Both Plough and Roos swapped notes before Saturday's game
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Coaches collude to set up star clash
Canberra Times, March 3
Merryn Sherwood
A co-operative effort from Richmond and Sydney coaches could see a tantalising match-up between dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes and 2005 rising star Brett Deledio in the NAB regional challenge match at Manuka today.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said he had swapped notes with his opposing mentor Paul Roos during the week to try and provide the best hit-out for all players.
"I've talked to Roosy during the week and what we have tried to do is match up senior blokes on senior blokes and younger guys on younger guys, it's still only a practice match so it's all about having a good hit-out," Wallace said.
"So I'll expect Deledio will play on Adam Goodes and Kane Johnson will play against Brett Kirk, so two hard nuts against each other which should be good."
Deledio will need to play a big role in Richmond's midfield this year if the Tigers are to step up in the premiership season, but Wallace played down the match-up with 2006 Brownlow winner Goodes.
"It's not too important as far as his form in the season goes, I think sometimes we put too many eggs in one basket rather than spreading the load," he said.
"He already has a fair bit of expectation placed on him because he was a No1 draft pick, but he is a very good player so he deals with it well."
Another key match-up will be deja-vu for returning Tigers defender Will Thursfield.
"Will is making his comeback after a serious knee injury and his first game ever was on Mick O'Loughlin," Wallace said.
"So his first game back will be on Mick O'Loughlin, so there is a nice story there."
Sydney has named an almost full-strength team against the young Tigers - who have named every first year player and every rookie on their list for the match.
But Wallace said the battle for the midfield would be the Tigers' focus today.
"We brought up a good half a dozen of our regular midfield, Nathan Foley, Cam Howat, Brett Deledio, Kane Johnson, Richard Tambling," he said after the team arrived in Canberra yesterday.
"They will all play in the centre come round one, so it will be very much a battle of the midfield," he added. The Swans confirmed yesterday most of their returning stars would start on ground.
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