Richmond captain Chris Newman believes both the Tigers and Dustin Martin have learned from sleep-ins By Guy Hand
AAP
July 19, 2012 Richmond captain Chris Newman believes both the Tigers and Dustin Martin have learned from their untimely recent sleep-ins.Richmond are still smarting from what has been labelled "the worst 47 seconds in footy" after falling asleep late to concede two goals and lose by two points to Gold Coast Suns last weekend.
And star midfielder Martin is preparing to return to action with the Tigers against North Melbourne at the MCG on Sunday after his sleeping pill debacle which led to missing training and a two-match club suspension.
Newman says Martin is "fresh and fit" after missing two matches, and importantly believes the 21-year-old has absorbed the lessons he needed to.
"In his own mind, he knows he's let himself down, and the team comes off the back of that," Newman said on Thursday.
"He's done everything right over the last couple of weeks. He has learned from it, I think.
"It's up to us to get around him, give him a cuddle and get behind him and make sure we play some good footy."
Newman said Martin had been trying to "put his best foot forward" during what's amounted to a mini-pre-season over the past fortnight, including dawn training sessions.
"He gets up nice and early, has some brekky, he's got a nice routine now," Newman said.
"Hopefully he reaps some benefits."
Newman conceded the Tigers must beat in-form North on Sunday, or their finals hopes were done.
He believed the less than satisfactory performance which handed previously winless Gold Coast victory last weekend in Cairns would spur an improved effort against the Kangaroos.
"It's very important (to bounce back). We were very disappointed with our efforts on the weekend," Newman said.
"I was shattered ... we had the game in our hands and let it go.
"It's disappointing to lose at this stage in the season, but it's not the end of this. We've got this week to bounce back."
"We just have to get back on the horse and play some good footy," he said.
Martin and experienced Daniel Jackson, who had been serving a two-match AFL tribunal suspension, are likely to slot straight back into the Tigers side to play North.
The task now is to curb North Melbourne, whose forward line has been in superb touch.
The Roos have beaten Adelaide, St Kilda and Carlton and lost to West Coast by just two points over the past month.
Key forwards Drew Petrie, Lachie Hansen and Robbie Tarrant kicked 12 goals between them during the Roos' 53-point defeat of the Blues last weekend.
Newman described the Roos' forward line as "dynamic", meaning they have a dangerous combination of tall and small forwards.
"They're a really tricky forward line to match up on," he said.
"Their offensive game at the moment is as strong as anyone in the competition.
"They've been pretty good defensively, too.
"We're back in the MCG and after last week we're looking to bounce back with a really strong performance."
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