Talented Tiger small forward, Sam Lloyd, was on the massage table in the Club’s change-rooms mid-week, when coach Damien Hardwick approached him to deliver the good news . . . he’d been selected to make his AFL debut in tonight’s blockbuster against Collingwood at the MCG.
“I was doing a bit of recovery, getting a massage and ‘Dimma’ pulled me into his office and said, ‘You right to play?’ I said, ‘Yeah’, and he goes, ‘Good, ‘coz’ you’re in,” Lloyd said in an exclusive interview with ‘Talking Tigers’.
“It’s bloody exciting, really. It’s been a long pre-season and the last three weeks I’ve been emergency (for the senior team).
“To get my chance, against the Pies on Friday night, I’m very excited.”
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Lloyd, who was Richmond’s third pick in last November’s National Draft, impressed throughout the pre-season with his work up forward.
The brief delivered to him by the Tiger coaches for Friday night is simple . . .
“Tackle pressure, be dangerous around the goals, and just play my role. Talk to the boys like ‘Kingy’ (Jake King) and ‘Shedda’ (Shane Edwards), who play in that (small forward) role, and just do my bit,” Lloyd said.
“It’ll be good finally doing the warm-up, then going out there and actually running out on to the ground and playing the game . . . looking forward to it.”
The 24-year-old admitted to being overwhelmed by the support he had received – from within the Club and in his old home-town of Deniliquin – since news broke that he would debut for the Tigers on Friday night.
“When they (teammates) find out, you get heaps of text messages and everyone comes in and you get a few bum slaps and some high fives,” he said.
“I was a bit scared to tell mum and dad . . . they might have had a heart attack. But they’re very excited and everyone at home up in Deniliquin is very excited.
“They haven’t had someone play AFL since Leo Barry (Sydney Swans premiership player), so it’s a bit of a buzz for the town.
“I’ve had plenty of ticket requests – the whole of ‘Deni’ almost.”
Lloyd has certainly worked hard since arriving at Richmond, in a bid to get his senior opportunity, and then build on it.
“When I first got down here, I started having a look at Kingy’s tapes, Shane Edwards’ tapes and even Luke Dalhaus’ (Western Bulldogs) tapes,” he said.
“I really wanted to work on my pressure because the game’s changed and you’ve got to have pressure. Dimma’s big on it.
“I’m learning a lot and (I spent) another 20 minutes out there with Kingy today (Thursday) because he’s probably the No. 1 at it.”
