Tyrone Vickery challenged to step up this season by Richmond coach Damien Hardwick Jay Clark
Herald Sun
March 24, 2015RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has challenged Tyrone Vickery to step up this season, saying the maligned forward was critical to the Tigers’ finals prospects.
And the coach confirmed the club was confident it would keep out-of-contract defender Alex Rance at Punt Rd, despite an offer in the vicinity of $750,000 a season from Fremantle.
It emerged yesterday that Rance was unrestricted free agent, meaning the Tigers would not have the ability to match a rival offer if Rance chose to walk at season’s end.
Hardwick said the club was disappointed with its campaign last year as the Tigers stormed home from a poor start, saying “we made finals but it wasn’t the year we wanted to have”.
Vickery, 24, was overlooked for the club’s last two games of the season and was left rattled after serving a four-game suspension for striking West Coast champion Dean Cox.
But Hardwick backed Vickery to realise his potential as part of a taller forward setup, entering his seventh AFL season.
“He (Vickery) is one of our most important players, because I’d still love to play three key forwards in our forward line,” Hardwick said.
“I’ve just got to make sure those three key forwards are playing to their absolute capacity and, at the moment, I think Ty would be the first to admit that he can play better.
“We demand that he plays better, and we also know that for us to go up the ladder he is a very important part of that.”
Rance is the Tigers’ priority signing after recently reaching agreements with captain Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin.
Rance qualifies for unrestricted free agency status because he is not one of the club’s highest-paid nine or 10 players, based on his previous contract.
The Herald Sun revealed last week Rance had not yet considered the bumper Docker deal and was intent on recommitting at Tigerland.
Hardwick was unconcerned by Rance’s situation.
“Alex is obviously a very important player for us, but we are pretty happy with where that is at at the moment,” Hardwick said on SEN.
“(General manager of football) Dan Richardson and his squad are doing a very good job in that area, just to make sure we get signatures.
“We are very lucky that Dustin has committed long term, Trent Cotchin same, so we are very confident (of keeping Rance).”
A leaner Martin has firmed from $67 to $34 for the Brownlow Medal with Sportsbet.com.au after a prolific NAB Challenge series.
Hardwick said the midfielder’s personal transformation was significant.
“To see where he has come from five years ago, you wouldn’t think he was the same person,” Hardwick said.
“He is just such a well-rounded individual now, and I never thought five years ago I’d be saying that about Dustin Martin.
“He has become a very important player for us, but more importantly he has improved as a person.”
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/tyrone-vickery-challenged-to-step-up-this-season-by-richmond-coach-damien-hardwick/story-fni5f9jb-1227277023982
