Marsh Series: Jack Higgins makes successful comeback in Richmond’s loss to Collingwood

Richmond may have lost its Marsh Series clash against Collingwood but a huge positive for the Tigers was the successful return of Jack Higgins from brain surgery.

Jon Ralph

3 min read

March 1, 2020 - 7:57PM

Richmond forward Jack Higgins made a successful return in the Marsh Series clash against Collingwood. Picture: AAP

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Jack Higgins’ most glorious football moment against Collingwood came with that round-the-goalpost kick that won him the 2018 Goal of the Year.

Little did he know the most nondescript football contributions two years on could fill him with such joy.

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Sunday’s venue was Wangaratta’s picturesque Norm Minns Oval instead of a heaving MCG.

And his first contribution minutes after he bounced off the interchange bench would barely make the highlights reel in any of his 33 AFL games.

Yet the successful holding-the-ball tackle and simple wraparound handball for a 50m Jayden Short goal meant so much more than that.

Higgins was back, after a pair of brain surgeries that threatened his career and livelihood.

As usual his game was built on small but telling moments – a back-with-the-flight mark sandwiched between Ben Reid and Josh Daicos as well as a nice assist for a third-term Mabior Chol major.

But while he doesn’t have the premiership medal that dangles around Marlion Pickett’s neck, a career he feared was over now lives on.

Jack Higgins gets a kick away as Taylor Adams gives chase. Picture: AAP

WHO PLAYS ROUND 1?

Don’t get the feeling the Pies are sleepwalking through the pre-season stacked with extra practice matches and game simulation.

As the Pies dominated the first half then surged again late the star turns and cameos came from a host of players not content to play VFL in 2020.

Sons-of-guns Josh Daicos and Tyler Brown sparkled, with the son of legend Peter Daicos having a first-half blinder.

It included two goals and countless clever touches, Daicos saving a Tigers goal with a last-line mark only moments after finding the goalscorers list at the other end.

Darcy Cameron’s worth as a key forward is still to be determined but he slotted two goals and his influence in the ruck was important, including a perfect on-a-platter hitout to a surging Taylor Adams that resulted in a Pies goal.

Josh Daicos produced an eye-catching display for the Magpies. Picture: Michael Klein

Irishman Mark Keane continues to look more than comfortable as a 194cm defender and while Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe will return, don’t count him out for senior games this year.

And NGA recruit Atu Bosenavulagi started as a pressuring small forward after an exciting pre-season, low on touches but full of energy.

In between Jack Crisp, newly re-signed Chris Mayne and Adam Treloar were all superb.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley admitted he had a selection quanadry.

“I think so,” Buckley said.

“We felt like the boys were pretty even coming into this game so he and Mason really stood up. We love the way Brody goes about it and Darcy showed what we recruited him for. A strong aerial player who took some plucks inside 50 and his ruck work was probably even better than we hoped for.”

TOUGH INITIATION

Jordan De Goey wasn’t able to waltz off the back of the square for easy touches in his return to footy, instead handed the game’s best stopper in Dylan Grimes as his first opponent.

He didn’t get a sniff from the All-Australian as Jamie Elliott instead got the favourable match-up and early small forward touches.

Then De Goey waltzed into the centre square for the start of the second term and after an early midfield touch found space 45m out and slotted the set shot.

De Goey clearly looked underdone after a poor pre-season and while Grimes didn’t give him a sniff he scrounged two last-term goals from the midfield to finish as a three-goal performer.

“He is coming along OK. He got some really good work in during the last two or three weeks and he built into the game,” Buckley said.

“He did a fair bit of damage out of stoppage in that last quarter. Grimes and Nick Vlastuin are as good as there are as defenders going around so that was a bit of a rude introduction.”

Jordan De Goey was able to break the shackles late in the match. Picture: Michael Klein

PICKETT POWER

Of course Marlion Pickett started in the centre bounce and had the first clean touch of the game, racking up five touches in the opening minute.

One jinking, surging run from defence was breathtaking but the man whose blind turn was an iconic Grand Final moment did get run down trying something similar.

With Richmond’s best six out for Friday’s Bushfire relief game, Riley Collier-Dawkins was quiet and Sydney Stack solid but far from eye-catching.

Josh Caddy playing wing and half-back for a Tigers side which must replace Brandon Ellis, while Callum Coleman-Jones’ potential was highlighted by a commanding pack mark.