Back to the back line? Richmond's Troy Chaplin. Photo: Getty Images
Out of form in defence, Troy Chaplin was swung forward in desperation, now he will flip back to the back line to cover for the suspension of the league's best backman Alex Rance.
With Rance out for the next two weeks, the player who was battling to hold his place in defence and with the club's season on the line suddenly becomes the key backman.
Chaplin and David Astbury between them will oppose Port Adelaide's power forward recruit Charlie Dixon and Justin Westhoff.
Former Melbourne captain David Neitz played a career swinging from key defence to key forward said as an experienced player regardless of his previous form in defence, Chaplin would be able to mentally switch.
"I don't think he would be setting himself to play and be Rance, he will set himself to do a job he has done before," Neitz said.
"You would not say he is going to turn around and be the replacement for the best defender in the competition but you can switch back and play a role and that takes mental application and concentration and he has plenty of that.
"I think these days you have to be more and more flexible as players so he should be able to adapt."
Chaplin has played best when able to jump in third man up in defence but has struggled when isolated with a forward.
Port's dropping of ruckman Matthew Lobbe due to poor form will mean Dixon will most likely have to rotate in the ruck against the Tigers, which will ease the pressure on the Richmond back six.
In his remorseful press conference after his suspension, Rance used Alastair Clarkson language to back structure over personnel to cover for any player's absence.
"As a group, we really believe in a system we've got going and so you lose a soldier, you replace with another one," Rance said.
"I don't have any fears that just because of me not playing that we're not going to be able to get the win in the next couple of games. I think we're actually in pretty good nick."
Richmond have been tinkering with their structure in the back line, with Bachar Houli now not taking the kick-ins after the Tigers had trouble clearing the ball from the defensive 50 and from the kick-in. In the first three rounds Houli kicked in 10 times but last week kicked the ball in once.
Helpfully for the Tigers, Port's forward outs are as significant if not more so than the loss of Rance. Robbie Gray and Chad Wingard's absences will be arguably more keenly felt by the Power than Rance's by Richmond as his suspension is compensated by the return of the talismanic Brett Deledio.
