Premiers exposed without Toby NankervisRichard Ferguson
The Australian
19 May 2018A potential achilles heel in Richmond’s bid for back-to-back premierships could be exposed tomorrow should Toby Nankervis fail to play in Perth.
The ruckman trained at Punt Road yesterday but is struggling with a wrist injury, with coach Damien Hardwick saying he is no certainty to tackle West Coast.
This would be a significant blow for the Tigers in the top-of-the-table clash, as the Eagles possess arguably the AFL’s best ruck combination in Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett.
And while high-profile performers Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt have been brilliant in Richmond’s rise to the top, there is a strong and potentially unhealthy reliance on Nankervis.
The former Swan is not the best tap ruckman in the league but he does excel when it comes to assisting the Tigers’ defence.
His presence a kick behind play assists Richmond’s ability to drive the ball back into attack, while his agility allows him to get to contests and also provide pressure at ground level.
The Tigers stormed to success with “Nank the Tank” forming an unconventional partnership with Shaun Grigg, a tall midfielder who plays above his size to allow Nankervis a rest.
Grigg trained well yesterday and will travel as an emergency, but it is not yet certain he will play as he recovers from a hamstring strain. Ivan Soldo, who played seven games last year, has been named as an emergency. Should he break his drought this year, it will be in the most formidable of circumstances; a high-stakes game against an outstanding ruck combination.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/premiers-exposed-without-toby-nankervis/news-story/0556ca6f66ffb04609264bc1b0a8bb0e
