There was a moment, during the opening quarter of last Saturday night’s epic encounter with Adelaide at Adelaide Oval, where experienced Richmond on-baller Nathan Foley underlined the growing confidence he has in his previously injury-plagued body.

Foley, having followed the ball inside the Tigers’ forward-50, swooped on an errant handball from a Crows’ opponent, gathered possession, broke clear and then snapped a team-lifting goal.

It was the sort of play you would have seen from Foley back in 2008, when he was at the peak of his football powers, before Achilles and ankle problems ravaged him.

The 27-year-old, who reached the league’s 150-game milestone in Richmond’s Round 20 win against Essendon, has built up to some impressive form after a slow start to the 2014 season.

He was dropped from the Tigers’ side following the Round 2 victory over Carlton, and didn’t return until the Round 9 clash with Melbourne.

Since then, however, he’s retained his place in the line-up, and played a valuable role throughout Richmond’s seven-game winning streak.

He had 21 disposals in Saturday night’s win against the Crows, 16 of them uncontested, which highlighted his increased willingness to run and receive the ball on the outside, now that his fitness levels have risen.

“When I ruptured my Achilles (in 2012), I think I lost a lot of speed, just through strength,” Foley said on ABC radio.

“It was not only strength in my calf, but also strength in my legs, just not being able to do leg weights.

“But, even as this year’s progressed, I’ve sort of felt like I’ve got a bit of that speed back, through just being able to spend more time in the gym, and being able to train full speed.”