Richmond great Matthew Richardson highlights six key points arising from the Tigers’ 44-point loss to Geelong at the MCG last Saturday night.
1. Jack Riewoldt responded well following the criticism levelled at him during last week.
That criticism, which followed the one-point loss to Fremantle in Round 5, was really unfair and unwarranted, in my opinion. Sure, Riewoldt had a quiet game, but to accuse him of being selfish and petulant, was just way over the top. So, it was particularly pleasing to see Riewoldt shrug off that criticism and produce such a solid performance against the Cats. He copped a “corky” early on, but refused to let that stop him from being a valuable contributor for the team. Riewoldt’s work ethic throughout was admirable, he kicked three goals, had a couple of direct assists, plus a clever tap to Jake King that resulted in another goal. It’s also interesting to note that Riewoldt has seven more goals than at the same stage last season, which shows he’s travelling pretty well.
2. Shane Edwards has taken his game to another level this year.
I thought Edwards was clearly best-on-ground in the first half last Saturday night. He’d racked up 22 possessions to half-time and had been extremely influential with his clearance work. What’s most impressive about Edwards is his quick hands, evasiveness and ability to be productive in heavy on-field traffic. He finished the match with a career-high 30 touches to further underline his improvement as a player. Edwards has developed into another valuable midfield rotation for the Tigers. And, he also has the capacity to go forward and kick multiple goals, which increases his value to the team.
3. Three wins, three losses is a fair reflection on where Richmond is at right now.
Realistically, the Tigers have won the three games they probably should have won (against Carlton, St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs), and lost to three teams, who are better than them at this stage (Collingwood, Fremantle in WA, and Geelong). Six rounds into the season, I reckon that’s an accurate indication of how the team’s going. That said, it’s a big game coming up this Saturday afternoon against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium. If you want to be taken seriously as a finals contender, these are the games you simply have to win, notwithstanding the good form that Port has been in this season.
4. Troy Chaplin showed why Richmond was so keen to recruit him.
Chaplin did a fine job in restricting Geelong’s star spearhead Tom Hawkins to just two goals. The very reason the Tigers recruited the experienced key defender from Port Adelaide was to play on the opposition’s powerhouse forwards, and it was good to see him tackle that tough assignment so efficiently. He eases the pressure on developing backman Alex Rance, and provides valuable composure to the Richmond defence. Chaplin is going to be very handy intellectual property this week for the Tigers as they prepare to take on his old side Port on Saturday.
5. Jake King is an inspiration.
It says a lot about the little man they call “the push-up King” that he could return to the Tigers’ side last weekend, after missing the previous week, with a massive “corky”, and have such an impact against such quality opposition. I had the misfortune of being shown that corky by King last week and, believe me, he was a very sore boy. For him to push through the pain barrier, as he’s done so frequently throughout his league career, and play with that sort of commitment, is a real credit to him. He managed to kick a career-high four goals and be one of Richmond’s best players on the night, which further underlined how brave he is, and how much he loves wearing that famous Tiger guernsey.
6. Dustin Martin is looking dangerous.
I’m really liking the way Martin is going about his football this season. He’s looking hungry in his pursuit of the ball, and dangerous when he takes possession. With 22 touches (10 contested) and two goals (should have been a third), Martin was one of Richmond’s best. I strongly get the feeling that he’s close to producing some really dominant performances, that will provide the Tigers with a major boost. Off-field, I noticed in an interview I did with him for Channel Seven, which aired last Satrurday night, that he seems pretty relaxed and contented at the moment. The passion and genuine care that he expressed for the Club, during the interview, also was great to hear.
