Tiger Army to march as one again
RICHMOND star Alex Rance going head- to- head with Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker is a tantalising AFL grand final prospect.
The Tigers backman was coy on the prospect of the megastar match- up when he spoke to reporters yesterday.
But he at least conceded he has a plan in place should the pair cross paths at the MCG.
“Do you want me to give him a call and tell him how I will play him? I know how I’ll play him but I’m not going to tell him,” Rance laughed when pressed on the potential match- up on Monday.
The Crows’ larger- than- life leader has kicked 52 goals this year, scoring in every match, but his influence extends further than his individual output. Walker creates plenty of scoring opportunities for his teammates, leading the league in goal assists.
“I feel like he’s in a very similar mould to Matthew Pavlich,” Rance continued.
“He’s a true centre half- forward who is a double threat ... can go forward or back; take a strong mark and is a bit of conduit as well.
“He doesn’t really have too many weaknesses, but it’s just about a little bit of help up field. A little bit of pressure, a few dirty balls and me just trying to limit his effectiveness.”
Richmond will need to blunt the most potent attack in the AFL if they are to beat Adelaide in Saturday’s grand final.
The Crows scored the most points this season by a wide margin and didn’t lose any games where they scored more than 100 points. But Rance says his side’s third- ranked defence is capable of stifling Adelaide’s attack.
“I think systems are prevailing more than match- ups,” he said. “I know footy fans want to see Buddy Franklin v myself or Jack Riewoldt v Phil Davis but systems do prevail.” Patrick Dangerfield and Eddie Betts on Friday night. A RELIEVED Trent Cotchin is free to play in Saturday’s grand final after his bump on Giants star Dylan Shiel was deemed not unreasonable.
The Richmond skipper was under a cloud after the team’s preliminary final win over Greater Western Sydney amid fears his first- quarter bump could attract a suspension for the decider against Adelaide.
Cotchin, 27, already had two fines for classifiable sanctions on his record, meaning one more fine would have triggered a one- match ban.
But the match review panel determined that Cotchin was attempting to contest the ball, and that the contact made with Shiel “was not unreasonable in the circumstances”.
“( I’m) relieved in a sense, given there was so much attention about it,” Cotchin said yesterday. “But, as it always has been, it’s about the process and we’re looking forward to a big week on the track and hopefully an even bigger Saturday.”
Shiel played on for a short period and was involved in another collision with the Tigers’ David Astbury.
Astbury had a concussion test at quarter- time and did not return to the field. He also did not attend last night’s Brownlow Medal count on medical advice.
Cotchin’s teammate Brandon Ellis was also cleared of contact on the Giant’s Lachie Whitfield.
The panel decided that Ellis, who braced for contact, was contesting the ball when the collision was made.
Adelaide star Rory Sloane had no case to answer for his contact with key Cat and former teammate Patrick Dangerfield.
The panel determined that Sloane braced for contact and did not use a bumping action when contact was made. The contact was also deemed not unreasonable.
Should the Tigers prevail on Saturday, Cotchin will become Richmond’s first premiership captain since 1980.
The skipper was “pretty relaxed” during the almost 40 hours he had to wait to learn his fate between the incident and the call being made yesterday. He spent the time celebrating his daughter Harper’s third birthday and watching the club’s VFL team play in a grand final.
“My intention was always going for the footy, so I was glad that that was the way they ruled it,” he said.
“That’s about all that was in my control.”
The decision split the football community. A poll of more than 3000 readers resulted in 51 per cent believing the MRP made the wrong call and that Cotchin should have been suspended.
“Both players are seeking to win possession ( of the loose ball) and are coming towards each other from right angles,” the panel said in its statement.
“Cotchin moves down low and braces for contact as Shiel approaches to pick up the ball. It was the view of the panel that Cotchin was seeking to win possession as his line of direction was always towards the ball and not his opponent.
“The panel determined that Cotchin was seeking to contest the ball and therefore contact was not unreasonable in the circumstances. No further action was taken.”
Sloane was deemed to be “near stationary” before bracing for contact.
“( He did) not use a bumping action when contact is made,” the panel said.