Return of the fury: Tigers begin 2018 in styleJon Pierik
The Age
23 March 2018While the final siren on that last Saturday of September was the moment all Tiger fans will remember, the unfurling of the premiership flag an hour before last night’s season opener against Carlton at the MCG was also a moment to savour. President Peggy O’Neal thanked the fans for their support, and then declared: ‘‘We are ready for season 2018.’’
Well, it took a good 11 minutes for her players to agree, for the Blues by that stage had slammed on five unanswered goals, all this from a team that had averaged three goals a quarter last year.
But, by the time what became a grinding contest was over in front of a round-one record attendance of 90,151, the Tigers showed why there may be more celebrations on the cards this year.
Without four of their premiership players, Dustin Martin, up forward and in the midfield, and defender Alex Rance were brilliant in the 26-point win. Martin would have the first kick of the night and deliver a defining running goal 11 minutes into the final term, having pounced on a loose ball. Three straight goals would follow which all but ended the contest.
Rance had time on Levi Casboult, while Jack Silvagni was used in a defensive role on him, but the All-Australian defender was typically pugnacious.
‘‘I always get a bit nervous before the first game so it was good to get that one out of the way,’’ Martin said.
For the Blues, there was much to like. They had vowed over summer to play a more attacking style. This would mean they were prepared to take more risks, even if that meant being hurt on the rebound. This they did, on a night when they were left short-handed in the second term when Matthew Kennedy (ankle) left the field and did not return, while ruckman Matthew Kreuzer battled a groin issue after half-time. Having missed most of the third term, he would return in the final quarter but was sent to full-forward.
Patrick Cripps, with a personal-high 25 of his 36 disposals contested, was a warrior, while the exciting Charlie Curnow and unheralded Matthew Wright were an effective one-two punch inside attacking 50.
The Blues were out on their legs by the time this was over but heads should be held high.
What the clash also showed was the umpires were more than willing to pay a free kick when a player drifted into the protected area zone. Curnow benefited twice from 50m penalties to convert easy goals.
The Blues had lifted their handball rate through the pre-season and, in that opening 11-minute surge, reinforced this upgraded style. Curnow, one of the league’s emerging talents, would boot two, the second a clever snap after the ball had spilt from a marking contest, highlighting his athleticism. Zac Fisher and Jarrod Garlett, the former Sun plucked from the WAFL, prospered from free kicks, and when Wright converted his free kick 40m from goal, it was the Blues roaring.
However, when Kreuzer went to the bench, the Tigers began to find their groove. Riewoldt converted a dubious free kick, Jason Castagna followed up within minutes and when Jack Riewoldt provided a moment of brilliance when his left-foot punch from the pocket dribbled through, the Tigers had momentum.
Martin soon began to find his touch. Coming off one of the most dominant years in league history, he turned the contest through his brilliance, including a strong mark at centre half-forward and a bullet-like pass to Jacob Townsend deep in the pocket.
The Blues' lead was cut to nine points by the first break and they were not helped by Kennedy's injury. The contest became a grind, just as the Tigers had wanted. Trent Cotchin lifted on the ball, while Rance, despite only seven touches to half-time, was brilliant. His ability to spoil or create a contest, as has been the case for years, was pivotal.
In their third year under Brendon Bolton, the Blues need to show greater poise, and they were able to do that. Cripps, with 16 of his 22 possessions contested to half-time, reinforced why his absence hurt last season. Kade Simpson found plenty of the ball, Sam Petrevski-Seton showed glimpses of his talent but skipper Marc Murphy faded after a bright start.
The Tigers would take the lead for the first time when Josh Caddy was on the end of a chain of handballs 50 seconds into the third term. They appeared ready to burst, their anger rising, but the Blues were full of pluck. They would even produce their best play of the night, carrying the ball from deep in defence with slick ball movement through the middle to finding Wright with a set shot about 15m out.
The score changes would continue until Martin's last-quarter goal. Cotchin has said the Tigers "created a brand last year that they were really proud of". This was based on unrelenting pressure inside attacking 50, and that's what broke the contest open. Dan Butler and Townsend prospered from this on the scoreboard, the Tigers highlighting why successive premierships could be within their grasp.
RICHMOND 4.4 6.11 11.14 17.19 (121)
CARLTON 6.1 8.3 12.4 15.5 (95)
GOALS
Richmond: Townsend 4, Riewoldt 4, Butler 3, Caddy 3, Castagna 2, Martin
Carlton: C.Curnow 5, Wright 5, Garlett 2, Fisher, Casboult, Petrevski-Seton
Best: Richmond: Martin, Rance, Cotchin, Riewoldt,
Carlton: Cripps, Simpson, Murphy, Wright, C Curnow, E Curnow
Votes:8: Patrick Cripps (Carlton)
8: Dustin Martin (Richmond)
8: Alex Rance (Richmond)
7: Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
7: Kade Simpson (Carlton)
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/return-of-the-fury-tigers-begin-2018-in-style-20180322-p4z5m9.html
