The Greater Tiger? Rance or Grimes | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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The Greater Tiger? Rance or Grimes

Who is the greater tiger?


  • Total voters
    109

eZyT

Tiger Legend
Jun 28, 2019
21,434
25,764
I have been largely swayed by the case that Rance was the better than Grimes (lets forget the red herring of St.Frank the wingman)

However,

I could listen to the argument 24 hours a day, for eternity

and continue to scoff at the notion

that Rance was better than Dusty.

thats downright absurd.
 
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Coburgtiger

Tiger Champion
May 7, 2012
4,955
6,939
I have been largely swayed by the case that Rance was the better than Grimes (lets forget the red herring of St.Frank the wingman)

However,

I could listen to the argument 24 hours a day, for eternity

and continue to scoff at the notion

that Rance was better than Dusty.

thats downright absurd.

From 2013 to half way through 2017 if someone told me to pick an All Australian side to play for the world championship, I would have picked Rance at number 1.

No contest.

Since that period, it would be Dusty.

It's a crying shame we were robbed of a real comparison over the last few years.

But it's pretty clear Dusty would still be the only one in GOAT conversations (position independent).
 
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eZyT

Tiger Legend
Jun 28, 2019
21,434
25,764
From 2013 to half way through 2017 if someone told me to pick an All Australian side to play for the world championship, I would have picked Rance at number 1.

No contest.

Since that period, it would be Dusty.

It's a crying shame we were robbed of a real comparison over the last few years.

But it's pretty clear Dusty would still be the only one in GOAT conversations (position independent).

yeah I hear ya.

we've essentially had a once-in-a-lifetime player,

twice.
 
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hutstar

Tiger Superstar
Dec 17, 2002
2,433
981
Florida
Firstly, excellent question and support more of these "which champion was better" type questions.
However, Rance changed the very way football is played. He was, until his ACL, in his 7 year at least of being head and shoulders above anyone else in the back half of the field. He was an outstanding club man and leader also. Grimes is a gun, but really, a few more All-Aussie type years required before it's even a debate for mine.
 
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Baloo

Delisted Free Agent
Nov 8, 2005
44,113
18,922
I'll never forget the Rance spoil. Not sure who or when but he was marking the last man, opposition had a kick out, Rance takes off, sprints, dunno, 60 or 70m, and spoils the mark from the kickout.

To read what was happening from back there and then having the self-belief to back himself to get there and spoil was simply ridiculous. Actually that explains Rance in many of the things he did, Ridiculous.
 
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Dont Argue

Tiger Legend
Jun 26, 2018
5,777
12,388
I'll never forget the Rance spoil. Not sure who or when but he was marking the last man, opposition had a kick out, Rance takes off, sprints, dunno, 60 or 70m, and spoils the mark from the kickout.

To read what was happening from back there and then having the self-belief to back himself to get there and spoil was simply ridiculous. Actually that explains Rance in many of the things he did, Ridiculous.
The more I think about it, the more embarrassed I feel that we compare the 2 players at this stage. Rance was ridiculous in what he could do. Regularly pantsed entire forward lines. Got to contests that he had no right to influence. Regularly.
I’ve seen Grimes have some extraordinary games but not even close to the regularity of Rance. Needs another 5 years of being the main man and dominating the backline to be considered a legend.
In actual fact if you surveyed 100 ex and current AFL forwards, I doubt you’d get 5% voting for Grimes. Those 5% would likely include players that Rance humiliated and have never got over it.
We love Grimes. I get it, but if you voted for Grimes, I would simply quote Peter Garret : Short memories.
 
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eZyT

Tiger Legend
Jun 28, 2019
21,434
25,764
The more I think about it, the more embarrassed I feel that we compare the 2 players at this stage. Rance was ridiculous in what he could do. Regularly pantsed entire forward lines. Got to contests that he had no right to influence. Regularly.
I’ve seen Grimes have some extraordinary games but not even close to the regularity of Rance. Needs another 5 years of being the main man and dominating the backline to be considered a legend.
In actual fact if you surveyed 100 ex and current AFL forwards, I doubt you’d get 5% voting for Grimes. Those 5% would likely include players that Rance humiliated and have never got over it.
We love Grimes. I get it, but if you voted for Grimes, I would simply quote Peter Garret : Short memories.

maybe,

but at 29, Dylan could win 2 or 3 more flags

and there wont be a debate.
 

eZyT

Tiger Legend
Jun 28, 2019
21,434
25,764
I look forward to the Richo vs Castagna debate

I'll open the prosecution .....

How many career behinds did Richo kick in Grand Finals :cool:

seriously though, its an interesting one.

I was looking at JR's stats the other day, and the better he goes on paper, the worse off we are as a side. He won the Coleman and our B&F the only year out of the last 4 when we didn't win the flag.

I remember being completely puzzled in maybe 2015/16 when Dima said he wanted Jack kicking less goals.

which beg the question,

is the better teammate better than the better player? (the old champion team beats a team of champions)

The answer is what makes JR, Trent, Dusty and Shedda and probably Dion and Dylan and possibly Nank and maybe Lambo so incredible: ultimate individual players; ultimate teammates. (Noah and $hai are champions of our future)

Dimma has been able to mould a champion team of champions.

we probably have half a dozen legitimate champions in this champion side?
 
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Scoop

Tiger Legend
Dec 8, 2004
24,931
13,970
Rance could cover two blokes 30 meters apart and make the kicker nervous about both options.

Dylan covers 30 metres quicker and with more intent than anyone I’ve ever seen.

I still think it’s Rance, the 5AA’s for a key back is outrageous & it’s outrageous that Dylan doesn’t already have 3.

If Dylan finishes up with 4 flags and 3AA’s he‘s an immortal of the game. Like Alex.
 
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ToraToraTora

Two outta three ain't bad.
Mar 21, 2005
12,657
5,393
QLD
Tross by a head. But the fact that this is a legit qn clearly shows we are still living in good times.
 

St Kevin

Tiger Legend
Apr 1, 2014
7,178
6,136
That might make him a greater Tiger, but not a greater player for mine.

This current team could end up with 6 flags and I'd still have Richo ahead of all bar a few as a player.

Agree, the answer is Rance quite comfortably. He was so good that opposition forward lines gameplanned around him. Grimes is great, but Rance was a generational player.
 
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Sintiger

Tiger Legend
Aug 11, 2010
18,199
17,593
Camberwell
I have some great memories of Rance, like when he basically single handedly kept us in front in 2014 in the last game against Sydney as an example.

However I watched the 2017 grand final again a few weeks ago and early in the 2nd quarter we were maybe 12-13 points down and Douglas speered a pass into the forward 50 to a leading Tex Walker. The ball was heading on to his chest when Alex Rance enters the play from nowhere almost horizontal to the ground and double fisted the ball 15 metres away. That resulted in Jack's first goal.

That was Alex Rance, I am not sure any other key defender could do that stuff.
 
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craig

Tiger Legend
Aug 19, 2004
45,623
29,167
Melbourne
Grimes is the player he is because he was reared and mentored by the Tross Man.

Rance Leppitsch and Rutten.

Its why our defence is what it is today.
 
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CarnTheTiges

This is a REAL tiger
Mar 8, 2004
25,347
11,171
Victoria
I have some great memories of Rance, like when he basically single handedly kept us in front in 2014 in the last game against Sydney as an example.

However I watched the 2017 grand final again a few weeks ago and early in the 2nd quarter we were maybe 12-13 points down and Douglas speered a pass into the forward 50 to a leading Tex Walker. The ball was heading on to his chest when Alex Rance enters the play from nowhere almost horizontal to the ground and double fisted the ball 15 metres away. That resulted in Jack's first goal.

That was Alex Rance, I am not sure any other key defender could do that stuff.
The game against Port in 2017, when they tagged him. They tagged a defender to omit his output! No other player in the game could make the opposition do that. It almost worked, too, except that at halftime Alex took off the Clark Kent glasses, replaced them with his Superman cape and proceeded to give his opponent an absolute bath and we won the game. Grimes is great, but Rance was greater. We were privileged to see players like Rance, Dusty and Jack all in the same side.
 
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