At the start of the year, Richmond rookie Robert Hicks had a dream - to play an AFL game.
It seemed a way off, though - for the first two months of the year, the 176cm, 67kg Hicks was playing VFL reserves at Coburg, seemingly a million miles away from the MCG that he could see every day when he turned up at Punt Rd to train.
But after seven reserves game he moved to Coburg firsts, then 12 goals from seven VFL senior games meant that when the Tigers put Nathan Foley and Adam Thomson on the long-term injury list, the 18-year-old was ready for the promotion.
Hicks, who lives with his parents in Moonee Ponds, said it was hard work - something he wasn’t particularly known for when he arrived at the club - that got him the opportunity to play that cherished first game.
"I did heaps and heaps of extra sessions whether it be extra goalkicking sessions or extra tackling sessions, just trying to get myself up to the level,” Hicks told richmondfc.com.au.
“There were a few things I knew I lacked, and I put a lot of effort in to get them to a higher standard.
“There are still a few things I need to work on, which is probably an understatement, but it feels really good to get these games in so I can build towards next season.”
Almost all players say after their first game that they can’t believe the speed everything moves at, and Hicks is no different, although the games have shown him more things he needs to work on before next year.
“It is a big bonus, getting that experience - I know what the pace is like, I know what I have to do, I know how much bigger the bodies are at AFL level and how much weight I have to put on," Hicks said. “It was a very big eye-opener getting those couple of games.
“The first half of the first game just flew - the half-time siren went and we went into the rooms and I was sitting on the floor, thinking ‘this is already half over - where’s it gone?’
“I enjoyed it more than anything in the whole world, but everything moves so fast, I don’t think you take it all in.
“I got a goal and I was pretty happy with it, although my celebration was probably a little bit over the top, but what can you do? I was ecstatic - everyone in the team got over to me and it was a really great feeling.”
