They were the blokes who had done just enough to get past the extremely casual but always enforced Ainslie FC dress code. They were the blokes heartily exchanging inventive thoughts about how best to dismember Guy Pearce when he next fronts up in Canberra. And they were the blokes who ribbed me at least twice for buying a midi (a pot) of light beer. Incidentally, they bought me one later when I asked a group of staggering NRL fans to sit down so the blokes at the back could see the real footy. 'Thanks' said one of the rough heads. 'Courageous' said another. 'Stupid' said a third. 'If that's what you're like on light beer, I'd hate to be around when you're on the heavies mate' said a fourth.
Most of all these were the blokes who 'don't know much about Richmond' but who loved Shane Tuck's match. Some of their lines were: 'Who IS that bloke? Geez he's a hard nut', 'Look at him go, he's like a possessed ferret', 'How the #@$! did he get that ball out?', 'Look, there he is again', 'Mate, he is tough, he is bloody tough' etc
Shane Tuck reminds me of the footballers of the past. Sure he doesn't have quick legs, and yes he can spray a kick or two. But when Shane's playing, every cubic inch of his body is giving 150%. There are players who get by on flashes of brilliance. Players who move like tornados through Spring in the US to kick miraculous goals. Players who only eat raw fish, have their toes manicured and 'like' some very questionable pages on Facebook. But not Tucky. He's just tough. He is good old fashioned Tiger tough.
We won't see Tucky do flashy things. His ability is all about dour strength and persistence when the ball is in contest. Keeping his feet, scragging the ball, getting it onto his hand or boot and clearing it. Definitely sounds like the footy of yesteryear (at least, that's how it was played when I was trundling around the park). Yet despite how much the game has evolved into an open and fast-flowing style, in 2012 the ability to win the contested ball remains an essential part of any team's game plan. This is because the contest is back. Dimma explained partly why in his post-match conference: the substitution rule means less rotation, which means less fresh legs round the ball, which means slower clearances, which means contests. It is also a function though of a greater emphasis of defensive pressure in the forward zone. The idea of the Press is to impede the quick movement of the footy out of the opposition's defensive zone. Hold the ball up a little and contests emerge. Have players that can win contested possession and the ball goes back your way. Doesn't have to be pretty, just to regain possession in or on the edge of your forward zone. Enter Shane Tuck.
Tucky took 13 contested possessions against Collingwood (3rd best), and 16 against Melbourne (best),12 of which were centre clearances (the best and double that of second best, Grigg with 6). That is massive value, an elite effort by any measure. Sweetened by the fact that if a team wins both centre clearances and the contested possession count, it has a very high probability of winning the match.
Tucky has been on the outer at times in the last couple of seasons. I have never quite felt comfortable with that. On a good day Tuck is a driving force. But even on a bad day he is like a pinch hitter in baseball. When the moment calls, he can go into the middle for a short stint and shake things up a little by throwing himself into the contests the way that he does. This doesn't always show up in possessions and other stats, but it can unsettle a comfortable midfield that is getting on top. When this is happening, you'll often here me call out 'Send Tucky in'.
The team bus scoots down to Cat Park this weekend. A tough assignment against a hardened (though out of form) midfield. Shane Tuck will be sitting there, his usual quiet self, prepping his mind and body for the pain of constantly fronting up to the contests. Because it hurts being tough, and that's why - despite his lack of flashy brilliance - Shane Tuck has to be respected.
Eat em alive Tigers, eat em alive.blog comments powered by Disqus
