Richmond great Matthew Richardson highlights six key points from the Tigers’ Round 18 victory over West Coast at Patersons Stadium last Friday night.

1. The ability of the gun Tiger midfielders to impact up forward was crucial.

On a night where players were really struggling to keep their feet in the slippery conditions, I thought Richmond gained a decisive advantage by rotating Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Brett Deledio through the forward line.  The silky skills of the star trio enabled them to handle the ball better than most on the ground, and they all made valuable contributions up forward, with Martin kicking two goals (which were probably worth at least double that in the conditions), Cotchin soccering a brilliant goal out of mid-air, and Deledio having a game-high nine score involvements.

2. Nathan Foley confirmed his reputation as a wet-track specialist.

I’ve been impressed with the way the now veteran Tiger midfielder has been building up to some good form over the past few weeks, and when I saw the rain start to tumble down on Friday night, I knew he was in for a big game.  From the time Foley arrived at the Club a decade ago, he showed a real liking for the heavy going.  Originally from the Victorian country town of Colac, I suppose Foley had a fair bit of experience as a junior playing in wet conditions.  I recall a game he played early on in his career at Richmond, with the Club’s then VFL affiliate Coburg, where he picked up more than 50 disposals on a very slippery surface.  Last Friday night, he was one of the most influential players out there for the Tigers, finishing with 25 disposals, including 13 contested possessions, seven clearances, four inside-50s, four rebound-50s, plus 10 tackles. 

3. Ivan Maric provides the Tigers with great value, both on and off the field.

Maric faced a huge challenge up against the Eagles’ highly-talented No. 1 ruckman Nick Natanui, and I thought he handled it in typically admirable style.  Natanui looked especially dangerous early on, and was a pretty good contributor all night for the home team, but Maric certainly prevented him from being a dominant player.  And, the big Tiger cult figure exerted a pretty fair influence in the ruck duels, as well as around the ground, finishing with 29 hit-outs, 14 disposals, including 11 contested possessions, seven clearances, plus five tackles.  The next day, Maric conducted himself really well in an interview with 3AW’s football panel.  He was intelligent, measured and refreshingly honest with his assessment of Richmond’s 2014 season.

4. Jack Riewoldt played an important team-oriented game.

The conditions certainly were far from ideal for key forwards and Riewoldt managed only one goal for the match – the sealer late in the last quarter – but I liked how he went about his role on the night.  He competed strongly right throughout the game and applied plenty of pressure to the West Coast backs, in a bid to lock the ball inside Richmond’s forward area, which is even more crucial in the wet, when scoring is so difficult.  So, although the statistical numbers probably don’t show it, Riewoldt’s performance was a commendable one.

5. Anthony Miles is vying for recruit of the year honors.

Such is the impression the tough inside midfielder has made in just a short time playing senior football for Richmond, if there was an award for a mature-age recruit of the year, from another league club, he’d have to be right in contention.  The fact that, in only seven games for the Tigers, Miles has polled votes in the prestigious AFL Coaches Association’s Player of the Year award four times, really highlights the major impact he’s had in the team’s midfield.  Again last Friday night, he was extremely influential in Richmond’s win, collecting 21 disposals, including 15 contested possessions, nine clearances and kicking a vital goal.  I just love the quiet, but efficient way Miles go about his footy.  He’s a ripper . . .

6. Richmond has recaptured its contested-ball mojo.

The ability to consistently win contested-ball situations was a key factor in Richmond playing finals last year.  Unfortunately, it was missing for much of the first half of this season and, subsequently, the Tigers’ form fell right away.  In recent weeks, however, their contested-ball numbers have risen significantly and, as a result, they have been able to string some wins together.  Last Friday night’s slippery conditions ensured that winning contested ball was a non-negotiable – and the Richmond players responded with a really hard-nosed, mature, professional performance.  They clearly won the contested-ball count and, overall, were just that bit harder for a bit longer than the Eagles.