The improvement in Richmond's defence since Round 7

[one-eyed]

Snuck up on me how sharply Richmond's defensive numbers have improved since the early rounds. Might be time for a trip to the tapes to see if anything stands out.




For the entire season?
Inside 50 differential it's Melbourne 1, Geelong 2.
Scores conceded per inside 50 it's Fremantle 1, Melbourne 2

Since Round 10?
For inside 50 differential it's actually Gold Coast 1 by miles at +79 (kind of influenced by playing North though). Then Bulldogs +47 and Richmond +46.

https://twitter.com/rickm18/status/1539068312029904896

[Andyy]

Vlastuin returning in R5 and running into some form is the standout difference for me.

Balta going back also. Grimes returning in R7.

[Tigeritis™©®]

If the opposition gets easy ball out of the middle there’s only so much our backs can do. When we don’t play our system it shows how ordinary we are.

Increased Pressure on the ball carrier to rush disposal and our overall defensive structures have improved and the ball starts to come into our defensive 50 a bit more erratically or the opposition think they need that extra handball that doesn’t ever work against us when we play the “Richmond way”.

It’s so important to the way we play. That’s why a player like Graham is so important constantly gut running to each contest pressing, tackling and smashing the opposition mids as well as players like Pickett and McIntosh that bust a gut to run to help pressure the good kickers from delivering good ball inside their 50. And of coarse players like Baker that just keep annoying the opposition until they make a mistake by never giving up at getting to the next contest.

Our system works but players have to be willing and able to execute. That’s the difference IMO

[FooffooValve]

Sometimes these stats about "since Round whatever" are close to meaningless. I bet we are close to no 1 for every stat from rounds 16-18.

Quite often, it's just another way of saying "you played some ordinary sides in that last block of (x) games".

As someone said earlier in the season, it's not who you play, it's when you play them that counts.

I'd be more interested in cherry-picking the stats from our games against Melbourne, Freo, Brisbane, Geelong, full strength Carlton and then seeing where we sit.

[lamington]

Return of personnel and Balta playing back more for me as well. Reminds new a bit of the return of Deledio, Rance and maric back in 2014 which allowed us to settle a bit then win 9 in a row.

Our next 4 weeks is the real test and we need a back up plan for not just prestia but we can’t expect him to put in a 3 Brownlow performance every week so a contingency for him having a quiet one is a must. Hopefully that plan b is dusty hitting some form?