Richmond's best midfielders are kick chasers: Kane Cornes (5AA)

[one-eyed]

AFL great’s ultimate insult to Tigers

FOX SPORTS
Feb 14, 2017

BEING labelled a ‘kick chaser’ is arguably the biggest insult for an AFL midfielder.

But that is exactly what Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has branded Richmond’s on-ball brigade.

“I think, to be brutally honest, their best midfielders chase kicks,” Cornes told 5AA radio.

“And they get a lot of the ball in the back half. I’m talking (Trent) Cotchin, (Dustin) Martin and (Brandon) Ellis.”

Cotchin’s conservative ball use came under fire last year. The skipper has gained just 23 metres per outing since 2014, the fewest of any current AFL midfielder ranked in the top 50 for disposals.

Martin was less damaging on the scoreboard in 2016, booting just nine goals from 22 games. In each of the five seasons before that he averaged at least one major per match.

He also picked up more defensive half kicks, and defensive half short kicks than anyone else in 2016.

Ellis ranked No. 1 among midfielders last year for uncontested marks, but was 152nd for metres gained.

But were the aforementioned players simply a product of Damien Hardwick’s game style?

By the end of the season, the Tigers were spending minimal time in their forward half, ranked 15th in the competition for game-day differential. For the year they had the second-highest percentage of disposals in the back half.

Whatever the case, the trio will be aided by the arrivals of Josh Caddy and Dion Prestia in 2017.

Prestia is being monitored closely following a knee injury which derailed his final year at the Suns, while Caddy was impressive in Richmond’s intra-club match last week.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/port-adelaide-great-slams-richmond-midfielders-as-kick-chasers/news-story/3d915a76a7803c49809d9fd9d2090797
http://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/news/cornes-richmonds-best-midfielders-are-kick-chasers-afl-australian-football-league-richmond-tigers-trent-cotchin-dustin-martin-brandon-ellis-port-adel/8oo0r0s4et7p1kvwvupszandh

[YellowandBlackBlood]

The truth hurts sometimes.....

[🏅Dooks]

The truth hurts sometimes.....

Yep

[the claw]

Lot of truth in the article but it lacks balance.
Martin averaged 26 disposals a game in 2015 and upped that to 31 a game in 2016.But the increase did not come from him getting uncontested disposals!!!!   but him actually getting more contested ball. Not sure how that is kick chasing.

Like most mids ours got cheapies so did ports mids  and every other clubs mids.
Cotchin does get a lot of cheapies but his contested ball winning is still elite as is Miles.I would have thought if players are averaging more than 10 c/ps a game then they are elite in that area or damn close to it.
Cotchin is one of the most heavily tagged players in the comp who can blame him for looking for the odd cheapie now and then.It has never stopped him trying to win his own ball.

Brandon Ellis well we all know the truth, there is not a bigger squib,  kick chaser in the game.

But to a degree i agree with the op. Far too often when the cheapies are dried up and players have to go earn a kick far too many dont have the ability to get it for themselves.

[The Machine]

Lot of truth in the article but it lacks balance.
Martin averaged 26 disposals a game in 2015 and upped that to 31 a game in 2016.But the increase did not come from him getting uncontested disposals!!!!   but him actually getting more contested ball. Not sure how that is kick chasing.

Like most mids ours got cheapies so did ports mids  and every other clubs mids.
Cotchin does get a lot of cheapies but his contested ball winning is still elite as is Miles.I would have thought if players are averaging more than 10 c/ps a game then they are elite in that area or damn close to it.
Cotchin is one of the most heavily tagged players in the comp who can blame him for looking for the odd cheapie now and then.It has never stopped him trying to win his own ball.

Brandon Ellis well we all know the truth, there is not a bigger squib,  kick chaser in the game.

But to a degree i agree with the op. Far too often when the cheapies are dried up and players have to go earn a kick far too many dont have the ability to get it for themselves.

Well said Claw. I hope it fires up the lads as we rightly have been receiving some poor press.

[Andyy]

Aside from Martin, he's damned right about Cotchin and Ellis. Absolutely no danger in their kicking at all.

To say the same about Martin is laughable, despite his ineffective disposal count. Bloke really tries to hurt teams...

[torch]

Shaun Grigg

[Knighter]

LOL Cornes

At least our best midfielders aren't soft as butter front runners. Best get your own backyard in order before chucking rocks

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Lot of truth in the article but it lacks balance.
Martin averaged 26 disposals a game in 2015 and upped that to 31 a game in 2016.But the increase did not come from him getting uncontested disposals!!!!   but him actually getting more contested ball. Not sure how that is kick chasing.

Like most mids ours got cheapies so did ports mids  and every other clubs mids.
Cotchin does get a lot of cheapies but his contested ball winning is still elite as is Miles.I would have thought if players are averaging more than 10 c/ps a game then they are elite in that area or damn close to it.
Cotchin is one of the most heavily tagged players in the comp who can blame him for looking for the odd cheapie now and then.It has never stopped him trying to win his own ball.

Brandon Ellis well we all know the truth, there is not a bigger squib,  kick chaser in the game.

But to a degree i agree with the op. Far too often when the cheapies are dried up and players have to go earn a kick far too many dont have the ability to get it for themselves.

Great post Claw, reckon Cotchin and Martin are a little hard done by in the article.

[Assange Tiger 😎]

Cornes was the king of getting cheap handballs around the back, even though he couldn't kick poo off a shovel. No wonder Matty Primus dropped him. stuffin dumb stuff

[(•))(©™]

Ellis ranked No. 1 among midfielders last year for uncontested marks, but was 152nd for metres gained.


Lmao. Uncontested.

[🏅Dooks]

Lol players keeping busy without the primary intent of trying to win or achieve anything tangible like taking the game on.

No wonder teams sit back and wait. They know.

[the claw]

Lol players keeping busy without the primary intent of trying to win or achieve anything tangible like taking the game on.

No wonder teams sit back and wait. They know.

Some real whining going on here.
Do you want Cotchin kicking at goal.Do want him trying to nail pin point passes ffs i dont. The reason is simple he is not a good kick .But we all know that, but hey its easier to join in the chorus rather than think for ourselves and ask why you want to see him hand it off when possible.

Cmon outside of kicking when does Cotchin not take the game on or at least try to.All players must work within their limitations weather its gazza cotchin or a  simple footsoldier.

[lamington]

I thought his kicking was pretty good in 2011 and 2012. Actually i thought it was pretty awesome (albeit lacked penetration) until he became Capt. I feel like he is either coached or feels obliged he needs to bring his poo team mates into the game by passing it off with short kicks.

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Cotch regularly won games off his own boot at PEGS by putting himself up forward one out and kicking goals. Was a beautiful kick as a kid.