Richmond great Matthew Richardson highlights six key points from the Tigers’ thrilling opening round victory over Carlton at the MCG last Thursday night. 


Jake King is a Yellow and Black barometer.
It’s no coincidence that the spirited small forward appears in his first Round 1 match since 2008, and Richmond subsequently beats Carlton in the blockbuster season-opener for the first time since that year.  King had only seven disposals on Thursday night, but his influence was still significant.  He kicked two goals, had a hand in several others, and applied fierce pressure to the Blues’ backmen, to help lock the ball in the Tigers’ forward line.  You get the feeling King’s teammates really feed off his feisty, in-your-face, playing style.

Tyrone Vickery thrived on being the No. 1 target in attack.
Probably for the first time in his league career, Vickery was the main man up forward, with Jack Riewoldt playing a specific role further out for goal – and he responded superbly, kicking an equal-game high three goals.  With space to lead into, Vickery displayed good pace off the mark, timed his leads well, and looked confident in his marking, kicking for goal, and overall physical fitness, following his season-ending shoulder surgery midway through 2012.  From a structural viewpoint, Ty Vickery is an extremely important member of the Tiger team, due to his capacity to be dangerous up forward, as well as give Ivan Maric a chop-out in the ruck.

Jack Riewoldt played a valuable team role.
The dual Coleman Medallist was assigned the task of dragging Carlton full-back Michael Jamison out of his comfort zone and drawing other Blues’ defenders to him.  This enabled Vickery and Luke McGuane to become more threatening to the opposition playing deep forward.  Riewoldt worked hard and constantly presented himself across half-forward, the most difficult position on the ground.  He created the vacuum that gave Vickery the space to lead into, which proved a decisive factor.  In the hectic dying stages of the game, Jack jumped strongly at the ball, drawing a crucial free kick, which then resulted in Robbie Nahas pumping the ball inside 50, and ultimately led to the McGuane tackle that sealed the match for the Tigers.

Jake Batchelor stepped up when it counted.    
The young left-foot defender was probably on the borderline of selection following just an okay pre-season.  But, having been given the nod, I thought he was excellent across the Tigers’ backline.  Batchelor reads the play so well, knowing exactly when to come off his man and place himself in the right position to intercept mark.  That intercept marking is a real feature of his game and I reckon he saved a few goals with timely grabs on Thursday night.  He also used the ball efficiently, to further underline his importance to the side’s defence.

Shane Tuck gains more respect with each game he plays. 
Just like his famous footballing father, Shane Tuck is getting better with age, as he again showed with his 27-possession performance (15 of them contested) against Carlton in the season-opener.  He must be a pleasure to coach at the moment because you know exactly what you are going to get from him each week.  Tuck wins the ball where it matters most – at the clearances and in tight.  He’s also good overhead and a reliable shot for goal when he gets the chance.  Importantly, Tuck plays within his limitations.  He does the obvious very well and doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Trent Cotchin started off where he finished off last season. 
After gathering 30-plus possessions in each of his final four games of the 2012 season, the new Richmond captain had 33 touches in a terrific display that almost certainly would have earned him three Brownlow votes.  He had an equal-game high 16 contested possessions and repeatedly provided the side with the all-important first use at the clearances.  In his first game as the Club’s official skipper, Cotchin showed fine leadership throughout, especially when the going got really tough in that tense last quarter.  His poise and vision yet again were vital factors in helping lift the Tigers over the line.