Tall order: Cotchin backs Tigers to curb GrundyJon Pierik
The Age
9 June 2020Richmond captain Trent Cotchin says the Tigers have great faith in their ruckmen's ability to curb Brodie Grundy in what shapes as a pivotal battle when the AFL season resumes on Thursday night.
The AFL is hoping for a high-ratings clash to kickstart the season after the coronavirus hiatus, with one point of interest being how the Tigers handle Grundy, arguably the sport's best big man.
The Tigers employed two frontline ruckmen against Carlton in round one – Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo – but are mulling using just one this week because of the shortened quarters of 16 minutes plus time on.
One theory is they could use Marlion Pickett as a pinch-hit back-up in the guise Shaun Grigg adopted during their 2017 premiership campaign.
Cotchin on Tuesday pointed to the success the Tigers had when the teams last met, in round 19 last year when they won by 32 points. Grundy had 36 hitouts against Soldo (15) but the Magpie, typically damaging with his follow-up play on the ground, was regularly buffeted and had only nine touches. Soldo had 10 possessions.
"He [Grundy] is as bloody good a player as we have seen across a number of years now and incredibly important to the way Collingwood play," Cotchin said.
"Thinking back to last year, I think the guys did a pretty good of negating his influence on the game so that's probably the expectation from our point of view. The thing with good players is, it's bloody hard to do [stop them], so they [Tigers' rucks] will need as much support from their teammates as possible."
Cotchin said Soldo and Nankervis had been training well through the recent break and since the players had returned to the club.
"Both have been in really good nick through the mid-season phase leading into the re-start ... it will come down to what is the best fit for the team," he said.
"The great thing we encourage about our ruckman is to follow up after the hit outs and so forth. If they can impact the game in the ground, they clearly bring a lot of value."
Grundy was in superb touch against the Western Bulldogs in round one, collecting 19 disposals, 37 hitouts, four clearances and a goal, and is central to the Magpies' premiership hopes.
The Tigers also know how damaging Jordan De Goey can be, for his four goals in the 2018 preliminary final still stings for many supporters.
Premier defender Dylan Grimes is expected to start on the colourful Magpie, who has pleased the club with his conditioning through the break and has an eye on a lucrative new contract.
Cotchin has heard all the chat about how the shortened quarters are likely to aid "burst" players, such as De Goey.
"I don't know how true it is. I am sure the proof will be in the pudding but he has got incredible speed and can change a game in a matter of minutes so we will be watching him closely along with a number of their lively forwards and midfielders," he said.
Rebounding Tigers defender Bachar Houli took part in the scratch match last week and appears over a hamstring strain. Cotchin said Houli was in "really good nick and he is feeling ready".
The Tigers dominated the Magpies in their last meeting through intercept marks in defence. Nick Vlastuin, Jayden Short, David Astbury, Grimes and Houli combined for 39 marks, an area the Magpies were left to rue. The Pies will be without key tall Mason Cox, which may mean there are less long kicks into attacking 50 for the Tigers to intercept.
"We typically think we know how they like to play the game, we know what strengths they have as a team but also to try and manipulate some of the areas we think we can get them on, whether we have been playing for the last eight weeks or not," Cotchin said.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tall-order-cotchin-backs-tigers-to-curb-grundy-20200609-p550os.html
