Playing your role and doing your job are now part of the modern-day footy vernacular and drummed into players at will.
With the Tigers swinging eight changes and blooding two debutants, it was imperative that the new breed acclimatised to playing the “Richmond way”.
Premiership hero, Jacob Townsend also came into the side, along with born-again midfielder, Sam Lloyd.
Both having a hand in the Tigers streaming to a 56-point win over a tenacious Coburg outfit.
Richmond welcomed the Lions on Saturday morning, who gave their hosts more than a scare, but in the end, the class of the Tigers shone through, resulting in a 18.13 (121) to 10.5 (65) win.
The win was ensured by a blistering 10-goal final term, with budding Tiger talls Callum Coleman-Jones and Noah Balta rising when their numbers were called.
Richmond led by five goals at halftime, and looked to be on top across every line.
The Lions intensity and effort couldn’t be questioned in the first half, but the Tigers’ greater spread of options inside 50 allowed them to take a handy lead into the main change.
The Tigers coaching staff switched the magnets around at halftime, swinging stingy defender, Ryan Garthwaite forward, giving Richmond a different look down back.
VIDEO - Balta boots two electric goals
Coburg exposed an in-experienced Tigers’ back-six, kicking five goals straight in the third term.
The winless Lions had the scent of an upset in their nostrils, trailing by just 13 points at the final change.
But as good teams do, the Tigers re-set at three-quarter time and stormed home.
The Tigers required a spark after a challenging third term and Coleman-Jones and Balta ignited their side into action.
Both big men jagged two goals apiece in the final term, sharing six majors for the day (three each) and providing imperious aerial presence.
With Anthony Miles out with a back injury, the opportunity was there for a Tiger to step-up and lead the midfield contingent.
That man was Corey Ellis.
The smooth-moving, Ellis has really developed his inside game in 2018, adding layers of grunt and a hardened edge, which were evident in a commanding four-quarter on-ball performance.
Ellis had handy lieutenants in Lloyd and Townsend, with the former finishing with four majors after splitting his time between forward-line and midfield, and the latter jagging two.
Lloyd and Townsend’s experience came to the fore in the final term, guiding their side to a comfortable win in the end.
Lloyd kicked two goals in the last quarter and finished the game with 34 disposals, 11 clearances and four majors, in a very classy display.
VIDEO - Coleman-Jones bags three
Townsend was as tough as teak all-day, even mauling the 111kg Coburg captain, Tom Goodwin.
Goodwin should have thought twice before trying to steam-roll the 2017 Liston Medallist
The Tiger fans would have been delighted with Townsend’s sheer willingness to compete and contest, but also with his classy finishing in-front of goal.
Tiger rookie, Liam Baker was prolific and crafty all day, and contracted leather poisoning in the third term after accumulating 20 disposals, finishing the game with a tally of 36 and one major.
The final-term avalanche would be fresh in the minds of happy Tiger fans, but the first-half performance of Daniel Rioli will also be etched into the memory bank.
Rioli was everywhere in the first quarter especially, finishing the quarter with eight disposals and a hand (foot) in the opening goal.
He gave the Tiger fans a reason to get out of bed bright and early on a Saturday morning.
All of Rioli’s attributes were on show: speed, agility, nous and clean hands in the contest, which shone brightest in a scrappy first quarter.
The ruck duel between two bulls, Ivan Soldo and Tom Goodwin was a pleasure to watch throughout the day, with Soldo bouncing back after a down week against Sandringham.
Soldo made sure there was only room for one bull in the Punt Rd paddock.
He finished with 48 hit-outs, allowing the Tigers to get on-top in the clearances feeding the likes of Ellis, Lloyd and Townsend.
Debutants Billy Coates and Joel Ernest acquitted themselves well, while Brenton Credlin was resolute and composed in his first game in 2018.
The Tigers were legitimately challenged by the Lions and had their hands full for the majority of the day, but it was a pair of Tiger cubs and some wise heads which allowed them to prevail.
RICHMOND 3.2 7.6 8.11 18.13 (121)
COBURG 1.3 2.4 7.4 10.5 (65)
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