Update Scores from Morwell

[Hammerfire]

I don't think Zantuck played!

Btw, i hear Rodan's injuries is cartiledge related, so sounds like worst case scenario which sucks!

[one-eyed]

Tigers maul diluted Dons
By Dan Oakes
Morwell
The Age
February 27, 2005

RICHMOND 8.6 11.10 18.13 20.18 (138)
ESSENDON 2.2 4.4 5.4 10.6 (66)

BEST Richmond: Richardson, Tuck, Brown, Gaspar, Knobel, Rodan.
INJURIES: Richmond: Rodan (knee).
CROWD: About 12,000 at Morwell.

It was only a practice game and against an Essendon team shorn of 18 first-team regulars, but Richmond coach Terry Wallace was not taking the trip down the Princes Highway to Morwell lightly.

He named a full-strength team and his players responded magnificently, thrashing the Bombers by 72 points on a billiard table-smooth ground in front of 10,000 people.

The win came at a cost, though, with battling onballer David Rodan helped from the ground in the last quarter with a knee injury. The Tiger was walking unaided after the match but will have scans on his right knee today for ligament damage.

Richmond's Joel Bowden missed the game with a rib injury.

The inexperienced Bombers were not awful but, spurred on by a rejuvenated Matthew Richardson, the Tigers were too skilful, too physical and too committed.

With the Terry Wallace train gathering steam, no one wants to be left at the station. Most encouraging for the Tigers was the link play between Richardson, Nathan Brown and Troy Simmonds. Between them, they kicked nine of Richmond's goals but they were just as impressive around the the 50-metre arc.

Richardson, in particular, often criticised in the past for his work ethic and attitude, revelled in bringing his teammates into the game, demonstrating he can be the source of hope as well as frustration for Tigers fans.

His day was summed up at the start of the third quarter when he reached the ball on the boundary line 70 metres from the Richmond goal and kept it in play under pressure. Rodan did some good in-and-under work and fed the ball back to Richardson, who set Brown up to goal from directly in front. Richardson ran straight to Rodan to congratulate him.

The Tiger defenders, particularly Darren Gaspar and Mark Graham, were solid against Essendon's pop-gun attack. Their only lapse came early in the final quarter, when the Bombers kicked five unanswered goals for a semblance of respectability.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/02/26/1109180164877.html

[the_boy_jake]

Dons missing 18?

Nothing result against a nothing team. Maybe a confidence booster but hopefully this doesn't inflate the egos of average tiger footballers.

[Fwoy3]

Hmmmm, they had Cupido, Henneman, Bradley, Allan, Haynes (?)....no excuses 

Must admit though, I went to work fairly happy last night...came home sad to the Rodan news 

[WilliamPowell]

It good day at Morwell

Tambling, Bowden, Jackson, Pattison and Schulz didn't play for the tigers.

Pettifer, Raines did - Gilmour and Archibald both had short goes.

I was really impressed with Knobel - he is very fit. He bascially rucked all day with the exception of probably 5 minutes in the 2nd quarter and the last 15 minutes in the 4th. His tap workd is very impressive. thought he did more around the ground this week that against the Pies.

Richo was excellent and appears to relish playing further up the ground.

Chubba Kellaway was very strong at CHB. Was alos impressed with Graham and Gaspar. Gaspar is moving a heeluve lot better than he was this time last season.

Chaffey is making a good fist of being a tagger - thought he was very very good.

Raines - a gem looks and plays more like his day every week.

Johnson - great captain's game.

Rodan - tragedy about his knee - was flying

Simmonds - was alot better this week at ground level

Pettifer - good - attack on the ball excellent

Campbell - played mainly up forward and was good. Very smart footballer who used the ball really well. He seems like an angry old man at times

Tuck - finally given a go and showed alot. Played a variety of positions - in the centre, FF, wing, half back - old fashion utility - can pinch hit.

Concerns - our disposal at times is a real worry. We still miss too many targets by both hand and foot.

[WilliamPowell]

And in keeping with the practice match theme. Coburg won by over 10 goals -v- Bendigo Bombers

I managed to catch the 2nd half of the Coburg practice match today and going by what I saw:

Cogs - played 3 quarters and was very good. Moved well and did a lot of the bottom of the pack work that we are used too. Kicked a fair bit on his left - personally I don't like this. Didn't hit as many targets on the left.

Stafford - played the whole game I was told. The 2 quarters I saw he was predomiantly on the ball. He doens't seem to have any problmes with the 10 metre circle. Tap work excellent.

Ray Hall: played HB and on the wing - servicable

Meyer: was OK - skills very good - not physically strong enough for the AFL I reckon. A couple of times opponents broke his tackles.

Moore: Played CHB/HB - ball wasn't down there that much but when it was he did well. Still reads the play well.

Pattison: CHB and ruckwork in the forward 50. Good - very agile for a bloke so tall

Polo: didn't get much game time while I was there. Probably 15 minutes in the 3rd and 10 minutes in the 4th. Unfair to judge

Limbach & Morrison: neither played the 2nd half of this game - I believe they both played the 1st half only - both coming back from injury.

Gilmour & Archibald: to my surprise both playefor Coburg today after playing cameo at Morwell

[WilliamPowell]

Tambling, Bowden, Jackson, Pattison and Schulz didn't play for the tigers.

That'll teach me to turn up 15 minutes late

Apologises - Jackson did play in the first 15 minutes - copped a knock to the back

[mightytiges]

Great reports WP 

Great to hear Raines having another good game.

Who in your opinion will take over from Sarge from the weekend games?

Gilmour & Archibald: to my surprise both playefor Coburg today after playing cameo at Morwell

I think that was to do with Terry mentioning last week that he was intending to use at Morwell only 22 players in line with the real season and that two younger guys would sit on the bench as a back up.

[WilliamPowell]

Who in your opinion will take over from Sarge from the weekend games?

Well Chubba Kellaway played CHB on Saturday. Marked strongly but as we all know his disposal is a concern. He short passed alot to a more reliable option most of the time which I thought was good thinking. . Graham although not a CHB was across the HB line and helped both he and Gaspar on numerous occassions

I would think that Hall may get trialled there this week in Alice Springs.

Morrison - it's a pity he's been injured because I reckon he'd be a good option because he appears to have more strength than Hall.

The thing to remember is the Bombers played alot of kids up forward that weren't that tall and the talls they did play were not thaty strong. Against a Lucas for example I would think Kellaway struggle. That's why I'd lean towards Morrison if he was fit.

At the moment going on what I saw on the weekend - it looks like Chubba has he front running.

And just a comment on Gaspar - he is looking good, moving well and seems to have full confidence in his knee

I've said it before confidence is a wondrful thing and a lot of blokes who spent most of 2004 with shot confidence are looking much much better 

[mightytiges]

Cheers WP 

It's a concern that we may/will still have to rely on the old stages to carry our backline with no one obvious coming through to replace them in KPs .