Gallant Tigers fall short
10:15:54 PM Sat 23 July, 2005
Alan Shiell
Exclusive to afl.com.au
An excellent Richmond comeback has fallen short at AAMI Stadium as Port Adelaide kept its season alive, winning a desperate struggle by 13 points - 14.12 (96) to 12.11 (83) - on Saturday night.
The Power led by 43 points - 9.4 to 2.3 - five minutes into the second quarter before the Tigers recovered to add 9.6 to 2.4 for a one-point lead at three-quarter time.
But Port was able to regroup and had the better of the final term - 3.4 to 1.2 - to stretch its unbeaten home-ground record against Richmond to 8-0.
Josh Mahoney kicked four goals for Port and Matthew Richardson booted four for Richmond - one in each quarter.
Port made a flying start and led by 31 points - 6.1 to 1.0 - 15 minutes into the first quarter, and the result seemed to be almost beyond doubt when the margin was still the same at quarter-time - 7.4 to 2.3.
And it definitely looked to be all over five minutes into the second term when the Power stretched its lead to 43 points with goals from Mahoney (his third) and Warren Tredrea (his second).
Not surprisingly, given the score, Port had 16 inside-50s to Richmond's 10 in the first quarter, and Adam Kingsley dominated through the midfield with 12 disposals and Kane Cornes and Gavin Wanganeen were prominent, too, as were Mahoney and talls Brendon Lade and Damon White.
Rory Hilton's goal at the nine-minute mark of the second term signaled the start of the Tigers' revival and they fought back superbly to outscore the Power 5.3 to 1.2 to trail by 18 points at half-time - 7.6 to 10.6.
It was the Tigers' turn to win most of the centre clearances and the inside-50 count suddenly was only 27-23 Port's way.
Joel Bowden was strong in defence for Richmond, Mark Coughlan, Shane Tuck and Wayne Campbell worked hard on the ball and Richardson kicked the Tigers' first and fifth goals and always looked dangerous.
Darryl Wakelin and Matthew Bishop had taken it in turns to stand Richardson, whose third goal - just three minutes into the third quarter - left Richmond only 12 points behind and, mercifully for the Tigers, the rain, which arrived late in the second term, had stopped. But it returned midway through the quarter.
Troy Simmonds' first goal, after a behind-the-play infringement on him by Chad Cornes, cut the Tigers' deficit to six points at the 10-minute mark of the third term.
Simmonds had started at centre half-forward on Cornes before having a stint in ruck and Campbell had tried, often successfully, to lure Cornes into Richmond's goalmouth area rather than allow him to play across half-back.
Stuart Dew kicked a 50-metre goal - Port's 11th - but Greg Tivendale's comparable long bomb, after a pass from Richardson, again left Richmond six points in arrears.
The Tigers kept pressing and a behind to Greg Stafford and a goal to Brett Deledio at the 25-minute mark gave them a one-point lead to take into the final quarter.
Richardson failed to score with a gettable shot from within 50 metres, and Port responded with a goal on the run from Shaun Burgoyne, who had been pitched into the midfield after blanketing Andrew Krakouer at half-back.
The Power kept attacking but scored three successive behinds from Peter Walsh, rushed and a Matthew Primus shot that was touched on the line by a leaping Mark Graham.
Richardson speared a good goal from deep in the left pocket to leave Richmond two points behind, but goals to Mahoney and Michael Pettigrew either side of a Byron Pickett behind put Port 15 points clear at the 20-minute mark.
Then two rushed behinds to Richmond were the only scores in the last 12 minutes of the match.
PORT ADELAIDE: 7.4, 10.6, 11.8, 14.12 (96)
RICHMOND: 2.3, 7.6, 11.9, 12.11 (83)
GOALS – Port Adelaide: Mahoney 4, Lade 2, Tredrea 2, Ebert, Pickett, White, Dew, S.Burgoyne, Pettigrew
Richmond : Richardson 4, Deledio 2, Tuck, Hyde, Campbell, Pettifer, Symonds, Tivendale
BEST – Port Adelaide: K. Cornes, Kingsley, Mahoney, S. Burgoyne, P.Burgoyne, Dew, Tredrea
Richmond: Tuck, Bowden, Coughlan Richardson, Campbell, Hyde
INJURIES – Port Adelaide: tbc Richmond: tbc
CHANGES: Port Adelaide: Montgomery (flu) replaced in selected side by Pettigrew
UMPIRES - Vosso, James, Quigley
CROWD - 27,455 at AAMI Stadium
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=217223