Tigers aiming to dry up any flood of Magpie goals Jon Pierik
The Age
April 20, 2013 Richmond coach Damien Hardwick is confident his maturing team has the nous to prevent Collingwood from enjoying a run of goals when the two clubs clash in an MCG blockbuster on Saturday.
The Tigers conceded five goals in the opening seven minutes of the third term when the clubs last met, in round two last season. Three were kicked by Dale Thomas, as the Magpies went on to secure a gritty, 21-point win.
Unbeaten after three rounds this season, the Tigers were able to withstand a ferocious Carlton comeback in round one, and Hardwick has been happy with the way his team has controlled possession in wins over St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs.
While the Magpies are missing a handful of injured players, and had another scare at training on Friday when Travis Cloke dislocated a finger, the Tigers still face a major test of their composure. ''The one thing about our group, our leaders have certainly stood up and they know how to quell those momentum changes, so to speak,'' Hardwick said on Friday. ''It's an area of the game that we had to improve from the last year and this stage thus far, probably the Carlton game, you could look back and think we didn't handle it overly well, but we still managed to get the result.
''It's an area of the game we certainly have to work on, we certainly will be tested at that again this weekend against Collingwood and, hopefully, our boys have learnt the lessons.''
Hardwick continued to welcome the level of expectation at Punt Road, which has only heightened after the Tigers' best start to a season since 1995. However, they have not beaten the Magpies since round 19, 2007. Hardwick said the Magpies would provide another test of the progression each of his players has made. ''We think we've certainly got the ability to beat Collingwood, we've just got to make sure that happens on the day,'' he said.
To that end, the Tigers will need to win the battle of the midfield, an area Magpie Dane Swan, preparing for his 200th match, said would be pivotal.
Paying tribute to the influence best mates Chris Tarrant and Ben Johnson had had on his football career, Swan said he had an important role to play if the Magpies were to win. ''Their [Tigers'] midfield has been extremely damaging … They have got some very speedy good types in there so, for me, that's where I think the game will be won and lost,'' Swan said.
Hardwick said Jack Riewoldt would play despite speculation about his fitness.
The Magpies are confident Cloke will play despite his dislocating a finger.
''He popped his finger back in,'' Swan said.
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