ROUND 21 - RICHMOND lost to HAWTHORN - M.C.G. (Away) 23.08.04 RICHMOND 3.3 7.5 9.7 13.8 (86) HAWTHORN 7.4 9.6 13.10 16.13 (109) Goals: Richmond: Richardson 4, Nicholls, Coughlan, Krakouer, Hyde, Marsh, Tivendale, N.Brown, Schulz, Weller. Hawthorn: Everitt 3, Bateman 2, Smith 2, Lonie 2, Williams, Picioane, Vandenberg, Brennan, R.Campbell, Hodge, Beaumont. Best: Richmond: Hartigan, Bowden, Richardson, Jackson. Hawthorn: Everitt, Hodge, R.Campbell, Croad, Mitchell. Richmond Reports: T.Zantuck (Richmond) reported by emergency field umpire G.Dore for rough play against M.Williams (Hawthorn) in the first quarter. Umpires: Coates, Hendrie, Nicholls. Attendance: 27,007 Just over 27,000 fans made their way to a wet M.C.G. on Sunday for what was built as the battle for the wooden spoon between 15th placed Richmond with 4 wins but no victory since round 8 and last placed Hawthorn with just 3 wins but with a victory and a respectable loss to reigning premiers Brisbane in their past two matches. The Tigers regained the services of Mark Coughlan who hadn't played senior footy since round 5 due to a pubic instability condition plus Andrew Kellaway and Billy Nicholls for his first game of season 2004. Fiora, Houlihan and Moore were omitted. Richmond lined up with Richo at full-forward, Bowden at his now customary CHB position and Kellaway down back on Beaumont. Hall began in the ruck against Everitt while back-up ruckman Marsh started on the bench. This begs the question why select Marsh if you're not going to start him on the ground in the ruck. The match began at full throttle with both sets of players demonstrating strong physicality at the ball. Everitt set-up the first two forays forward for the Hawks which resulted in goals before Weller and then Krakouer replied for the Tigers to tie up the goal tally. No one could question the intensity and desperation of all 36 players and both sides had a number of opportunites to enter their forward 50. Unfortunately for Tiger supporters, Richmond's attacks broke down as the Tigers continued their predictable and one-dimensional over-reliance on Richo allowing Croad to drop in front of the big Tiger full-forward. The Tiges pitiful execution by foot once again proving to be a major handicap. On the other hand Hawthorn through a more varied forward line set-up and some dodgy umpiring decisions skipped away with five of the next six goals to open up a handy quarter time lead. Towards the end of the quarter, Zantuck was reported as his frustrations totally boiled over due the umpires being sucked in by a couple of small Hawk forwards play-acting for frees. As a result Frawley dragged Ty to calm him down. Richmond desperately needed to find some way to firstly quell Everitt's influence on the game in the second term as so far he was the clear difference between the two sides and secondly to reduce their shocking turnover rate. While the Tiger coaching panel couldn't find an answer, nature soon did as the rain became heavier and heavier as the quarter progressed. With the footy spending more time at ground level, the game evened up and the Tiges gradually lifted their workrate to get more of the ball. Most the last 10 minutes of the quarter was forward of centre for the Tigers and with the last two goals before half time, Richmond got back into the match on the scoreboard. The margin being only 13 points at the main break. With the rain continuing to tumble down after the break, the Tigers needed to re-establish the control of the game they had just before half-time. This they did and when Hyde scored the first major of the third term the margin was back to just seven points with the momentum of the match flowing Richmond's way. This was until a simple chest mark was dropped by Marsh as the Tiges were sweeping forward. The Hawks swooped on the big man's mistake and scored a goal against the run of play. This error became a turning point as Hawthorn awoke from their slumber and Richmond fell back into old bad habits of chip kicking and short handballing to no advantage. With Hawthorn scoring four of the next five goals and now in complete control, the 2004 wooden spoon was heading to Tigerland by three-quarter time. Only a miracle recovery almost on the scale of the Richmond-Hawthorn round 5 clash last year could save the Tiges now. The weather for the final quarter was kinder and with the first goal of the quarter, a faint glimmer of hope still shone for the Tigers. However, further insipid skills and resultant goals to the Hawks finally snuffed out Richmond. A couple of belated goals to the Tiges which still could prove important percentage wise next week in regards to the wooden spoon, made the final margin 23 points in favour of the Hawks and confined the Tigers to the foot of the ladder. Best for Richmond were young Hartigan and Bowden who both got alot of the footy and unlike many of their teammates were able to use it wisely and constructively. < BACK TO 2004 FIXTURES >