Talented Richmond tall key defender Dave Astbury is approaching the 2017 season with renewed confidence, on the back of some long-awaited, sustained football last year.
Astbury managed to string together 19 games in 2016 – the most of his seven-year AFL career.
He had endured a horror injury run, after playing 17 senior games in an impressive 2010 debut season with the Tigers.
In the five seasons that followed, Astbury was restricted to just 24 appearances at the game’s highest level, primarily because of a spate of injuries.
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But in 2016, Astbury finally cast aside his injury woes, to become a valuable contributor in Richmond’s back half, averaging 13.5 disposals and 6.7 marks per game.
He was ranked fourth among the Tigers’ playing group for total marks, and 15th in the AFL competition for marks per game.
“The continuity that I got in 2016 was the most important thing,” Astbury said on RSN.
“Once you get a few games under your belt, you get a bit more confident.
“The back half of the year, I started to perform at the level I know I can.
“It was a big step forward, but now very much looking forward to 2017.”
Astbury, who turns 26 on Sunday (February 26), feels “in really good shape” to tackle the 2017 season . . .
“It is the first off-season, where I haven’t had to undergo surgery,” he said.
“It was really good to get a good off-season training block to prepare myself for the pre-season.
“So far this pre-season, touchwood, it’s been pretty seamless.
“I’ve had my best pre-season to date.”
