Richmond’s Reece Conca fit and relishing new roleWest Australian
19 May 2018In the immediate aftermath of last year’s grand final, you couldn’t wipe the smile of Reece Conca’s face.
The hard-running midfielder wrapped his right paw firmly around a stubby of the sponsor’s product and toasted his premiership-winning teammates time and again.
However, the beaming grin masked an unavoidable sense of disappointment at missing out on Richmond’s drought-breaking flag at the end of third successive season ruined by injury.
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“I’ve been at this great club for seven years now and all I’ve ever wanted is some success,” Conca told The West Australian in the victors’ change room that day, suit and club-tie drenched in beer amid the mad celebrations, having watched the Tigers’ emotional triumph from the grandstand.
“Yeah, it’s disappointing not to be out there, but it’s just amazing. It really is.”
Eight months on, one-third of the way through the new season, Conca says he couldn’t be in a better place.
The 25-year-old is playing a new role with increased time in the midfield, where he feels best suited, after being used across half-back in recent years.
Most importantly, he is fit.
Conca has played eight consecutive games in the same season for the first time since 2013 and is free of the mental and physical setbacks that threatened his career in each of the past three years.
But Conca has been here before.
A headline in The West Australian last April screamed “Conca’s nightmare over” after he had overcome a succession of largely soft tissue injuries.
Just weeks later, his football world came crashing down again as an injury to the Lisfranc joint in his right foot put him out of the game for three months.
It ultimately robbed Conca of a spot in the premiership side as he returned at VFL level and couldn’t break into the seniors.
Is this another false dawn for the 2010 first-round draft pick? He is confident it isn’t.
“My body’s feeling fantastic and I’m training well,” Conca said ahead of tomorrow’s top-of-the-table blockbuster against West Coast at Optus Stadium.
“I’ve done a lot of stuff outside of the gym and off the field, a lot mindfulness and medication stuff, and really invested in that side of my football and my body.
“I tweaked a little bit of my weights program over the last 12-18 months and everything is feeling fantastic.
“In the previous few years I was a lot more conservative with my weights program but now I’m just smacking in, getting some heavy weights in and it’s been really good.
“I clocked up a lot of kilometres during pre-season and haven’t really missed a beat, which has been fantastic for me personally.
“I’m really enjoying my football. I love the club, my teammates, my coaches and everyone involved in the club.
“I just love playing my role and it’s really nice to be out there and playing some consistent football.”
Given his injury history, it comes as no surprise that Conca has been doing his utmost to fly under the radar this season.
But while he prefers to leave the spotlight to the likes of Brownlow Medal and premiership-winning teammates Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin, All-Australian captain Alex Rance and spearhead Jack Riewoldt, Conca has quietly gone about putting together a solid body of work as he re-establishes himself in Damien Hardwick’s first-choice line-up.
Conca is averaging career-best figures for tackles (5.6), inside-50s (3.5), contested possessions (8.1) and handballs (9.2) this season and is close to reaching his previous best levels for disposals (19.1), clearances (2.5) and goal assists (0.4).
The West Coast Eagles are eyeing off an Optus Stadium record for Sunday's top of the table clash with Richmond.
“I’m really enjoying being in more centre bounces and I’m playing more of a defensive role through the midfield, he said
“I like to work up and down the ground and get to as many contests as I can. I like to get in and under and tackle and pressure.
“I like to be that scrappy player and let the Dustins and Cotchins of the world do the old flashy stuff and kick all the goals. I love playing my role and I love the teammates around me. I’m just really enjoying myself.”
And Conca’s coach Damien Hardwick is enjoying his revival, lauding the determination of his charge and predicting a big future for him.
“The thing that hasn’t gone in his favour is durability. But it’s no coincidence that when he plays, he plays well,” Hardwick said.
“He’s a really good AFL player and we’ve been really pleased with what he’s put out thus far. He’s really only starting his career from our point of view. He’s been in our system for seven years but his last three have been wrecked by injury.
“He’s looking forward to building on that and he can certainly become a much better player than what he is now, which excites us.”
The Perth junior product was linked to a move home to WA during last October’s trade period, despite having a year to run on his contract with Richmond.
He is yet to begin talks with the Tigers on a new deal, insisting manager Colin Young will do so mid-year, but is determined to achieve success with the club for which he has played 94 games to date.
“Our club culture’s come a long way and we know that we’re all in this together. We’re building something great,” Conca said.
“The goal is to win another premiership and we want to win as many as we can. If I can be a part of the next one then I’d be forever grateful for that.”
https://thewest.com.au/sport/richmond-tigers/richmonds-reece-conca-fit-and-relishing-new-role-ng-b88839483z
