Left-field Tiger ready for action Greg Denham
The Australian
March 01, 2011 RICHMOND teenager Reece Conca, considered by many outside Punt Road as a "left-field" selection in last year's national draft, appears to have played his way into the Tigers' best 22 for their round-one clash against Carlton at the MCG to open the premiership season on March 24.
Though not initially rated by industry recruiting personnel as a first-round selection, Richmond recruiting manager Francis Jackson had no hesitation in taking Conca, 18, with the club's first pick, at overall selection No 6, from WAFL club Perth.
Drafted as a midfielder, Conca has been playing across half-back during the pre-season and will probably start his career at the elite level against the Blues as a running defender because of his extremely efficient disposal skills.
Following an impressive pre-season campaign, Conca is likely to be rested in Friday night's practice match against Hawthorn at Shepparton, in country Victoria.
Coleman medallist Jack Riewoldt is also likely to miss Friday's trial game after landing awkwardly at training last week and sustaining bone bruising in his knee.
Richmond denies Riewoldt has any serious damage and expects him to be at peak fitness within a fortnight, and ready to take the field for the first time this year during the practice match circuit.
The Tigers, however, are expecting captain Chris Newman and dual best-and-fairest winner Brett Deledio to have their first serious hit-outs for the year this week, while onballers Nathan Foley, Trent Cotchin, Bachar Houli and Shaun Grigg are scheduled to play against the Hawks after playing first-up last week in Alice Springs against the Power.
Newman withdrew late against Port Adelaide with hamstring tightness but is ready to go, while Deledio could be available for the first time this year if he is passed fit following a heel injury.
Foley, who played about three-quarters of last week's trial game, pulled up well and may be given more game time this week. He has not played since round nine last year because of ankle and achilles problems, which have restricted the speedster to just 18 of a possible 44 games over the past two seasons. After missing first-round NAB Cup losses against Carlton and Collingwood, Cotchin was outstanding against Port Adelaide and is scheduled to play again this week.
Grigg, who crossed from Carlton last October as a straight swap for Andrew Collins, played a full game in the midfield after overcoming an ankle issue, and is expected to line up for his new club again this week.
Former Essendon bit-player Houli is also scheduled to go around again this week after more than half a game last week as a half-forward/midfielder. The left-footer had to delay his start as a Tiger by a few weeks because of minor hamstring tendonitis.
Third-year ruckman Tyrone Vickery, 20, kicked five goals as a permanent forward, allowing coach Damien Hardwick to experiment with the ruck combination of Angus Graham and Tom Derickx, who is in his first season with the Tigers.
Port Adelaide's Alipate Carlile can accept a reprimand after being charged yesterday by the match review panel with recklessly striking Derickx to the body.
Carlile's clean record worked in his favour, and with an early guilty plea, his sanction will be a carryover of 45 demerit points for the next 12 months.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/left-field-tiger-ready-for-action/story-e6frg7mf-1226013776540
