DAMIEN Hardwick can't think of a player more deserving of a 150-game milestone than Richmond fan favourite Nathan Foley.
Hardwick's watched the tough midfielder battle calf, ankle and Achilles issues throughout the four and a half years he's coached him.
That included the career-threatening Achilles tendon tear in the middle of 2012 that cost Foley nearly an entire season.
After a slow start to this year, Foley has turned things around to hold his spot since round nine, and will earn Richmond life membership on Friday night when he faces Essendon.
"He's been through a lot, he came from a long way back; the back blocks of Colac we like to say," Hardwick said.
"The thing is, he's had a significant injury history over the course of his time, especially since I've been here.
"For him to reach 150 is great but I've got no doubt his best footy is still in front of him, he's played some outstanding footy this year."
Foley was drafted by the Tigers with their first selection in the 2004 NAB AFL Rookie Draft after being overlooked in the national draft because many recruiters thought he was too short.
At 178cm, he's had to rely on his toughness and speed, which was threatened when he snapped his right Achilles at that ill-fated training session in Craigieburn.
Photos taken during his rehabilitation from the tricky injury showed he suffered dramatic atrophy in his right leg while the tendon healed.
But he's fought back from that and has contributed to the Tigers' five consecutive wins with an average of over 20 disposals a game since round 12.
So influential has his form been, Hardwick believes if the Tigers' best and fairest award was awarded on the past 10 rounds alone, Foley would win it.
His game against West Coast in round 18 was a standout; he had 15 disposals, 13 of which were contested, and laid 10 tackles.
Along with Matt Thomas, who will share his 100th game milestone with Foley against the Bombers, he's contributed a hardness to the Tigers' midfield as the confidence in his body has grown.
"He's been a very important player for us, wins contested ball, gets the ball outside as well so we're really pleased with how he's going and he's only going to become better as he goes on," Hardwick said.
It was less than 12 months ago that Hardwick and the selection committee made the extremely tough call to drop Foley for the Tigers' elimination final against Carlton.
It would have been the 28-year-old's first final given he debuted four years after the Tigers' previous September campaign.
"It was tough. It's always tough from a finals point of view," Hardwick said.
"By his own admission, I don't think he was in the greatest form and it was just one of those decisions we had to make.
"Probably the hard thing from the coaching point of view was he's an outstanding character and generally those guys you'd like to have in your side.
"It was an unfortunate one and hopefully he gets some opportunities in the future."
Twitter: @AFL_JenPhelan
