I’m sure that Balta on JSOS would be Richmond’s preferred match-up as enabling Balta to play as a rebounding defender or ball winning 2nd ruck would help them. But if Harry stays dangerous, their hands may be forced.
First, will we play Pittonet and TdK? If so, the option of playing Balta as 2nd ruck disappears. Yes, Balta could follow TdK into the ruck but that would mean Soldo would be underused. And if I were Hardwick, I’d prefer to try to monster TdK in the ruck with Soldo.
More importantly, playing Balta as a rebounding defender on our 3rd tall only works if Harry and Charlie are covered. Balta himself has been a bit of a project player up until last year and being on the 3rd tall forward was ideal. But he’s now either their best or 2nd best tall defender.
I just don’t see Tylar Young as a viable option for Charlie or Harry. I watched their preseason games and he did okay as a more traditional negative tall defender. If the ball is dropped onto his opponent’s head, he’s pretty good at using his body to edge his opponent out of position enough to bring the ball to ground. But he takes few marks, and he doesn’t have a big leap or great closing speed on the lead. The other problem is that he tends to rely on tractoring his opponent forward under the ball or grappling and it looks like the umpires will be hot on that at the start of the season. He did okay on McDonald and Brown but Gawn flogged him. Young is hardly a factor in working the ball out of D50 and pretty much stands around once the ball hits the ground. Both Harry and Charlie would embarrass him.
Richmond haven’t shown much team defence so far. I guess they could drop Nankervis or Soldo back to CHB to help out but that runs counter to the helter skelter approach that won them flags which relies on swarming forwards and there may be less speed in this team than in their premiership years.
First, will we play Pittonet and TdK? If so, the option of playing Balta as 2nd ruck disappears. Yes, Balta could follow TdK into the ruck but that would mean Soldo would be underused. And if I were Hardwick, I’d prefer to try to monster TdK in the ruck with Soldo.
More importantly, playing Balta as a rebounding defender on our 3rd tall only works if Harry and Charlie are covered. Balta himself has been a bit of a project player up until last year and being on the 3rd tall forward was ideal. But he’s now either their best or 2nd best tall defender.
I just don’t see Tylar Young as a viable option for Charlie or Harry. I watched their preseason games and he did okay as a more traditional negative tall defender. If the ball is dropped onto his opponent’s head, he’s pretty good at using his body to edge his opponent out of position enough to bring the ball to ground. But he takes few marks, and he doesn’t have a big leap or great closing speed on the lead. The other problem is that he tends to rely on tractoring his opponent forward under the ball or grappling and it looks like the umpires will be hot on that at the start of the season. He did okay on McDonald and Brown but Gawn flogged him. Young is hardly a factor in working the ball out of D50 and pretty much stands around once the ball hits the ground. Both Harry and Charlie would embarrass him.
Richmond haven’t shown much team defence so far. I guess they could drop Nankervis or Soldo back to CHB to help out but that runs counter to the helter skelter approach that won them flags which relies on swarming forwards and there may be less speed in this team than in their premiership years.