Petrie has the Tigers fearing worstMatt Murnane
The Age
July 18, 2012 RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick wasn't just speaking for himself yesterday when he said he hoped Drew Petrie's groin injury would keep the North Melbourne spearhead out of Sunday's crunch game at the MCG.
He was probably thinking aloud for Alex Rance, too.
On the estimation of many commentators, Rance has been the All-Australian full-back of 2012 - so far, at least. As the new leader of the Tigers defence, Rance and his troops have taken on Travis Cloke, Mitch Clark, Tom Hawkins, Josh Kennedy, Michael Hurley, Nick Riewoldt, Matthew Pavlich, Taylor Walker and Lance Franklin - keeping most quiet while one or two have got off the leash.
But it is Petrie that Rance fears the most. ''I actually think Drew Petrie is the hardest key forward to play on,'' he told The Age during the pre-season. ''He has towelled me up the few times I've played on him already so that is one match-up I'm really looking forward to this year.
''He is such a great contested mark. When he gets those long arms up, he just has enormous reach and it's really difficult to get a fist on the ball.''
After 16 rounds fighting the league's best key forwards - and maturing into a premier key defenders - Rance's D-Day with Petrie has arrived, and it could not have come at a more important time for the Tigers.
Having blown four points against Gold Coast, Richmond must win on Sunday to stay in the hunt for finals. If it loses, the road back will be too far to travel.
Hardwick understands the importance of the match-up between Rance and Petrie, pointing out that the Roos veteran has ''done some damage to us before''.
In his two games against Richmond last year, Petrie gave Rance and his defensive allies a torrid time, booting six goals to go with four contested marks and 20 possessions in a North Melbourne victory in round five, and backed up with four goals and eight marks in the final round of the season.
Making matters worse, Petrie is the hottest forward right now. No player has kicked more goals in the past six weeks than Petrie's 16, which includes a match-winning seven-goal haul against Carlton last week.
The 2011 All-Australian is also No. 1 for scoreboard impact in that period, and third for marks for the season.
Unlike in other years, it's not just Petrie that the Tigers have to worry about. The Roos have finally found their marquee man some support, with fellow talls Robbie Tarrant and Lachie Hansen combining for 19 goals and five score assists in the past five matches.
Petrie must get through fitness tests this week before receiving the all clear after straining his groin late in the game last Friday night, but the Roos are optimistic he will play.
''They're tall forwards have been outstanding,'' Hardwick said. ''Petrie we know is a very good player, but the arrival of Tarrant and Hansen, we've certainly got our hands full.
''We think we have the cattle there to marshall those blokes; we just have to stem the flow and their long balls inside 50.''
The Tigers confirmed yesterday that defender Jake Batchelor has slight medial ligament damage in his injured knee and will be out for as many as three weeks.
But Hardwick is confident of getting another key defender, Ben Griffiths, back from injury, and captain Chris Newman is expected to pass a concussion test later this week and will also be named to take on the Kangaroos.
Richmond will have midfielders Dustin Martin and Daniel Jackson available for selection after serving two-game suspensions - Martin's club-imposed and Jackson's for striking.
''We will get four or five guys back from injury this week and that will certainly help us … but this is going to be a big challenge. North are probably the form side of the competition right now,'' Hardwick said.
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