It was at the start of the pre-season before last (in late 2013), when young Richmond defender Jake Batchelor was forced to take decisive action to take the next step in his AFL career.
Batchelor had played 16 games in a promising 2011 debut season for the Tigers, earning a Rising Star nomination along the way.
Become a Richmond member for the 2015 season
He’d followed that up with a further 14 games in season 2012, but managed only nine senior appearances the next year.
By the time the pre-season of 2013-14 rolled around, Batchelor, by his own admission, was struggling fitness-wise.
“I didn’t come back in the best nick, so I had to work my butt off to lose a few kilos,” Batchelor said on this week’s episode of the Club’s official podcast ‘Talking Tigers’.
“It makes a massive difference.
“I worked pretty closely with Peter Burge (Richmond’s Physical Performance Manager).
“We realised that was an area that needed improving, and it’s showed so far.”
Batchelor had to wait until Round 12 last year to break back into Richmond’s senior line-up, but he retained his place for the remainder of the season, displaying consistent form in the back half.
That continuity at the game’s highest level provided a valuable boost for Batchelor’s confidence levels, and he spent the pre-season just gone working on further building his fitness base, in a bid to help provide more run out of the Tigers’ defence.
“We basically left it up to Bachar (Houli) all last year, and it kind of stagnates your movement. It’s a lot easier for oppositions to defend if you don’t have run coming out off the half-back line,” he said.
“So, I think with the addition of (Nick) Vlastuin, (Dylan) Grimes, and myself, adding that extra endurance to our bodies, we can help Bachar out a bit and share the load.”
TeamUp with Tiger fans for Mother’s Day Classic
The 23-year-old gave a resounding seal of approval to Richmond’s new backline coach Ben Rutten, the former Adelaide Crows star key defender.
“A big thumbs up . . . he’s fantastic,” Batchelor said.
“I think the fact that he’s come straight out of playing, he’s got that good balance with being a coach, but he can still muck around with the boys, and he’s got a wealth of knowledge.
“He’s played over 230 games, All-Australian, so he’s a great addition to us, not only to the key defenders, but he knows a lot about all the half-back roles and stuff like that as well.”
Batchelor revealed that Rutten had provided him with valuable advice on where to run to gain possession of the ball.
“You wouldn’t think of it from him being a big key backman, but he’s told me ways to be able to get cheap, easy possessions as well . . . It’s just running to the contest and working your backside off,” Batchelor said.
Batchelor started the 2015 season in solid style, finishing with 15 disposals and five marks in the Tigers’ Round 1 win against Carlton.
