Marlion Pickett’s audition for his stunning AFL grand final debut started a month ago.
While Pickett’s best-afield performance last Sunday in the VFL grand final stamped his ticket, it was the 27-year-old’s performance in a superb last-quarter comeback that first raised eyebrows at Richmond.
Pickett had already taken a gutsy mark with the flight in the ball during the third quarter of the August 31 VFL qualifying final against Essendon.
The Tigers were down by 40 points at the last break, but stormed home to win with a late goal from Toby Nankervis.
While all the focus post-match was on Nankervis proving he was ready for an AFL recall, Pickett also ran riot in that epic final term.
It helped convince coach Damien Hardwick that Pickett would cope with the pressure of making his AFL debut in Saturday’s grand final against GWS.
Pickett will be only the sixth player in AFL history to do so and the first since 1952.
Hardwick’s advice to Pickett is simple – just do your job.
“He is a player, I look at our VFL final versus Essendon, we weren’t playing that well and his last quarter helps get them over the line,” Hardwick said.
“Don’t get me wrong. Marlion is going to be an important player, but he’s not going to be the difference in the game.
“We have got some really good players that we expect to play a great brand of footy against a formidable opponent in GWS so we just expect him to play his role, we don’t expect him to be a match-winner.”
Pickett will join a side playing for their second premiership in three years and starting as strong favourites, thanks to an 11-game winning streak.
Pickett is the only change to a settled line-up, with Jack Graham’s dislocated shoulder making him one of Richmond’s grand final hard-luck stories.
Jack Ross and Kamdyn McIntosh were also pulled out of their VFL grand final side after Graham and Nathan Broad (concussion) were injured against Geelong, but Pickett leapfrogged them and Broad was selected.
Hard luck has been a defining feature of Richmond’s season, with star defender Alex Rance missing since round one because of a knee reconstruction amid several other key injuries.
The Tigers were teetering at their mid-season break on 7-6, but have been awesome since.
“Our boys will be confident but it’s not based on the experience from two year ago,” said captain Trent Cotchin.
“It’s based on what we have been doing for a number of years now, the process.
“We trust the process and our players play their role and that is what gives us really confidence going into game.”
