Young Tiger hoping to scale the heights
7:24 PM Sun 5 August, 2007
By Jason Phelan
for richmondfc.com.au
DANIEL Connors’ eye-catching performance off a half-back stuff was a bright light on another tough day for the Tigers at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.
The 18-year-old showed poise under huge pressure, with most of his 25 touches finding their mark in just his second game.
“I was trying to run hard and get a few kicks off the back line – it’s coming along all right,” Connors told richmondfc.com.au after the 70-point defeat to the Cats.
“[Coach] Terry [Wallace] wanted me to beat my man first and then run as hard as I could the other way.
“I know where my fitness has got to be at now. I’ve got to increase my fitness base and keep improving my disposal and hopefully we can all put together some good games on the way home.”
Connors, who won warm praise from Wallace after the match, hopes to become a full-time midfielder at some point, but is happy to learn his craft in the backline before being thrust into the engine room.
The Echuca lad admits he’s living his dream, having broken into the senior side, and he looked like he was home in the backyard when he took a huge mark over Travis Varcoe.
“It’s always good to take a speccy and that felt like a good one,” he said with a smile. “I’ll have to look at the tape but apparently it was all right.
“I love taking a hanger, I’ve pulled in a couple in the VFL and I’ll try and bring that into my game at AFL level. It’s a great part of the game.”
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