Would you believe it? Richmond’s AFL and Peter Jackson VFL teams are both undefeated to start 2017.
The 2016 AFL Tigers struggled after three consecutive elimination-final losses to finish 13th, while last year’s VFL Tigers started poorly before reeling off six consecutive wins to end the season in ninth position. But in 2017, the Tiger Train is rolling – the AFL team is 5-0 and the VFL team 2-0.
The key to the change in fortune is in the numbers.
Earlier this year, Richmond AFL senior coach Damien Hardwick began preaching pressure, pressure, pressure. The AFL Tigers had been one of the league’s poorer tackling teams for several years, while the VFL Tigers were ranked 12th in the competition for tackles per game in 2016.
The club’s VFL senior coach Craig McRae hinted at a trickle-down effect from the very top earlier this year.
“Our pressure around the football was something we finished last year really strongly with,” McRae said. “There have been some changes in philosophy, if you like, at AFL level and we’ll look to mirror those at VFL level, in relation to our pressure around the contests.”
That change in philosophy was evident in Richmond’s 25-point victory over Sandringham in Round 2.
The Tigers had fewer clearances, disposals and marks than the Zebras but pressured their opponents into error to generate more inside-50s and, subsequently, scoring chances. Corey Ellis and Jacob Townsend led the way with seven tackles each, while former Frankston hard-nut Brandon Wood (pictured, tackling) had six and promising VFL-lister Tom Silvestro five.
In Richmond’s big Round 1 win against North Ballarat, Nathan Drummond – who unfortunately suffered an ACL injury against Sandringham – racked up nine tackles and the experienced Jacob Ballard had five.
While the AFL Tigers rank 17th in the league for disposals per game and 18th for marks this year, they rank fourth for tackles. Hardwick’s game plan is built on desperate pressure in the contests and then quick, direct ball movement into an open forward line.
It’s a big change in style from what we’re used to seeing from Richmond – and McRae clearly has his players buying into it too.
Round 2 keys to victory:
14: Williamstown is renowned for being one of the VFL’s best contested teams, but the Northern Blues had the better of the Seagulls in close during their 21-point victory. The Blues won the contested possession count by 14 and tackles by 19, with Sam Kerridge winning a game-high 17 contested possessions and Nick Graham laying nine tackles.
9%: Essendon’s team defence was supreme in its 80-point win against Collingwood, restricting the Magpies to just five goals from 54 inside-50s (nine per cent efficiency). Martin Gleeson controlled the air with 11 marks and then returned the ball from whence it came with an equal-game-high six rebound-50s alongside Nick Hind.
2: While it may not have brought the Roosters victory against the Casey Demons, North Ballarat’s effort to win two more clearances than 2016’s no.2 team in that category is to be commended. After a poor showing in Round 1, the Roosters were led superbly in tight by Lachie George (a game-high seven clearances) and Matt Johnston (six).
Round 2 stats leaders:
KICKS |
|
|
|
Tomas Bugg |
Casey Demons |
23 |
|
Nick Graham |
Northern Blues |
22 |
|
Eli Templeton |
Port Melbourne |
22 |
|
Brandon White |
Sandringham |
22 |
|
Mitch White |
Casey Demons |
21 |
|
Jesse Corigliano |
Coburg |
20 |
|
David Myers |
Essendon |
20 |
|
Sam Darley |
Richmond |
20 |
|
Nick Hind |
Essendon |
19 |
|
Bailey Williams |
Footscray |
19 |
|
Billie Smedts |
Northern Blues |
19 |
|
Taylor Hunt |
Richmond |
19 |
|
Taylor Duryea |
Box Hill Hawks |
18 |
|
Kobe Mutch |
Essendon |
18 |
|
Ben Reid |
Geelong |
18 |
|
|
|
|
|
HANDBALLS |
|
|
|
Sam Kerridge |
Northern Blues |
19 |
|
Lachlan Tardrew |
Collingwood |
18 |
|
Ryan Clarke |
Werribee |
18 |
|
Jack Sinclair |
Sandringham |
17 |
|
Nick Mellington |
Coburg |
17 |
|
Nick Jamieson |
Footscray |
17 |
|
Jarryd Blair |
Collingwood |
16 |
|
Lukas Webb |
Footscray |
16 |
|
Brendan Whitecross |
Box Hill Hawks |
15 |
|
Sam McLachlan |
Geelong |
15 |
|
David Cuningham |
Northern Blues |
15 |
|
Toby Pinwill |
Port Melbourne |
15 |
|
Nick O'Brien |
Essendon |
15 |
|
James Tsitas |
Geelong |
15 |
|
David Myers |
Essendon |
14 |
|
|
|
|
|
MARKS |
|
|
|
Bailey Williams |
Footscray |
13 |
|
Alex Boyse |
Essendon |
12 |
|
Ryan Gardner |
Geelong |
11 |
|
Martin Gleeson |
Essendon |
11 |
|
Bayley Fritsch |
Casey Demons |
11 |
|
Will Hayes |
Footscray |
11 |
|
Robin Nahas |
Port Melbourne |
10 |
|
Cam O'Shea |
Northern Blues |
10 |
|
Dillon Viojo-Rainbow |
Port Melbourne |
10 |
|
Brody Mihocek |
Port Melbourne |
9 |
|
Kobe Mutch |
Essendon |
9 |
|
Ben Reid |
Geelong |
9 |
|
Taylor Duryea |
Box Hill Hawks |
9 |
|
Max Warren |
Box Hill Hawks |
9 |
|
Sean Gregory |
Coburg |
9 |
|
|
|
|
|
HITOUTS |
|
|
|
Nick Meese |
Williamstown |
64 |
|
Tim English |
Footscray |
31 |
|
Tom Bellchambers |
Essendon |
29 |
|
Rhys Stanley |
Geelong |
26 |
|
Marc Pittonet |
Box Hill Hawks |
26 |
|
Tom Goodwin |
Coburg |
26 |
|
Mitch King |
Casey Demons |
26 |
|
Liam Jones |
Northern Blues |
25 |
|
Kyle Galloway |
Werribee |
24 |
|
Ivan Maric |
Richmond |
23 |
|
Lewis Pierce |
Sandringham |
21 |
|
Nick Nott |
North Ballarat |
21 |
|
Charlie Kelso |
Port Melbourne |
20 |
|
Ivan Soldo |
Richmond |
19 |
|
Jack Fitzpatrick |
Box Hill Hawks |
17 |
|
|
|
|
|
TACKLES |
|
|
|
Ben Howlett |
Essendon |
12 |
|
Kyle Langford |
Essendon |
11 |
|
Nick Meese |
Williamstown |
10 |
|
Nick Dodge |
Coburg |
10 |
|
Nick Graham |
Northern Blues |
9 |
|
Rupert Wills |
Collingwood |
9 |
|
Jonathan O'Rourke |
Box Hill Hawks |
9 |
|
Liam Jones |
Northern Blues |
8 |
|
Declan Keilty |
Casey Demons |
8 |
|
Cameron Pedersen |
Casey Demons |
8 |
|
Matthew Goodyear |
Footscray |
8 |
|
Tomas Bugg |
Casey Demons |
8 |
|
Jack Trengove |
Casey Demons |
8 |
|
Sam Kerridge |
Northern Blues |
8 |
|
Blaine Boekhorst |
Northern Blues |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
2017 LEADING GOALKICKERS |
|
|
VFL |
|
Last Rnd |
Total |
Fergus Greene |
Footscray |
5 |
8 |
Jordan Lisle |
Port Melbourne |
_ |
7 |
Jack Fitzpatrick |
Box Hill Hawks |
5 |
7 |
Ben Lennon |
Richmond |
1 |
7 |
Ryan Clarke |
Werribee |
2 |
6 |
Tomas Bugg |
Casey Demons |
5 |
5 |
Jacob Townsend |
Richmond |
_ |
5 |
Angus Scott |
Casey Demons |
1 |
5 |
Chris Jones |
Box Hill Hawks |
2 |
5 |
Paddy McCartin |
Sandringham |
3 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
Development League |
|
Last Rnd |
Total |
Will Murphy |
Box Hill Hawks |
7 |
8 |
Aaron Cotte |
Casey Demons |
BYE |
4 |
Corey Rich |
Sandringham |
_ |
4 |
Jeremy Gleeson |
Port Melbourne |
BYE |
4 |
Ethan Hanley |
Port Melbourne |
BYE |
3 |
Joseph Fisscher |
Sandringham |
** |
3 |
Brayden Monk |
Williamstown |
2 |
3 |
Harrison Payne |
Northern Blues |
2 |
3 |
Luke Goetz |
Williamstown |
1 |
3 |
Matthew Traynor |
Box Hill Hawks |
1 |
3 |
Related content:
VFL SUNDAY RECAP: Round 2
VFL SATURDAY RECAP: Round 2
STATS CENTRAL Round 1: Marcon the missing link?
Last Modified on 08/05/2017 16:05