Can Richmond Tigers can win the premiership?
Jon Pierik
The Age
8 August 2017Having already vented his anger at comments made by Kane Cornes, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was quick to add the shock 67-point loss to St Kilda in round 16 would be a "wake-up" call for the Tigers.
He noticed his team's "method around the ball" had also been on the wane a week earlier against Port Adelaide, although there was enough of a contribution to snare a 13-point win. But the loss to the Saints again raised issues about the Tigers' hardness – concerns that have been erased in the four weeks since. To the point the question has to be asked – are they the best hope of keeping the premiership cup in Victoria?
The 29-point win over the Hawks has left the Tigers as the highest-ranked Victorian club at this stage of the season since 1982 – the last time they appeared in a grand final.
It's also raised expectations among the success-starved Tigers faithful, with tickets fast selling out to get aboard the "Tiger train".
"I think we just embrace it. We are enjoying the challenge at the moment and enjoying the struggle of the AFL season. It's been an incredible season so far and the players have enjoyed that behind Trent [Cotchin], Jack [Riewoldt] and Alex [Rance] really," Hardwick said.
No doubt he innocently forgot to mention a certain Dustin Martin, a one-man wrecking crew storming his way towards the Brownlow medal, and a swag of media awards.
Martin was superb against the Hawks on an afternoon the Tigers showed why they are for real. Admittedly, there are major tests to come, with nemesis Geelong up next. They have lost their past 12 straight to the Cats, their last win coming in round nine, 2006, at Simonds Stadium. Bigger picture, they must avoid the stage fright that came during three-straight elimination-final defeats.
However, this side feels more secure, has a more robust game-style and exerts tremendous pressure – the hallmark of any premiership side.
Much has been made of the pressure small forwards Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna, Dan Butler and Shane Edwards have put on inside attacking 50. Rioli had a team-high 29 pressure acts (seven tackles) against the Hawks, Butler had 22, Edwards 15 and Castagna 12. Remember the ferocity of Cyril Rioli and Paul Puopolo in the Hawks' premiership years? This ensures repeated shots at goal.
This "small-ball" line-up has left Jack Riewoldt as generally the only marking tall inside 50. The Swans, Adelaide and Cats, for instance, generally prefer having two talls.
For the Tigers, as Leigh Matthews pointed out, you play to your strengths.
"You go with what you are good at, which is speed and quickness," he said.
In Riewoldt's absence on Sunday, Josh Caddy, given a licence to also push up the field, helped to cover for Riewoldt with four goals – his best game at Punt Road. Kane Lambert and Dion Prestia also lifted.
The Tigers have also been superb defensively – and that's just as important as anything, for history shows a premier is typically ranked in the top three for least-points conceded. The Tigers are ranked No.1, conceding 77.5 points per game. The Bulldogs were third last year (72.9). The Hawks were No.1 in 2015 (70.5).
Alex Rance and David Astbury have become somewhat of a wall across half-back. Rance is second in the league for intercept possessions, behind only Adelaide's Jake Lever.
The Hawks had hoped the smaller Taylor Duryea would have quelled him. That did not work, with the bigger Jarryd Roughead eventually making him more accountable. When they were crunched by the Saints, it was no coincidence Nick Riewoldt not only stopped Rance's rebound but also booted goals himself. The Cats, no doubt, have taken note.
A more direct game plan has also been pivotal for the Tigers. They rank near the foot of the statistical ladder in terms of disposals per game, uncontested possessions and marks overall. Yet this has not impacted on their forward-50 entries, where they rank fourth (+5) in differentials and are No.1 for marks inside 50. A key to this is that they are ranked No.1 for disposal efficiency.
What would also please the Tigers is that they had a side with the fourth-fewest average games played (90) take to the field. Only North Melbourne, Gold Coast and Brisbane are below.
Essendon great Matthew Lloyd has declared "if you haven't believed in Richmond, you should now". It's a belief that's gaining currency by the week.
http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/can-richmond-tigers-can-win-the-premiership-20170807-gxqq4g.html
