Pickett, Bolton shine as 21 flag Tigers go head-to-headBy Mitch Cleary
afl.com.au
20 Feb 2020GOOD luck breaking into this Richmond outfit.
In a scary message to rival clubs, every remaining 2019 premiership Tiger was on show in a physical intraclub match at the Swinburne Centre on Thursday morning.
Ruckman Toby Nankervis was the only player from last year's flag to start in a weakened 'B' side against a stacked 'A' team that also featured Noah Balta and Jack Graham.
Speedster Shai Bolton (two goals) dazzled as a high half-forward, Dustin Martin was up to his usual tricks between midfield-forward and Grand Final debutant Marlion Pickett again impressed.
Daniel Rioli was also busy in attack and delivered the highlight of the morning with a high-flying mark over a pack of four players.
Nankervis played only the first term before he continued his rehabilitation following groin surgery, allowing Ivan Soldo to tackle a bulked-up Callum Coleman-Jones in the ruck.
Given Brandon Ellis' move to Gold Coast, the other 20 players from the triumphant line-up played for the 'A' team in the four-quarter hitout.
Graham also played limited minutes as he recovers from a shoulder injury sustained in last year's preliminary final.
Balta played in a key defensive post alongside David Astbury, Dylan Grimes, Nathan Broad and Nick Vlastuin as the Tigers search for greater depth following the shock retirement of Alex Rance.
A combination of Rioli, Broad, Liam Baker, Josh Caddy and Kane Lambert rolled through wing roles for the 'A' team in a sign of potential Ellis replacements.
Jack Higgins was lively in the front half for the 'B' team and is on track to make his return following brain surgery in the Tigers' first Marsh Community Series match against Collingwood.
Higgins will be vying for a forward role with exciting second-year utility Sydney Stack who played the entire intraclub in the front half.
Jack Ross and Riley Collier-Dawkins were prolific in midfield for the 'B' team before joining Stack, Oleg Markov (three goals), Derek Eggmolesse-Smith and Mabior Chol in the 'A' team after half-time.
They replaced the Tigers' six State of Origin representatives in a pointer to the likely line-up for the Marsh Community Series date with the Pies in Wangaratta on March 1.
Tom Lynch, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Bachar Houli (Victoria), Jack Riewoldt and Shane Edwards (All-Stars) will play in the Bushfire Relief game two days prior at Marvel Stadium.
Houli, who was late to his feet after a heavy contest on three-quarter time, sat out the final term with Cotchin.
The Tigers, who won the flag last year with two genuine ruckmen, will continue to trial different set-ups during pre-season as Nankervis returns to full fitness.
"We still talk about it every day, who is our best ruckman and best ruck combination," assistant coach Justin Leppitsch said.
"Soldo looks like he's got better and Toby's on his way back obviously. Then we've got our athletic forwards in Mabior, CJ (Coleman-Jones).
"It's going to be a real challenge."
Kamdyn McIntosh ran laps prior to the hitout as he recovers from an ankle injury he suffered in January, while draftee Thomson Dow was missing due to illness.
https://www.afl.com.au/news/375565/pickett-bolton-shine-as-21-flag-tigers-go-head-to-head
