AFL Legend Leigh Matthews says retired Tiger Alex Rance is the greatest defender of the modern era
Who is the best defender of the modern era? One AFL legend says retired Richmond defender Alex Rance has risen above his peers of his generation. Tell us what you think.
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AFL legend Leigh Matthews has labelled Richmond’s Alex Rance the greatest defender of the modern era.
Rance had been widely considered the equal of Geelong champion Matthew Scarlett after the Tigers’ star claimed five-straight All-Australian guernseys and played a starring role in Richmond’s stunning 2017 premiership win.
But Matthews, who is considered one of the most respected judges in the game, said Rance had in fact gone past Scarlett after making the shock decision to retire.
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Matthews, who is arguably the game’s greatest ever player and a four-time premiership coach, said Rance’s ability to intercept mark combined with his supreme athleticism was what set him apart.
“I reckon Rance dominated the back 50m even more than Scarlett, and don’t get me wrong, Matty Scarlett was a fantastic full-back,” Matthews told the Herald Sun.
“But just that ability to completely control that part of the ground, has put Rance to the top of the heap.
“I think the modern generation is always better than the previous generation, and Peter Knights (Hawthorn) back in my era was someone who had incredible athleticism.
“But Rance’s athleticism, the way he read the play and his ability to use the footy as well (was outstanding).
“He was a little bit vulnerable one-on-one, so if you took his body (out), he wasn’t as good at that (marking).
“But if he had a little bit of time, and some space to make his own ground, he just smashed them.”
WHO IS BETTER? SCROLL DOWN TO HAVE YOUR SAY
Champion forward Wayne Carey joined in the tributes yesterday saying Rance’s ability to annihilate his opposition in the air made him as good to watch as any of the league’s top goal kickers.
And former Greater Western Sydney captain Phil Davis said the current crop of players had enormous respect for the man who set the standard across the league.
“(He) Set the bar as a key defender in the competition and changed how we all had to play,” Davis said.
While coach Damien Hardwick once joked he considered trading the West Australian for a six-pack of Cornona beers early in his career, Rance blossomed into a top interceptor in 2014, and won the best and fairest the following season.
In 2017, Rance admitted he had some chinks in his game early, as the club considered “what can we get for this athletic, horrible ball user” in the trade period.
“He (Hardwick) says it was Coronas now, but at the time it was Emu Export, something really cheap,” Rance said tongue-in-cheek.
“I wasn’t doing well here and I am sure the club was shopping me around.
“A few clubs were interested but none I pursued wholeheartedly.”
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Former Richmond senior coach Terry Wallace said assistant coach Justin Leppitsch deserved a lot of credit for helping shape Rance’s game.
“I always thought he was going to get there. You only had to see him as an under 18 and his ability to read the play,” Wallace said.
“I only had him as a baby, but to me it seemed when Justin Leppitsch got to the club, took him under his wing and played a very similar role as an offensive backman and he tightened up everything about Rance.
“I wasn’t there, but from afar, it seemed like Leppitsch had a massive deal in turning Alex into the player we always believed he could be.”
Originally published as AFL Legend Leigh Matthews says retired Tiger Alex Rance is the greatest defender of the modern era