THOSE salivating over a marquee one-on-one match up between Sydney superstar Lance Franklin and Richmond's Alex Rance in Saturday's clash at the MCG could be in for a letdown.
Seeing the game's best key defender trying to shut down one of the great forwards of the modern era sounds like a dream, but in reality, Tigers coach Damien Hardwick is too smart to let it happen, and his Swans counterpart John Longmire knows it.
Richmond have been burnt by the triple Coleman medallist in the past, most recently in round 23 last year when Franklin booted seven goals in his side's 113-point win at the SCG, and are likely to swing multiple backmen onto him at any one time on Saturday afternoon.
Longmire said Rance pulls in the headlines because of his outstanding career, but there was far more steel to the Tigers' defence in 2017, and onlookers waiting for the Rance-Franklin battle were in for some disapointment.
"It doesn't happen too often - footy these days is about players playing in different positions all the time but there's no doubt they'll end up on each other at times," the coach said.
"Because Rance is so good at winning the one-on-ones and shutting the key forwards down, but still be part of that rebound play that Richmond can deliver, it is a challenge for our forward group.
"But I heard Damien (Hardwick) talk about it during the week and I agree with him, Rance is in great form and he's a multiple All Australian, but his other key defenders are in great form as well.
"He's confident with any of those players on our key forwards and so he should be, they're doing a lot right the Tigers and their defensive group is really strong."
Young Swan George Hewett was given the task of quelling Western Bulldogs star Jason Johannisen and did it to perfection in round 12, but despite some suggesting he might go to Dustin Martin this week, it seems unlikely.
The 21-year-old would struggle to contain the physical Martin in the midfield, and is more suited to keeping an eye on Richmond defender Bachar Houli, who leads the team for rebound 50s and sets them up time and again with his foot skills across half back.
"He (Houli) is a very good player and very important to their team as far as what he does from their back half," Longmire said.
"He gives them great drive particularly at the MCG, he gives them great overlap run, and he's one of many players the Tigers have got in pretty good form.
"He'll take up some of our planning but it's ok to plan for them, you've still got to go out an execute, and that’s the challenge."
Longmire backed ruckman Kurt Tippett to eventually win back his spot in the side after being dropped to the NEAFL last week, despite the solid performances of Sam Naismith and Callum Sinclair against the Bulldogs, and said the former Crow's performance in the reserves showed he was on track to do so in the next few weeks.
"When we think he's playing enough good, consistent football to be able to deliver it at senior level and help us win, he'll be selected in the team like any other player would," Longmire said.
"His attitude is always at a high level as far as his preparation and the way he goes about his footy, he's just got to work on a few things and make sure he has a real presence in the air and on the ground.
"His body is certainly feeling a bit better and he's been able to put a training program together and we're confident that he'll find his best form pretty quickly."
