The area Richmond needs to address - Midfield defence (SEN)

[one-eyed]

“IT DIDN’T WORK”: THE AREA RICHMOND NEEDS TO ADDRESS

By Andrew Slevison
SEN
9 March 2023

Brad Johnson has highlighted some concerns for the new-look Richmond midfield on the back of their practice match loss to Melbourne.

The Tigers lost to the Demons by 50 points last Saturday in what was a disappointing result in their final tune up before the 2023 season.

Although star recruits Tim Taranto (33 disposals, 5 clearances) and Jacob Hopper (23 disposals, 9 clearances) were among the Tigers’ very best, the midfield unit lacked intensity against a Melbourne on-ball brigade that appeared much quicker and sharper.

The Tigers did lose Dion Prestia to a pectoral injury early in the game which did impact the way they set up.

On SEN’s Sportsday, Gerard Healy and Johnson discussed the Tigers who addressed their midfield needs in the trade period but still looked somewhat fragile through that part of the ground, especially when their opponents transitioned from defence.

“Last year without the footy they were ranked 12th so their defence needs some work,” said Healy.

“Clearances no good and post-clearance contested ball also below average.

“They’ve tried to fix up the latter two by picking up a couple of guys form the Giants but their defence needs work.”

Richmond won the overall clearance count 33-32 but Johnson said the way the Dees moved the ball forward post-clearance could be a worry for Damien Hardwick’s Tigers.

“It didn’t work on the weekend,” the Western Bulldogs great said.

“The two guys (Taranto and Hopper) and a couple of (other) mids will walk away and say we found a bit of ball, but out of stoppage, especially in mid-zone stoppage, they were beaten comprehensively by Melbourne who won the ball and then burst out of there.

“Hopper and Taranto and even (Trent) Cotchin at times were just left watching. I think more mentally for them they should be hit between the eyes with that, but with their own game and assessment they should be looking at that and going, ‘we didn’t work hard enough once we lost that initial contest’.

“(Christian) Petracca and (Clayton) Oliver and (Ed) Langdon, they were just running through breaking into the forward 50, getting two or three possessions along the way.

“That’s the area they (the Tigers) need to fix. Yes, they’re good names, yes, they’re good players, but unless they’re going to go the other way when it’s not on their terms they’re going to have some difficult moments.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/03/08/it-didnt-work-the-area-richmond-needs-to-address/

[Francois Jackson]

💯 Spot on.

[the claw]

Might sound a bit simplistic but i think our tackling is one of the reasons why we get hurt so badly post clearance.
Second worst tackling team last year and i think we need to tackle much more and we need to get players to the ground when we do.

For a side that has been lauded for its pressure we are poor in this.

[Jobba]

Might sound a bit simplistic but i think our tackling is one of the reasons why we get hurt so badly post clearance.
Second worst tackling team last year and i think we need to tackle much more and we need to get players to the ground when we do.

For a side that has been lauded for its pressure we are poor in this.

I think that our issues are very much simplistic, but are very much interconnected.

We were a poor tackling team last year; that’s a statistical reality. I agree with you that the middle of the ground is where it all starts going wrong.

If we can win the clearance and get it forward, even if it’s just to create a stoppage in our forward half, that gives us the opportunity to put our defensive structures in place. Better defensive structures = better opportunities to put pressure on/ tackle.

When we don’t win the clearance, it has to still be subjected to pressure and enable a quick turnover and quick exit. If we don’t, we are allowing the exact opposite. Better opponent field position, repeated inside 50 entries from opposition and the inability to get our structures where they need to be for defensive pressure.

Our ball movement is very much based on turnover. Can’t turn the ball over if you’re not pressuring and tackling. If we don’t improve this, I can’t see us being competitive with the top teams of the comp.