Media article and stats: Injured Tigers limp to hub life with a win over Demons

[one-eyed]

Injured Tigers limp to hub life with a win over Demons

By Riley Beveridge
afl.com.au
5 July 2020

MELBOURNE    3.1     3.2     5.2    8.4 (52)
RICHMOND      3.2     7.3     9.7     12.7 (79)

GOALS
Melbourne: Hannan 3, Melksham 2, Fritsch 2, McDonald
Richmond: Lynch 3, Lambert 3, Higgins, Rioli, Nankervis, Riewoldt, Castagna, Martin

BEST
Melbourne: Gawn, Oliver, Petracca, Langdon, May, Hibberd
Richmond: Lambert, Prestia, Cotchin, Caddy, Martin, Castagna

INJURIES
Melbourne: Nil
Richmond: Nankervis (ankle), Prestia (ankle), Cotchin (hamstring)

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THIS was the Richmond we all remember.

Winless since the game's restart almost a month ago, the reigning premiers re-found their rhythm on Sunday. A 27-point victory over Melbourne was just the tonic for a Tigers faithful that could have been forgiven for thinking the 'Dimma Dynasty' was starting to waver.

The 12.7 (79) to 8.4 (52) win under cloudy skies at the MCG was typical of the Tigers of old. Not necessarily easy on the eye, but gritty, tough and mightily effective.

There were no outstanding individual performers, but rather the normal collection of solid contributors as Richmond kicked five consecutive goals on either side of half-time to pull away from Melbourne and re-establish itself as a legitimate force once more.

The only concern for the Tigers, albeit a series of significant ones, was what appeared to be a number of serious injury blows sustained by key players after half-time.

Star midfielder Dion Prestia was helped from the field with what looked to be a nasty ankle injury in the game's dying stages, while captain Trent Cotchin (hamstring) and ruckman Toby Nankervis (ankle) had already been scratched from proceedings earlier in the match.

There could be no fingers pointed at Melbourne's ever-improving midfield for the disappointing patches that spoiled Sunday afternoon for Demon fans.

Max Gawn (22 disposals, 33 hitouts) was the dominant ruckman on the ground, while key duo Christian Petracca (27 disposals, seven score involvements) and Clayton Oliver (26 disposals, eight clearances) were again impressive out of the middle.

However, the connection issues forward of centre that have plagued many Melbourne seasons under coach Simon Goodwin reared their ugly head once again, as the Demons fell to a third defeat in four game to start the year.

Forward woes stack up for Demons once again

New day, new game, same problem for Melbourne. Once again, the Demons broke even in almost every statistical category they would have targeted before the match. Inside 50s? 43-39. Clearances? 25-24. Contested ball? 116-120. The issue, as has often been the case throughout Simon Goodwin's tenure, was the fact there was no one there to finish off the hard work of its midfielders. From its 43 entries, Melbourne finished with just 12 scoring shots for the matches and tallied only three shots on goal in the entire second and third quarters – a period where Richmond made its ascendency count on the scoreboard. It's an issue that Goodwin must fix. And fast.

Hub life lingers over MCG battle

Sunday's contest was the last to be held in Victoria for the foreseeable future, with every team set to fly interstate this week to continue the season in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Indeed, the thought of entering a hub cast a shadow over Melbourne's battle with Richmond all afternoon. On the eve of the match, Tigers footy boss Neil Balme revealed that "a couple" of senior players wouldn't join the team in travelling to Queensland on Monday due to family reasons. It will surely add to injury concerns that now include Dion Prestia, Trent Cotchin and Toby Nankervis. The Demons, meanwhile, are preparing for a visit to New South Wales where they will play consecutive matches at Giants Stadium. As the sun faded behind the clouds over the 'G in the dying stages of Sunday's match, there was an overwhelming sense of sadness in asking yourself when – or if – the game would return to its spiritual home again this year.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/461956/injured-tigers-limp-to-hub-life-with-a-win-over-demons

[one-eyed]

Tigers beat Demons but injuries mount for reigning premiers

Daniel Cherny
The Age
5 July 2020

Richmond have some problems. Two of their senior core aren’t heading with them to Queensland for the club's upcoming hub stint, reliable defender David Astbury is sidelined with a knee injury, premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis has been struck down with an ankle concern, their 2019 best and fairest Dion Prestia looks to have seriously hurt his ankle, and captain Trent Cotchin ended the game under a hamstring injury cloud as well.

But the Tigers had some good fortune on Sunday: they got to play Melbourne. If the last 15 years have taught us anything in football, it is that one of the best ways to return to form is to be confronted with the Demons.

The reigning premiers confirmed this axiom at the MCG on Sunday when they zoomed away from the Dees in a four-goal-to-nil second term, a quarter which proved the fulcrum of Richmond’s first win since the resumption of the season.

This was far from a perfect Tigers showing. Tom Lynch again missed a sitter, Jack Riewoldt is still lacking penetration in his kicking and Dustin Martin appears to have not fully recovered from his ribs issue.

But even with all those concerns, Richmond were still considerably better than the Demons. The biggest difference between the sides was forward-50 entries. It was the same old story for Melbourne, who yet again looked dysfunctional in attack.

No moment exemplified this better than Jack Viney’s rainmaker early in the final term, all too easily mopped up by young Tigers defender Noah Balta, who enjoyed an impressive senior return.

There were other moments of ignominy, including Max Gawn’s defensive turnover straight to Jack Higgins in the first quarter, and Steven May’s collision with Bailey Fritsch in the second term. Yet again it was labour-intensive stuff for the Demons, who look destined for another winter of discontent.

In his 100th game, Kane Lambert was brilliant for the Tigers, with his third-quarter smother of Joel Smith and ensuing goal the type of desperate moment Richmond have been searching for in recent weeks. But with Prestia carried off after twisting his leg under a Kozzy Pickett tackle during the final quarter, and Nankervis looking very lame when he made his way off during the third term, this could be a pyrrhic victory for Damien Hardwick’s side.

KNOW WHEN TO HOLD THEM

It was probably inevitable. The weekend after Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson slammed umpires’ unwillingness to pay holding-the-ball free kicks, there was bound to be an overreaction. So it proved. The most alarming incident occurred early in the second quarter of Sunday’s match at the 'G. Christian Petracca did the roving at a boundary thrown-in inside his team’s defensive 50, only to be wrapped up immediately by Nankervis. The Melbourne dynamo was pinged for holding the ball, with Nankervis duly slotting the ensuing set shot. The commentariat was up in arms. Speaking on ABC Radio, Geelong premiership captain Cameron Ling described the decision as “garbage”. It was the lack of consistency that grated as much as anything. Demon Jack-in-the-box Pickett looked to snare Tiger Liam Baker in the first term, but despite holding onto the ball for much longer than Petracca would the following quarter, Baker wasn’t penalised.

MAKING A POINT

Resilient Tigers star Dylan Grimes had to wipe away the claret on his face after copping a knock during the third term. But the award for the day’s most gruesome injury went to Richmond backman Nathan Broad. The dual premiership Tiger headed to the bench during the second quarter, and when the cameras zoomed in it became clear why he had done so: his little finger was protruding at a right angle. Never mind, Broad had some running repairs and was quickly back out there, playing out the game.

SEEING RED

Fringe Tiger Mabior Chol raised eyebrows last year when he displayed a blond streak in his hair. Well he marked his senior return by going one better – depending on who you ask – with an even more eye-catching red streak. Perhaps he is a closet Essendon supporter?

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-beat-demons-but-injuries-mount-for-reigning-premiers-20200705-p5597s.html