Champs respect Tigers
Nick Sheridan | April 28, 2007
The Age
THE unbeaten Eagles have vowed not to take Richmond for granted in today's clash at the MCG despite the Tigers' failure to win a game so far this season.
Eagles assistant coach Peter Sumich said the Tigers' 0-4 record did not accurately reflect the standard of football they had been playing.
"I think Richmond have been playing good footy," he said. "They're a bit like Fremantle. Fremantle was zero and three and playing good footy and Richmond are in a similar predicament — they've been playing good footy without getting the four points, so it's going to be a tough sort of game."
Richmond's assistant coach David King said his side was optimistic.
"I don't think it's mission impossible at all," he said. "I think that every time we go out to play, we go out to win — I don't care who we're playing.
"Certainly West Coast are the best team in the competition — we know that, we acknowledge that — but every time we go out, we don't sell ourselves short by any stretch."
King said there was a lot of pressure on tall Troy Simmonds as the Tigers' only genuine ruck option, but that Simmonds was rising to the challenge.
"Physically it's probably hard," he said. "Mentally he's fine. He understands that he's a real key for our side, he's an important player for us … we need a big game from him."
While the odds are stacked high against Richmond in the Eagles' first outing at the MCG since their premiership triumph last year, King ruled out any attempt to win through tactics such as those employed against Adelaide in round eight last year, when the Tigers played a keeping-off style in beating the highly rated Crows.
"It's not going to be about tactics that are going to win it for us — it's going to be about our players collectively having a crack and individually performing somewhere near their best," King said.
King also lauded newcomer Jake King, who made a solid debut against the Bulldogs last week after being elevated from the rookie list.
"He just likes a challenge. He's just a competitor and that's what we love about him. He doesn't give an inch, doesn't ask for any . . . he's exactly what we need."
King acknowledged the talents and efforts of West Coast midfielders Daniel Kerr and Chris Judd, saying some of the Tigers' younger players could learn a lot from watching the two superstars.
"I'm sure that some of our players on the weekend will get an experience first hand of how hard you have to work in this game," he said.
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