Media articles - Demons put bite on Tigers

[one-eyed]

Demons put bite on Tigers
Len Johnson
The Age
July 15, 2006

MELBOURNE 1.4 5.9 8.12 9.16 (70)
RICHMOND 1.2 2.3 3.8 7.10 (52)

Goals:
Melbourne: R Robertson 4 A Davey C Sylvia J Rivers L Dunn D Ward.
Richmond: M Richardson 2 T Simmonds 2 K Pettifer J Schulz A Kellaway.

Best:
Melbourne: R Robertson J McDonald M Whelan S Godfrey B Pickett J White A Yze.
Richmond: T Simmonds B Deledio K Johnson N Foley P Bowden.

Umpires: M Stevic B Allen M Vozzo.
Crowd: 60,086 at the MCG.

MELBOURNE defeated Richmond by 18 points at the MCG last night, its 11th win in 12 matches, to maintain its top-four position.

Four goals to one in the final quarter — one helped by two 50-metre penalties and another by one — gave the Tigers a scoreboard respectability that they did not quite earn.

From the second minute of the second quarter, when the Tigers briefly took the lead, until the opening minutes of the last, Melbourne added 7.8 to 1.6. Melbourne had well and truly bolted before Richmond got anywhere near the door.

A last-quarter leg injury to Ben Holland, who had held Matthew Richardson goalless for the first three quarters, may sour the victory a little, but the 2006 Melbourne seems to have adequate reserves for anything but the most major of catastrophes.

Richardson had just kicked his first goal, added another soon afterwards as Melbourne reorganised and then Troy Simmonds outmuscled Nathan Carroll to mark in the dying seconds for another goal, the ball coming in after a 50-metre penalty.

Russell Robertson led the way for the Demons with four goals, two from speccies. On a night of limited highlights, his hanger over Joel Bowden in the second quarter and a soaring goal-square chest mark in the third were two bits of play to be thankful for.

Brad Green played well for the winners, but the pleasing thing for the Demons was that the win was achieved without a goal from David Neitz and limited contribution from players such as Cameron Bruce, Aaron Davey, Byron Pickett and Jeff White. Melbourne's class simply ran deeper than that of its courageous opponent.

The Demons led by 34 points at the last change. Two goals to Robertson and another to Daniel Ward seemed enough to put the game out of Richmond's reach.

Robertson was giving Bowden a hell of a night, even though the Tiger playmaker had had a lot of the ball. Midway through the term, Andrew Raines was switched onto the mercurial Demon forward.

Richmond got its first goal since the opening two minutes of the second quarter when Andrew Kellaway goaled from 40 metres out 20 minutes into the term.

The Tigers were pushing hard and when Brett Deledio dived courageously on the ball late in the term and won a free kick, could have closed to within five goals. Deledio was unable to take the kick, however, and Andrew Krakouer's effort from about 40 metres missed way to the left.

A dominant second quarter allowed Melbourne to lead by 24 points at half-time. After the stalemate that was the first quarter, both sides had a goal within a few minutes of the bounce to start the second.

Jay Schulz, about fourth in line at best, marked strongly 20 metres out from goal to kick the Tigers' second and put them in front for the first time in the night. Scarcely had the calicos been furled, however, than they were out again to acclaim a goal by Demon Jared Rivers.

That goal followed run out of defence from Davey and Pickett that was to become the hallmark of Melbourne's method as they added 4.5 to 1.1 for the term.

With the Tigers pushing numbers back behind the ball, Melbourne countered this by being prepared to carry the ball into attack before using one decisive kick to create a scoring chance. The example par excellence came when Ward took five bounces to carry the ball from inside his own defensive 50 to just outside the attacking 50, touched the ball down once more before cutting inside to chip a pass to Colin Sylvia for the Demons' fifth. This came minutes after Robertson had kicked Melbourne's fourth goal.

Richmond, on the other hand, seemed short of attacking options. At one point it seemed the plan was to set the ball up for a Richardson speccy. It wasn't working. Nor was Nathan Brown finding many chances coming his way as Matthew Whelan closed him down.

The Tigers gifted a couple of goals to Melbourne, too. Bowden hand-balled straight to Davey for one goal, then Raines kicked straight to Davey in another turnover and was fortunate when Rivers missed the shot that resulted.

Indifferent conversion — most of nine first-half behinds coming from set shots, five from "posters" — kept Richmond within touch.

The first quarter was surely one of the most tedious played this year.

The quarter's two lonely goals — one to each side — had not that much to recommend them. Lynden Dunn copped just enough contact to his leg to be paid a free kick for a trip and Melbourne's first, then Kayne Pettifer snapped a goal between three defenders.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/07/14/1152637874638.html

[one-eyed]

A model of modernity
The Age
July 15, 2006

It was modern football but with one traditional aspect. Thankfully, there were speccies on show, writes Greg Baum.

IN MOST ways, this was a thoroughly modern game of AFL football, played as a series of flat races between the half-back lines.

Midway through the first quarter, a clutch of players from both sides stood with hands on hips or knees, gasping for breath, watching the ball disappear to the other end of the ground after a turnover. At an unseen cue, they all began to run again.

A typical play consisted of a ball-carrier stopped on the threshold of attack, waving his arms round, periodically touching the ball to the ground, doing all within his powers not to kick the ball, for that would be to create an element of uncertainty.

Goals were scored variously on the fast break, from opponents' error — these were frequent — or occasional flashes of inspiration, but only rarely by the outdated expedient of delivering the ball by a series of handballs and kicks to a leading forward.

Matthew Richardson and David Neitz, two of the finest exponents of this black art, had minimal impact. Neitz did not kick a goal, nor Richardson until the last quarter.

For Melbourne, as the more developed side, it worked well enough. If the Demons had not hit the post six times — five in the first half — this match would have been over long before its end.

As it happened, Richmond was reminded of how difficult it is to flood on the vast acres of the MCG. The effort it took to contain Melbourne to nine goals left it with only enough resources and energy to kick seven of its own.

The Tigers went 36 minutes without kicking a goal, and needed Andrew Kellaway, a defender, to break the drought. Fans longed for a style of football that is no likelier to be seen again than the smokers' stand.

But in one detail, this game was a throwback. It featured at least three old-fashioned speccies, marks taken by players elevating as if by strings and pulleys onto and over others.

Jay Schulz took one for Richmond, Mark Jamar and Russell Robertson — of course — one each for Melbourne. Others flew, but unsuccessfully: Aaron Davey for the Demons, Kayne Pettifer and Richardson for the Tigers.

Jamar took his mark over Troy Simmonds. Robertson crowned his night's work with another high-rise mark in the last quarter, bringing him his fourth goal.

But what was truly noteworthy was that some of these high points were set-ups. Downfield players deliberately scooped up their kicks so that the ball hung in the air.

They kicked it to "the sit". It had about it a sense of the schoolyard at lunchtime. It very nearly amounted to that most mortal of modern football sins, the kick to a contest. It would not surprise to learn that several players are kept in this week to write lines.

The second half was played on more conventional keepings-off terms. The last quarter was as so many are, a trudge. Daniel Ward made it distinctive by kicking the ball 50 metres in the wrong direction.

The Demons were slicker, but even they felt the toll of perpetual-motion football. Their running slackened and they managed only one goal in the last quarter. Richmond kicked the last three goals without remotely threatening.

Victory, Melbourne's 11th in 12 matches, was its own justification. Richmond contained the scale of the defeat, something that it has not always managed this season. But the only enduring memory will be of those fleeting moments when the ball spun high in the floodlights and the dreamy libertine inside every footballer and every fan had its chance.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/07/14/1152637874635.html

[one-eyed]

Wallace says margin flattered Tigers
15 July 2006   Herald-Sun
Michael Stevens

RICHMOND coach Terry Wallace last night conceded the 18-point loss to Melbourne had flattered his young side.
 
The Tigers were outplayed in the first three terms in front of a crowd of 60,086 at the MCG and never looked like threatening the Demons, who have won 10 of their past 11 games and are a fixture in the top four.

To compound a dirty night for the Tigers, playmaker Joel Bowden, who was well beaten by Russell Robertson, could face scrutiny by the match review panel for his late hit on Daniel Ward in the final term.

Ward left the field under the blood rule with a cut above the eye, although there was no free kick paid.

In a game riddled with turnovers and fundamental errors, the Tigers broke even in the first quarter, thanks to relentless flooding, but were outplayed in the second term when the Demons added 4.5 to 1.1.

The scoreline could have been more damaging had the Demons not hit the post five times in the first half.

``I thought quite convincingly they had us covered for most of the night,'' Wallace said.

``If they had kicked goals early, it should have been three or four goals at quarter-time and probably should have been 10 or eight goals at halftime. We're not kidding ourselves about that. We probably were flattered by the final scoreline.''

Joel Bowden, a mainstay of the Tigers' defence all season, was removed early in the final term after Robertson kicked his fourth goal.

``It's an interesting game when you have 31 possessions and your bloke has eight scoring shots. I know who I reckon wins,'' Wallace said.

``I've always equated every goal's worth five possessions at least, so he's kicked four which is 20 (possessions) before you've even blinked.

``We know who won the duel. I don't have any issue about that.

``Look, Joel's been an outstanding player for us for quite a few years and you don't get 31 possessions without trying your guts out.

``But the part of the game he's got to get right is the offensive versus defensive.

``You show a bloke like Russell Robertson your back regularly enough because you want to be that attacking kind of player, and he's going to hurt you.

``We went to a senior player to do a job and unfortunately it didn't get done tonight.''

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19795496%255E19771,00.html

[one-eyed]

Demons' talent pool rises to flag level
15 July 2006   Herald-Sun
Mark Stevens

FRIDAY night, prime-time, is supposed to be the slot for superstars.

With the bad-news Bombers finally off centre stage, surely it was safe to come out again expecting something special.

But if big names playing well equals TV ratings, Channel 9 will be left disappointed.

Cameron Bruce, Travis Johnstone and David Neitz had a night to forget for Melbourne.

For Richmond, Nathan Brown and Matthew Richardson couldn't get near it either.

But one coach would have left the MCG feeling very content.

Neale Daniher received further vindication that his team has the depth of talent and options to have a serious tilt at the premiership.

The 18-point win wasn't pretty, but it was never really in doubt either.

And apart from the heroics of headline act Russell Robertson, it was a win built around the efforts of hard-working second and third-tier players.

Bruce had just 14 touches and was shut down by Dean Polo, Travis Johnstone could find it only 13 times and Neitz finished with seven disposals and no goals.

Tigers coach Terry Wallace would have gleefully taken those numbers before the game, knowing full well they added up to a possible victory.

But Melbourne is now a very difficult unit to conquer. As soon as you put a few stars back in their place, others will pop up to make your life hell.

It was best summed up by the efforts of Simon Godfrey, an unheralded Demon who has spent much of his footy life on the fringe.

When word got out mid-afternoon that Brock McLean would miss with a crook quadricep, with Godfrey his replacement, some even starting warming to Richmond.

Godfrey is close to the fittest player at the club, but has always lacked polish.

There were mistakes again last night, but he stepped up to have 24 touches, including seven forward 50 entries.

Daniel Ward is almost as unfashionable, but also played a key role. He had 14 touches and produced a brilliant second-term six-bounce run to hurt the Tigers.

Matthew Whelan is always one of the first picked at Melbourne when fit, yet rarely makes a headline.

He too stepped up, winning the ball 23 times and keeping the dangerous Brown to 11 and no goals.

James McDonald just kept getting to contests and had 16 disposals in the second half as others slowed.

Robertson, who has been dogged by a knee injury all season, bobbed up too after a quiet patch.

He finished with 4.4 _ including two posters _ and gave opponent Joel Bowden a lesson in overhead contests.

Robertson, clearly the matchwinner on a night where only 16 goals were kicked, sat on Joel Bowden to take a contender for mark of the year in the second term.

Bowden managed 31 disposals, but was beaten when it counted most: in one-on-ones.

Robertson finished with 15 marks _ including six of the golden contested variety _ and also showed the work ethic to offer leads high up the ground.

The Demons outscored the Tigers seven goals to two across the second and third terms and at times looked like smashing the game wide open and winning by eight goals-plus.

After trailing by 34 points going into the final term, Richmond scraped out some respectability with four goals to one in the final term. But the 18-point result flattered the Tigers, who had eight fewer scoring shots.

Unbelievably, the Tigers managed four more forward 50 entries, but the thrusts goalward were rarely convincing.

Too often they went short or sideways. After showing so much potential in recent weeks as a potent running team, they were at times strangely stagnant.

And the Tigers fell back into the old habit of being sloppy by foot, producing 26 clanger kicks, the seventh most recorded.

It had a touch of the ugly game against Carlton in Round 5. Only on that Friday night, Tigers won.

Against ridgy-didge sides such as Melbourne, you pay for your mistakes.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19794888%255E19771,00.html

[one-eyed]

Stars missing in blue collar night
15 July 2006   Herald-Sun
Mark Robinson

THE most encouraging aspect about Melbourne last night is it beat Richmond and its better players were among the least productive.

Cam Bruce? Shutdown by Dean Polo.

David Neitz? Shutdown by Darren Gaspar.

Travis Johnstone? Shutdown by Kane Johnson.

The result? Richmond shutdown by the Demons.

It's got to be a terrific sign for a club that has tried to convince us this year is all about the team, that they have improved as a team, and this is their best team since they made the Grand Final in 2000.

They are on all fronts.

Instead of some of Melbourne's recent blue-ribbon outings, this was more blue collar.

Richmond, save for much of the third quarter, had one, sometimes two loose men in defence, which, as you could imagine, meant Melbourne had two loose men up the ground.

One was Jared Rivers in his defensive arc, who ran and created.

The other was Byron Pickett, who, as a forward flanker, played up the ground and ran around unaccounted for much of the night. He did the same against Collingwood and, last night, was also troubling for the opposition.

Of course, with four loose men, the game was one of keepings off and chip kicks.

The game wasn't a great one _ actually it was a letdown amid the hype _ but in the end someone had to win and lose, and probably from the moment Russell Robertson took his hanger at the 13th minute of the second quarter, the winner always looked to be Melbourne

Thank God for Robbo.

He played his best game of the year, which is another terrific sign for the Dees.

He booted four goals from eight shots, hit the post twice and took 15 marks of which six were Robbo specials.

You know the ones, where he flies so courageously at the pill, or pack, and takes them on his chest.

He was the standout forward by that far. Whereas Robbo was best afield, and Aaron Davey was dangerous as usual, as was Brad Green without his kicking boot on, the Tigers had virtually nothing.

Their starting forward line of Matthew Richardson, Kane Pettifer, Nathan Brown, Jay Schulz and Andrew Krakouer supplied just four goals. It's more than half of their team total of seven, and that's about the best thing you can write about them.

They weren't helped by a midfield that was so-so, but still.

The Dees, other than Robbo, won ugly which isn't an entirely a bad thing either

They did the same against Brisbane Lions last week, and gives further evidence this team is no longer the Victorian downhill skiing champions they once were.

James McDonald was awesome last night, continuing his outstanding season. He went with Shane Tuck and Brett Deledio for a while, and a few others, and if Neale Daniher gives B&F votes, J.McD should poll well.

Daniher must love him.

Also telling were Simon Godfrey and Daniel Ward off the pine and into the midfield, Matthew Whelan on Nathan Brown, Paul Wheatley on Pettifer, and backmen Clint Bartram and Nathan Carroll.

It would be interesting to know if Daniher made anything of David King's comments on Neitz, or, indeed, did the Melbourne players.

Earlier this year, the Richmond assistant suggested Melbourne was a better functioning team without the captain at full-forward, which again made the print this week.

King may be right, he may be wrong and maybe we're barking at shadows and it wasn't mentioned at all.

Then again, maybe King picked the wrong target in questioning the captain of an opposition team and maybe, just maybe, Daniher and his boys didn't like it.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19794859%255E19742,00.html

[one-eyed]

Team Stats

Kicks        202 - 230
Marks       124 - 145
Handballs   97 - 104
Tackles      25 - 43
Hitouts         9 - 21
Frees         16 - 17

Individual Stats

J.Bowden       22 9 31 8 0 1 1 1 0 0
P.Bowden      15 8 23 11 0 1 0 1 0 0
B.Deledio       15 7 22 7 0 0 1 1 0 1
N.Foley           9 12 21 6 0 3 1 2 0 0
A.Kellaway     10 7 17 11 0 1 1 0 1 0
T.Simmonds   16 1 17 9 6 0 3 3 2 1
A.Raines        10 6 16 6 0 1 0 1 0 0
G.Tivendale    10 5 15 4 0 0 1 0 0 1
K.Johnson     10 4 14 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
D.Polo             7 7 14 7 0 3 1 0 0 1
K.Pettifer       12 1 13 6 0 0 2 2 1 1
C.Hyde           6 6 12 6 0 0 0 0 0 0
M.White        10 2 12 8 0 1 0 0 0 0
N.Brown          9 2 11 6 0 2 0 2 0 0
S.Tuck            7 4 11 2 1 4 0 1 0 0
R.Tambling      8 2 10 4 0 0 1 1 0 1
A.Pattison       4 4   8 4 2 0 1 0 0 0
M.Richardson  7 1   8 4 0 2 0 0 2 1
J.Schulz         7 0   7 5 0 3 2 0 1 0
A.Krakouer     4 2   6 1 0 1 0 0 0 1
K.Moore         2 4   6 3 0 1 0 1 0 0
D.Gaspar       2 3   5 1 0 1 1 1 0 0

Top 5s

Rankings

Robertson    178
J.Bowden    173
McDonald    141
P.Bowden    138
Whelan        138

Contested Possies

Foley            9
Robertson     9
J.Bowden     8
Simmonds    8
Tivendale     8

Uncontested Possies

J.Bowden      19
Godfrey         19
Deledio          19
McDonald       17
Whelan          17

Effective Kicks

J.Bowden       19
Whelan          14
Yze                14
Wheatley        14
Robertson       14

Inside 50

Godfrey          7
P.Bowden       5
Deledio           5
Robertson       4
Raines            4

Rebound 50

J.Bowden       10
Foley               5
Whelan            5
P.Bowden        4
Bruce              4

[one-eyed]

Stray Tigers mauled
16 July 2006   Sunday Herald Sun
Jon Ralph

GIVE a team like Melbourne enough chances and it will make you pay.

Richmond's post-mortem examination after its 18-point loss to the Demons would have focused on the struggles of its stars and an inability to execute strategies.

But none of that matters when you butcher the Sherrin as comprehensively as the Tigers did on Friday.

Look no further than Nathan Brown's eight clangers from 11 disposals as a statistic representative of the team's woes.

Want examples from the critical second quarter?

Seventh minute: Joel Bowden handballs to Aaron Davey who goals to extend the margin to seven points.

10th minute: Darren Gaspar drops a sitter, which sees Simon Godfrey's errant shot on goal seconds later.

12th minute: Kelvin Moore has options yet floats a hospital handball to Andrew Raines to snuff out any chance of a counter-attack.

13th minute: In space, Bowden fails to hit Andrew Krakouer on the full, with the ball repelled by Demon defenders. Bowden ambles back in just enough time to be "posterised" by a Russell Robertson hanger.

Ten minutes later Daniel Ward surges down the outer wing with six bounces, then waits before choosing the right option for a Colin Sylvia mark and goal.

Tigers four goals down. Game over. It was that sort of night for Richmond, comfortably beaten and flattered by the final margin.

Yet the redeeming performances of the kids meant the night wasn't quite a write-off.

Dean Polo on Cameron Bruce (14 possessions), Moore on Adem Yze (20, but little influence) and Matt White mainly on Davey (15 touches, one goal) were encouraging.

The same couldn't be said for Brown, Andrew Krakouer, Shane Tuck, Greg Tivendale and Kayne Pettifer. They were on the whole ineffective and, in Pettifer's case, played the football that saw coach Terry Wallace label them pumpkin-heads against Hawthorn.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19798127%255E19771,00.html

[one-eyed]

Tigers on slippery dip
16 July 2006   Sunday Herald Sun
Jackie Epstein

RICHMOND forward Nathan Brown has earmarked the next three weeks as make or break for his team's finals chances.

The Tigers went down to Melbourne by three goals on Friday night, which has made the next three matches so crucial.

``We play another good side in Sydney this week, and they're around the same mark as Melbourne, and then we've got St Kilda and the Bulldogs coming up _ four very good sides we need to prove that we can match it with,'' Brown said yesterday.

``We still think we're a huge chance to make the finals and we've got to win probably the next three or four.

``It was a big night, Friday night football, it was a big game for us and we didn't step up to the plate, and it's something that we've got to look at.''

Brown said Melbourne had control of the match and the margin flattered the Tigers after they scored late goals.

He said the side had taken great strides this season, but had been let down on Friday by poor disposal and a dysfunctional forward line.

Brown, who admitted his leg was sore when he pulled up, was well beaten by Demons defender Matthew Whelan. ``It was a tough night for me,'' he said. ``I've had a good run since I've come back with four pretty solid games.

``Matty Whelan's a very good player and he took the points, and took them with ease.

``I had a poor night, as did a lot of our forwards. One thing you don't want to do is play two bad games in a row, so we're looking forward to next week.

``Probably, as a forward group collectively, we had our worst night for a long time. I think none of us really had any impact on the game, and it's something we'll work hard on during the week.

``We've got a lot of work to do, but we've come a long way.''

Brown said coach Terry Wallace did not mince words after the game. ``He just thought we were totally outplayed in most facets of the game,'' Brown said.

``He said there were about five or six blokes who could hold their heads high and probably 15 or 16 who have got a lot of work to do, and that was pretty honest.

``He was very disappointed in our performance and the scoreline flattered us. We got totally outplayed by a better outfit on the night and a better drilled outfit.

``Over the last month we were No.1 in effective kicks up until (Friday) night. And we didn't use it that well, and if you don't use the ball well in perfect conditions for football, you're going to get hurt.''

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,19802267%255E20322,00.html