NO RICHMOND player has recorded 10 tackles in a game since Dustin Martin laid that number against Greater Western Sydney in round 14, 2015.
Such an individual statistic would not stand out if the Tigers were winning, as tackling statistics can deceive – in 2014, Hawthorn won the flag with only two clubs in the competition averaging fewer tackles per game.
But after seven rounds in 2016, ladder leaders North Melbourne has had one player, Andrew Swallow, lay at least 10 tackles in a game five times and Ben Cunnington and Jack Ziebell do so once each.
Individuals can inspire with their tackling and set a tone of fanaticism that can be infectious, effort that coaches acknowledge.
Match preview: Richmond v Sydney Swans
Fifteen of the 44 players to have laid 10 tackles or more in a game in 2016 have earned at least one coaches' vote in the AFLCA award, one indication of how such games are valued.
By none of those 44 are Tigers, with Richmond one of only three clubs in the AFL without a player to have laid 10 tackles in at least one game since the start of the year.
The other teams are the severely depleted Essendon, which had a 10-tackle a game player most recently with retired champion Paul Chapman in round 22, 2015, and West Coast, who had Matt Priddis top the 10 in round 23 last year.
The tackling frenzy Hawthorn midfield Liam Shiels embarked on against Richmond on Friday night, when he laid 16, emphasised the absence of such a pressure performance from one player among the Tigers line-up.
Midfielder Anthony Miles recorded the most tackles for the Tigers on the night with seven (the highest in a game in 2016 for Richmond is Jacob Townsend with eight) as the Hawks just shaded Richmond with two more tackles overall on the night.
Hawthorn laid 76 to Richmond's 74, the fifth time the Tigers have lost the tackle count this season.
Hawthorn has had six players lay 10 tackles or more in a game 13 times in the 33 games it has played since the start of 2015, way ahead of the Tigers' two.
Shiels has laid 10 or more tackles on six occasions in that time, with Paul Puopolo recording 12 tackles twice and Shaun Burgoyne, Will Langford, Sam Mitchell and Cyril Rioli also applying 10 tackles or more in a game at least once since the start of 2015.
North Melbourne has had a player lay 10 tackles in a game seven times this season, with Andrew Swallow doing so on five occasions.
Richmond is also equal last in the competition for tackles inside 50 at an average of 8.4, but given that it's equal 16th for forward 50 entries it has had little chance to apply pressure in that area of the game.
Cyril Rioli evades a tackle from Richmond's Nick Vlastuin. Picture: AFL Media
Players who have applied 10 tackles in a game in 2016
Adelaide: Rory Sloane (10), Scott Thompson (10 twice), David Mackay (10)
Brisbane Lions: Pearce Hanley (12), Daniel Rich (11), Tom Rockliff (10), Dayne Zorko (10)
Carlton: Ed Curnow (13), Ed Curnow (10), Patrick Cripps (10)
Collingwood: Levi Greenwood (13), Adam Treloar (10)
Essendon: Nil
Fremantle: Michael Barlow (14), Matthew Pavlich (10), Brady Grey (10), Nat Fyfe (10)
Geelong: Mark Blicavs (12), Mark Blicavs(10)
Gold Coast: Tom Nicholls (10), Touk Miller (10)
Greater Western Sydney: Shane Mumford (10)
Hawthorn: Liam Shiels (16), Liam Shiels (12), Shaun Burgoyne (11), Will Langford (11), Cyril Rioli (10), Shaun Burgoyne (10)
Melbourne: James Harmes (10)
North Melbourne: Jack Ziebell (19), Andrew Swallow (14), Ben Cunnington (14), Andrew Swallow (11 three times), Andrew Swallow (10)
Port Adelaide: Ollie Wines (10)
Richmond: Nil
St Kilda: Jack Steven (11), Sam Gilbert (10)
Sydney Swans: Dan Hannebery (13), Josh Kennedy (13)
West Coast: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Luke Dahlhaus (13)
Stats supplied by Champion Data
