Simmonds looking to build on slow start
12:41:33 PM Mon 18 April, 2005
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
It took a clash against his old side to spark him into action but now Richmond big man Troy Simmonds is hoping his performance against Fremantle will be the start of a successful first season at Punt Road.
Simmonds is the first to admit he has struggled over the opening weeks of his first season with the Tigers - after a high profile move from the Dockers - but believes his 12 possessions, six marks and one goal during the 48-point win over his former club was a definite improvement.
"I think I can take a lot from this game and build on it," he told afl.com.au after the Tigers' third successive win.
"I had been a bit down but I took a few more contested marks (against the Dockers) which was good and if I can keep taking some grabs inside 50, that is what the coach (Terry Wallace) wants me to do."
With Simmonds producing his best performance of the season to date, the Tigers' giant attack of Matthew Richardson, Greg Stafford and Simmonds - with help from number one ruckman Trent Knobel - looked menacing against the Dockers.
All four stand at least 196cm and all four got amongst the goals against the Dockers - booting ten of the Tigers' 14 goals between them as Richardson helped himself to six to move to a clear lead in the race for the Coleman Medal.
Simmonds admits the four big men are still learning each other's games but hoped having so many tall options in attack would make it hard for opposition defences to cope - which in turn would lead to Richardson being one out with his direct opponent far more often.
"I am just trying to get used to playing down forward with Richo and then rotating in the ruck with Greg Stafford and Trent Knobel but we can cause some damage if we all go down and kick a few goals like we did against Fremantle," Simmonds said.
"Richo is one of the best contested marks in the league and if we can all stand up, we can help get Richo one out a lot like we did in the third quarter (against the Dockers)."
The Tigers booted six goals to nil in the third term against Fremantle, with Richardson booting four for the term as Richmond produced its best football of the season to date.
But for Simmonds it was just a relief to get his first match against his former club out of the way after all the publicity that went with his leaving Western Australia to return to his native Victoria and his resultant five-year contract with the Tigers.
"It (playing against his old club) was definitely in the back of my mind," he said.
"It does put more pressure on you but it's how you respond to that so I was pretty happy."
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=196999
