Tigers ready for biggest test yet

Sportal ©

Richmond coach Terry Wallace believes this week's clash against reigning premiers Geelong represents the ultimate test of his side's recent improvement.

And while Wallace is not making any promises about how last year's wooden spooners will fare against a team that has won 26 of its past 27 matches he did promise one thing.

"I reckon we will go a lot better than we did this time last year," he said of the Tigers' 157-point loss to Geelong in Round 6 last season, which began the Cats' current winning streak.

Since then the Tigers have suffered two more 10-goal plus hidings from the Cats - once late last season and during the pre-season this year.

But Wallace takes heart from the way his team has already performed against the league's two other unbeaten sides this year in Hawthorn and Western Bulldogs.

"It's a big challenge for us but we have played well against most of the best sides in the competition so far this year," he said.

"In the Hawthorn game we were in the hunt until 10 minutes to go in the match (when the Tigers lost by 12 points) and we drew with the Bulldogs when we were three goals up with three minutes to go."

"So I have no doubt we will go a lot better against Geelong than we did last year."

Wallace is also buoyed by the fact the Tigers have the most pressure for a place in the senior side at present than during any time during his four-year reign.

The Tigers fielded a star-studded VFL line-up during last week's break for the Hall of Fame match with Joel Bowden, Greg Tivendale, Kayne Pettifer, Jay Schulz, Graham Polak, the returning Mark Coughlan and last year's top draftee Trent Cotchin all playing for Coburg.

And while Coughlan will spend several more weeks in the VFL - having been sidelined since the middle of 2006 with two knee injuries - the others are all up for selection this week, but Wallace would not guarantee any of them a place in the senior line-up.