Richmond’s VFL coach Tim Clarke's summary:
Jason Castagna (33 disposals, 15 contested possessions, seven clearances)Again was very impressive, playing off half-back and through the midfield. Won plenty of contested ball and also provided good run-and-carry. Continues to show really exciting signs for the future.
Chris Knights (28 disposals, seven marks, five inside-50s)Struggled a bit with his body, but still managed to rack up the disposals. Also was strong in and around the contest with his tackling pressure. Needs his body to be moving well, however, if he is to push hard for senior selection.
Matt Dea (27 disposals, 13 marks)Continues to display excellent form across the backline at VFL level. Took 13 marks, repelled many opposition attacks, and used the ball well offensively. When an opportunity arises at AFL level, he’s certainly ready to take it.
Nathan Gordon (21 disposals, six marks)Had three quarters of game time in a combination of wing and half-forward roles before being taken off, due to the fact he was the AFL carry-over player. Is continuing to show impressive development when used in the midfield. Will look to build on the gains he’s made in this area over the next couple of weeks.
Matt McDonough (19 disposals, 13 contested possessions, six clearances, three goals)Impacted the game in and around the contest. Hit the scoreboard, too, with three goals, which was pleasing. Overall, however, we still expect more from him.
Todd Elton (15 disposals, eight marks)Was very good in our offensive transition, playing the percentages, which has been a focus of his. But needs to be a bit better defending his opponent on the lead. Gave up a couple of leads, which resulted in goals for Coburg. This is something he needs to work on over the remainder of the season.
Shaun Hampson (14 disposals, 11 contested possessions, five marks, five inside-50s, 48 hit-outs)Dominated in his return to the VFL. Won his fair share of ball, had a huge amount of hit-outs, and constantly gave our ‘mids’ first use. The best part of his game was his critical contest work. He either won or halved 20 critical contests.
David Astbury (13 disposals, 11 marks, one goal)Provided the team with a good target up forward. Was strong in the air, taking several impressive contested marks. Continues to play well at both ends of the ground.
Dan Butler (Seven disposals, six contested possessions, one goal)Alternated between the midfield and forward line. Was a little slow to get going, but found his way towards the end of the game, winning some critical contests, which showed what he’s capable of. Is still finding his feet at VFL level, but we expect he’ll keep improving over the next couple of weeks.
Reece McKenzie (Five disposals, two marks)Continues to provide us with a viable option down the line. We’re still working with him on his ability to get used closer to goal, so he can hit the scoreboard more regularly. Overall, however, he is showing impressive development.
Ivan Soldo (Five disposals, 14 hit-outs)Battled well in the ruck against good opposition, sharing the load with Shaun Hampson. Second efforts continue to be a strength of his game. The challenge for him going forward is to win more of the ball on the outside.
Liam McBean (Four disposals)Well beaten by a very good key-defensive opponent in Michael Hartley. Didn’t hit the scoreboard, which is most unlike him. We expect significantly better from him going forward.
Connor Menadue (Four disposals)Struggled to find the ball at half-back. Was moved to a wing in a bid to get him more involved in the match, but still couldn’t exert an influence. We expect better from him, and it will be a focus at training during the week to work out how we can improve his involvement in the contest.
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2015-08-19/the-vfl-report-round-18
