Prized Richmond ruck recruit Toby Nankervis again demonstrated his huge appetite for the contest in last Saturday night’s clash with North Melbourne under the Etihad Stadium roof.

Nankervis rose to the challenge superbly up against the Roos’ star ruckman Todd Goldstein.

Despite conceding 2cm in height and 159 games of AFL experience to Goldstein, Nankervis not only competed strongly right throughout the match, he beat his highly-rated opponent.

The 199cm, 22-year-old had 14 disposals, including seven contested possessions, three clearances, three tackles, three marks, 26 hit-outs and 16 pressure acts.

Those numbers alone, however, don’t do justice to the overall impact he had in the Tigers’ 35-point win.

Post-game, two of Nankervis’ teammates, Brandon Ellis and Alex Rance, were full of praise for his robust efforts in the ruck contests, as well as around the ground.

“He fought very hard tonight, ‘Nank’,” Ellis told ‘K-Rock’.

“We knew Goldstein’s one of the best ruckmen in the competition, so Nank was going to have his work cut out for him tonight, but it was a good team effort.

“We just tried to use Nank when we could, on the spread, to work Goldstein over.

“Nank is as fit as anything, he’s a beast, and he loves to compete.

“He’s been a steal for us this year from Sydney . . . we’re loving what he’s bringing to the Club.”

Rance expressed his admiration for Nankervis’ key on-field attributes of mobility, aggression, determination and toughness.

“What he (Nank) gives up in height in the ruck, he certainly gives on the ground level and a bit of grunt,” Rance said on ‘ABC AFL Grandstand”.

“He sets that tone, that standard of physicality around the ball.

“I think we went from 1.76 pressure rating up to 2.17 in the second half, mainly because of Nankervis, and Cotchin, Caddy and Prestia . . .”