RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick has hinted at reprising Shane Edwards' All Australian forward heroics from last year as Josh Caddy prepares for his senior return.
Edwards has been something of a 'Mr Fix It' this season, going down back to help organise and re-energise the Tigers' ball movement.
However, with Caddy's transformation from a 46-goal forward into a wing/defender role in the VFL, Hardwick suddenly has more options ahead of Friday's night's MCG blockbuster against Collingwood.
Sydney Stack and Edwards at Tigers training. Picture: AFL Photos
"The best thing Shane can do is we can put him where we need him, if that makes sense," Hardwick said.
"If we need a catalyst to get something going in a certain part of the ground, he creates that for us.
"He's such an important player to the way we want to play and with the way he brings others into the game. We've probably missed that at various stages.
"He's had a great year – don't get me wrong – but we've probably missed him at the front part of the ground as well, so we continue to work our way through that but he'll be close to the front of the ground this week." - Damien Hardwick
Hardwick ruled out premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis (adductor), who will again play a half in the VFL after returning last week, but left everyone guessing on Caddy and Kamdyn McIntosh.
Caddy played three quarters in the VFL and McIntosh didn't play at all, with Hardwick saying his "skillset" wasn't required against Port Adelaide.
Hardwick is also planning for captain Trent Cotchin to play despite the star midfielder's wife Brooke expecting to give birth to their third child at any moment.
The contest looms as a vital one for both clubs' premiership hopes, given they are in a tug-of-war for a top-four spot.
Richmond has won four straight matches to surge up the ladder as it regains star power, whereas the Magpies have lost three of their past four clashes.
Making matters more interesting is the fact Collingwood has comfortably accounted for the Tigers the last two times they've met, including last year's shock preliminary final result.
Giant Pie Mason Cox was the hero on that night and remains in Hardwick's thoughts, even though he's been out of sorts.
"He was a little bit down last week in his game versus GWS, but once again, good players rise up to the challenge and I'm sure he'll be the same," the 2017 premiership coach said.
"We've probably got a different defensive mix this time, so we'll probably have a better match-up for him at this stage of proceedings, so it's going to be a great challenge.
"He's a really important player to the way they play. Most people look at kicks, marks and handballs, but what Mason does is he gets the ball to ground as well and provides an aerial threat from his height."
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Hardwick also fielded the obligatory Alex Rance will-he-or-won't-he-return-this-season question, saying the club's medical staff would make a "calculated decision" with the long term in mind.
He is yet to issue a deadline on when the five-time All Australian would need to have sufficiently recovered from the anterior cruciate ligament setback he sustained in round one.
"That's something we haven't given real consideration, because most players who do an ACL, you sort of look to the front end of next year," Hardwick said.
"We'll work our way through that if it becomes a realistic possibility … we're not opening the door but we're not closing it, either."
