Brown adds spice to contest of intrigue
By Lyall Johnson
The Age
March 31, 2006
A MATCH between two clubs with so much recent shared history is always going to have sub-plots, but tonight'smatch between Richmond and the Western Bulldogs will be a many layered beast.
Much of the early attention will be on former Bulldog and now Richmond gun Nathan Brown, who plays his first game after breaking his leg against Melbourne in round 10 last year.
It has been a long road and yesterday Brown did not participate in full training, as he has all summer on days immediately before a match.
Instead, he practised shooting for goals, which is where he was so damaging early last year, averaging 3.3 a game before his injury.
His mate up forward, Matthew Richardson, said the team was looking forward to having him back in the side.
"It was uncertain whether he would make it to round one. A lot of people didn't think he would," Richardson said.
"Probably about eight weeks ago, I reckon Browny really started to come on and once he got a couple of practice matches under his belt, his confidence has grown and obviously he's ready to go. They wouldn't be risking him if he wasn't 100 per cent ready to go."
Then there will be Patrick Bowden, who was traded to Richmond over summer and plays his first game alongside his brother Joel, Richmond's two-time best and fairest, and at the club where their dad, Michael, was a premiership player in the Tigers' halcyon days under Tom Hafey in 1969.
"People who come up against their old side have always got a point to prove and I'm sure Patrick wants to get out there and show them what he can do," Richardson said.
"I think it was a lifelong ambition that they could get together and I know Joel's rapt to have him here."
Richardson said the enthusiasm for the season's start had heightened this year as the players had come to grips with coach Terry Wallace's game plans.
"We've really got a good grasp of what he's after now," he said.
"Twelve months on … we've really got a good understanding of each other now and it's time for us to go out there and do it."
The Bulldogs' barnstorming finish to 2005 prompted many to ink them in for a finals berth but coach Rodney Eade believes tonight's game will show his players how hard living up to that expectation will be.
"We've spoken about the importance of this game against a side that's going to be pretty tough and fairly physical," Eade said.
Five wins from the last six rounds left the Dogs agonisingly short of a finals berth last year, but emboldened Eade's young team.
"It's given the group a sense of belief, that they can compete with the best teams in the competition," he said.
Richmond starts without Trent Knobel, who missed much of the pre-season with a range of injuries, including a hairline fracture of the fibula. Greg Stafford is a late inclusion after doubts about his injured calf.
The Bulldogs have named ruckman Will Minson but he is expected to miss with a broken hand.
With REKO RENNIE
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/03/30/1143441278565.html
