Media articles and stats - Tigers draw with Saints

[one-eyed]

Tigers draw with Saints
richmondfc.com.au
By Murray Belkin
10:35 PM Fri 01 Apr, 2011


St Kilda        4.6    7.10   9.12   13.17  (95)
Richmond    2.4    9.5    10.9    14.11  (95)

GOALS
St Kilda: Milne 4, Riewoldt 3, Goddard, Gamble, Ray, Armitage, McEvoy, Blake
Richmond: Martin 3, King 2, Vickery 2, Cotchin, Morton, Edwards, Helbig, Deledio, Grigg, Jackson

BEST
St Kilda: Milne, Armitage, Montagna, Dal Santo, Fisher, Jones
Richmond: Deledio, Cotchin, Martin, Newman, Grigg, King

INJURIES
St Kilda: Hayes (knee)
Richmond: Riewoldt (concussion)

SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Lenny Hayes (knee) replaced by Clinton Jones in the third quarter
Richmond: Jack Riewoldt (concussion) replaced by Brad Helbig in the second quarter

Reports: Luke McGuane (Richmond) reported for rough conduct on Farren Ray (St Kilda) in the second quarter.

Umpires: Kennedy, Findlay, Jeffery

Official crowd: 41,465 at MCG

----------------------------------------------------------

ST KILDA and Richmond have played out a thrilling draw at the MCG on Friday night, the Tigers finishing a pulsating contest with 14.11 (95) to St Kilda's 13.17 (95).

Richmond looked to have won the match when Daniel Jackson goaled at the 32-minute mark of the final term, but the Saints pushed forward and had two set shots in the final minutes by debutant Daniel Archer and Stephen Milne that could have won the contest. Both sailed wide, ensuring the 2011 season had its second draw in as many weeks.

The deadlock came at a cost for both sides, with Richmond's Jack Riewoldt (concussion) and St Kilda's Lenny Hayes (knee) both substituted and finishing the match on the bench.

The Tigers youngsters led the way with Brett Deledio, Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin prominent, while Milne was the star up forward with four goals before his final costly miss.

The injury to Hayes occurred in the third quarter, with the 31-year old chaired off the ground by two trainers in enormous pain after his left knee buckled in a contest in the middle.

Earlier, the Tigers lost star forward Riewoldt midway through the second quarter. The Richmond spearhead banged his head on the MCG turf after a marking contest with St Kilda defenders Zac Dawson and Raphael Clarke midway through the first quarter.

Despite the best efforts of Riewoldt to convince the medicos he was right to return, the decision was made to sub the star forward out of the match midway through the second term, much to the disgust of the reigning Coleman Medallist.

While the loss of their spearhead could have stopped the Tigers in their tracks, Riewoldt's absence had the opposite effect on Damien Hardwick’s men, who kicked seven goals to three in the second quarter to turn a 14-point quarter-time deficit into a seven-point lead at the main break.

After the Tigers led by three points with a quarter to play, the last quarter had it all, with a deliberate rushed behind paid against Luke McGuane leading to back-to-back goals to Nick Riewoldt and Milne.

The Tigers gamely fought back, and snatched the lead again through former Blue Shaun Grigg. After Jason Blake put the Saints back in front, Jackson looked to have kicked the game-winner in the dying stages before the final two Saints scores ensured the teams split the points.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/110641/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Young Tigers starting to sharpen claws
Rohan Connolly
April 2, 2011


ST KILDA 4.6 7.10 9.12 13.17 (95)
RICHMOND 2.4 9.5 10.9 14.11(95)

GOALS
St Kilda: Milne 4, N Riewoldt 3, Goddard, McEvoy, Armitage, Ray, Blake, Gamble.
Richmond: Martin 3, King 2, Vickery 2, Deledio, Helbig, Jackson, Morton, Edwards, Grigg, Cotchin.

BEST
St Kilda: Milne, Armitage, Fisher, Gram, McEvoy, Dal Santo.
Richmond: Deledio, Martin, Cotchin, Newman, Grigg, Vickery.

INJURIES St Kilda: Hayes (knee). Richmond: Riewoldt (concussion).
REPORTS Richmond: Luke McGuane (high contact on Farren Ray)

UMPIRES Hayden Kennedy, Scott Jeffery, Robert Findlay.
CROWD 41,465 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

-----------------------------------------------------

RICHMOND will feel like it lost this morning, for this was a clear moral victory over a respected opponent, if not one actually realised on the scoreboard.

But the second draw of the AFL season from just nine games played represents an important moment in the Tigers' climb back to respectability.
Advertisement: Story continues below

So dramatic was the manner in which the Tigers overcame their poor start, the speed with which their confidence grew, and the promise shown by some young midfield stars who just keep getting better and better, that the chances missed to clinch a famous victory last night will be realised soon enough.

You probably could have written your own ticket on Richmond about 15 minutes into last night's game. By that stage, St Kilda had three goals on the board to zip, had completely dominated possession, and wouldn't have been too upset by the sight of opposition dangerman Jack Riewoldt whacking has head on the turf and being subbed off with concussion.

Stephen Milne was torching newcomer Reece Conca, booting two of those first three - the second a classic piece of front and square crumbing.

All over the ground the Saints looked grateful to have had the shackles removed that made last week's opener such a slog. St Kilda took just five marks inside its forward 50 in round one. Last night, it had racked up nine before quarter-time.

But the Saints still had themselves to beat, too, thanks to some wayward kicking. Last week, it was 6.11. Last night, Milne missed his share; Nick Riewoldt and Nick Dal Santo a couple each. And that left Richmond with at least a sniff.

Certainly, the Tigers were quick to pick up the scent. Trent Cotchin's ice-breaker seemed to stun the faithful and everyone else. But when Tyrone Vickery converted a free kick just on siren time, St Kilda - despite having had 32 more disposals and nearly double the amount of scoring shots - led by only 14 points.

Even so, you couldn't have foretold what was about to happen. Richmond slammed on seven goals in the second term, five out of the first six kicked. And it had key men bobbing up everywhere to play their part, even if their Riewoldt couldn't play his.

Dustin Martin was everywhere, nine disposals and two goals his second quarter work. Brett Deledio shrugged off his ordinary start to the season with a fine shadowing effort on Brendon Goddard, relatively subdued by his lofty standards. Meanwhile, Daniel Jackson managed to quell the influence of Lenny Hayes before what looked a serious knee injury to the St Kilda heartbeat finished him off altogether, and Matt White kept Leigh Montagna honest.

And while the Richmond Riewoldt was out of the equation, the St Kilda version, in effect, was as well. The taller, blonder Nick was marked tightly by Luke McGuane, but was held completely statless in the third quarter as much through simple lack of opportunity.

Goddard had just two disposals for the term, Dal Santo four, Sam Fisher, who had cleaned up with 11 first-quarter touches, earning just three in the third.

Indeed, the third term was something of a mirror of the first. Now it was the Tigers looking harder at it, winning more of the ball, more stoppages, pumping it inside 50 more often, but not converting that dominance where it counted most.

There were a couple of gettable chances missed, a howler of an umpiring error when a bona fide mark by Mitch Morton right in front wasn't paid by an umpire who guessed he'd spilled it, and the Saints' nasty habit of hanging around the mark even when things aren't going well.

St Kilda won the quarter, despite booting just two goals for the quarter, none between Milne's third goal a minute in and Ben McEvoy's crucial conversion of a mark with only 12 seconds left on the clock.

That set the scene for another Friday night nail-biter, and the final term didn't disappoint for quality of football, drama and plenty of controversy. Deledio, now with the whip hand on his champion opponent, slipped forward to give the Tigers a seven-point buffer. Nick Riewoldt finally got a touch, and a big one, gleefully banging through some goal square crumbs.

Martin replied, then higher drama still as Luke McGuane was inexplicably pinged for a deliberate out of bounds despite fierce pressure from two opponents, Riewoldt doing the business again. Milne appeared to give the Saints the points; Shaun Grigg kept the Tigers in it; Jason Blake, briefly, seemed the man who'd gone from a critical error in the last minute last week to the man who won it last night. But that was before Daniel Jackson staked his claim for hero status with just over two minutes left on the clock.

First-game Archer missed his shot, Milne another with just 41 seconds left, and the final, definitive smother came, fittingly by Tiger skipper Chris Newman.

Great stuff. And the signs are for the Tigers, it's going to get greater.

Riewoldt and Riewoldt
Jack Riewoldt was in trouble 14 minutes in when he flew for a mark and crashed back to earth. The Coleman medallist was helped from the ground, but the Tigers did not immediately activate substitute Brad Helbig. Eight minutes into the second term Riewoldt was ruled out. Two minutes later his cousin, St Kilda's Nick, marked and kicked his first goal, steadying his side after the Tigers surged within two points. Nick Riewoldt finished with three goals.

Long live the King
Richmond's Jake King returned from suspension to spark his side. The Tigers trailing, King emerged from the centre with a free kick and sent his team into attack. Again when the Saints had the upper hand in the second term, he kicked a goal to put his side in front and 10 minutes later slotted his second goal, again putting the Tigers in front. Late in the game, he pumped the ball forward, Jackson goaled and Richmond hit the front.

New faces
Saints rookie Daniel Archer, 19, made his debut but managed just a couple of touches and a mark in the first term. In the dying stages, he had a chance to win the game off his own boot. Welcome to the big time.

- MARTIN BOULTON

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/young-tigers-starting-to-sharpen-claws-20110401-1cryx.html

[one-eyed]

Richmond can draw on the positives

    Mark Robinson
    From: Herald Sun
    April 02, 2011

DRAWN games can be extraordinary, yet this felt different.

When a kick for goal is smothered by Richmond skipper Chris Newman with five seconds to play, describing the game as edge-of-the-seat stuff doesn't cut it.

Forty-one thousand people were at the MCG last night and when Newman flung himself at the ball it felt like 410,000.

Five seconds later it felt like the vast arena was empty, such was the silence.

Shrieks to silence in a second perfectly explains a drawn game.

Still, there is good news for both teams. If St Kilda had lost it would be on the canvas, not that two points from two games with Essendon looming next week is an ideal start to the season.

If Richmond had won, a feel-good story would have just got warmer. They are an almost side, the Tigers, but it's coming. You can feel it and see it.

Tigers fans will be asking umpire Scott Jeffery if he saw, or had a feel for, perhaps the most controversial decision of the night.

With Richmond leading by six points 17 minutes into the final quarter, Jeffery paid a deliberate rushed behind against Tigers backman Luke McGuane.

McGuane had gathered the ball near the goal-line and, as he was tackled by Daniel Archer, squirted a handball through the posts.

Under pressure, the act is allowed under AFL rules.

You can only imagine that Jeffery thought McGuane was too far from the goal-line, about 12m.

Nick Riewoldt took the free kick, goaled and the scores were level yet again.

In a night full of incidents, Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt knocked himself out in the first quarter and, after 15 minutes of finger pointing and gesticulating, he accepted he would have to be substituted. The Tigers kicked 14 goals without him.

Then St Kilda's spiritual leader Lenny Hayes was helped from the field in the third quarter with a serious knee injury. He would not return. Let's hope it's not season ending, for if it is St Kilda will be tested like no other time under coach Ross Lyon.

Without Hayes, the Saints seem significantly less likely to contend for the flag.

The last 10 minutes was compelling football.

Goals to Stephen Milne (Saints), Shaun Grigg (Tigers) and Jason Blake (Saints) meant St Kilda led by four points with four minutes to play, only for Daniel Jackson to regain the lead with a bullocking effort from a stoppage.

Archer missed a set shot at goal with 90 seconds left and Milne was astray 30 seconds later from 30m out.

He could have been the hero, Milne, but when you kick 4.7 and blow the chance to win the game, it's a mixed outcome.

Arguably, the Tigers would be happier with their performance.

Brett Deledio was given Brendon Goddard for the night and was best afield.

Everywhere you look you saw positives from the team which was 15th last year.

Tyrone Vickery was a sensational target in the forward line, Matt White kept Leigh Montagna in check, Shaun Grigg had six tackles last night to go with 29 touches, while midfielder Dustin Martin was resting forward and kicked 3.2.

Tigers small forward Jake King was another to be commended.

He tagged Sam Fisher and while conceding 11 possessions to his opponent in the first quarter, limited the Saint to only another eight. He also kicked two goals himself.

For the Tigers, it was a competitive four quarters, led by their seven goal to three second term.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-can-draw-on-the-positives/story-e6frf9jf-1226032339796

[one-eyed]

Richmond finds its feet minus unhappy Jack
Jake Niall
April 2, 2011

JACK Riewoldt rose from the bench, pointing his finger accusingly and yelling at those who had denied him the opportunity to return to the field.

It was a terrible look for the Richmond Riewoldt. On the dummy spit/bad body language scale, Jack's remonstration - apparently directed at the club medicos - surpassed the best work of his lovable goal-square predecessor, Richo.

Perhaps he can now plead that he was indeed concussed - as the doctor had decreed - and that his judgment was impaired, contrary to what he insisted at that time.

For Riewoldt and his team, this moment early in the second quarter will provide a great education, for the Tigers flourished without him, finding new methods of scoring, becoming less predictable, flexible and difficult for the Saints to counter.

Damien Hardwick had insisted that the Tigers needed to wean themselves off their Riewoldt reliance. Now, the Richmond coach has tangible proof that they can be potent without their ace. Hardwick also can give Riewoldt a gentle clip.

The result - a draw - is but one consideration, albeit a significant one for those who follow Richmond. The Tigers discovered things about themselves they would not have found had Riewoldt remained on the field, his magnetic presence drawing the ball. The kid who replaced him, Brad Helbig, booted two goals, including an astonishing snap that levelled the scores deep in the final quarter.

In Jack's absence, the Tigers re-fashioned their forward line, utilising the likes of Dustin Martin in a smaller forward set-up. Martin booted four goals.

Tyrone Vickery, hitherto underwhelming for much of his short career, became a serious tall target. Vickery is one of a handful of talls whom the Tigers are counting on. If the bench wasn't a good look for Riewoldt, it was an excellent advertisement for the AFL's concussion rule, which can note that Richmond did not bring back its best player, who went off early in the first quarter. The widespread cynicism about the concussion rule - the view that clubs will judge concussions according to a) the stakes and b) the quality of the groggy player - wasn't supported by Richmond's stance on Riewoldt.

That said, this was not a grand final, and the Tigers aren't a premiership contender.

Jack had been concussed in a glorious attempt to take a speccy in the opening minutes, landing on his back and bumping his head. He was assisted off the field. Watching him trying to keep his feet, it was obvious that he would be pushing to come back on, and he wouldn't take kindly to wearing the red vest - the gear signifying that a player has been subbed.

Strangely, St Kilda also ''lost'' its Riewoldt for a lengthy period in the second half. He was out there, lurking in the St Kilda forward line. The Saints just couldn't find him throughout the third term. For the Saints, the most fateful story from the match wasn't the result either. Lenny Hayes' knee injury could define their season. The rule that ultimately might have influenced the outcome of the game wasn't the concussion or sub rule, but the rushed behind rule that was introduced, on the back of the 2008 grand final. Luke McGuane was the victim of a terrible decision that gifted the St Kilda Riewoldt a goal that tied the scores mid final quarter.

Last night underscored how football fortunes can be transformed within a week. Eight days earlier, the Saints had lost when Jason Blake blundered in the final minute. Last night, he booted the goal that might have won it for the Saints and which allowed them to walk away with two premiership points.

Eight days earlier, Brett Deledio had been in the same awful position as Blake, his smothered kick causing a major momentum shift to Carlton. Last night, Deledio was pitted against Brendon Goddard, another number one draft pick to whom Deledio has been unfavourably compared.

Deledio took Goddard apart, besting the St Kilda superstar in all facets of the game. And eight days earlier, the Tigers had been a one-man forward line.

Jack had shone, but they had lost. Last night, when Riewoldt went down, the Tigers got up. Well almost. That's the luck of the draw.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richmond-finds-its-feet-minus-unhappy-jack-20110401-1cryy.html

[one-eyed]

Team Stats

Disposals         313 - 319   
Effeciency%       75 - 68
Kicks               172 - 200    
Handballs         141 - 119
Con. Marks          9 - 10    
Uncon. Marks     43 - 67    
Tackles              74 - 72
Hitouts              42 - 41 ......... (Graham 30, Vickery 8 // McEvoy 26, Fisher 5, Blake 4)   
Clearances         40 - 44    
Clangers            50 - 50   
Frees                 26 - 26    
Con. Possies     137 - 143    
Uncon.Possies   175 - 176    
Inside 50s          51 - 51
Assists               13 - 16

Individual Stats

Player          D    K      H    G     B        SC   SCA  CM  UM    T  CL   C   FF  FA  CP  UP   In50  A  EFF

B.Deledio    29    13    16    1    1    136    114    0    5    2    6    0    2    0    13    18    4    0    76%
S.Grigg       29    19    10    1    1    126      98    0    3    6    3    1    0    1      7    21    7    0    72%
D.Jackson    21    12      9    1    1    145    120    0    1    7    6    2    1    1    13      8    6    1    86%
D.Martin      21    14      7    3    2      92      84    0    3    4    1    3    0    1      7    12    3    1    76%
T.Cotchin     20    15      5    1    2      88    102    0    4    2    3    3    2    1      8    13    2    1    50%
C.Newman   20    13      7    0    0    134    133    1    2    5    1    3    3    2    11      8    3    0    70%
D.Connors   19    12      7    0    0      71      51    0    5    2    1    2    2    1      5    15    4    0    84%
R.Nahas      16      7      9    0    0      58      53    0    3    5    0    5    0    2      6    10    2    0    75%
N.Foley       15      4    11    0    0      83      54    1    0    5    4    3    3    2      7      9    2    0    80%
L.McGuane  15      8      7    0    0      68      63    1    1    1    2    9    0    5      9      4    2    0    67%
M.Morton    13      4      9    1    0      64      60    1    1    1    2    4    1    3      7      7    1    1    85%
B.Houli       12      9      3    0    0      48      53    0    2    2    1    0    1    0      3    10    2    0    58%
Mat.White   12      7      5    0    0      48      55    0    0    5    2    1    1    1      4      7    3    1    67%
R.Conca      11      7      4    0    0      48      55    0    2    3    2    4    1    2      5      5    1    0    64%
S.Edwards   11      7      4    1    0      71      63    1    0    3    2    0    1    0      6      5    2    0    73%
J.King         10      8      2    2    0      65      65    0    3    4    1    3    2    1      4      6    5    0    80%
T.Vickery    10      5      5    2    1      69      65    4    1    2    1    2    2    0      8      2    1    0    90%
A.Graham    9      2      7    0    0      80      82    0    2    6    2    2    0    1      5      4    0    0    78%
B.Helbig       8      3      5    1    1      48      31    0    3    4    0    1    2    0      4      4    0    1    75%
J.Batchelor   7      2      5    0    0      40      46    0    1    3    0    2    1    2      2      5    0    0    100%
D.Astbury     5      1      4    0    0      40      45    0    1    2    0    0    1    0      3      2    1    0    100%
J.Riewoldt    0      0      0    0    0        0      61    0    0    0    0    0    0    0      0      0    0    0    0%

[peggles]

Richmond finds its feet minus unhappy Jack
Jake Niall
April 2, 2011

JACK Riewoldt rose from the bench, pointing his finger accusingly and yelling at those who had denied him the opportunity to return to the field.

It was a terrible look for the Richmond Riewoldt. On the dummy spit/bad body language scale, Jack's remonstration - apparently directed at the club medicos - surpassed the best work of his lovable goal-square predecessor, Richo.

Perhaps he can now plead that he was indeed concussed - as the doctor had decreed - and that his judgment was impaired, contrary to what he insisted at that time.

For Riewoldt and his team, this moment early in the second quarter will provide a great education, for the Tigers flourished without him, finding new methods of scoring, becoming less predictable, flexible and difficult for the Saints to counter.

Damien Hardwick had insisted that the Tigers needed to wean themselves off their Riewoldt reliance. Now, the Richmond coach has tangible proof that they can be potent without their ace. Hardwick also can give Riewoldt a gentle clip.

The result - a draw - is but one consideration, albeit a significant one for those who follow Richmond. The Tigers discovered things about themselves they would not have found had Riewoldt remained on the field, his magnetic presence drawing the ball. The kid who replaced him, Brad Helbig, booted two goals, including an astonishing snap that levelled the scores deep in the final quarter.

In Jack's absence, the Tigers re-fashioned their forward line, utilising the likes of Dustin Martin in a smaller forward set-up. Martin booted four goals.

Tyrone Vickery, hitherto underwhelming for much of his short career, became a serious tall target. Vickery is one of a handful of talls whom the Tigers are counting on. If the bench wasn't a good look for Riewoldt, it was an excellent advertisement for the AFL's concussion rule, which can note that Richmond did not bring back its best player, who went off early in the first quarter. The widespread cynicism about the concussion rule - the view that clubs will judge concussions according to a) the stakes and b) the quality of the groggy player - wasn't supported by Richmond's stance on Riewoldt.

That said, this was not a grand final, and the Tigers aren't a premiership contender.

Jack had been concussed in a glorious attempt to take a speccy in the opening minutes, landing on his back and bumping his head. He was assisted off the field. Watching him trying to keep his feet, it was obvious that he would be pushing to come back on, and he wouldn't take kindly to wearing the red vest - the gear signifying that a player has been subbed.

Strangely, St Kilda also ''lost'' its Riewoldt for a lengthy period in the second half. He was out there, lurking in the St Kilda forward line. The Saints just couldn't find him throughout the third term. For the Saints, the most fateful story from the match wasn't the result either. Lenny Hayes' knee injury could define their season. The rule that ultimately might have influenced the outcome of the game wasn't the concussion or sub rule, but the rushed behind rule that was introduced, on the back of the 2008 grand final. Luke McGuane was the victim of a terrible decision that gifted the St Kilda Riewoldt a goal that tied the scores mid final quarter.

Last night underscored how football fortunes can be transformed within a week. Eight days earlier, the Saints had lost when Jason Blake blundered in the final minute. Last night, he booted the goal that might have won it for the Saints and which allowed them to walk away with two premiership points.

Eight days earlier, Brett Deledio had been in the same awful position as Blake, his smothered kick causing a major momentum shift to Carlton. Last night, Deledio was pitted against Brendon Goddard, another number one draft pick to whom Deledio has been unfavourably compared.

Deledio took Goddard apart, besting the St Kilda superstar in all facets of the game. And eight days earlier, the Tigers had been a one-man forward line.

Jack had shone, but they had lost. Last night, when Riewoldt went down, the Tigers got up. Well almost. That's the luck of the draw.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/richmond-finds-its-feet-minus-unhappy-jack-20110401-1cryy.html

helbig didn't kick 2 goals, he kicked 1 only and the goal in the last term was kicked by grigg.

martin only kicked 3 goals instead of 4. 

This guy calls himself a sports journalist; if u're not gonna bother watching the game, at least pretend that u did by getting the stats right for effs sake.

[Infamy]

helbig didn't kick 2 goals, he kicked 1 only and the goal in the last term was kicked by grigg.

martin only kicked 3 goals instead of 4. 

This guy calls himself a sports journalist; if u're not gonna bother watching the game, at least pretend that u did by getting the stats right for effs sake.

Was going to say the same thing
Mark Robinson was also wrong with his comment about King letting Fisher get 11 touches in the first quarter. Dimma said in his press conference that King went to Fisher after he got so much of the ball. If he actually listened or even went to the press conference he would have known this.