Daniel Jackson’s brief stint playing with Richmond’s new standalone VFL team, in the lead-up to the 2014 season, has given him a different perspective of on-field leadership.

Jackson’s interrupted pre-season campaign, due to a hamstring injury, meant that he had to acquire match fitness in the Tiger ‘twos’, before being ready again for AFL action.

It was time well spent for Jackson, both from a physical and leadership viewpoint.

“I really enjoyed my game and a half playing down in the Richmond reserves side, because it gave me a little bit more insight as to what influence an older player, a leader, can have,” Jackson said on this week’s edition of “Talking Tigers”.

“When you’re out in the big games in the AFL, it’s very hard to actually see what difference you’re making.

“It’s loud, everyone knows what they’re doing, everyone knows the structures.  But, at the level below, you can hear everything . . .

“You also notice when younger players don’t know where they’re setting up, that if you, as a leader, can use your voice a bit more to set them up, then the team performs better.

“So, it was a good opportunity for me to realise the role we have as leaders of the footy club.

“That’s probably a little bit of a simple thing to say, but you realise the impact you can have just by speaking more.

“So, my focus the first few weeks, has really been to try and drive the other guys around me, because as I get older and slower, if I can make players around me better, then I don’t have to pull so much weight and, hopefully, not throw my body around quite as much.

“Eventually, I won’t be needed in this team anymore, but, hopefully, my legacy will be that there are other players who are better off because I played with them.”