Media articles and stats: Hungry Tigers outclass Dons

[one-eyed]

Hungry Tigers outclass Dons
By Callum Twomey
10:31 PM Fri 24 Aug, 2012

RICHMOND        5.5    8.11    12.16    13.24 (102)                 
ESSENDON        3.2    4.6      7.9        8.9 (57)       
 
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Edwards 2, McGuane 2, Astbury, Deledio, Grigg, Martin, Nahas, O'Hanlon
Essendon: Monfries 3, Browne, Gumbleton, Hurley, Jetta, O'Brien
 
BEST
Richmond: Tuck, Cotchin, Deledio, Houli, Jackson, Edwards, Riewoldt, O'Hanlon
Essendon: Heppell, Monfries, Hibberd, Crameri
 
INJURIES
Richmond: White (hamstring)
Essendon: Davey (hamstring), Crameri (shoulder)
 
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Brett O'Hanlon replaced Matt White in the second quarter
Essendon: Jake Melksham replaced Alwyn Davey in the second quarter
 
Reports: Shane Edwards (Richmond) reported for striking Angus Monfries in the third quarter.
 
Umpires: Nicholls, McInerney, Mollison
 
Official crowd: 47,590 at the MCG

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RICHMOND has finally killed off Essendon's slim finals hopes with a strong 45-point win, condemning the Bombers to their sixth straight loss.

The Tigers, themselves out of finals contention, ended any chance of the Bombers making the top eight with a comprehensive but wasteful performance, winning 13.24 (102) to 8.9 (57).

Following the Bombers' 96-point thumping last week at the hands of Carlton, coach James Hird promised a more competitive performance against the Tigers. But, aside from a brief patch in the third term, the Bombers were outclassed and outplayed.

The Bombers have now lost nine of their past 12 games, a fall no more obvious than their inability to compete and keep up with the faster and stronger Tigers on the wider spaces of the MCG.

The win was Richmond's 10th of the season, a landmark not previously reached under coach Damien Hardwick and another indication of its development this year.

The victory was built on run and drive from defence - half-backs Brett Deledio and Bachar Houli combined for 59 disposals - and a hunger for the contest that outweighed the Bombers.

Jack Riewoldt missed his chance to move to the top of the Coleman Medal leaderboard, kicking three goals and five behinds. He now sits one goal behind Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich, who is expected to play against North Melbourne on Sunday.

Veteran Richmond midfielder Shane Tuck was industrious with 32 disposals, while Trent Cotchin was again impressive with 31 touches. However, Cotchin was also wasteful in front of goal, kicking five behinds - something that could cost him votes in his charge to the Brownlow Medal.

The star pair's inaccuracy was emblematic of the Tigers' issues.

After a dominant start, they should have had the game sealed at half-time. By the main break, Richmond had 42 inside 50 entries (on track to break the all-time record) to Essendon's 23, and had also almost doubled the Bombers in scoring shots.

But they didn't make the most of it and Essendon, after a few changes, emerged looking more dangerous in the third quarter.

Courtenay Dempsey was moved into the midfield to provide some spark, while Michael Hurley was shifted to the backline and added poise under pressure.

Alex Browne also started to find space on both wings and created much-needed overlap.

Three of the first four goals of the third quarter got the Bombers within 18 points. However, it was short-lived, with Richmond re-establishing dominance and eventually winning the quarter and doing the same in the last term to post a comfortable victory.

The win was slightly soured by a hamstring injury to midfielder Matt White, who was subbed out of the game in the second quarter. Essendon's soft-tissue curse continued, too, with Alwyn Davey also subbed off in the second term with a hamstring strain and Nathan Lovett-Murray also appearing to hurt his hamstring.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/145592/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Team Stats

Disposals             412 - 320    
Efficiency%            79 - 67
Kicks                   229 - 180   
Handballs             183 - 140   
Con. Possies         146 - 136   
Uncon. Possies      273 - 183
Marks                   122 - 61   
Con. Marks             16 - 12   
Uncon. Marks        106 - 49
Tackles                   43 - 50   
Clearances              26 - 28   
Clangers                 39 - 57
Frees                     23 - 17
Hitouts                  21 - 30 ...... ( I.Maric 17, J.Riewoldt 2, McGuane 1, Deledio 1 // Bellchambers 26, Gumbleton 3, Lovett-Murray )   
Inside 50s              71 - 40   
Marks In50             23 - 7
Rebound 50s          28 - 46
Assists                   10 - 4
1%ers                    55 - 56      
Supercoach         1912 - 1388
Dreamteam         1682 - 1238

Individual Stats

PLAYER               D     K       H     CP     DE%    M   CM   T   CL   FF  FA  I50 R50  G   B   GA   SC

B.Deledio           33    18    15      8      73%      4    0    3    2    1    0      9    1    1    1    0    131
S.Tuck               33    21    12    13      82%    11    2    2    3    2    0    12    0    0    1    0    155
T.Cotchin           31    24      7    12      52%    10    1    5    4    4    0      8    1    0    5    0    123
B.Houli              26    11    15      3      77%      5    0    3    2    0    0      5    3    0    1    0    100
D.Martin            25    16      9      8      96%    10    0    4    1    1    0      6    1    1    0    1    137
S.Edwards         22      6    16    12      82%      3    1    0    2    0    3      4    1    2    0    4    110
S.Grigg              21    10    11      6      86%      4    0    1    1    1    0      2    1    1    0    1      94
C.Newman          21    14      7      7      86%      7    1    4    1    1    0      4    1    0    1    0      82
I.Maric               19    10      9    11      63%      7    3    3    5    1    2      1    0    0    1    1    127
S.Morris            19    10      9      7      84%      6    1    1    0    1    1      2    2    0    0    0      85
J.Batchelor        18    13      5      4      78%      6    1    3    0    0    0      2    4    0    0    0      92
J.Post               18      8    10      7      89%      6    0    1    0    2    1      1    2    0    0    0      74
D.Jackson         17      6    11    10      71%      1    0    1    4    0    3      3    3    0    1    1      59
A.Rance            17    11      6      8      88%      7   1    1    0    6    1      1    5    0    0    0      90
J.Riewoldt         17    12      5      6      65%    10    3    2    0    0    2      0    0    3    5    1    100
B.Helbig            16      4    12      8      87%      4    0    0    0    0    2      1    2    0    0    0      53
B.O'Hanlon        14      9      5      2      71%      5    0    0    0    2    0      4    0    1    3    0      44
M.Dea               13      9      4      4      85%      4    0    0    0    0    1      2    1    0    0    0      56
R.Nahas            13      6      7      2      92%      4    0    4    0    0    0      1    0    1    0    0      71
L.McGuane         10      6      4      4      70%      5    1    3    0    0    0      0    0    2    1    0      79
M.White              5      3      2      2      80%      1    0    0    1    1    1      2    0    0    0    0      15
D.Astbury           4      2      2      2    100%      2    1    2    0    0    0      1    0    1    0    1      35

http://live-footy.heraldsun.com.au/StatsCentre/Index/20122220120142201
http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/16931/Default.aspx#fixtureid=7840&tab=Stats

[one-eyed]

Tigers romp, Dons out of luck

    Emma Quayle
    The
    August 25, 2012

RICHMOND 5.5  8.11 12.16 13.24 (102)
ESSENDON 3.2   4.6    7.9     8.9 (57)

GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, McGuane 2, Edwards 2, Deledio, O'Hanlon, Astbury, Martin, Nahas, Grigg.
Essendon: Monfries 3, Browne, Jetta, Hurley, O'Brien, Gumbleton.

BEST
Richmond: Tuck, Deledio, Houli, Cotchin, Martin, Maric, Batchelor.
Essendon: Heppell, Crameri, Watson.

INJURIES Richmond: White (hamstring). Essendon: Davey (hamstring).
UMPIRES Mollison, Nicholls, McInerney.
CROWD 47,590 at MCG.

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HERE’S a little story about how luck has been treating Essendon lately. Stewart Crameri grabbed the ball about 60 metres from goal last night, turned, looked, took a few quick, bold steps and swung. About 18 minutes into the game against Richmond the Bombers were trying: running, chasing, winning the ball, holding Trent Cotchin to just two possessions. But as Crameri kicked, Steve Morris lunged, smothering the ball. Within seconds the Tigers had whisked it to the other end, straight into the arms of Jack Riewoldt, 30 metres out. No goal to Essendon, a third  to Richmond, and with it a 16-point lead.

The margin was still two goals at quarter-time and the Bombers were still hanging in there, still winning enough of the ball, still pushing into space, and starting to turn a few half-chances into three-quarter chances, against a team that was blowing a few. But as it turned out that’s all they were doing, holding on.

By half-time, Richmond was leading by 29 points. The Tigers had won 30 more possessions — all of them uncontested — and laid a lot more tackles. They had pumped the ball towards goal over and over, 42 times to the Bombers’ 23 by the time the siren  sounded, on track for the record.
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Cotchin, slipping forward, was up to 11 possessions. Jobe Watson, after an 11-possession opening term, had just two. Richmond players were still searching harder for space, taking the ball forward and when they didn’t win the ball  the Bombers gave it back to them more often than not. Their defenders were under enormous pressure given the yellow-and-black avalanche, but on at least seven occasions turned the ball over and watched it get kicked over their heads for goals, caught bewildered and doing things they didn’t need to do.

Courtenay Dempsey’s very good season has become derailed in the past few weeks by his own frustration, an unnecessary behind-the-play headlock on Cotchin, after Cotchin had cleared the ball, giving up another inside-50.

The Tigers were not by any means playing brilliant football. Riewoldt was taking marks and getting shots on goal, but missing more than he was nailing. Their midfielders had worked their way well on top, with Shane Tuck and Brett Deledio prolific, without absolutely driving home their advantage. They forced many mistakes, and benefited from other Essendon errors, but were still able to turn a patchy start into a substantial lead, setting all the initiative. They were playing better, more organised football by the end of the half, making far fewer mistakes. They were running. The only thing they weren’t doing was putting the Bombers away.

A goal to Leroy Jetta at the start of the third quarter provided a little red-and-black flicker. Others, to Angus Monfries and the energetic Alex Browne, got them back to within 20 points, but Richmond didn’t want to let them get closer and was able, each time, to find a goal of  its own and keep the Bombers far enough away.

First came Dustin Martin’s long, emphatic goal. Then it was Riewoldt — having forced Michael Hurley’s move to defence — starting to get his timing right. His third goal — and another on the siren to Robin Nahas, after Riewoldt’s pass — meant things were basically as they were by the end of the third term: the Tigers in control, six goals up, doing what they needed to do.

By the end, the Essendon players were what they have been in the past couple of months. A few tried their hearts out; Watson, as always, was one of them, and Hurley another. A few in horrible form, but trying. A bunch that looks dazed and confused. A bunch that looks frustrated. A larger bunch that looks utterly unable to run or find a teammate by foot.At least one on the bench, injured.

Richmond’s ideal finish would have seen it pile on some more goals, extend the lead and inflict more misery than it already had. That didn’t quite happen, the lead extended through more points than goals in the last term as things petered out until Brett O’Hanlon snapped his first for the night.

But this is a team still learning how much is "enough", and that’s exactly what  it got.

FIRST BLOOD

Nothing lifts the mood like a debutant booting a goal with his first kick. Nick O'Brien joined that club last night and he had Leroy Jetta to thank for it. A few minutes into the game, Michael Hurley kicked to a dangerous spot and Jetta took a fresh-air swish from the goal square. O'Brien made no such mistake, keeping his cool as Richmond defenders closed in and banging the ball through. He had four kicks in the first term, hit Hurley on the chest with one of them and appeared unfazed by the occasion.

SHORT FUSE

Courtenay Dempsey has displayed a short fuse in recent weeks. Last night, against the Tigers, he was punished again, this time for a crude tackle off the ball on Trent Cotchin during the second term. Dempsey has been something of a barometer for the Bombers - he made an impressive comeback from a knee reconstruction and was flying when the Bombers were hot, but mistakes have crept into his game as the team's form faded.

COLEMAN RISING

Jack Riewoldt can still win the Coleman Medal and his hopes will rise if Matthew Pavlich's injuries force him out. Riewoldt kept his hopes of a second Coleman (he won in 2010) alive with three goals to move to 59, one behind Pavlich. - CHLOE SALTAU

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-romp-dons-out-of-luck-20120824-24sk6.html#ixzz24Uv7ywYm

[one-eyed]

Richmond puts paid to Essendon hopes

    by: LEN JOHNSON
    From: The Australian
    August 25, 2012

RICHMOND defeated Essendon by 45 points last night at the MCG, inflicting a heavy defeat on a traditional rival and giving itself a chance of finishing the season all-square, with as many wins as losses.

The Tigers out-ran and out-played Essendon all night, with the Dons a shadow of the team that won eight of its first nine matches for the season.

Richmond now meets Port Adelaide at the MCG next Sunday with the prospect of an 11th win and the satisfaction of ending the season on a high note.

If, as expected, Essendon loses its last game of the season against Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night, it will finish on the same 11-11 win-loss record as Richmond. There, the similarities end.

While the Tigers will end their year on a positive note, Essendon will be haunted by what might have been before injuries and heavy losses took its toll. After beating Port Adelaide in round 16, the Dons were 11-5 needing, at most, two more wins to ensure a place in the eight.
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Like a man swimming for his life, however, the shore just seemed to get further and further away.

Terrible conversion - 13 goals from 37 scoring shots - and the failure to take advantage of a massive 71-40 edge in inside-50s aside, there was much to like about Richmond's performance. Trent Cotchin was kept quiet by Heath Hocking for the first quarter, but gradually worked his way into the game and ended with 31 possessions.

Fellow onballer Brett Deledio had 33. Jack Riewoldt finished with three goals, though with a tally of 3-5 he was one of the worst offenders when it came to wasting chances. It scarcely mattered, when Richmond did not win the ball, Essendon managed to give it back to them. Essendon's talisman, Jobe Watson, followed the opposing trajectory to Cotchin. He had 11 disposals in the first quarter but only nine more for the game. He ended it looking as battered and bruised as his side's finals hopes.

Angus Monfries, with three, was his side's leading goal-kicker, though Stewart Crameri worked hard and took eight marks as his side's main forward target. He was off-line with his kicking, though, scoring just four behinds.

The horror run of soft-tissue injuries continued, with Alwyn Davey subbed off with a hamstring injury early in the second quarter to be replaced to Jake Melksham. At least in this, Essendon matched its opponent.

Richmond also had to activate its sub, Brett O'Hanlon, in the first half as Matt White also limped off with a hamstring injury. Michael Hurley also limped off late in the game for the Dons.

Essendon's only decent quarter was the third, but at the end of it the half-time lead of 29 points had been extended to 37 and, for the sixth week in a row, a win now seemed beyond the team.

Leroy Jetta got the first goal of the second half for the Dons when he converted a free kick for a throw.

That goal was almost immediately cancelled out when an Essendon kick-in went straight to Cotchin.

He hand-balled to Dustin Martin and the Richmond midfielder put a thumping kick back over the Essendon defence for a goal.

When Monfries and Alex Browne got successive goals mid-way through the term the margin was down to 18 points and Essendon suddenly looked capable of making further inroads.

Richmond 13.24 (102)
Essendon 8.9 (57)
Goals: Richmond: J Riewoldt 3 L McGuane 2 S Edwards 2 B Deledio B O'Hanlon D Astbury D Martin R Nahas S Grigg. Essendon: A Monfries 3 A Browne L Jetta M Hurley N O'Brien S Gumbleton. Umpires: Jacob Mollison, Mathew Nicholls, Shane McInerney. Crowd: 47,590 at MCG.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-puts-paid-to-essendon-hopes/story-fnca0u4y-1226457797330

[one-eyed]

Insipid Essendon finds no answer to overcome Richmond

    Warwick Green
    From: Herald Sun
    August 25, 2012

ESSENDON coach James Hird put it bluntly after last week's 96-point loss to Carlton: ''The way these boys respond to a disappointing day is what's important to me,'' he said.

Within a few minutes against Richmond he had his answer.

Essendon lacked run, lacked urgency, lacked enthusiasm and lacked imagination.

It looked like a team of players desperate for the season to end and the beer to be cried in.

The theory is that the Bombers have been overcooked in their physical training, and accordingly are playing the flat football that comes with heavy legs.

You would hope that is the case, because the alternative is unfathomable: that their insipid efforts were the result of not having a crack.

Even so, concrete boots may have explained why Essendon was not running with the ball, and was not prepared to work hard without it, but it did not explain some of the other failings in the first half.

Like why Essendon was so feeble in its tackling attempts, often hanging out a token loose arm.

Why it persistently kicked in from full back to a contest between the ruckmen, even though the tactic was patently offering no return.

Why most of the team couldn't muster the enthusiasm to congratulate first-gamer Nick O'Brien when he kicked the first Essendon goal of the game with his first kick in AFL football, just five minutes into the match.

The signs were ominous from the outset.

By midway through the opening quarter, Richmond led the inside-50 count 12-3 and could easily have skipped away to a five-goal lead.

Only some poor kicking by the Tigers inside their forward 50 allowed Essendon to stay in touch.

In contrast, Richmond's strengths were its workrate and its energy, even though it largely lacked the polish to convert its dominance into a deserved 15-goal win.

And the man who epitomised the Tigers' workmanlike victory was Shane Tuck.

He contributed solidly in each of the four quarters, and favoured a no-nonsense approach, bombing the ball long into the forward line.

He managed a game-high 12 inside 50s.

Equally industrious was ruckman Ivan Maric, who just bullocked his way into every contest that came his way and brought the Tigers smaller men into the contest.

Bachar Houli was an important link man across half back, and Brett Deledio continued his evolution from rebounding defender to wide-roaming playmaker.

Apart from Hird's query about the Bombers' character, the other question that begged an answer last night was who would shine more brightly of Brownlow fancies Jobe Watson and Trent Cotchin.

Watson looked like a man fatigued by shouldering a team for weeks on end.

He scrapped his way through the match to earn a pass mark, but it was his quietest game of the year.

His 20 disposals were easily his lowest return of the year.

Cotchin, picked up by Dons stopper Heath Hocking, managed just two touches in the first term, but the longer the match wore on the more influential he became.

It was not one of his typically slashing displays, but his class and work-rate could not be contained.

One passage of play involving Cotchin in the third quarter was instructive.

After lunging to make a desperate tackle he jumped to his feet, ran on to receive a handball and then drilled a perfect 50-metre pass onto the chest of Jack Riewoldt.

Had he managed three goals instead of five behinds, the bookies would be locking in another three Brownlow votes.

The Dons discovered some run and urgency for the first 15 minutes of the second half, but once they drew to within three goals Richmond inevitably pulled away.

The final quarter could well have been abandoned under the mercy rule, with the teams managing a goal apiece.

For Richmond the match should have been evidence that it is an improving team about to match it with the teams in the top half.

Yet it was as unconvincing a 45-point win as you could hope to see.

The Tigers will again frustratingly just miss out on the finals, end the season strongly and go into the summer with hope.

But they need to become more ruthless.

Essendon has now lost seven of its past eight games, and heads back to the drawing board.

Assistant coach Mark Thompson said before the match that the past two seasons had reinforced his belief that Hird hated losing more than anyone he had encountered in football.

Considering Thompson has been involved in five premierships with Essendon and Geelong, that's a big statement.

Unfortunately it was the only emphatic statement made by the Bombers at the MCG last night.

FOUR POINTS with Glenn McFarlane

1. RICHMOND'S first seven goals came as a result of Essendon turnovers, exclusive stats on Live HQ revealed the extent to which the Bombers butchered the ball early. And the first-half inside 50 stats told the ugly tale as the Tigers had an advantage of 42 to 23, setting up a 29-point half-time lead.
 
2. ESSENDON teenager Nick O'Brien joined a select club when he booted a goal with his first kick in AFL football just five minutes into last night's game. It gave the Bombers their first goal and saved Leroy Jetta a bit of embarrassment after his mis-kick in the goal-square.
 
3. JAKE King revealed pre-game on Triple M that his body will have an overhaul before the start of next season. After recently having two pins put in his foot and two more in his thumb, the injured Tiger hardman also said he was going to have a reconstruction of his PCL, an adductor release and a groin clean-up. But he insisted he would be back running by the start of December.
 
4. ESSENDON'S sorry list of soft-tissue injury victims just got longer, with Alwyn Davey being subbed out of last night's game with a hamstring injury. The Essendon forward's night ended at the two-minute-mark of the second term, forcing Jake Melksham into the action. The Tigers also had to sub Matt White out of the game 10 minutes later.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/insipid-essendon-finds-no-answer-to-overcome-richmond/story-fnelctok-1226457647598

[one-eyed]

All about 2013 for Richmond

    Jay Clark
    From: Herald Sun
    August 24, 2012 10:57PM

RICHMOND was on world record pace, yet Damien Hardwick would still have snarled. The Tigers' midfield had it easy. Way too easy.

Yet at halftime of the cakewalk at the MCG last night, they led by only 29 points.

Considering Richmond had the ball in its forward half for what seemed like 10 straight minutes in the second term, and went to the main change with 42 inside-50s, the margin should have been wider than the Gulf of Carpentaria.

And Hardwick, surely, knew it. Still, there were plenty of ticks for those in yellow and black, stuff that strongly reaffirms the path the Tigers are on, even if their opposition last night is in some sort of disarray.

What pleased about Richmond was the run and spread from the contest.

Desperate efforts from Jake Batchelor in defence to get a diving fist in, and Steve Morris to smother without fear.

Bachar Houli busted his gut-running from the back. There was a general desire to outwork Essendon in every
aspect.

That intent, and spirit, will warm Richmond hearts in a contest that meant little to finals prospects that had already flat-lined.

Clearly, the Tiges were already thinking about laying the foundations for next September. And playing a part in them for the first time in 12 years.

Shane Tuck was the man in everything in the middle, continuing an extraordinary turnaround for a man who seemed destined for the football scrap heap.

Although there was little tackling pressure coming from the opposition, he was the man most responsible for camping the ball inside the Tigers' forward line.

Even more uplifting for the Punt Road cause was the fact that Trent Cotchin had little part in it all when the game was alive.

He had two touches in the first term and then was cast forward for much of the second in contested marking battles.

Not that Bombers' skipper Jobe Watson, another leading Brownlow Medal contender, had a great influence on the clash either.

Where Richmond let Essendon off the hook was its last kick inside 50m.

When it had the run of it throughout the first half, instead of putting the Bombers to the sword with precise delivery to leading forwards, it settled for long and high bombs.

With 42 inside-50s, the Tigers should have already finished the Bombers off.

The most number recorded for a game is 83.

But they left the door ajar for Essendon briefly as the Bombers cut the lead to 18 points in the third term.

But Richmond soon found their composure, and space to kick to the forwards.

Jack Riewoldt and co. got on their bikes and began marking the ball out in front. It was a solid 45-point win for the Tigers, which you put down to another small step forward.

It was just not the thrashing Hardwick's men should have handed out.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/all-about-2013-for-richmond/story-fnelctok-1226457759518