Ex-Cat feeling '100 per cent' ahead of huge finalafl.com.au
5 September 2017RICHMOND midfielder Josh Caddy is "100 per cent" ahead of Friday night's qualifying final against Geelong at the MCG.
Caddy, 24, injured his left hamstring last time the Tigers played the Cats, in the round 21 loss at Simonds Stadium.
"I'm right to go. Day off today and we'll have our main session tomorrow, but (I'm) physically fine," Caddy said on Tuesday.
He might have played had there been a game last weekend, but the bye has done him the world of good.
"I had a really good hit-out last Friday. If there had of been a game, it would've been touch and go for the weekend but given that it was a bye, it just gave me another week to get right so I'm 100 per cent right to go," Caddy said.
The Tiger won't have played in just under a month by Friday but he didn't expect rust to be an issue.
"I don't think so. Including the JLT (Community Series), I played 22 games this year," Caddy said.
"It's not ideal to miss the last couple but I've only missed two games in three weeks, so hopefully the body of work I've done throughout the whole season has me in good hands for the finals.
"I've been training pretty hard and keeping on top of everything. You can't fully simulate the game but I feel like I'm in good shape."
Caddy has averaged 18 disposals and just under a goal a game since crossing over to his third club, having been drafted by Gold Coast before moving to Geelong.
He is not short of experience under the heat of September, having played in six finals. Only one of those has been a win, drawing parallels to Richmond's recent record, which has not won a final since 2001.
It is a record Caddy will want to reverse. His mind will be eased somewhat by having lined up against his former side recently.
"You do get nervous playing against your old side, no doubt. Anyone who's left one club and gone to another would know that," Caddy said.
"But even though I was only out there for a little while, playing them a few weeks ago got those butterflies and nerves out of the way. I haven't thought about it anywhere near as much this time."
Not many pundits tipped Richmond's rapid rise up the ladder, from 13th to third in a year.
The Tigers traded in Caddy, Dion Prestia and Toby Nankervis, and the former Cat said he expected those changes to lift the side.
"I was probably more optimistic than other people. I knew that we could definitely improve. I wasn't sure how much improvement that would be but to say we'd finish third, I wouldn't have thought it was likely, but I definitely knew we had the ability to improve," he said.
Caddy spoke at The Merrywell in Southbank to promote Richmond, Essendon and Geelong-themed burgers, with proceeds made in September going to charities of each club's choice.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-05/excat-caddy-feeling-100-per-cent-ahead-of-huge-final
