He was secured by the Eagles in last year’s rookie draft after suffering a cruel run of injuries. The Eagles have placed both Mark LeCras and Mark Nicoski on the long-term injury list, meaning that a rookie can now be elevated.
Dick, an electrifying forward who was drafted by Collingwood with pick 44 in the 2006 national draft, has endured more than most players could imagine, but his six or seven senior games for the Sharks has given the Eagles’ brains trust much to muse over.
The popular Geraldton product, with an infectious grin, has quickly earned the respect of his teammates and that has only heightened since working his way back into the game and playing with consistency and flair for the Sharks.
He has suffered two knee and one shoulder reconstruction, but those problems will become a distant memory should he be upgraded before the end of the 2012 campaign. Aside from the performance of Josh Kennedy, the buzz around the players’ area today has been Dick’s performance.
His six goals came from 16 possessions and four marks as East Fremantle demolished West Perth.
Defender Mitch Brown, the third Eagle playing seniors for the Sharks on Sunday, was also outstanding and did his chances of a senior return to harm with 20 possessions and seven marks.
Andrew Strijk, in a team so comprehensively beaten, was comfortably his team’s best player with 26 kicks, 12 marks and two goals. He worked hard both ways and used the ball with great efficiency.
On a weekend where there were a couple of blowouts in the WAFL, the contingent playing for Claremont against Perth also excelled.
Gerrick Weedon, Jeremy McGovern and Tom Swift were all influential in the performance. Weedon had 20 touches, largely in defence, but briefly forward, while McGovern played his usual role as a forward who was also deployed in the ruck and had a significant influence. Swift had 27 touches, eight marks and six tackles as the Tigers hammered Perth.
For the Demons, experienced defender Sam Butler was among their best with 21 disposals, both in defence, where he shut down Ian Richardson, and on a wing, while forwards Simon Tunbridge and Fraser McInnes were starved of opportunities.
Rookies Callum Papertalk (East Fremantle) and Anton Hamp (Claremont) played in the reserves and were handy contributors.
