AFL 2022: Ivan Soldo impresses as Dustin Martin misses Richmond Tigers intra-club trial but eyes Round 1 return
He hasn’t played for 18 months, but Richmond believes a big man with massive upside will have a huge impact in 2022. All the news out of the Tigers’ intraclub.
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Richmond expects recovering stars Dustin Martin and Tom Lynch to kick off their 2022 campaigns in next Saturday’s practice match against Geelong after both missed the club’s spirited match simulation session at Punt Road on Saturday morning.
But last year’s mid-season recruit Matt Parker could be set for a stint on the sidelines after injuring his foot, which will require scans to determine the severity of the injury.
SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE NOTES FROM THE TIGERS’ INTRACLUB
Martin suffered a “niggle” in his hip/adductor on Thursday which the Tigers didn’t want to risk, but assistant coach Andrew McQualter said he would likely take on the Cats next week.
The 30-year-old, who hasn’t played suffering a lacerated kidney in a collision with Brisbane’s Mitch Robinson in Round 18 last year, did a solid early morning running session with Lynch.
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Lynch was sharp in the running session and is ready to resume from his hamstring issue.
“Dustin was pretty close to playing, (it) was a slight hip issue and we expect him to be fine next week,” McQualter said.
“Lynchy … was pretty much at 100 per cent running. He probably could have played today. But it was not worth running the risk for an intraclub at this time of the year with those guys.
“Both look like they will be available next week. It will be a first-game (of the pre-season) for them. Over the years we have always built our guys up, and it will be the same for them.”
The Tigers’ intra club session was divided up into three terms of almost 30 minutes.
It saw former Kangaroo Robbie Tarrant work in defensive tandem with highly-rated draftee Josh Gibcus, Dion Prestia shine after a flawless pre-season, Liam Baker boot four goals, and Noah Balta playing in a new forward role.
Jack Graham and Kane Lambert also missed out on Saturday but they are working their way back towards fitness again after a few frustrating issues.
Parker, who played the last six games for the Tigers last year after being taken in the mid-season draft, went down clutching his foot during the match simulation and was taken from the field in obvious pain.
McQualter said: “It is never ideal to see guys go down in a scratch match, it was somewhere in his foot. Obviously we will go away and look at some scans, we are not really sure about it, but we don’t want to see guys limping off.”
Triple premiership midfielder Prestia was the outstanding performer of the morning in an exciting display for the Tigers fans who attended the session.
The 29-year-old has managed only nine games in each of the past two seasons due to injury, but looks sharp after a superb pre-season campaign so far.
“He looked good today, Dion … the more we can have him on the park, the better we are going to be. He is a great leader for us and it was a great start for him (on Saturday).”
McQualter said Gibcus – the club’s pick 9 from last year’s draft – was working with Tarrant in defence, saying: “what a good guy to learn off for Josh … Robbie is such an experienced player and we are rapt to have him,
“We think they are going to form a good relationship for a good period of time.”
TRAINING NOTES: PRESTIA PRIMED TO HELP TIGERS RELAUNCH
WHO WERE THE STANDOUTS?
If Dion Prestia’s body holds together, it will be a massive win for the Tigers as they look towards pushing for the higher reaches of the ladder again.
Prestia managed only nine games last season, but track watchers have been buoyant about his pre-season to date and he looks set to regain his mantle as one of the club’s most important players.
He was outstanding in the match simulation on Saturday morning, running out of the middle at full steam and distributing well.
At stages of the intraclub, Prestia combined well with Trent Cotchin, Shane Edwards and Shai Bolton, and it shows that the Tigers’ midfield will still have plenty of depth through it when Jack Graham and others return.
Liam Baker kicked four goals for his side and was lively throughout the session. He just keeps adding strings to his bow.
Bolton was good early, Riley Collier-Dawkins kicked two early goals, and the new skipper Toby Nankervis kicked two goals playing in the ruck against Ivan Soldo and also drifting forward on occasions.
MOVING MAGNETS
The acquisition of Robbie Tarrant means the Tigers have been able to move Noah Balta forward and it could pay good dividends.
Balta took a while to find his groove, playing at times on Tarrant, but got off the chain later in the clash and ended up kicking two goals.
Assistant coach Andrew McQualter said the club was excited to see what Balta can bring to the attack once he gets into his groove.
“He has played forward for us in previous years earlier in his career,” McQualter said. “I think there is a lot of potential there.
“We know he had play back (also) but it is something we are trying, so who knows where it can end up.
“He has a lot of talent, Noah. He had trained the whole pre-season forward so that’s where it is at the moment.”
Ivan Soldo’s return also gives the Tigers some flexibility in the big man stocks.
He hasn’t played since Round 17, 2020 and looked impressive in his return, going head to head with Nankervis at stages.
“He’s the forgotten man … he hasn’t played for 18 months now,” McQualter said. “He is only 25 years old, with lots of upside still. For him, it is just great to play again and to get the confidence in his body again, and to get the relationship going again with Toby.
“I know they tried to belt each other today but going forward they will be working in tandem.”
He praised the work of Collier-Dawkins and Jack Ross for the work they had put in during the pre-season and said the competition for spots was strong.
RECRUIT/DRAFT WATCH
The Tigers have been super impressed with the way the club’s pick 9 Josh Gibcus has settled into Punt Road.
It may be too early to suggest he could be a Round 1 bolter, but he showed enough working alongside Tarrant in the intraclub to suggest he can be a serious player in the future.
He looks good overhead and has a solid game sense, with Jack Riewoldt saying recently he has been particularly taken with his talent and work ethic.
He was matched against Riewoldt on Saturday, and learnt plenty of lessons.
Another draftee Samuel Banks kicked two nice goals in the game and looks a competitive player while Tyler Sonsie made a few nice interceptions.
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