‘Can we actually go all the way without Rancey?’Nick Smart
Herald Sun
27 September 2019It was the split second many thought had ended Richmond’s premierships hopes.
It was Round 1, late in the third quarter against Carlton, and star defender Alex Rance had flown for a marking contest and landed awkwardly, causing his right knee to buckle.
“I can still remember him coming down and then staying down,” defender Nick Vlastuin said.
“I was running back from the fat side of the ground and I remember just thinking: ‘gee, I really hope that’s just a rolled ankle.’”
It looked season-ending, but because of Rance’s positive demeanour on the bench, many people – including his teammates – believed he had escaped the worst.
Fellow defender David Astbury said he felt a sinking feeling when told later that Rance had done an ACL.
“I didn’t know until after the game,” Astbury said.
“I knew he was hurt, but he was so upbeat on the bench that I couldn’t really believe that he had suffered a significant injury.”
Brandon Ellis was watching from the stands that night as he had missed senior selection for the Tigers’ season-opener.
He remembers feeling sick when learning Rance’s year was all but over.
“You don’t wish it happening on your worst enemy,” he said.
“It was such an unlucky and unfortunate event for Rancey.”
THE REACTIONCould Richmond still win the premiership without Rance?
It was a legitimate question and one that dominated the football landscape in the days following the injury.
Essendon premiership Adam Ramanauskas was among the first to write off the Tigers.
“If he has done (his ACL), I find it hard to say Richmond can win the premiership this year,” Ramanauskas said on ABC Grandstand.
There was a lot of outside noise and plenty of doubt.
Internally at Punt Rd, there was a grieving period.
And Ellis now admits the players asked themselves whether they really could do it without their defensive linchpin.
“There was a lot of doubt in our minds,” Ellis said.
“We were like, ‘gee, can we actually go all the way without Rancey?’ because he’s probably going to go down as one of the best full-backs of all time.
“It probably did take a couple of weeks to adapt.”
Astbury said he felt a little bit “broken” in the days following the injury.
“I think initially you just have to sit with those thoughts and let yourself feel a particular way,” Astbury said.
“There’s no point trying to suppress everything because eventually it’s probably going to come up.
“I did my best just to allow myself to feel a little bit broken for a little while, and it probably took a little while for us to get back on track.”
Vlastuin found himself still looking for Rance during games, forgetting their star defender was not there to mop up like he so often had done in the past.
“Until that point, I’d played over a hundred games and only about two without Rancey,” he said.
“He is such a superstar player and a good mate to everyone here, it was just really tough and you didn’t know how to react really.
“It took us a couple of weeks, actually a couple of months really, just to get used to him not being out there.
“Even in games, something would happen where the opposition might get a run on or they’d take a contested mark, you’d think ‘Oh, Rancey would stop this’.”
HOW THEY MOVED ONWhile it took time to adjust, Richmond’s new-look back six began to find its groove.
With Dylan Grimes and Astbury holding down the key defensive posts surrounded by the likes of Bachar Houli, Vlastuin, Nathan Broad, Jayden Short and Ellis, the Tigers proved they could still win without their All-Australian star and win well.
“We just got used to him not being out there, and (Dylan) Grimes stood up and had a couple of unbelievable Rance-like games,” Vlastuin said.
“Then Dave (Astbury) and Bachar (Houli) stood up as well, so we were just forced to get used to it otherwise you’d spend the whole year dwelling on it and we wouldn’t be where we are this week.”
Astbury said the defensive group made the collective decision to back their system.
“You have no choice but to turn around and get back to the task at hand,” Astbury said.
“The age old saying is lose a soldier, replace a soldier, but you have no choice.
“Our team obviously looks different as a result, but I think it’s still a pretty good defence.”
RANCE AROUND THE CLUBNo one at Punt Rd was surprised to see Rance celebrating last Sunday’s VFL grand final win like he had played in it.
He had worked closely with the VFL team this year, and any disappointment with how his year had gone personally was not going to stop him from getting around his teammates.
It will be the same on Saturday if Richmond can complete the double.
“He was like a little kid,” Ellis said.
“That just shows the character he is. He was just so proud and genuinely happy for the boys and just wants us all of us to have success.”
A lot of players in Rance’s position would struggle to stay up, but Vlastuin said his teammate was always thinking of others.
“Even midway through the year when we were 7-6 and everyone at the club was a bit flat, he’d come in and do a skit or something,” Vlastuin said.
“And we were all like ‘Rancey’s back’.
“That was him just being funny and lifting our mood, so he’s still had a massive impact.”
Astbury said he could not speak more highly of Rance as a player and a person.
“He’s just an unbelievable human being, and I’m proud to have a best mate like him,” Astbury said.
“He’s still been such a big part of it and I’d really love to celebrate with him after the game, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do first.”
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/how-richmond-overcame-devastating-loss-of-alex-rance-to-make-grand-final/news-story/2911e19382bf83d2870a6ff082ad7e57
