Track Watch: Who’s starring in match simulations?Richmond's strong pre-season continued with an impressive mid-January week of training.
RichmondFC.com.au
Jan 23, 2026, 5:16 pmWith Round 1 just six weeks away, Richmond returned to the Swinburne Centre on Monday for their main training, focusing on sharpening skills and fine-tuning match fitness.
The session began with ball skills followed by interval running, which saw emerging leader Jack Ross push the pace, leading multiple packs.
Contest craft was next, with the side splitting up into groups around the ground to compete in stoppage play.
Seth Campbell’s ability to win the ball at ground level was a highlight, hitting the ball at pace, dodging and weaving his way around defenders.
In the other pocket of the oval, Nathan Broad and Liam Fawcett locked horns in aerial battles, both competing hard to win the ball in the air. The youngster took it to the veteran, both bringing the best out in one another.
Moving onto a handball drill, involving a five vs five, keeping off simulation, James Trezise showed his elite pressure off the ball by making tackles and forcing the opposition into stoppage. The 23-year-old was equally impressive in attack, moving the ball forward with silky, quick handballs, finding targets and beating his opponent.
Next up was the most anticipated part of Monday’s session, as the squad moved into match simulation.
Fawcett and Harry Armstrong were kicking truly as they received rocketing passes inside 50 from Jayden Short and Rhyan Mansell.
Kaleb Smith and Tom Brown managed to work out of deep defence to allow the ball to land in Patrick Retschko’s hands, as he tore up the wing and got the ball to a running Sam Grlj.
Mykelti Lefau laid a crunching tackle and fed the winning ball to Jasper Alger, who snapped a clean goal around his body from 40 metres out.
Campbell was damaging all over the ground, wearing a pink bib as an option for both teams with possession to use. When receiving the ball, Campbell looked to move it quickly, playing off the mark and making valuable ground by foot.
Exciting youngster Steely Green also made his mark, acting as a prolific option every time the ball would float forward to the pocket. Green capitalised with elite marking, kicking goals as a result.
Tuesday's session took the group to the pool for lap swimming, before rounding things out with pilates, ahead of a big track session on Wednesday.
The session started with fast-paced skill drills followed by shuttle running, led by Ross and Retschko.
Josh Gibcus impressed in a transition drill, where he appeared to be gliding through the middle of the oval, hitting his kicks and weaving through traffic. Gibcus looked to be moving well after successfully making his return to senior footy in last season’s finale against Geelong.
Brown brought plenty of voice to the track, working hard in defence during a diamond drill, nailing kicks and forcing turnovers with his pressure acts.
To wrap up the session, the side went into a nine vs seven drill with Gray once again commanding the space with his lead at the football and willingness to compete in aerial contests. His decision-making and composure to offload the footy have been impressive, rarely missing a kick.
Forwards Fawcett and Lefau finished their sessions with some goal kicking, both taking set shots with extreme confidence from all angles of the ground.
Friday brought the Melbourne sun, which has become a signature for big training sessions at the Swinburne Centre, and Short was in full voice, while Toby Nankervis continued his ground ball work alongside the midfield group.
Working closely with Jacob Hopper and Sam Lalor, Nankervis led the way and applied pressure as they perfected their ground ball gets.
The side finished a big week on the track with a full oval match simulation. From the first ball-up, the intensity was at full pelt, with Jack Dyer Medallist Tim Taranto doing what he does best by getting his hands on the footy early.
On the opposing team, Ross managed to get in and under to win the footy at the next centre ball-up, bursting through a strong tackle and moving it on by hand.
The speed and composure from Grlj off half back was on display, as the draftee controlled the space, hitting up targets in transition. His pressure and ability to force turnovers were prominent.
An inbound ball from Armstrong set it up for Maurice Rioli at the half-forward line, where he scooped the ball up cleanly from the ground to then weave through an array of defenders to finish with a right-foot snap at goal. Rioli recorded two goals for the day.
Gibcus and Armstrong locked horns in repetitive aerial contests, both not giving an inch as they fought to win the ball.
Kane McAuliffe was also dangerous out of the middle, winning the ball at stoppage and notching important meters gained for his team on numerous occasions.
Noah Roberts-Thomson held his own from the forward pocket, attacking the ball hard in the air against bigger bodies, bringing the ball to ground, then picking up the crumbs and snapping an impressive goal. Roberts-Thomson kicked multiple goals in an eye-catching performance from the 54th pick in last year's draft.
Zane Peucker also had success in the forward line, strategically out-bodying his opponent to win the ball out the back, and walking through for an open goal.
Gray once again was a rock down back, spoiling and contesting every ball that came his way.
In the second period, Lalor got to work, winning the ball throughout the middle of the ground and proceeding to ‘don’t argue’ his oncoming opponent before slamming it down on his right foot to add another clearance to his name.
Brown was prolific around the ground, taking intercept marks, switching the ball and recording repetitive inside 50 entries, setting up his teammates on multiple occasions.
At the beginning of the third and final period, McAuliffe once again won the centre clearance off a tap from Lefau, booting 45 meters towards the goal square to find Fawcett leaping back, taking the mark with ease.
Alger looked dangerous in the third term, taking a leaping grab from 40 meters out after a hard running lead, leaving his opponent in the dust. The small forward went back for the set shot and kicked it true for a goal.
With one minute to go on the clock, the black jumpers trailed by just three points to the white team.
With the game in the balance, Rioli won the ball from just outside of the attacking 50 from a stoppage and proceeded to lace up Roberts-Thomson dead straight in front of goal about 30 meters out. With all the pressure on the draftee's shoulders, he calmly walked back and kicked the game-winning goal for his side to end the match simulation.
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1946643/track-watch-whos-starring-in-match-simulations
