There’s an area of the game that Richmond have been the worst in the AFL at this season, and it’s one that Fremantle have been elite at.

Tackling.

The Tigers have been one of the best sides in the AFL with ball in hand in 2013, but going the other way, they haven’t clamped on many tackles, laying a league-worst 133 for the season.

In contrast, Fremantle have been ferocious with 246 – the second-most in the AFL.

Richmond’s best tackler has been young West Australian Reece Conca, who has 15. But he’s out injured.

After Conca, just five more Tigers have 10 tackles or more. Freo has 12.

David Mundy and Michael Barlow lead the way with 26.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick admitted earlier this week that Richmond had to get better in that area of the game.

He couldn’t have asked for a better match-up for his side to get a few more opportunities to test their tackling skills out on.

Ross Lyon loves to play a contested brand of football and will aim to tackle the Tigers out of Patersons Stadium.

But Freo will be mindful that statistics don’t always tell the whole story.

As Fox Footy analyst David King pointed out earlier this week, just because Richmond haven’t applied the tackles, it doesn’t mean they haven’t been pressing their opposition backwards with perceived pressure.