Richmond’s surprise debutant Marlion Pickett is ready-made to handle the heat of Saturday’s AFL grand final against GWS, Tigers coach Damien Hardwick says.
After training sessions on Friday morning, Hardwick and his Giants counterpart Leon Cameron rubber-stamped their sides for the MCG decider.
The Tigers confirmed the debut of 27-year-old Pickett in the finale against a GWS outfit bolstered by the return of Toby Greene and Lachie Whitfield.
The Tigers are short-odds favourites to claim their second premiership in three years, and 12th overall.
And coach Hardwick is certain Pickett has the temperament to thrive when he becomes the first player in 67 years to make a debut in a grand final.
“We backed in our gut,” Hardwick said of the selection call.
“It’s a great story, a lot of people will tell you that. But the reality is this kid can play.
“So we’re really excited to give him the opportunity. He has worked incredibly hard to get that and he has played some really good footy along the way.”
Pickett, who spent 30 months in jail when younger for burglary offences, was plucked by the Tigers from the WA state league in the mid-season draft.
“He’s just unfazed,” Hardwick said.
“Every challenge he has played at this year he has raised the bar.
“He has got some incredible ability to cover the ground, he uses the ball really well, he looks really composed, he’s hard and tough as well.
“He is 27 years of age and obviously he has had a couple of years out of the (AFL) system but he looks a ready-made AFL player.”
The Giants, in their first grand final in eight AFL seasons, trained on Friday morning at the MCG.
“Everyone is really excited, lot of smiles,” Giants captain Phil Davis told reporters.
“We understand that it’s an important occasion, a big deal, but we understand the basic fundamentals of football will take over tomorrow.”
Hundreds of orange-clad spectators watched Cameron put his players through a light run before the parade.
Cameron predicted a grand final where winning contested ball would be king.
“We have built a brand in the last three or four years that we like contested football … but so do Richmond,” Cameron said.
“In finals footy you push the line in terms of attack of the footy … it’s just the basic fundamentals of the game.”
Richmond’s parochial supporter base converged on Punt Road Oval, where the squad trained before the grand final parade.
Thousands lined the streets, with the Richmond colours dominating, with the Tigers entering the decider on an 11-game winning streak.
But Hardwick played down favouritism and predicted a rugged battle against a Giants outfit buoyed by stirring away wins against Collingwood and Brisbane to reach the grand final.
