ROUND 18 - RICHMOND lost to COLLINGWOOD - M.C.G. (Away) 03.08.04 RICHMOND 3.5 8.6 10.10 14.14 (98) COLLINGWOOD 5.2 8.5 14.8 15.13 (103) Goals: Richmond: Zantuck 4, Houlihan 2, Richardson 2, Rodan 2, Hall, Hyde, Krakouer, Ottens. Collingwood: Davis 2, Holland 2, King 2, Lonie 2, Buckley, B.Johnson, Licuria, Lokan, O'Bree, Walker, Woewodin. Best: Richmond: Bowden, K.Johnson, Rodan, Newman, Zantuck, Richardson, Moore. Collingwood: Clement, Cole, B.Johnson, Woewodin, Fraser, Lockyer. Richmond Injuries: Ottens (ankle), Pettifer (knee). Umpires: A Davis, A Coates, S Jeffery. Attendance: 39,933. A crowd of just under 40,000 witnessed this close tussle between Richmond and Collingwood. A smallish attendance for a match between these two sides reflecting the poor season both of them have had and their lowly positions on the AFL ladder. This week was a hertiage weekend and the Tiges wore a guernsey they briefly wore in the 19th century in the VFA of a black jumper with a yellow yoke and stripe down the middle of the guernsey symbolizing the old-fashioned laces. Richmond lined up with Gas at full-back, Bowden at CHB, Hall moved forward again to CHF and Richo in his now customary full-forward role. The match began with the Tiges jumping out of the blocks and dominating possession to such an extent in the first five minutes that Collingwood were only able to extract one single effective possession. Richmond slammed on the first three goals of the game and could have been further in front had they not wasted what at AFL level would be classed as straightforward attempts on goal. The scoreboard read 3.3 to 0.1 before Malthouse moved Nathan Buckley off a half-back flank into the midfield. This seemed to awaken the Pies and from then on in the quarter the tide turned. The systematic way Richmond had played disappeared as we reverted to the dumb football we have displayed numerous times in recent years. In a complete turnaround in dominance Collingwood piled on the next five goals to take a surprising nine point lead into the first change. Richmond needed to rediscover the efforts which initially had them on top in the match. Well while the early stages of the second term belonged slightly to Collingwood as they stretched their lead to a couple of goals and looked more comfortable in general play, eventually the Tiges with Zantuck moved up forward were able to find an alternative path to goal. Richmond's workrate and teamwork went up a few notches as their lifted intensity in the midfield and Bowden virtually stopping every Magpie foray forward across the half-back line turned the game back in Richmond's favour with the Tiges scoring three straight goals to regain and build a small lead of seven points before a late goal Cloke of the Pies reduced the margin to a single point. The match so far had ebbed and flowed with both sides completely dominating the other when they had the momentum. A major setback for Richmond was a game-ending ankle injury to Otto meaning Razor Hall would have to fill in as a solo ruckman for the rest of the game. Likewise Pettifer was stuck to the pine with a knee injury. The loss of Ottens gave the Pies the advantage at the centre bounces with Fraser and McKee dominating the hitouts with a combined total of 11 for the third quarter. Richmond were still trying hard but it was Collingwood who were able to get a handy break which was helped late in the quarter with two poor and costly umpiring decisions which resulted in Magpie goals. Without Ottens and down by almost four goals at the final change it seemed the Tiges had run their race. However after an initial stalemate period, Richmond found something extra as Collingwood stopped to a walk. The Tigers were now doing all the attacking and despite some terrible misses by Fiora, Houlihan, Richo (2 goals 6 behinds for the day) and Zantuck in front of the big sticks Richmond were still able to claw their way back until with just a few minutes to go they hit the front through Zantuck's fourth goal in what was shaping as a remarkable late comeback. However, footy can a cruel game and with just 40 seconds on the clock remaining a rare Collingwood forward 50 entry floated over the pack eventually into the arms of an appreciative King of Collingwood to regain the lead and take the four points. < BACK TO 2004 FIXTURES >