FRIDAY night football is an exciting prospect for most supporters and players but it will be extra special for one Port Adelaide player who will get his first taste against Richmond on Friday.

In 161 career games across ten seasons, Tom Rockliff has never played on the big stage on a Friday night.

The 28-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career at Brisbane, debuting in 2009, before moving to Alberton to play with the Power at the end of 2017.

Ahead of Friday night’s clash with the reigning premiers, Rockliff said he never thought he would play in China for premiership points before he played on a Friday night.

“It’s a little bit different,” he said.

“I’m one of the only players to play in three countries for premiership points though.

“We never had a Friday night game my whole career, I think I had a Thursday night game on Easter Thursday but we never had a Friday night game in my time there.”

Rockliff said it wasn’t so much of a quirk of the fixture, rather it all came down to his former side rarely getting to play in the high-rating timeslots.

“When you spend the time up there you realised Brisbane didn’t ever really get blockbuster timeslots so I’ve never played a Friday night game,” he said.

“But I am really excited about the next month and definitely the three games at Adelaide Oval on Friday night, Thursday night and Friday night.

“It’s a good opportunity to play in front of our home supporters for the first time in a while.”

Richmond have lost only twice this season, against top of the ladder West Coast in Perth in Round 9 and against Adelaide in the grand final rematch in Round 2.

The Tigers come into the game off the back of a big win against Essendon, while the Power is hoping to respond after a narrow but disappointing loss to Hawthorn in Launceston.

“They’re in really good form at the moment so we know we’ve got to bring our pressure and make sure that we play the game on our terms and what an opportunity for us, after a disappointing loss on the weekend, to rebound against last year’s Premiers and take them on,” Rockliff said.

“They have 22 contributors week in, week out and that’s what makes them so good.

“They have their out and out stars but I think it’s their blokes who just play their roles week in, week out.”

Rockliff wasn’t as prolific in gathering possessions against the Hawks as he has become accustomed to being in recent years but he did a brilliant job tagging fellow ball magnet Tom Mitchell in the second half, keeping him to just seven disposals.

And he wasn’t sure that he would be asked to do a similar job on Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin.

“I don’t think so,” he said.

“The game dictated that a little bit - obviously Tom started to get on top through the middle of the ground and it was my job to go to him and everyone has to play their role for the team.”

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