Maybe with the possible exception of Richmond coach Terry Wallace, no-one is more delighted with the stunning return to form of Tigers' full-back Darren Gaspar in 2005 than his long-time partner in defence Andrew Kellaway.
The form of Gaspar and Kellaway in tandem in defence so far this season is one of the big reasons why the Tigers have won more games in the first seven rounds this season - five - than they won for all of last season when the club won just four games to finish with the wooden spoon for the first time since 1989.
As Gaspar struggled to fight his way back from a knee re-construction in the middle of 2003 throughout 2004 - even spending time in the VFL - Kellaway was forced to take on more and more responsibility and his form also suffered as he found he lacked support in defence in the second half of last season.
But this year the two former All-Australians - Kellaway in 2000 and Gaspar in 2000 and 2001 - are playing their best football in tandem since helping to lead the Tigers into the 2001 preliminary final.
Kellaway, whose strong marking and fearless attack on the ball has long made him one of the AFL's most respected players, said Gaspar's return to form had given the Tigers' entire backline some added confidence in 2005.
"It's been great, particularly as he can now take the other team's number one forward again and that is great for the whole team," the Tiger veteran said ahead of this week's clash against Collingwood.
"He is moving really well and it (his return to top form) has definitely helped me."
Gaspar was simply awesome during last week's club record 85 point win over Carlton when he thrashed the Blues' key forward Lance Whitnall and on Sunday he will almost certainly find himself alongside Collingwood star Chris Tarrant.
But when Gaspar was struggling last year, all too often this meant the shorter Kellaway was forced to stand the opposition's best forward, which also cut out his ability to set up Richmond attacks out of defence with his run.
Kellaway believes that has been one of the biggest differences between the Tigers' defence of last year and this year under the more attacking game plan of Wallace.
"He (Wallace) said we need to take a few more risks," Kellaway said.
"And we have been really running the ball out of defence a bit more."
That has meant far more chances for the Richmond forwards, which they have certainly capitalised on, with Matthew Richardson and Nathan Brown already having kicked nearly 50 goals between them in the first seven rounds.
However Kellaway believes there is still plenty of room for improvement in the Tigers' defence.
"We've got to be consistent in the back half for the next few games because we have a few blow-outs against us," he said referring to the team's two losses so far this season - heavy ones against Geelong and St Kilda.
"We have generally been doing our job but we have had a few goals kicked against us so we have still got to make sure we keep it tight down there."
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