Tigers structure has flag-winning pedigree: WallaceBy Alex Zaia
SEN
7 July 2017Former Richmond coach Terry Wallace believes teams are having to alter their defensive planning to combat the Tigers pint-sized forward set up.
The much talked about ‘Mosquito Fleet’ are troubling defenders who aren’t adapt to facing dynamic, diminutive forwards.
Opposition clubs are having to manufacture ways to counter the Tigers' pacey offensive unit, which Wallace believes is similar to the way teams had to conjure up unique ways of stopping two-time premeirship coach Denis Pagan's famous "Pagan's Paddock" forward structure.
“Every side that comes up against the Tigers are having to change their structure, or they have to have their players play completely different roles against the Tigers then what they do coming up against other sides,” Wallace said on SEN’s Before the Games.
“Richmond do it 22 weeks a year, but the sides that play Richmond only do it twice for the entire season.
“It reminds me of ‘Pagan's Paddock’, when Dennis Pagan was using that tactic weekly while everyone else was trying to conjure up something to work against it.”
Richmond’s round 15 opponents St Kilda face this structural issue, as the Tigers' lack of a second tall forward potentially leaves Nathan Brown or Jake Carlisle without a suitable match-up.
“If Brown plays, he has to play on Jack Riewoldt as Carlisle has more flexibility...he can go forward and zone off and be that intercept marker,” said Wallace.
“Brown does a good solid job, but I don’t think he has those tricks in his armoury.
“If you go further down the line all of a sudden Dylan Roberton will be playing on someone like Shane Edwards. It does have that trickle-down effect.”
The two clubs clash this Saturday night at Etihad Stadium in what is the third match dedicated to Nick Riewoldt’s late sister Maddie.
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2017/07/07/tigers-structure-has-flag-winning-pedigree-wallace/