Buddy versus Rance as Richmond and Sydney do battle The Australian
June 16, 2017
Greg Denham
Senior Sports Writer
MelbourneRichmond host Sydney at the MCG tomorrow in one of the most crucial games of the round. Fact. The Tigers are playing as well as they have for some time and victory could set them up for a top-four finish, which would guarantee more than one finals appearance for the first time since 2001.
If the Swans are to come back from the dead after losing their first six rounds, they need to win to keep pressing for an eighth straight finals appearance as they have little margin for error during the remainder of the season.
But what isn’t known and won’t be known until the early afternoon, is who will play on Sydney star Buddy Franklin.
The match-up of the season between Alex Rance, the All Australian fullback for the past three years, and Franklin, who won All Australian honours as a key forward for the sixth time last year, may be fleeting, according to both coaches. But it is doubtful they will be like ships that pass in the night.
Earlier this week, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick made the big call that his team had Franklin covered. He said Rance, the vastly improved Dave Astbury and an equally improved and injury-free Dylan Grimes would play their roles in preventing Franklin from dominating.
“I will back any of our key defenders versus Buddy,” he said. “All three of those guys are really putting their hands up to getting Buddy at any stage.”
The Tigers have been hurt by Franklin in the past. In the two clashes between the two clubs last year, Franklin was outstanding, making 21 scoring shots. He kicked seven goals in round 23 when the Swans had a 113-point win at the SCG and it was no fault of his that Sydney lost by a point after the siren at the MCG in round eight when he booted five.
However, Sydney coach John Longmire did not shy away yesterday from the likelihood that his most influential player could be monstered by any number of combinations the Tigers throw at him.
Of a potential pairing of Franklin and Rance, Longmire said: “It doesn’t happen too often — footy these days is about players playing in different positions all the time, but there’s no doubt they’ll end up on each other at times.
“Because Rance is so good at winning the one on ones and shutting the key forwards down, but still be part of that rebound play that Richmond can deliver, it is a challenge for our forward group.
“I heard Damien talk about it during the week and I agree with him: Rance is in great form and he’s a multiple All Australian, but his other key defenders are in great form as well. He’s confident with any of those players on our key forwards and so he should be, they’re doing a lot right, the Tigers, and their defensive group is really strong.”
What will help Franklin will be the performance of Sydney’s second tall option, Sam Reid, who has been a hot and cold commodity all season. Last week he kicked two goals in the Swans’ return to their best in a 46-point win over the Western Bulldogs. In round two, also against the Dogs, he kicked a personal-best six goals.
But in between he kicked just six goals in eight games, including being held goalless in four of them. In fairness to him, he was concussed early in the Swans’ loss to Hawthorn in round 10 and virtually took no part in the contest.
If Reid can create some early havoc tomorrow, it should allow Franklin to get off the chain.
Longmire has worries all over the ground, including how to combat Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin. He hinted George Hewett, in just his second season, was not the answer just because he had kept Bulldogs defender Jason Johannisen quiet eight days ago.
Longmire suggested Hewett would better serve the Swans on rebounding Tigers defender Bachar Houli, who is back to his best. “He (Houli) is a very good player and very important to their team as far as what he does from their back half,” Longmire said.
“He gives them great drive, particularly at the MCG, he gives them great overlap run. He’ll take up some of our planning but it’s OK to plan for them. You’ve still got to go out an execute, and that’s the challenge.”
Another interesting aspect of the game will be the clash of the ruckmen. Sydney pair Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair are likely to go head to head with 2016 teammate Toby Nankervis, who was not ranked in the Swans’ top two big men in his brief career before moving south, where he has been a revelation at Punt Road.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/buddy-versus-rance-as-richmond-and-sydney-do-battle/news-story/b721ae7645c50130226995cf52960a8c
