Tigers ready for rebounding Geelong
Breaking News - The Age
May 26, 2006 - 5:11PM
Richmond knows all too well that a week is a long time in football and is prepared for Geelong to bounce back from its recent humiliating AFL loss.
After a 118-point thrashing by Sydney in round seven, the lowly Tigers triumphed over high-flyers Adelaide last round.
They are wary that the Cats, who were crushed by 102 points last week by Collingwood in one of the club's worst-ever losses, will deliver a similar turnaround when the teams meet at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.
Skipper Kane Johnson, who is returning after three weeks sidelined with a hamstring injury, said he expected a different Geelong outfit than that which crashed to the Pies.
"They're going to be nice and fired up like we were last week so it's going to be a good challenge," he said.
"Collingwood were very good and Geelong were a little bit off and we know they're a lot better than that so we can't go on that game, we've got to watch other games they've been very good in and go on that."
After his stint out Johnson said he had noticed a lift in intensity at training, as his team's confidence built with its climb up the ladder.
"I just trained on Wednesday for the first time in three weeks and the intensity of the group has gone up 10-fold, so if we can keep that up and keep going like that we'll beat most sides."
Despite Geelong's dip in form and the absence of injured skipper Steven King (calf) and Kane Tenace (knee), history is against Richmond.
The Tigers haven't beaten the Cats in their last seven games, since 2000, or won in Geelong in 16 years.
Johnson couldn't pinpoint why his side has struggled there, but felt confident it could grab a win after last year's one-point loss.
"Any away trip is tough and down there it's a little bit tougher because of the wind conditions and the weather usually a little bit inclement but we're just looking forward to having a good win down there and really taking it up to Geelong."
He wouldn't be drawn on coach Terry Wallace' controversial high-possession and defensive tactics used in the three-point win over Adelaide.
"I'm sure he'll have something," Johnson said when asked if Wallace had any tricks up his sleeve.
"I didn't play and I don't want to comment much on the game but I thought the young blokes were very good and showed they're really coming on.
"It's very promising for us as a group."
Despite being named as an emergency, Johnson said fullback Darren Gaspar, who has been battling a hamstring problem since round three, was no chance of playing and would make his comeback through VFL affiliate Coburg next weekend.
All-Australian Nathan Brown trained strongly on Friday as he continued his recovery from his broken leg and could be back playing in two weeks time.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Tigers-ready-for-rebounding-Geelong/2006/05/26/1148524877234.html
