We look at the men most likely to shape each AFL finalist’s chances of September gloryBEN BROAD,
Herald Sun
August 16, 2018 2:30pmWHO’S the one player vital to every premiership aspirant?
As AFL clubs make their run to the finals, fans of the teams involved this September will watch the finale to the home and away season with one eye on their team’s ladder position and the other on their injury list.
And for every club there’s some names who simply can’t appear, or it might well be a season killer.
They might not always be the best player — but often are — and instead are sometimes linked with a team’s structure and game plan rather than straight-out ability.
But every club has that one key man where if he’s out, so too might be their dreams of premiership glory.
It’s a tough task to identify one for every club, but below we’ve looked at the locked-in finalists, and those still hoping to make it, and the men who have the biggest say in shaping their team’s finals destiny.
RICHMONDWE SAY: Jack Riewoldt
WHO ELSE? Richmond fans could make a good argument that the team’s other bookend, Alex Rance, is their most important man but the Tigers’ intense pressure and all-ground defence arguably makes the star fullback more of a luxury than vital necessity. Dustin Martin also has obvious claims as the Tigers’ main man but given his form in 2018, and his role in helping Richmond’s front half work, we reckon Jack is the key cog in Dimma’s well-oiled machine.
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