There was a time when an off night would have haunted Jack Riewoldt, but the Richmond spearhead says his low key outing against Geelong won’t be a factor when he runs out for Saturday’s AFL grand final.
Riewoldt had one handball before halftime and didn’t kick a goal in the preliminary final win over Geelong at the MCG on Friday night.
But he supplied the goal assist of the season in a pivotal third quarter when he set up Dustin Martin and is confident he has enough big-game experience to step up against GWS.
“Statistically, I didn’t have a great game and in the past I could’ve got down about that but I still had an impact and did some things,” Riewoldt told Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Tuesday night.
“I played pretty well grand final day two years ago.
“I don’t focus on the fact that I didn’t kick very well or I didn’t get many touches because if I focus on that then I’m going in with a pretty poor mindset.
“I know I can play well on the big stage … I know I can play my role for the side.
“I’ve got no qualms going into the grand final… I’m so excited and really confident.”
The Tigers are set to make just one change to their line-up for the grand final after Jack Graham was ruled out and Nathan Broad was given the green light to play.
Richmond confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the risk of Graham suffering another dislocation of the shoulder he injured in the preliminary final win over Geelong was too great for him to play against the Giants.
Broad was knocked out in the third quarter of the MCG clash on Friday night, but coach Damien Hardwick confirmed he has been cleared to take his place in the back six.
“There’s probably going to be just the one change (because) Nathan Broad passed his concussion test today,” Hardwick told Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Tuesday evening.
“That was a real positive for us.”
Graham injured his right shoulder in the first term of the preliminary final but returned to the field heavily strapped to help his side to a 19-point win.
Initial testing showed the damage wasn’t as bad as first thought, but he tested the shoulder again at a light session at Punt Road Oval on Tuesday and received bad news from medical staff and his coach.
“It was a tough day if I’m perfectly honest,” Hardwick said.
“Jack, to his credit, took it really well … I think deep down he really knew he probably wasn’t going to be able to compete at his best.”
Jack Ross and Kamdyn McIntosh have been kept in reserve for the AFL grand final after they were held out of the Richmond team that won the VFL grand final, while Marlion Pickett pushed for a miracle AFL debut with a best-on-ground performance.