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AFL Grand Final parade: Richmond's Nathan Broad reveals memory loss
Richmond defender Nathan Broad has revealed the startling impact of his preliminary final concussion as Tigers and Giants fans flooded city streets for the Grand Final parade.
Richmond defender Nathan Broad says he didn’t believe the Tigers were into the Grand Final after suffering a heavy concussion in the preliminary final win.
Broad has got the all-clear to play in the premiership decider after passing a range of tests at training this week.
Broad revealed he does not remember anything about the Tigers’ preliminary final comeback win over Geelong and had to check the official scores on the internet the next morning before he would believe his housemate, and teammate Brandon Ellis.
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“For some reason, my brain thought it was the first final, so I thought we were into a prelim,” Broad said.
“’Brando’ said ‘Nah it’s a Grand Final this week, but I didn’t believe him. I thought he was tricking me. So I said ‘Nah I’m not falling for that mate’.
“So I had to check the AFL app and even go through the app to see my name.
“So, it was a crazy morning, it was an exciting morning.
“But I don’t remember anything about the game itself, or Friday at all, it is all a blur.”
Broad, 26, copped the knock in the third term when he collided with teammate Jayden Short and then fell on to Brandan Parfitt’s knee on the way down.
Broad said he woke up in the spare bedroom of the house the next morning and worried that day that he would be in doubt for the big one.
But the backman has done everything at training to prove his fitness.
“I was worried I was going to have a delayed concussion, but as the week has gone on I haven’t had a headache,” he said.
“I feel amazing and I’ve had a few big hits at training and it’s all good, so I’m ready to go.”
The hype around Richmond’s crazy pressure levels might have diluted but that is still the main metric for small forward Jason Castagna.
Forward pressure was the cornerstone of the Tigers’ 2017 premiership although coach Damien Hardwick’s remodelled gameplan now has the club’s piercing ball movement as its No.1 asset.But for Castagna – who recorded six score involvements in last week’s preliminary final – harassing remains king.
“For sure. Dimma has always told me that as a small forward and us other small forwards that if bring our pressure then we’re going to get a game,” Castagna told the Herald Sun.
“He’s given me great confidence in my role just to do that, so I guess I’ve just stuck to that and that’s still our game.”While fellow premiership forward Dan Butler has fallen out of favour, playing just seven games this season, Castanga has once again been a mainstay.
The 181cm forward has booted a career-best 27 goals in 2019 and has missed just three games in the past three years. “I think I’ve just tried to play my role,” he said.
“At times I’ve had some quiet games this year but as long as I’m doing what the team needs of me then I think that’s enough to keep my spot.
“And I think that’s what I’ve done.”
- Sam Landsberger
HEARTBREAK WILL MAKE ME STRONGER
Richmond teenager Jack Ross has vowed to emerge stronger from his Grand Final heartache as he wished first-gamer Marlion Pickett best wishes for Saturday’s clash with Greater Western Sydney.
Ross, 19, was rated a serious chance to play after Jack Graham was ruled out due to his dislocated shoulder.
But the Tigers opted to go with 27-year-old debutant Pickett instead.
“It’s obviously not the news that I wanted,” Ross said at the Grand Final parade.
“But Marlion is a great guy and he’s a great player. I can’t believe where he has come from, missing out on the drafts.
“It’s a special thing to watch him go about it.”
Ross played seven games for the Tigers this year, with his last one coming in Round 22.
He says the club had been extremely supportive across the past week - and throughout the season.
“I’ve got plenty of footy left in me,” he said. “Hopefully my career is going to go on for a long time.”
- Glenn McFarlane
THE CALL THAT SAVED LACHIE
Lachie Whitfield has revealed a phone call from Brisbane Lions premiership star Nigel Lappin has put him at ease before the Grand Final.
Lappin defied medical logic to play in the 2003 Grand Final only a week after breaking his ribs, while he punctured his lung in a matcheve fitness test.Whitfield today took contact at training and declared the “last box has been ticked” in his recovery from surgery to remove his appendix.
“I spoke to Nigel Lappin during the week, who gave me some advice about on how he went about it,” Whitfield said.
“He obviously had his ribs and a bit of a lung issue so it was a bit different to mine.
“But it was a similar process in terms of just getting yourself up fora grand final.“He was a very resilient bloke so it was good to talk to him.”
Former GWS welfare manager and Brisbane player Craig Lambert organised for Lappin to contact Whitfield.
- Sam Edmund
RECAP THE AFL GRAND FINAL PARADE
Updates
SAM LANDSBERGER
The hype around Richmond’s crazy pressure levels might have diluted but that is still the main metric for small forward Jason Castagna.
Forward pressure was the cornerstone of the Tigers’ 2017 premiership although coach Damien Hardwick’s remodelled gameplan now has the club’s piercing ball movement as its No.1 asset.
But for Castagna – who recorded six score involvements in last week’s preliminary final – harassing remains king.
“For sure. Dimma has always told me that as a small forward and us other small forwards that if we bring our pressure then we’re going to get a game,” Castagna told the Herald Sun.
“He’s given me great confidence in my role just to do that, so I guess I’ve just stuck to that and that’s still our game.”
While fellow premiership forward Dan Butler has fallen out of favour, playing just seven games this season, Castagna has once again been a mainstay.
The 181cm forward has booted a career-best 27 goals in 2019 and has missed just three games in the past three years.
“I think I’ve just tried to play my role,” he said.
“At times I’ve had some quiet games this year but as long as I’m doing what the team needs of me then I think that’s enough to keep my spot.
“And I think that’s what I’ve done.”
Memory loss gives Broad delayed GF delight
JAY CLARK
Richmond defender Nathan Broad says he didn’t believe the Tigers were into the Grand Final after suffering a heavy concussion in the preliminary final win.
Broad has got the all-clear to play in the premiership decider tomorrow after passing a range of tests at training this week.
Broad revealed he does not remember anything about the Tigers’ preliminary final comeback win over Geelong and had to check the official scores on the internet the next morning before he would believe his housemate, and teammate Brandon Ellis.
“For some reason, my brain thought it was the first final, so I thought we were into a prelim,” Broad said.
“’Brando’ said ‘Nah it’s a Grand Final this week, but I didn’t believe him. I thought he was tricking me. So I said ‘Nah I’m not falling for that mate’.
“So I had to check the AFL app and even go through the app to see my name.
“So, it was a crazy morning, it was an exciting morning.
“But I don’t remember anything about the game itself, or Friday at all, it is all a blur.”
Broad, 26, copped the knock in the third term when he collided with teammate Jayden Short and then fell on to Brandan Parfitt’s knee on the way down.
Broad said he woke up in the spare bedroom of the house the next morning and worried that day that he would be in doubt for the big one.
But the backman has done everything at training to prove his fitness.
“I was worried I was going to have a delayed concussion, but as the week has gone on I haven’t had a headache,” he said.
“I feel amazing and I’ve had a few big hits at training and it’s all good, so I’m ready to go.”
Pickett selection ‘dangerous’ for Tigers
AFL legend Kevin Sheedy has labelled Richmond’s decision to select Marlion Pickett to debut in Saturday’s Grand Final as “dangerous”.
Pickett spent time in jail for burglary before rising through the WAFL ranks and to Richmond via the mid-season draft.
He was named best on ground in the VFL Grand Final last week. However, Sheedy believes picking a first gamer for such a big game sends the wrong message.
“I wouldn’t have played a first-gamer in this grand final,” Sheedy told 6PR.
“You’re sorta nearly giving (the impression) we think we’ve got you covered, so we’ll put a kid in.
“(It’s) very dangerous.”
Rebecca Williams
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin says Marlion Pickett's inclusion in the Tigers' Grand Final team has created a buzz, but expects the debutant to be calm and level-headed on game day.
"Obviously there is a lot of excitement about a guy whose background speaks for itself," Cotchin said.
"But the way he has come into the footy club has been impressive, he has been unassuming.
"You speak to the guys that have played with him at VFL level and they look to him for that level of maturity and calmness."
Cotchin paid tribute to the players that missed selection for the premiership decider, including Jack Graham whose shoulder injury opened the door for Pickett.
"On the flip side it is disappointing for the likes of Jack Graham to have an injury that he did and then guys that have been unfortunately not given the opportunity to play," Cotchin said.
"But a credit to those guys (is) the way that they've shown up throughout the week, today and no doubt they'll have smiles on their dials come the parade and tomorrow. That's just what we are about."
‘It’s obviously not the news that I wanted’
GLENN McFARLANE
Richmond teenager Jack Ross has vowed to emerge stronger from his Grand Final heartache as he wished first-gamer Marlion Pickett best wishes for Saturday’s clash with Greater Western Sydney.
Ross, 19, was rated a serious chance to play after Jack Graham was ruled out due to his dislocated shoulder.
But the Tigers opted to go with 27-year-old debutant Pickett instead.
“It’s obviously not the news that I wanted,” Ross said at the Grand Final parade.
“But Marlion is a great guy and he’s a great player. I can’t believe where he has come from, missing out on the drafts.
“It’s a special thing to watch him go about it.”
Ross played seven games for the Tigers this year, with his last one coming in Round 22.
He says the club had been extremely supportive across the past week – and throughout the season.
“I’ve got plenty of footy left in me,” he said. “Hopefully my career is going to go on for a long time.”
The call that put Whitfield at ease
SAM EDMUND
Lachie Whitfield has revealed a phone call from Brisbane Lions premiership star Nigel Lappin has put him at ease before the Grand Final.
Lappin defied medical logic to play in the 2003 Grand Final only a week after breaking his ribs, while he punctured his lung in a match eve fitness test.
Whitfield today took contact at training and declared the “last box has been ticked” in his recovery from surgery to remove his appendix.
“I spoke to Nigel Lappin during the week, who gave me some advice about on how he went about it,” Whitfield said.
“He obviously had his ribs and a bit of a lung issue so it was a bit different to mine.
“But it was a similar process in terms of just getting yourself up for a grand final.
“He was a very resilient bloke so it was good to talk to him.”
Former GWS welfare manager and Brisbane player Craig Lambert organised for Lappin to contact Whitfield.
Cotchin opens up on what to expect from Pickett
Rebecca Williams
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin says Marlion Pickett's inclusion in the Tigers' Grand Final team has created a buzz, but expects the debutant to be calm and level-headed on game day.
"Obviously there is a lot of excitement about a guy whose background speaks for itself," Cotchin said.
"But the way he has come into the footy club has been impressive, he has been unassuming.
"You speak to the guys that have played with him at VFL level and they look to him for that level of maturity and calmness."
Cotchin paid tribute to the players that missed selection for the premiership decider, including Jack Graham whose shoulder injury opened the door for Pickett.
"On the flip side it is disappointing for the likes of Jack Graham to have an injury that he did and then guys that have been unfortunately not given the opportunity to play," Cotchin said.
"But a credit to those guys (is) the way that they've shown up throughout the week, today and no doubt they'll have smiles on their dials come the parade and tomorrow. That's just what we are about."
‘This is special’: Cotchin
Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin has opened up on the “special” feeling he gets seeing so many Tiger fans out in the streets of Melbourne.
The Grand Final parade has been dominated by the yellow and black army.
The majority kicked off their celebrations at Punt Road this morning for the club’s final training session of the year.
“It is very special. Thinking back to when I was first drafted…to see where we are now is very special and I’m very grateful to be a part of it.”
