EMERGING Richmond midfielder Daniel Jackson believes his run-with role on reigning Brownlow Medallist Jimmy Bartel was a great learning curve in his development as an AFL player.

Although Bartel continued his stellar season with 32 disposals, Jackson worked hard on the champion Geelong onballer, gaining 21 touches, as the Cats easily accounted for the Tigers by 63 points at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

"It was another learning experience and I did alright on him in the first half, although he got a couple of goals, but that was when I was on the bench and then he ended up with too many in the end," Jackson told richmondfc.com.au.

"You just can't give him any time to himself, because he still manages to rack them up. I've done a lot of hard work on my fitness – I'm as fit as I've been – and that's definitely as asset for me and it enables me to get off and get some touches."

"But with a guy like Jimmy Bartel, we knew he got a lot of handball receives and uncontested marks, but when we set up in our zone, he's a very smart player and he'd go and get two or three possessions in a row, when I was in the zone. He's a very smart player and he knows what he's doing and better luck next time for me."

Jackson's efforts earned the plaudits from his coach Terry Wallace post-match.

"He's had a few of those roles over the course of the season and he can go and play on his own rights and go and win the footy, but he's got a nice, strong body and he's a fit young man, who has also got speed and the ability to go in and be able to run with a bloke," Wallace said.

"I think that he'll learn and handle that and we wanted him to play on a Brownlow Medallist for exactly that purpose and to get some experience on playing against the best."

Jackson said he was relishing his opportunity back in the senior side after a frustrating start to the season.

"At the start of the year I got dropped, along with Greg Tivendale and Joel Bowden, for not having enough tackles early on and then the team won a couple and it was hard to get back in and then I hurt my hamstring and that put me out for a while," Jackson said.

"I'd been playing fine at the level below and I've been working on my defensive side – and I had four tackles at half-time [and finished with six for the match] – so I just want to keep improving."