Utilising his pace and agility against the formidable size of Richmond’s midfielders will be important for Michael Walters as he attempts to help get Freo over the line against the Tigers on Saturday night.
Walters has been a strong performer in recent weeks, averaging nearly 26 disposals and two goals a game since pushing into the midfield against Adelaide in round six, but says it won’t come easy against a strong crop of Tigers’ midfielders.
“They’re going to come to Perth and put on a fierce fight,” Walters said.
“We need to make sure we’re ready for the challenge and it’s going to be on from the get go and they’re just as desperate for a win as we are.
“They’ll come over pretty fired up.”
Spending time in the midfield against Richmond will mean lining up against the likes of Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin and Shaun Grigg, all of whom possess a height and weight advantage over Walters.
“I’ll try and maintain my quick feet around the stoppages and make sure I know what I’m doing at all times in terms of team structure and role,” he said.
“They’re a pretty experienced and strong midfield so I need to make sure that quick feet get the job done.
“But that being said, if the ball is there I won’t hesitate to go in and get it.”
Training report: Tuesday 17 May
Walters said Freo would continue to apply the current game plan.
“There’s no huge difference (for the Tigers), we stick to our structures and the competition overall this year has been pretty even this year, so there are no easy wins,” he said.
“So we need to stick to our game plan and we think it’s starting to work.
“We need to make sure we keep striving for excellence.”
