Round Five

Matt White has not had an easy path to top level AFL football. He was overlooked in the 2005 draft and picked up by Richmond in the pre season draft. IN 2006, his debut year, he played a few eye catching games off half back, he reminded me of Chris Newman and it was not just because he was wearing Newman’s old number of 35. His major problem seemed to be that he had a tendency to hang onto the ball too long or forget to bounce it. 2007 wasn’t a great year for Matty, despite showing determination and blistering pace, plus being very impressive in Coburg’s midfield, he was often overlooked for senior selection and on the rare occasion he was chosen he was given very little game time. I actually wondered if Terry had some sort of issue with him and that he may go the way of Brent Hartigan (Brent was never given the chances he deserved, but it had a lot to do with persistent injuries, not just a personality clash with the senior coach). A best on ground performance for Coburg in their thumping win against Geelong saw him selected for the Collingwood match, he was subsequently dropped, but reselected against Fremantle, and the fact that Jackson was a late withdrawal and that White was taken to the West for that game suggests that he was always going to play. He played a good game, a little too goal happy when he got anywhere near the big sticks, but good all the same. This week against the Bulldogs he was superb. There were two passages of play where he shone. One was in defence where he pounced on a ball he had no right to get, but emerged with it all the same, broke a tackle and went on a run safely delivering the ball into the midfield and it resulted in a goal. The ball went from being a possible goal chance for the Dogs to a goal for Richmond and it was off the back of White’s play. The second passage was when Foley got a ball out to Matt, again he went running, broke a tackle and had a running shot at goal which went sailing through. Keep an eye on this kid, because he is going to be the next big thing for the Tigers midfield.

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