Josh Caddy’s best performance for his new club Richmond, against Hawthorn at the MCG yesterday, was due, in part, to a request he made to Tigers coach Damien Hardwick last week following the team’s Round 19 victory over Gold Coast.
Caddy revealed after a top-class display, which netted him a season-high 28 disposals, equal season-high nine marks, season-high six inside-50s, season-high 20 uncontested possessions, and an AFL career-high four goals, in Richmond’s 29-point win, that he’d asked Hardwick about the possibility of spending more time in the midfield.
“Last week (in the absence of Jack Riewoldt with his eye injury), I had to play permanently as a forward . . . I said to ‘Dimma’, ‘Mate, I wouldn’t mind just having a little bit of a run on the ball every now and then’. And he said, ‘Yeah, I agree’,” Caddy told Channel Seven in a post-match on-field interview.
“So that’s the role for me, and it came off tonight . . .
“Hopefully I can finish off the year strongly.”
Hardwick admitted in his post-match press conference yesterday that the plan to base Caddy up forward against the Suns, to try and fill the void created by Riewoldt’s unavailability, hadn’t worked out as well as he would have liked.
“That was an error on my behalf,” Hardwick said.
“Josh plays his best footy when he’s in and around the ball, with his ability to win contest, get forward and kick big goals . . .
“I was really impressed with his game (v Hawthorn), and his work-rate, which we know he brings week in, week out.
“I hope it’s a step forward for him.
“He’s a really important player to our footy club, although his statistical output hasn’t been to the level.
“What he gives is just that flexibility of what I can do with the (player board) magnets, which is very important.”
