Richmond defender Nick Vlastuin has stressed the importance of a fast start ahead of their season opener against Carlton at the MCG tomorrow night.
In the corresponding fixture last year, the Blues jumped the Tigers by booting the opening five goals to take narrow leads into both the quarter-time and half-time intervals.
Damien Hardwick’s side went on to win the match comfortably in the end, but Vlastuin says they don’t want to be playing catch-up from the outset this time around.
“Both teams got off to a good start until half-time then we managed to wrestle it back,” he told SEN Breakfast.
“We were playing players in different positions and different roles within the side, so that did affect it a little bit.
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“Winning becomes a habit so it’s good to look at it that way, but you don’t want to give teams a six-to-seven goal head start and have to chase them down.”
Vlastuin, 24, put pen to paper on a two-year contract extension that will see him remain at Punt Road until at least the end of 2021.
Richmond have dominated this fixture in recent times, winning the last seven meetings.
Listen to Nick Vlastuin’s chat on SEN Breakfast with Garry Lyon and Tim Watson in the player below
