Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has detailed the special relationship shared by Tiger defenders Alex Rance, David Astbury and Dylan Grimes, and their overall importance to the team.

After 17 rounds of the 2018 season, Richmond is ranked No. 1 competition-wide for least opposition points conceded per game, with the aforementioned trio playing vital roles in that.

Only twice this season has a team scored 100 points or more against the Tigers – Adelaide in Round 2 (118) and West Coast in Round 9 (130).

“I think that back three in Grimes, Astbury and Rance are like brothers . . . They’re very well connected, and then they fight like cats and dogs at the same time,” Hardwick said.

“They’re an incredible bunch . . . They have a great understanding of how each other operate and how each other play. And they complement each other in different ways.

“We’re very fortunate to have a back three that can control the back part of the ground for us . . .

“Generally, as coaches, if we see it coming down there, we’re pretty happy with those three.”