That's rubbish, and like saying fast food is actually good for you because you only need to eat 1/10 the volume of regular, healthy food to satisfy your energy intake requirements.
Your tackle count doesn't need to be the highest in the league, but it needs to be higher than Freo's. And harder.
When Adelaide, Collingwood and, good Lord, Brisbane have that much more of the ball AND your tackle count is low, you're smashed.
The giants the throws and the cats may not be all that tackly, but I tell you what, if you exert more physical pressure on them, close down the space as soon as they get near the ball, and once they get it, nail them in an arm-pinning tackle, over and over again, you gain confidence that your team wants it and you beat them.