FORGOTTEN MIDFIELDER RETURNS TO FORM IN TIGERS INTRA-CLUBBy Seb Mottram
SEN
19 Feb 2022Dustin Martin sat out Richmond’s Saturday intra-club game, but multiple other midfielders showed their prowess in the competitive hit-out.
It’s understood Martin has an adductor niggle, with the club opting to be cautious with their Brownlow Medallist.
However, that opened the door for on-ballers Dion Prestia and Trent Cotchin to be most impressive at Punt Road.
Cotchin, 31, hasn’t been at his brilliant best in recent years, but Saturday’s form could suggest he’s ready to get back to one of the competition’s top-echelon without the weight of the captaincy.
Meanwhile, Prestia has suffered a tough run with injury to manage just 14 games across the last two seasons.
The 2019 best and fairest winner has undergone a full pre-season leading into 2022 and may also be primed to showcase his best football in the coming season.
“He looked good today, Dion … the more we can have him on the park, the better we are going to be. He is a great leader for us and it was a great start for him (on Saturday),” assistant coach Andrew McQualter said, via News Corp.
Other standouts for the Tigers included Liam Baker kicking four goals and new defensive duo Robbie Tarrant and Josh Gibcus plying their trade across the backline, impressing the coaching staff.
“What a good guy to learn off for Josh … Robbie is such an experienced player and we are rapt to have him,” McQualter said,
“We think they are going to form a good relationship for a good period of time.”
The club’s eyes now turn to next Saturday’s practice game against Geelong at GMHBA stadium.
They hope that Martin and Tom Lynch – who also missed Saturday’s scratch match – will be both available to take on the Cats.
“Dustin was pretty close to playing, (it) was a slight hip issue and we expect him to be fine next week,” McQualter added.
“’Lynchy’ … was pretty much at 100 per cent running. He probably could have played today. But it was not worth running the risk for an intra-club at this time of the year with those guys.
“Both look like they will be available next week. It will be a first-game (of the preseason) for them. Over the years we have always built our guys up, and it will be the same for them.”
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2022/02/19/martin-sits-out-but-forgotten-midfielder-returns-to-form-in-tigers-intra/