Toby Nankervis wants to go head-to-head with Scott Lycett and Paddy Ryder
Richmond big man Toby Nankervis says he is ready for the challenge of tackling the best ruck combination in the game as the Tigers look to turn around their early-season fortunes.
CHRIS CAVANAGH
less than 2 min read
April 12, 2019 - 10:47AM
Richmond big man Toby Nankervis says he is ready for the challenge of tackling the best ruck combination in the game as the Tigers look to turn around their early-season fortunes.
Nankervis will come up against Port Adelaide pair Scott Lycett and Paddy Ryder when Richmond meets the Power at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Port Adelaide has won the hitout count in each of its first three matches and won the clearances in two of those as a result, losing only to Melbourne in Round 1, 33-30.
The Power ranks second in the competition for hit-outs, hit-outs to advantage and clearances, while Richmond ranks 17th in each of the three categories.
Nankervis said Lycett and Ryder presented a huge challenge but one that both himself and the rest of the midfield group were excited for.
“They’ve definitely been playing some terrific footy and it will be a challenge like every week but I’m just looking forward to the challenge and us as a team bouncing back from last week,” Nankervis said.
Toby Nankervis is ready to take on the Power. Picture: Getty Images
“It’s such an even comp this year. It’s just so close. Especially at Adelaide Oval, it’s always a tough task. But we can’t wait.”
Despite the Tigers making six changes for the clash on the back of a wretched injury run, Nankervis said it was no time to panic after a 1-2 start to the season.
“It is only Round 4 so we’ve got so much time to improve and I feel really confident that we’ll do that,” he said.
Updates
More high-profile Adelaide veterans will follow Bryce Gibbs out of the side if they continue to underperform, coach Don Pyke has warned. The spotlight will be on misfiring forwards like Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins when the Crows play winless North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night after the shock axing of Gibbs.
“It was a form decision that’s best for the team.We work on a merits-based system, the reality is that guys earn their spots and we’ve got some guys who are experienced but you’ve still got to perform,” Pyke said of the Gibbs decision on Friday.
Liam Twomey
That’s all for AFL Daily today. Thanks for joining us.
Nank ready to challenge top duo
Liam Twomey
CHRIS CAVANAGH – HERALD SUN
Richmond big man Toby Nankervis says he is ready for the challenge of tackling the best ruck combination in the game as the Tigers look to turn around their early-season fortunes.
Nankervis will come up against Port Adelaide pair Scott Lycett and Paddy Ryder when Richmond meets the Power at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
Port Adelaide has won the hitout count in each of its first three matches and won the clearances in two of those as a result, losing only to Melbourne in Round 1, 33-30.
The Power ranks second in the competition for hit-outs, hit-outs to advantage and clearances, while Richmond ranks 17th in each of the three categories.
Nankervis said Lycett and Ryder presented a huge challenge but one that both himself and the rest of the midfield group were excited for.
“They’ve definitely been playing some terrific footy and it will be a challenge like every week but I’m just looking forward to the challenge and us as a team bouncing back from last week,” Nankervis said.
“It’s such an even comp this year. It’s just so close. Especially at Adelaide Oval, it’s always a tough task. But we can’t wait.”
Despite the Tigers making six changes for the clash on the back of a wretched injury run, Nankervis said it was no time to panic after a 1-2 start to the season.
“It is only Round 4 so we’ve got so much time to improve and I feel really confident that we’ll do that,” he said.
Gibbs axed, could Eddie or Tex be next?
Liam Twomey
More high-profile Adelaide veterans will follow Bryce Gibbs out of the side if they continue to underperform, coach Don Pyke has warned. The spotlight will be on misfiring forwards like Taylor Walker, Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins when the Crows play winless North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night after the shock axing of Gibbs.
“It was a form decision that’s best for the team.We work on a merits-based system, the reality is that guys earn their spots and we’ve got some guys who are experienced but you’ve still got to perform,” Pyke said of the Gibbs decision on Friday.
Andrew Hamilton
Gold Coast have been forced into a late change for Sunday's clash with Carlton after Lachie Weller withdrew with a hamstring injury.
Midfielder Ben Ainsworth will come into the squad.
It is a quicker than expected recovery for Ainsworth who was listed to miss six weeks with the knee injury he suffered against St Kilda in round one.
He trained with the main group on Wednesday when coach Stuart Dew suggested he would be close to earning a recall.
He was not originally selected in the side but when Weller injured himself at training today he was next in line.
Weller will be sent for scans this afternoon.
The former Docker had a quiet round one but a switch to half back has seen him named among the best players the past two weeks.
Weller injury blow for Suns
Liam Twomey
Andrew Hamilton
Gold Coast have been forced into a late change for Sunday's clash with Carlton after Lachie Weller withdrew with a hamstring injury.
Midfielder Ben Ainsworth will come into the squad.
It is a quicker than expected recovery for Ainsworth who was listed to miss six weeks with the knee injury he suffered against St Kilda in round one.
He trained with the main group on Wednesday when coach Stuart Dew suggested he would be close to earning a recall.
He was not originally selected in the side but when Weller injured himself at training today he was next in line.
Weller will be sent for scans this afternoon.
The former Docker had a quiet round one but a switch to half back has seen him named among the best players the past two weeks.
'Patchy form' to blame for Gibbs axe
Chris Vernuccio
Richard Earle
Adelaide coach Don Pyke says axing Bryce Gibbs was more about upholding a merit-based system than making a statement following the club’s indifferent start the season.
Gibbs finished second in Adelaide’s Brownlow Medal voting to Rory Laird and played every game last season but finds himself back in the SANFL for the first time since being drafted from Glenelg in 2006.
“His form has been patchy for us so we looking across whole areas of the game. It is an opportunity to back and perform really strongly and I am sure he will,” said Pyke of Gibbs.
“We have been having some conversations with him.”
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has warned his players Richmond is still a league heavyweight despite being hit by suspension and injuries.
The Tigers are without a roll call of stars for Saturday’s Adelaide Oval match against the Power, including its top four Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt, Alex Rance and Trent Cotchin.
Premiership star Bachar Houli, who was named on Thursday night, will also sit out another week with a hamstring complaint.
Port Adelaide will start a raging favourite but Hinkley cautioned against reading too much into what the side looked like on paper.
“It’s really challenging for us because there’s some expectation on what Richmond has got and what we’ve got, “ Hinkley said.
“But I think if you look at it in the whole picture of things we’ve got some players missing, they’ve got some players missing.
“It never counts for too much once the game starts.
“We respect them as one of the great clubs of the competition.”
Tigers still a great club: Hinkley
Chris Vernuccio
Jesper Fjeldstad
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has warned his players Richmond is still a league heavyweight despite being hit by suspension and injuries.
The Tigers are without a roll call of stars for Saturday’s Adelaide Oval match against the Power, including its top four Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt, Alex Rance and Trent Cotchin.
Premiership star Bachar Houli, who was named on Thursday night, will also sit out another week with a hamstring complaint.
Port Adelaide will start a raging favourite but Hinkley cautioned against reading too much into what the side looked like on paper.
“It’s really challenging for us because there’s some expectation on what Richmond has got and what we’ve got, “ Hinkley said.
“But I think if you look at it in the whole picture of things we’ve got some players missing, they’ve got some players missing.
“It never counts for too much once the game starts.
“We respect them as one of the great clubs of the competition.”
Saints still none the wiser on Hannebery
Chris Vernuccio
St Kilda's big-name recruit Dan Hannebery had a light run at Moorabbin today but coach Alan Richardson is still unsure when he’ll be ready.
Hannebery was last month relieved of his leadership duties to focus on his fitness.
Asked if Hannebery might be right by Round 6, Richardson said “it will be a bit longer than that.
“It all depends on how he progresses and as we up the ante, and as he gets more intensity into his training, how he responds,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jack Steven is far from certain to return for Sunday’s game against Hawthorn.
The four-time club best-and-fairest trained on Friday but coach Alan Richardson would not confirm the midfielder’s position in their final 22.
Steven returned from time off because of mental health issues to play in the Saints’ opening two wins, before being rested for their narrow away loss to Fremantle.
Steven would be a massive boost for the Marvel Stadium clash but the Saints will be cautious with him.
“We’re still not sure … he did a really good effort to get up for our first couple of weeks and we alluded to last week, he was a little bit sore, he wasn’t quite right,” Richardson said.
“We’ll just have to wait and see, firstly how he trains and then how he pulls up.
“It’s just making sure he’s right to play.”
The Saints only have a win and a draw from their past 10 clashes with Hawthorn, who represent a step up in opposition after Gold Coast, Essendon and the Dockers.
