Jacob Bauer’s performance for Richmond against Hawthorn at the MCG last Sunday caught the eye of Tiger great Matthew Richardson.

The 192cm, 22-year-old, in only his sixth game of AFL football, had a tough task playing forward on star Hawks’ key defender and captain James Sicily.

But Bauer acquitted himself admirably, finishing the match with 12 disposals, 11 contested possessions, five marks (all of them contested) and three score involvements.

One of Bauer’s marks was a spectacular ‘hanger’ on Sicily.

“I think he showed on the weekend that he is definitely a player at the level . . . playing in a tough position and playing on a good player,” Richardson said on this week’s episode of the Talking Tigers podcast.

“I love how flies at everything. If the ball’s in the air, he comes at it with pace and from any angle. Richardson said on this week’s episode of the Talking Tigers podcast.

“He gives a contest, and that would be the number one thing that I like about him.

“With his ability to fly at the ball, I don’t think he’ll get outmarked very often.

“I also think he reads the play really well . . .

“He looks a natural forward to me.

“I know he missed that goal (a very gettable set shot v Hawthorn) . . . a few nerves there, but I think, moving forward, when he’s having a set shot at goal, he’s going to kick most of those goals. He’s got a good routine, he can kick a long ball.

“Once we get up and going next year, and our ball movement gets to where it needs to be, he’ll get more opportunities.

Richardson believes Bauer would ideally slot in as the third target in Richmond’s forward structure.

“(Tom) Lynch would be your anchor point, deep, and then you’d have (Mykelti) Lefau, who’s shown that he can hit up and lead at the footy as well. And then if you’ve got Bauer, who flies at anything, it starts to look alright,” he said.