Matthew Lloyd looks at the genius of Alex Rance and why no forward has been able to stop him

PSYCHOLOGICALLY, Alex Rance owns most of the forwards in the AFL. But is there a way for them to break his hold in 2018? MATTHEW LLOYD investigates why the best defender in the league is so successful.

LINING up players across generations — what a fascinating but maddening endeavour.

If only the greats could be taken back in time, or moved forward to a different era.

Would Tony Lockett have prospered now, when forwards are asked to push high up the ground to defend and then work back into space to attack?

It’s a fair question, considering Plugger’s size and the way he played, but he would have adapted. That is what champions do.

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How would the game’s premier defender — Richmond’s Alex Rance — have gone in times past?

Sadly, the days of Paul Vander Haar and Peter Knights fighting out a one-on-one aerial battle for four quarters are over. The modern game of rotations and congestion just doesn’t allow for it.

The 1980s and 1990s eras were the best and most enjoyable to watch, a far cry from today’s often robotic game.

Alex Rance was outstanding on Grand Final day. Picture: Getty Images

How good would it have been to have seen modern-day great Rance playing in the era of Lockett, Jason Dunstall and Gary Ablett Sr?

Imagine turning up to the MCG to watch Ablett Sr and Rance in countless one-on-one battles. Ablett’s speed off the mark and one-on-one strength — plus his ability to sit on heads and do just about anything — opposed to the cat-like Rance, who reads the flight of the ball better than anyone to intercept mark or spoil.

Rance messes with his man’s mind with his closing speed and does not allow his opponents to run and jump at the ball, as Joe Daniher and Ben Brown found out during the JLT Community series.

He also is elite once the ball hits the ground.

Just how many goals would Ablett kick? Or would Rance hold his own, or even better, beat Ablett?

That is the only way to truly compare Rance to his rival as best defender of all time, Carlton’s Stephen Silvagni — but we will never know as the two eras are like chalk and cheese.

I think Rance would have thrived playing on Lockett, Dunstall, Ablett, Tony Modra, Stephen Kernahan, Peter Sumich and Sav Rocca week after week, much in the way that Dustin Fletcher did.

I rank Fletcher extremely highly when talking all-time great backmen — because of who he was up against at such a young age.

Rance was the best player on the ground to halftime of last year’s Grand Final. What cost him the Norm Smith Medal was the lack of ball that entered the Tigers’ defensive 50m in the second half.

Rance played on Andy Otten for 62 minutes and conceded three disposals; Josh Jenkins for 39 minutes and conceded two touches; and Adelaide captain Taylor Walker for 15 minutes for a single disposal conceded.

All up, in 116 minutes Rance conceded no goals and six disposals while taking five intercept marks and not losing any of the 11 one-on-one contests in which he was involved.

It was a huge surprise when Geelong’s Harry Taylor got the better of him in Round 21 last year. Taylor kicked four goals — the only game in 2017 in which Rance had more than two goals kicked on him.

In that game, Taylor kept Rance deep and the Cats got the ball in long and to Taylor’s favoured side. He worked Rance under the ball to great effect to be the matchwinner.

The Cats also kept the Richmond defenders isolated from each other through quick ball movement.

Rance can no longer be played the conventional way by forwards. Forwards have always been taught to play in front and go on long, hard, searching leads up at the ball.

Rance loves that because it suits his strengths — most notably his speed — so forwards have to think outside the square to conquer the master.

Defensive forwards don’t work on him, either, as Rance will keep going at the ball like he is the forward if he isn’t threatened by his opponent.

Otten found that out on Grand Final day.

Harry Taylor got the better of Alex Rance last year. Picture: Getty Images

Daniher and Brown played the conventional way and the only way they know how in the JLT series and were soundly beaten.

Forwards have to get in behind Rance initially to change his starting point, because he is very comfortable playing from behind.

So much depends on the ball movement further afield, but Taylor was able to get his forearm under Rance’s right armpit and work him under the ball.

Forwards also have to make repeat leads and lateral leads, as you cannot get into a foot race with Rance on long, straight runs.

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I saw a young Jesse Hogan in his first season do this, keeping Rance occupied with short and explosive leading patterns out of the goal square.

Rance has it psychologically over just about every forward and must remain injury-free if Richmond is to go back to back.

The only player to kick five goals on Rance in the past two years has been Lance Franklin — twice, in 2016.

I’ve put June 28 in the diary — Rance v Buddy. Let’s hope it happens, for old time’s sake.