Different styles can win the premiership, including the traditional forward structure.
The ability to chop off attacking thrusts with intercept marking is an under-rated part of Richmond’s game plan and was vital for WCE.
Clarkson is obviously a very special coach. Last 6 premiers either his team or coached by an apprentice. Please tell me Rutten worked for him, as otherwise it seems ridiculous we have no one who worked for him. Should have chased Ratten hard to replace Neald.
manic pressure is important but not the be all.
Turnovers are killers and to be avoided.
The first quarter and attitude is critical. It almost sunk a better WCE, it did sink multiple other teams.
Add to that the importance of tall marking forwards in a congested defensive 50. Kennedy and Darling were of high importance in the second half and supports Richmond move to get Lynch.
Its the 2 rucks that kill me. Are west coast midfield that good that they can handle a one less runner. Our club ceased that experiment a long time ago and quite rightly so.
Looks like Vardy and Lycett only played 61% game time each as well whereas Cox played 92% and Grundy 89%.
Like Hawks, West Coast have gone for the two ruckman set up pretty consistently over the past 4-5 years where they can. Hawks seemed to have more players running through the middle whereas WC seem to have more set positions ie Rioli and Ryan seemed to be parked pretty much permanently in the forward half.
We lack ability in the air through the midfield and half forward… too many smalls… Remember the days when Hird, Heffernan,Rioli, Mercuri, Blumfield, Ramanauskas rolled through the middle? All good overhead…
Collingwood have 10 guys that can run through the middle - we need to increase our depth
Who plays on De Goey next year? And Yeo when he drifts forward? Gleeson and Ridley too skinny, McKenna not good enough in the air, and Francis is best zoning off as a third man up.
we need a grunt midfielder with explosiveness from the stoppages…
We are super quick…