RICHMOND has started its 2009 campaign with an impressive intra-club match at Gosch’s Paddock that saw Mark Coughlan playing competitively in Tiger colours again.

Coughlan has suffered a series of leg injuries – including two knee reconstructions – and hasn’t played for the Tigers for a couple of years.

The game was played in hot conditions on Thursday and the Tigers elected to play most of their guns for just the first two quarters.

Ben Cousins looked better as the game wore on, Graham Polak looked very rusty in the first term but took three marks in the second, while Essendon recruit Tom Hislop scored the first goal of the game after a strong mark at centre half-forward.

The teams were selected to match the better forwards against the better backs.

Matthew Richardson was again on the wing and kicked a major from there, Joel Bowden booted another, as did Nathan Foley (20+ touches in two terms) and Cleve Hughes.

Kel Moore was strong at the back, along with Will Thursfield and new skipper Chris Newman.

Matty White was his usual explosive self in the midfield, with Foley, Brett Deledio (15 touches in a half) and Andrew Raines (10 touches in first term).

Troy Simmonds and new recruit Tyrone Vickery (pick eight in the 2008 National Draft) both impressed in the ruck and around the ground.

Richmond’s first pick in the NAB Rookie Draft, Robin Nahas, collected 22 touches and youngster Jayden Post improved as the day went on.

Richmond assistant coach Brian Royal said the coaching staff were happy with the hit-out.

“It was a good hit-out – we got four quarters in, two 25-minute quarters and probably two 20s at the end,” Royal said.

“We had a lot of guys from our Coburg reserves side playing which made it a little bit scrappy in the second half, but to be honest, we thought it was a fairly promising standard.

“Mark (Coughlan) was terrific – it’s been fantastic for Mark to get through a full-scale hit-out. It’s probably been two years since Mark’s been in this sort of situation.

“We’ve been really pleased with his pre-season preparation and to this stage he hasn’t had a hiccup.

 “Andrew (Raines) unfortunately had an injury interrupted season last year, and he’s very determined to get back into the AFL side, and we were really pleased with the form of Tom Hislop.”

Royal said Raines and Couglan were likely to play Richmond’s NAB Cup opener against Fremantle next weekend in Perth.

Opposition spies abounded, with the Bulldogs Rodney Eade, Collingwood’s Blake Caracella and Melbourne’s Sean Wellman the most obvious.