Hits and misses at 'GRohan Connolly
The Age
July 8, 2012 RICHMOND 4.6 6.12 9.20 13.23 (101)
MELBOURNE 1.0 4.4 5.6 11.12 (78)
GOALS
Richmond: Nahas 4, Deledio 2, McGuane 2, Riewoldt, White, Edwards, Grigg, Tuck.
Melbourne: Martin 2, Garland, Sylvia, Bennell, McKenzie, Rivers, Tapscott, Jones, Bail, Blease.
BEST
Richmond: Tuck, Grigg, Houli, Cotchin, Deledio, Conca, Nahas.
Melbourne: Jones, Sylvia, McKenzie, Watts, Frawley, Martin.
INJURIES
Richmond: Griffiths (calf tightness).
Melbourne: Frawley (concussion).
UMPIRES S Wenn, J Armstrong, N Foot.
CROWD 46,773 at MCG.
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IF YOU missed Richmond's 23-point win over Melbourne yesterday and get the chance to see a replay, here's a tip. Don't. This was one of those games best forgotten as soon as the final scores are recorded, votes awarded and injuries tallied. Unless, of course, you wanted a sort of reverse coaching-aid in how not to make decisions, pick options or shoot for goal.
That's not to decry the effort expended at the MCG. Richmond's ability simply to come up with a win after the potential distraction offered by the Daniel Connors and Dustin Martin shenanigans, and no fewer than seven changes to the line-up, isn't to be sneezed at. Nor Melbourne's job in hanging around the mark after looking likely to be blown away by more than 10 goals.
But this really was one of those days when the Demons' ineptitude with the football seemed at times to almost drag their opponent down to their level. Certainly, the first five minutes of the second half wouldn't have looked out of place set to the Benny Hill theme music and, with a couple of little bald guys already out there, was only missing the man himself to offer a slap or two over the head.
The comic highlight came when Melbourne was forced from its own attack to the teeth of its defensive goal under the weight not only of Richmond pressure, but its own inability to pick the right option, take the ball cleanly or hit a target. The result should have been a morale-sapping Tiger goal, but then, in keeping with the tone, Richmond managed to stuff up that chance up with equal aplomb.
That Melbourne was within theoretical striking distance by then was remarkable in itself. Really, it should all have been over even by quarter-time, by which stage the Tigers had racked up 32 more disposals, 16 more contested possessions, more than doubled the Demons for clearances, and had 10 scores to just one, unfortunately six of those behinds. That's pretty much how it continued, 2.6 coming in the second term, and 3.8 in the third, enough to give them a 38-point lead, and the way the game had been played, effectively the match points.
Jack Riewoldt was the biggest offender on the accuracy front, with 1.5, while both Shane Edwards and Shaun Grigg were guilty of missing absolute sitters. But the latter could be forgiven, his game on an individual level better than perhaps anyone on the ground apart from teammate Shane Tuck. The former Carlton grinder has become a valuable outside runner for his adopted club, 34 disposals and 20 handball receives yesterday tangible evidence of his preparedness to run and link up, four score assists his team-first ethic.
Tuck, for his part, just did what Tuck always does. Won hard balls often and banged them forward. His first half, in particular, stamped Richmond's complete dominance in general play, if not necessarily the scoreboard. Reece Conca seemed to enjoy following Tuck's lead, and Bachar Houli was a valuable rebounding defender, and in a sea of misuse of the football, a rare island of calm.
Melbourne at least didn't hoist the white flag, which it may well have in similar circumstances earlier this season. And Demons old and newer did their bit. Nathan Jones and Colin Sylvia never stopped cracking in, the former winning more than double the clearances of any of his teammates. James Frawley made life tough enough for Riewoldt, and Jordie McKenzie at least curbed Trent Cotchin's output just a little, as classy as everything the Tiger midfielder did remained.
But you can't miss as many targets as the Demons, make as many poor choices, not to mention have just 25 inside 50 entries for three quarters, and hope to come out in front on the scoreboard. And the eventual 23-point margin can't buttress the fact that Melbourne, in the final term, scored more than it had for the rest of the game. With the ladder irrelevant now to Mark Neeld's side, decision-making and execution under pressure surely must be the focus of what remains of this season.
Richmond takes the points, moves on to another likely win next week over Gold Coast, and with that, genuine hope of a finals appearance. That would be some sort of achievement at least. But even the most optimistic Tiger fan would know in their heart that unless the performance level is lifted a cut above that we saw yesterday, a very fleeting one.
BLEASE GOAL THE HIGHLIGHTFor most of the first quarter it looked as though Melbourne would go to the interval scoreless. But then, after Stefan Martin had missed the easiest chance his side had manufactured to put something on the board, youngster Sam Blease produced a goal out of nothing, gathering wide on the edge of the 50-metre arc before splitting the posts on the run. It was far more impressive than anything else Melbourne had managed in the first 25 minutes of the game.
A TOUCHY POINTWhen is a goal not a goal? When the video umpire can't make his mind up and throws the responsibility back to the umpires, who couldn't make up their minds either. Mind you, given the awful trajectory of James Magner's second-quarter kick, footballing aesthetes will breathe a sigh of relief that the Melbourne man's shanked shot which, on multiple replays, somehow appeared to avoid a despairing (or perhaps disbelieving) Richmond boot on the way through, was not credited as a major on taste grounds alone.
JACK OFF TARGETJack Riewoldt has made a name as one of the league's more effective forwards for good reason. But it was a mixed afternoon for the Tigers star yesterday. Jumping Jack's hands were as sticky as ever, as he was getting hold of the ball in good positions. But his kicking was a worry as he sprayed set shots wide of the target on numerous occasions, finishing the day with a solitary goal. Teammate Robin Nahas fared better, snagging three of his four in the final term.
- MICHAEL LYNCH
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