Media articles: Narrow win over Dogs completes Tiger pre-season

[one-eyed]

Narrow win completes Tiger pre-season
By Ben Guthrie
richmondfc.com.au
Saturday, March 16, 2013

RICHMOND                   3.2 6.4 10.7 14.8 (92)
WESTERN BULLDOGS   3.5 7.5 10.8 12.11 (83)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus 2, Cordy, Cooney, Dickson, Griffen, Wallis, Giansiricusa, Murphy, Stevens, Johannisen,
Richmond: Maric 3, McGuane 2, Deledio 2, Riewoldt 2, Edwards 2, White 2, Martin

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Morris, Lower, Murphy, Liberatore, Griffen, Cordy, Goodes, Roughead
Richmond: Deledio, Maric, Edwards, Houli, White, Conca, Vlastuin,

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: TBC
Richmond: TBC

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, TBC
Official crowd: 2,000 (est) at Visy Park, Carlton

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

Richmond has finished the pre-season with four wins from five matches, after a narrow victory over the Western Bulldogs at Visy Park on Saturday.

The Tigers struggled to find their groove for much of the game, trailing at every break. But they lifted when it mattered most, booting two goals to nil in the final term to record a 14.8 (92) to 12.11 (83) victory.

In wintry conditions at the old Princes Park, the Bulldogs appeared hungrier than their opponents. This was old-fashioned footy. Played in a boutique stadium and with a suburban atmosphere.

And it was scrappy.

The Bulldogs looked like they had taken control of the match in the second term, booting four goals to Richmond's one to take a 21-point lead midway through the quarter.

They ran hard to create and worked back to help their teammates out.

Richmond, on the other hand, looked sluggish and didn't seem to find any flow in its game.

Restless Tiger fans began to let their team know how they felt, before back-to-back goals from Deledio and Martin brought the Tigers back to within seven points at half-time.

When given time and space, Deledio exhibited his class and polished ball use and looked like one of the few Tigers who could break the game open and it was he who booted the decisive final quarter goal to give his team an unassailable lead.

Despite a pretty promising game, young Bulldog Ayce Cordy may be looked at by the Match Review Panel after colliding heavily with young Tiger Nick Vlastuin in the first quarter.

Cordy appeared to leave the ground and collect the youngster above the shoulders.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2013-03-16/tigers-lift-to-claim-victory

[Smokey]

But they lifted when it mattered most, booting two goals to nil in the final term to record a 14.8 (92) to 12.11 (83) victory.

Interesting.  Could have sworn we kicked 4 goals to their 2 in the last.   

[Tigeritis™©®]

Won 4 out of 5 practice games.....
I don't remember winning any practice matches in 1980. 

[Hellenic Tiger]

Won 4 out of 5 practice games.....
I don't remember winning any practice matches in 1980. 

And if we had not won them you would still be labelling us unprofessional and hardly like a big club like others....

Go with the flow pal.

After 30 years one regime will get it right. Maybe even this one.

[one-eyed]

Match Report from the Herald-Sun:

RICHMOND 148 (92) def WESTERN BULLDOGS 12.11 (83) at Visy Park

A BURST of last-quarter domination from Tigers rookie Sam Lonergan ignited Richmond to a nine-point win against the Western Bulldogs in a hotly contested match at Visy Park today.

Both sides fielded near full-strength sides as a proper tune-up for Round 1, and the Dogs controlled most of the match before Lonergan separated the sides.

The former Bomber won a pair of centre clearances and kicked an important goal as he fights to win a place on Richmond's senior list.

Ruckman Ivan Maric was best-afield, booting three goals and impressing around the ground, while Shane Edwards, Shane Tuck and Shaun Grigg relished the winter-like conditions.

Former Docker Nick Lower took another step towards sewing up a Round 1 place for the Western Bulldogs, shutting down superstar and Richmond captain Trent Cotchin.

Lower has excelled as a tagger this pre-season, also taking the honours against Sam Mitchell.

A Jason Tutt goal cut the gap to just three points in the final term, before Jack Riewoldt found the sticks to secure victory.

It was Riewoldt's sole goal as he was shutdown by a magnificent performance by Dale Morris, who is ready to play his first proper game in 18 months after snapping his leg.

Earlier, the Dogs raced to a four-goal lead as Adam Cooney and Mitch Wallis got busy.

Cooney booted a last-quarter goal when Nathan Hrovat, the first-round draft pick who the Dogs debuted today, spotted him in attack.

Hrovat and Tom Liberatore impressed in the final quarter with their inside midfield grunt.

Jordan Roughead again showed signs his move to defence is set to pay off, while a dazzling interception from Luke Dahlhaus set up a Daniel Giansiracusa goal in the third quarter as the Dogs looked set to run away with the match.

But the Tigers held firm until the last change before making their move, with goals to Maric and Brett Deledio to start the last quarter.

Brett Goodes capped his incredible summer with another standout performance from halfback and looks certain to make his AFL debut in Round 1 at the age of 29.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/see-how-your-side-fared-in-its-final-tune-up-for-round-1/story-e6frf9jf-1226598834186

[Hard Roar Tiger]

Winning close games was what we practised and we won 4 of 5.

[Tigeritis™©®]

Winning close games was what we practised and we won 4 of 5.

Does that mean we tanked in parts during each game? 
Newman said on fox footy against the hawks that we don't tank at Richmond.
It seems that some are intimating that we wanted and made sure the each game was a close one to get experience and fine tune our game in the dying seconds of each match.
I didn't see it this way at all.
As good as it was to win, we were lucky to win any of those close games.

It would of been much better to get our structures fine tuned especially our forward line and learn to keep up score board pressure. Learn how to sink teams into their shells where they are scared to play or second guess their style of play and then learn to totally annihilate or humiliate teams when they are down.
I'm sick of teams getting goals in red time after we have dominated the quarter.
It's time to put clubs to the sword no more close wins against dud teams. If we are dominating play we need to tighten the screws so that all teams will lose all confidence or self belief.
Kill or be killed.
Attack is the best form of defense.
I'm sick of feeling nervous when we are 6 goals up with 10 minutes to go in the final term.