SEN footy analyst Terry Wallace has a simple message for Richmond coach Damien Hardwick as the Tigers prepare to tackle Carlton on Sunday.
“Stop Sam Docherty,” the former Tiger coach told SEN’s The Run Home.
“Carlton has been able to dictate and dominate everything they’ve wanted with a plus-one (player) in their defensive end of the ground.
“And it’s all centred around Sam Docherty, and to a lesser degree Kade Simpson.”
Wallace says tagging Docherty, who is averaging 28 disposals, is easier said than done given the Blues ability to switch pieces in order to sneak the club’s reigning best and fairest winner into different positions to break any defensive mechanism deployed to combat him.
“From a Richmond point of view they cannot allow this to happen,” he said.
“Kane Lambert, I think, is the perfect match for Docherty.”
Despite his influence in the Blues’ five wins this season, few sides have attempted to tag the former Brisbane Lion, perhaps because the thought process centres around beating the young and inexperienced Blues purely on talent.
But after upset wins over Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast it’s likely the Tigers planning for Sunday’s MCG blockbuster takes in ways to short-circuit the Blues’ capacity to dictate the games’ tempo.
“Lambert can play high half forward and can play through the middle of the ground should Docherty move into the middle to break the tag,” Wallace said.
“You’ve go to be committed to send Lambert with him everywhere and also then be aware that Carlton will attempt to swing Simpson into that role behind the ball.
“It’ll be fascinating to watch.”
The Blues have lost the past five matches against the Tigers by an average of 24 points.