I know I’m a little late, but what a win that was against the West Coast Eagles a little over a week ago!

We’ve had mixed success against the Eagles in our history against them, but our last game was no doubt the best we’ve played against them in Perth, probably ever.

Everything clicked in what was a great team performance, but perhaps more importantly, we showcased that on our day we can match it with the best. While I did say in my last blog that I felt we were a good chance to cause an upset, I was blown away with the ease at which we were able to dominate West Coast for the majority of the match.

Perhaps the most impressive facet of the victory was the form of our midfield, which had been beaten in previous weeks. While mainstays Deledio, Cotchin and Martin were all in the thick of the action and were easily in our best players, the lift we got from Daniel Jackson, Matt White and young dynamo Nick Vlastuin was equally important to the win.

Vlastuin in particular has been a revelation since coming into the side. He has made an immediate impact which is incredible when you consider that he hasn’t even played his tenth AFL game yet. He oozes class yet has a ferocity to his game, which is a rare combination of traits that only the best players in the competition possess. While he has a long way to go before cementing himself in that bracket, the signs are extremely promising for all involved at Richmond. Our recruiting team has been fantastic over the past few years, but Vlastuin may be the best selection they have made thus far.

Another heart-warming sign was the return to form of the injury plagued Nathan Foley. There was a time in our darkest days that he was our premier midfielder and a borderline All-Australian in my opinion. Sadly, recurring injuries have curtailed his career but to see him firing last week was a great sight to behold. Now surrounded by the likes of Cotchin, Deledio and Martin, this makes Foley a lot more dangerous to opposition teams now he is no longer the centre of attention from taggers. His dashes through packs and breaking of the lines is a very important asset for the team, so fingers crossed that he can stay fit and play out the year.

Looking ahead now, I really feel like the next three games could really decide our fate for season 2013. While none of these games are against top eight teams, they are just as important as they give us a great chance to go 9-4 and set up our push for finals in the back end of the year.

The club cannot afford to look too far ahead though, as they are all potential danger games, such is the quality of the competition this year. Despite their poor showing last week, Adelaide cannot be underestimated and are more than capable of causing an upset against us this week. The Western Bulldogs and St. Kilda are also just as dangerous. Despite only having won five games between them so far, they have been more than competitive in many of their clashes this year so the lads will need to be on their game to ensure victory.

I’d go as far to say that these types of clashes are every bit as important to win as beating teams around our position on the ladder. To this point in the season we have not dropped a game we have been expected to win, a sign that the club is developing consistency which is something we have not had for quite some time. The next three weeks will either further prove that point, or send us back to the drawing board.

Go Tiges!

Follow me on Twitter @Stuart_Wilson23