Timely returns boost Tigers against Freo
May 13, 2017 - 3:24 AM Richmond added size, speed, aggression and skill to their line-up to face Fremantle with the welcome returns of Toby Nankervis and Shane Edwards.Nankervis is back after serving a one-match AFL suspension, while Edwards returns from a hip injury suffered in round two.
The Tigers will face a resurgent Dockers side at the MCG on Sunday, with Nankervis preferred to go head-to-head with Freo big man Aaron Sandilands ahead of Ivan Soldo, who departs despite an impressive AFL debut.
"Toby brings a lot of emotion and aggression around the contest," Richmond assistant coach Blake Caracella told AAP.
"He's really been fantastic. He not only competes in the contest, but once the ball hits the ground he's after it trying to win it or lay a tackle ... he exerts a real physical pressure.
"He came from a very solid club in the Sydney Swans so he's brought leadership as well.
"And Shane's such a good player with the ball in his hands and manages to find a free player and create real attacking opportunities for us.
"He's got speed too, which is so valuable in the game now."
Jake Batchelor is also in, while Soldo and Anthony Miles were dropped from the side that suffered a five-point loss to the Western Bulldogs, with Nick Vlastuin out with a shoulder injury.
The loss to the Dogs was the Tigers' second in as many weeks after starting the season with five wins.
But there are no alarm bells ringing at Punt Road.
"The last two weeks we played the team on top of the ladder (Adelaide) and the reigning premiers," Caracella said.
"We didn't get the results but we thought last week was our best game for the year.
"Even though we lost, we thought we left a few goals out there that we probably should've kicked in what was a close match.
"We're on a journey and I think you'll see in five weeks that we'll be that much better again than we are now."
Harley Balic (illness) is replaced by Danyle Pearce in a Dockers side that has won four of their past five games to sit ninth on the ladder.
Source: AAP
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