While the opening half of a round-one AFL NAB Cup match is no barometer for a season, Geelong key forward Brad Ottens has made some start.

The form of Ottens and defender David Wojcinski was particularly encouraging for the Cats at Skilled Stadium as they easily beat the Tigers by 39 points, 3.17.10 (139) to 1.14.3 (96).

It was exactly what the defending pre-season champions needed after last year's disastrous campaign, when they slumped to 10th.

Ottens smashed the Richmond defence in the first half, taking his game tally of four goals.

He has struggled to recapture his 2001 All-Australian form and transferred from the Tigers to the Cats in 2005.

Last year, coach Mark Thompson famously warned the media to lay off Ottens with his animated "all of you" comment.

But Thompson's mood was much lighter after watching Ottens' performance.

"It's the most running he's done, it's the best pre-season he's had and the best he's played," Thompson said of Ottens' 2007 preparation.

"We're hoping, fingers crossed, that he doesn't get injured and just plays - he will be an awesome player."

Wojcinski also stood out with some superb run out of defence, the sort of form he consistently showed before his 2005 knee reconstruction.

The Cats eased him through last year and Thompson is predicting big things from him.

Overall, the Cats played with flair and made the most of their obvious advantage - while they were near full-strength, the Tigers were missing at least half-a-dozen key players through injury.

Richmond coach Terry Wallace was clearly non-plussed at the fixturing of this game, with his side the only one to visit another's home ground in the opening round.

"We're hoping to get a game at Punt Rd perhaps next year in the NAB Cup. That would be good for an even-up," Wallace said.

"But we knew they were (fielding) a full squad, coming off the season they had on their home ground, it was always going to be a difficult equation.

"In saying that, we were really poor in the first half, we played some pretty ordinary football.

"We came in at halftime, reassessed and said we've got to get something out of it for ourselves. We won the second half - people will read that as they want."

Midfielder Cameron Ling was outstanding for the Cats and Cameron Mooney also kicked four goals.

Youngsters Cameron Howat and Nathan Foley impressed for Richmond and the time is surely approaching where Howat is elevated from the rookie list, but Wallace is in no hurry.

"We don't need to rush into elevating anyone. We just don't need to make the decision yet," Wallace said.

He also praised Chris Newman for his first game back since last year's broken leg.

Richmond's lack of height meant follower Shane Tuck was forced into the ruck to support Trent Knobel.

The Tigers had a massive scare when key forward Matthew Richardson limped off with a hamstring injury, but Wallace expects him to miss only one week.

Andrew Krakouer had a doubly-dirty afternoon, injuring a knee and being reported for kicking Darren Milburn in the head.

Krakouer was trying to soccer a goal and the contact left Milburn with a badly-lacerated forehead.

Geelong will now go to Darwin to play Port Adelaide next Saturday night in a Cup quarter-final.

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