-
LIVE: Richmond v Melbourne - 7:25PM Wed
Squiggle tips Demons at 77% chance -- What's your tip? -- Team line-ups »
Senior Darcy Gardiner (2013-)
- Thread starter Haso
- Start date
- Tagged users None
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
Dusty holds no fears for Gardiner
DARCY Gardiner says the Lions will rely on the pack mentality of their back six to curb the brilliant Richmond attack this weekend.
While Gardiner was reluctant to go into who his likely opponent would be, saying the defenders saw it as a six-on-six contest and not a series of individual battles, vice-captain Dayne Zorko had no doubts the rugged Victorian would get Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin when he floated forward.
Last year Nick Robertson tagged Martin and may get the job again while he is playing on the ball, but his strength deep in the forward 50 could see the deceptively powerful Gardiner get the job.
Gardiner has had a solid start to the season.
He was in the thick of the action in the Lions’ narrow loss to Port Adelaide on Saturday where he played both small and tall on multiple opponents including Justin Westhoff, Jack Watts and Chad Wingard.
He said he held no fears at the prospect of lining up on Martin. “We try to work as a unit, a back six, we’re all in it together,” he said. “We’re not playing one-on-one footy now, so we’re trying to work together and help each other out as much as we can.”
Gardiner was blunt in his response when asked about the pride the Lions may have felt in their effort to fight back from 23 points down at three-quarter time to fall within a kick of the Power.
Brisbane have been in positions to win all three of their games but instead the ladder shows they are 0-3 and the players are getting sick of it.
“It’s good to see there’s improvement in the group the past few weeks, but we don’t go out there to lose,” Gardiner said. “It’s a bit disappointing. “We just need to take more of those opportunities and moments in games, where the more mature sides do. We’re still learning. “There’s a few moments where we could be more composed.”
However, there was no mistaking the effort in Adelaide was a step forward as they beat the Power in the clearances and contested possessions.
He said the ability to fighting back in front of such a large and vocal crowd was perfect preparation for the reigning premiers at the MCG. “You go to Adelaide Oval and it’s always hostile there, you know what you’re going to get, and I think we handled it well, which we’re proud of. “It’s a good lead-in to the Tiges, they play a similar brand of footy, so hopefully we can take things out of what we did last week and take it up to the Tiges.”
I thought his game had stagnated last year and this year would be when others started moving past him. Safe to say I got that horribly wrong.
I think Darcy has been our most improved, if he can find another 10-15% offensive output he will be a really dangerous player
I think Darcy has been our most improved, if he can find another 10-15% offensive output he will be a really dangerous player
