“I just want to come in and have an impact straight away . . . I want to be a leader on the track and drag others along and maybe set some new standards as well on the training track and in the weights room,” he said at the time.
“When I play my best footy, and when I enjoy playing footy the most, is when I’m aggressive . . . I want to be aggressive - really aggressive at the ball.”
True to his word, seven months on, Maric is being hailed as one of the best ruckmen seen at Punt Road in many a long season and, indeed, one of the best going around in the entire competition.
It’s still early days in season 2012, but the 200cm, 102kg, 26-year-old, is enjoying his best year of AFL football.
Maric is averaging 14.8 disposals per game this season, compared to his overall average in six seasons before this year of 12.1 disposals per game. His 2012 average of 29.5 hit-outs per game is considerably up on his overall average of 19.9 hit-outs per game over his previous six seasons.
He is currently ranked fourth in the competition for total hit-outs in the 2012 season, having amassed a career-high 46 hit-outs in Richmond’s Round 6 victory over Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium last Sunday, to go with his career-high 20 disposals.
The Tiger Army, ever-partial to a cult figure, have totally embraced big Ivan, whose big mullet matches his big heart, big ‘tank’ and big work ethic.
As far as Maric himself is concerned, he’s just relishing life at Tigerland.
“I feel really comfortable. It’s a credit to the Club and the environment,” Maric told “Roar Vision”.
“All the boys have made me feel really welcome, which is fantastic. “I suppose I’ve won more respect by attacking the ball . . . the boys seem to like that.”
Maric hasn’t wavered in terms of his goal for the rest of the season . . .
“I just want to be really aggressive and keep attacking the ball no matter what, and just be super-competitive,” he said. blog comments powered by Disqus
