While Richmond’s ‘mosquito fleet’ again, justifiably, received the plaudits of the football world for their determined, quick, slick efforts in yesterday’s 29-point victory over Hawthorn at the MCG, the valuable contributions of Tiger ruck duo Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo were highlighted by coach Damien Hardwick during his post-match press conference.
Nankervis finished with 17 disposals, 26 hit-outs, seven score involvements and a goal.
Soldo’s match statistics weren’t as impressive as that – five disposals, 16 hit-outs and a goal (his first in AFL football) – but he’s playing an important role at the moment in providing Nankervis with some solid back-up.
“We’re trying to give him (Nankervis) a little bit of a chop-out,” Hardwick said.
“He’s just 22 years of age (turns 23 on Saturday) . . . We asked him at the start of the year, as a young ruck, to play big minutes.
“Soldo’s improving every week.
“He played a really good game last week (v Gold Coast), and was serviceable again today, against a guy in (Ben) McEvoy, who’s probably having a career-best season, I think . . .”
Hardwick believes the Tigers can continue to play both Nankervis and Soldo in the side, even when star key forward Jack Riewoldt returns after recovering from his eye injury.
“How it looks, and how we fit everyone in, is probably the hard thing – easier said than done. But I think if you look at most sides that are going to go a fair way, they’ve got one big bloke, which is Soldo for us, and then a secondary guy that can come on,” Hardwick said.
“Nankervis is improving his craft up forward. He took a good mark and kicked a really important goal (against Hawthorn).
“So I think we can (play both of them).”
