Luke McGuane and Will Thursfield - both 50th game this week

[one-eyed]

McGuane for the defence
richmondfc.com.au
By Mic Cullen Tue 28 July, 2009

IT'S NOT easy to get Richmond key defender Luke McGuane to talk about himself, and just because he's about to play his 50th game hasn't changed that.

McGuane began his AFL career when selected at 36 in the 2004 NAB AFL Draft, and played his first game against the Sydney Swans in round seven 2006.

Fellow key defender Will Thursfield reaches the same milestone on Sunday, and McGuane said it was good to be getting to the mark at the same time as his mate.

"Yeah, it's good coming up together," he said before Tigers training on Tuesday. "We've played a few years together now, and we're starting to get a bit of a bond down there, along with Kel Moore, so it's good.

"It helps having someone you can bounce stuff off.

"It's a pretty hard job in the backline these days, with the chopping the arms rule and all that coming in, so it's good to have something you can bounce stuff off and work together with."

McGuane said the future was looking bright, with a young group building together.

"To be honest, with the young side we've got coming up at Richmond now, it's a really exciting place to be around – I know we haven't had the greatest year this year, but you know, when you see young kids like (Trent) Cotchin and (Brent) Deledio coming up, and we're all coming through together now and starting to build a really solid base.

"We're getting a lot of confidence with the group that we're playing with, and we're blooding a lot of kids like Jayden Post and Ty Vickery."

The Tigers had a terrific win over Essendon on Sunday, and McGuane took care of Bombers skipper Matthew Lloyd as part of that deal.

"I was really happy with the weekend – I set myself for the challenge knowing that he was a good player.

"He probably got a hold of me last time we played, so I just wanted to even it up a little bit, and I was happy with the way the result went.

"I've usually taken the ruckman who's come down – the bigger boys – but we change it up a little bit.

"I took Lloyd on the weekend, so it's not always set – we're pretty confident with any one of us three on the marquee player, and then we'll change it around if we need to."

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/81550/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Thursfield's 50th this week
richmondfc.com.au
Mic Cullen Tue 28 July, 2009

WILL Thursfield is one of many, but one of few.

Over the years, many have come from the AFL's rookie list to make a success of an AFL career, but few have done so as a key position player.

Thursfield will play his 50th AFL match this weekend for Richmond, but it hasn't been an easy journey – a knee reconstruction took care of 2007, and then earlier this year he was dropped and played eight games at Coburg after the round one debacle against Carlton.

Thursfield's debut for the Tigers was against Sydney back in round 14 2005, and after the Tigers built a good lead early, the Swans came home like a freight train, and kept engineering the first-gamer into one-on-one contests with forward wizard Michael O'Loughlin, who was then at the peak of his powers.

He agreed that, in retrospect, it was probably a good experience.

"It was pretty nerve-wracking, that second half," Thursfield said with a laugh at Punt Rd on Tuesday before training.

"It seems a while ago now, but that was great fun, and I always look back and have a smile about that day, because it was a good win.

"You learn to keep your calm down there, because I remember it was coming down a fair bit, so I definitely got a bit of experience first up and it's held me in good stead."

The 23-year-old said 50 games was good, but only the beginning.

"Oh, it's a good start – to say you've played 50 is not a bad achievement, but you definitely want to go a bit more.

"Definitely want to go a bit more, but coming off a few injuries and off the rookie list, it's definitely good to get there.

"I've definitely learned a bit about myself, and things like that, so it wasn't good at the time, but I've learned a bit though it.

"Hopefully it doesn't happen again, but I reckon it was good for me."

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/blogarticle/tabid/14215/newsid/81546/default.aspx

[F0551L]

congrats to both hope to see them in the yellow and black for many games to come