AFL, Richmond, Fremantle, Jack Riewoldt, AFL 360May 17, 2017
Sarah Olle
FOX SPORTSRICHMOND forward Jack Riewoldt says Sunday’s after the siren loss to Fremantle has been a “steep learning curve” for the club.
And while he conceded the players could have structured the final and fatal centre bounce differently, the first three quarters of the match had ultimately cost the Tigers the game.
“We certainly looked at this and thought we need to be better,” Riewoldt said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.
“We needed to have someone come off the back of the square because that stunts Lachie Neale, the ball might go a bit higher. Other than that we weren’t set up too bad.
“We had a pretty honest discussion today. It’s a very steep learning curve.
“But there’s no point wasting a whole hour of the review on 21 seconds when we served up what we served up in the first three quarters.”
Richmond piled on five unanswered final term goals, two which came from the boot of Riewoldt, to hit the front with only 21 seconds remaining against Fremantle at the MCG.
Behind the goals vision revealed a loose Daniel Rioli on the wing, a move which has since been criticised by footy analysts.
Riewoldt said the club’s structure at that final centre bounce was ultimately the responsibility of the on-field leaders.
“It comes down to every player, but the on field leaders have more of a responsibility for that,” Riewoldt said.
“I was setting up the forwards where I thought they should be, Alex (Rance) had set up and Trent (Cotchin) had set up.
“The ball bounces up in the air, (Shaun) Grigg misses it — just. It bobbles out to (Lachie) Neale. Sometimes it just happens.
“What I will continue to harp on about is that there is no point focusing on the last 21 seconds if you are not going to get the first three quarters right.
“And we didn't get the first three quarters right. We were outplayed.”
Four-time premiership player Jordan Lewis said he could understand how the unthinkable had transpired for Richmond on Sunday.
But he also conceded every team would have a game plan to ensure that outcome didn’t eventuate.
“The funny thing is when you do go in front with 21 seconds to go you try to get as many guys behind the ball as you possibly can,” Lewis said.
“What that may do is relax some of the defenders who are already on forwards because you’ve got to go out there covering space. So you might be thinking, ‘I don’t have to go as tight, someone else will come and cover me’ because they’ve got extras there.”
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/jack-riewoldt-says-richmonds-loss-to-fremantle-was-a-steep-learning-curve-for-the-club/news-story/0d1651a476726e9ccec23e294d98a007
