Out of contract at the end of 2017, Ellis will be judged primarily on his workrate as an outside player — a workrate that must return to its peak this season.
BEST 22B: Nick Vlastuin, Alex Rance, Dylan Grimes
HB: Brandon Ellis, David Astbury, Bachar Houli
C: Josh Caddy, Dustin Martin, Shaun Grigg
HF: Daniel Rioli, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Edwards
F: Sam Lloyd, Ben Griffiths, Toby Nankervis
R: Shaun Hampson, Trent Cotchin, Dion Prestia
I/C: Jayden Short, Corey Ellis, Oleg Markov, Anthony Miles
EMG: Reece Conca, Kamdyn McIntosh, Kane Lambert
Jake Batchelor, Shai Bolton, Nathan Broad, Dan Butler, Nathan Drummond, Todd Elton, Ryan Garthwaite, Jack Graham, Taylor Hunt, Ben Lennon, Ivan Maric, Connor Menadue, Steven Morris, Jacob Townsend
ROOKIES: Jason Castagna, Mabior Chol, Callum Moore, Ivan Soldo, Tyson Stengle
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/best-22-the-richmond-players-who-must-step-up-and-join-elite-category/news-story/fc2a786be92a8c5cb178bd96c240fce7
