Media articles & stats: Tigers fall just short in thriller to Port

[one-eyed]

Tigers fall just short in thriller
richmondfc.com.au
By Michelle Willis 3:50 PM Sun 17 May, 2009

Port Adelaide  5.4  7.8  10.13  14.18 (102)
Richmond       4.1  5.2  12.5     15.9 (99)

GOALS
Port Adelaide: Tredrea 7, Gray, Ebert, Pearce, Cassisi, Boak, C Cornes, Motlop
Richmond: Nahas 5, Brown, Morton 2, Simmonds, Foley, Tambling, Pettifer, Collins, Cotchin

BEST
Port Adelaide: Tredrea, Boak, Cassisi, Chaplin, Surjan, Pearce
Richmond: Nahas, Coughlan, Cousins, Tuck, Jackson, Brown

INJURIES
Port Adelaide: nil reported
Richmond: nil reported

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Avon, Meredith, Keating
Official crowd: 22,034 at AAMI Stadium

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

PORT Adelaide has denied Richmond its second win for the season after a late Warren Tredrea goal gave the Power an incredible three-point win at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

Richmond kicked 11 of the last 16 goals of the match after a slow start, and looked the winner when leading by 16 points deep into the final term.

But Port rallied, kicking three late goals to snatch victory, 14. 18 (102) to 15. 9. (99).
 
Kane Pettifer was excellent in his first game for the season, picking up 23 possessions and kicking one goal, while Shane Tuck did well with 31 possessions and Mark Coughlan had 28 touches.

Robin Nahas kicked five goals in his sixth game for the Tigers, including a haul of three in the first quarter.

For the Power, Peter Burgoyne had 26 touches and six clearances, Travis Boak picked up 25 possessions, and Tredrea dominated with seven majors.

In a scrappy start to the game, neither team was able to take initial control in the slippery conditions.

Troy Simmonds slotted Richmond’s first goal after a Robin Nahas tackle forced a turnover, and Nahas quickly followed up with a goal of his own.

However, Tredrea’s four-goal first quarter, including an excellent goal after winning the ball at ground level in a second effort, allowed Port to take a nine-point lead at quarter time.

Port Adelaide opened the second quarter quickly, when Danyle Pearce kicked a goal from outside 50 after a brilliant one-handed mark by Jacob Surjan.

Richmond continued to attack through the corridor, but was only able to add one goal in the second quarter after Nathan Brown marked and played on into an open forward line.

Again plagued by inaccurate kicking, Port Adelaide weren’t able to take advantage of opportunities in its attacking fifty, but doubled their first-quarter lead to 18 points at half time.

The Power stretched the margin again with the first two goals of the third term.

With the margin sitting at 31 points, it was easy to imagine Port Adelaide completing a comfortable victory.

But the Tigers turned those expectations on their head, kicking seven goals for the term to head into final quarter with the unlikeliest of leads.

Nathan Foley begun the run, booted a long goal and Richard Tambling continued Richmond’s patch of good form after crumbing and dodging two opponents for a scintillating goal.

Tredrea’s sixth failed to quash Richmond’s momentum, with the Tigers adding goals through Andrew Collins, Nahas and Mitch Morton to level the scores.

Nathan Brown kicked Richmond’s 12th goal of the match to put the Tigers in front for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.

Goals were at a premium in the final term with more than just six points riding on the first major score of the quarter.

After Tiger Kelvin Moore and the Power's Brett Ebert both spurned chances in front of goal, it was Morton -- with the goal of the day and perhaps the year -- that got his name on the scoreboard first.

Morton took possession deep in the pocket, calmly stepped around his opponent and then bent through a brilliant goal from hard on the boundary line.

Trent Cotchin almost upstaged his teammate with a sensational snap only moments later to take the Tigers out to a 16-point lead.

Richmond had kicked 10 of the last 11 goals but just as hope was fading for the Power, they came charging back.

Travis Boak's grubber was followed up by Chad Cornes, who brought his team back within a kick when he poked through a goal from the goal square.

Troy Chaplin missed the unmissable to sink hearts around the ground but that just set the stage for Tredrea who stood tall to take a contested mark with less than a minute left.

Tredrea kicked truly, winning back the lead and breaking Tigers hearts.

One last foray forward was again snuffed out by the man of the moment as Tredrea, this time at the opposite end of the ground, rose to take the mark that iced the match for the home team.

It was a brave effort that almost pulled off a famous come-from-behind victory for the Tigers.

Ultimately, though, Terry Wallace’s team will be left to ponder one that undoubtedly got away.

Richmond’s next assignment is Essendon in the Dreamtime Match at the MCG on Saturday.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/76968/default.aspx

[one-eyed]

Port Adelaide beats Richmond by three points at AAMI
AAP | May 17, 2009 UPDATE 4.15pm

SEVEN goals to Warren Tredrea allowed Port Adelaide to down unlucky Richmond by three points at AAMI Stadium.

The Power looked home at 31 points up in the third term before a frenzied Richmond fightback had the Tigers 16 points clear halfway through the last.

But Tredrea, who had started the match like a train with four first-term goals, bobbed up again to set up one goal and kick another.

He fittingly made the game safe with a towering pack mark to stop the Tigers' last forward thrust, allowing Port to win 14.18 (102) to 15.9 (99).

Port captain Domenic Cassisi was also outstanding while Travis Boak and Danyle Pearce contributed plenty to a team effort that flagged badly in the third.

Kane Cornes endured a difficult match after declaring himself fit despite an injured AC joint; he was on and off the field and vomited at one point.

The Tigers had plenty of contributors on a day when they should probably have won.

Small forward Robin Nahas (five goals) was a constant nuisance, Shane Tuck and Mark Coughlan did well in the middle and Ben Cousins played a fine third quarter.

Richmond fielded arguably their strongest line-up of the season after the returns of Trent Cotchin and Nathan Brown, while Port were lacking defensive playmaker Steve Salopek (dislocated shoulder).

Port were good value for a three-goal halftime lead and goals to Cassisi and Tredrea early in the third stretched the margin beyond five goals before the afternoon took a most unexpected turn.

Winning the ball out of the middle and going direct to hurry Port's backline, the Tigers kicked seven of eight goals for the remainder of the term to claim a four-point lead at the last change.

They went to the front via the sort of play Richmond supporters had dreamed of in pre-season - Cousins emerging from a clearance and setting up Brown for an arrowed finish.

Needing to arrest the slide, Power coach Mark Williams addressed his players at the start of the break before leaving them to their respective line coaches.

Whatever was said did not have an immediate affect, the Tigers dominating the play once more and putting a seemingly pivotal gap between the sides via a pair of special snaps from a tight angle by Mitch Morton and Trent Cotchin.

But the game would have one last twist, Tredrea involved to cut the margin and then ultimately kicking the winner after Troy Chaplin missed his chance to do so.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,25495851-5015562,00.html

[one-eyed]

Team Stats

Disposals:        369 - 324
Effficiency%:      76 - 71
Kicks:              198 - 195
Handballs:        171 - 129
Con. Marks:         6 - 8
Uncon. Marks:    82 - 65
Tackles:             73 - 67
Clearances:        35 - 40
Clangers:           43 - 33 
Hitouts:             23 - 53      (Simmonds 11, Graham 8  // Brogan 31, Lade 21)
Frees:               10 - 20 
Con. Possies:   123 - 112
Uncon.Possies: 238 - 201 
Inside 50s:        54 - 54
Assists:            12 - 23


Individual Stats

player            D     EFF%   K     H     G     B     CM     UM     T     CL     C     SC     SCA
      
Tuck, S             31    77    10    21    0    0    0    7    7    5    4    112    93
Coughlan, M       28    57    13    15    0    0    0    7    5    1    1    87    85
Cousins, B         24    67    11    13    0    1    0    4    4    3    3    97    81
Pettifer, K          23    74    14    9    1    0    0    5    0    2    2    86    86
Jackson, D         22    59    13    9    0    1    0    4    7    3    3    65    73
Deledio, B          20    60    14    6    0    0    0    8    4    1    3    99    95
Newman, C        20    85    12    8    0    0    0    3    6    1    3    101    99
Foley, N             19    74    10    9    1    0    0    2    6    4    5    76    88
Tambling, R       19    89    14    5    1    0    0    5    4    0    2    89    69
Brown, N           18    83    14    4    2    1    1    4    2    1    0    102    91
White, M            18    89    8    10    0    0    0    2    6    4    2    73    76
Morton, M          17    88    10    7    2    0    2    4    1    1    1    105    73
Collins, A           15    73    7    8    1    0    1    2    2    4    3    55    59
Bowden, J          14    79    10    4    0    0    0    1    3    0    1    81    104
Moore, K            14    57    7    7    0    2    0    5    2    0    0    58    71
Polo, D              14    86    1    13    0    0    0    1    1    2    1    84    86
Raines, A           12    67    7    5    0    0    0    2    2    0    3    37    46
McGuane, L        10    90    3    7    0    0    0    4    0    1    1    48    67
Cotchin, T           9    78    7    2    1    1    1    5    4    0    1    68    68
Nahas, R             8    88    8    0    5    0    0    3    5    0    1    105    73
Graham, A          7    100    2    5    0    0    0    3    0    1    2    39    65
Simmonds, T      7    100    3    4    1    0    1    1    2    1    1    37    62

player           FF     FA     CP     UP     I50     A      
         
Tuck, S             1    2    12    19    3    0    
Coughlan, M      1    0    9    18    4    1    
Cousins, B         2    0    10    14    3    1    
Pettifer, K          0    0    5    16    3    1    
Jackson, D         0    2    5    17    3    0    
Deledio, B          1    1    5    15    4    2    
Newman, C        0    1    4    12    2    0    
Foley, N             0    3    7    12    2    1    
Tambling, R        0    0    4    16    8    1    
Brown, N           0    0    6    12    4    1    
White, M            2    2    10    7    2    0    
Morton, M          0    0    6    10    3    2    
Collins, A           0    1    5    11    3    1    
Bowden, J         0    0    4    7    0    0    
Moore, K           1    0    4    11    3    0    
Polo, D              0    1    9    5    2    0    
Raines, A           0    2    3    8    1    0    
McGuane, L        0    0    5    5    1    0    
Cotchin, T          0    1    2    9    3    0    
Nahas, R            1    1    3    5    0    0    
Graham, A          0    2    2    5    0    1    
Simmonds, T      1    1    3    4    0    0

http://superstats.heraldsun.com.au/gamestatslive/5015562.html

[one-eyed]

Tigers show fighting spirit in loss
Ashley Porter, Adelaide | May 18, 2009

AT HIS request, Terry Wallace will front his board this week to tell how he is feeling about his job.

After losing a thriller at AAMI Stadium yesterday by three points — a game in which both he and Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams may be judged as they seek re-appointment — Wallace may tell the board that he is shattered.

And when Wallace is trying to get words out, the board need not worry. He will be just watching his football life flash before his eyes again for 15 minutes 55 seconds — the time in the late stages of the game when his brave team was in front and deserved to cause an upset win.

Ultimately, the board may look at this loss and note Warren Tredrea played possibly the most influential game in his life, kicking his seventh goal with 36 seconds remaining, and then taking a mark in a big pack at centre half-back to deny the Tigers one last shot at match glory.

Wallace has copped a lot of kicks of late, but surely his own effort to get his best team on the field this year almost across the line will save him — for at least this season. Besides, the board may be too busy congratulating itself for being brave enough to take on Ben Cousins, who was outstanding, especially his second-half performance, which almost stole the show.

If the recruiting team is there too they will be raving about 21-year-old Robin Nahas, one of the smallest players in the AFL who was plucked through the rookie list and kicked five goals, while left outside eating their words will be those who doubted whether Nathan Brown should be in the side.

For a loser, this was a good day, coming from 31 points down minutes into the third quarter, leading by 16 only 12 minutes into the last and, after losing the lead, fighting back yet again, only to be denied victory because of the Tredrea factor.

Great stuff indeed, but as Wallace lamented, nothing can hide the fact Richmond lost so all the hero-grams and consolation prizes mean absolutely nothing. Words from a shattered man, but in these parlous times the Tiger fans need some reassurance that, with a near full list, their team is capable of matching it with a fourth-ranked side playing on its territory.

Cousins had 24 disposals including 10 contested possessions, and applied four crucial tackles. Of course, he has played better, but his football brain and guidance at the crucial stages was of enormous benefit. It was a far cry to his last game here — when he did his hamstring in the 2006 preliminary final.

Brown has played better too, but his vision and ability to create something was important. Richmond did well, but there were many occasions when lesser-experienced players cost the team goals. Cousins and Brown don't need 35 kicks to be a positive influence on Richmond.

Tredrea also missed two easy set shots, and it was his handball while under opponents' bodies to Chad Cornes that started Port's revival in the last term. And while on misses, Troy Chaplin missed a "sitter" from 15 metres in the dying moments that, at the time, most believed had cost Port the match. And there was the out-on-the-full kick by Mitch Morton from the right flank with 3˝ minutes remaining when a centred kick may have allowed the Tigers to hold on.

And what if the umpiring wasn't so bad on occasions; decisions that were costly to both sides. Ultimately, there were a lot of "ifs" about this game, including what if the second term wasn't filled with so many clangers and turnovers when the game was there for the plucking.

At the end of the day, Wallace reiterated his belief that the only thing that mattered in football was winning. Maybe that was the only mistake he made yesterday because right now losing with honour and through bad luck is something the fans need to cling to tightly. Wallace may think this was a bad day in football, but it's better than not having one.

PORT ADELAIDE 5.4 7.8 10.13 14.18 (102)
RICHMOND 4.1 5.2 12.5 15.9 (99)

GOALS Port Adelaide: Tredrea 7, Ebert, C Cornes , Cassisi, Motlop, Pearce, Gray, Boak. Richmond: Nahas 5, Morton 2, Brown 2, Collins, Pettifer, Foley, Tambling, Cotchin, Simmonds.

BEST Port Adelaide: Tredrea, Cassisi, Boak, Pearce, Chaplin, P Burgoyne. Richmond: Tuck, Cousins, Nahas, Pettifer, Coughlan, Newman.

UMPIRES Keating, Meredith, Avon.

CROWD 22,034 at AAMI Stadium.

MAIN MEN
Warren Tredrea had three opponents in the first quarter after kicking three goals — Kelvin Moore, Luke McGuane and finally Joel Bowden — and finished with seven goals for the match. In round 13 last year it was Bowden who won the match for Richmond by three points, and yesterday it was Tredrea's turn.

TURNING POINT
In a match that was gripping until the end, Mitch Morton could have put Richmond into the safe zone with one minute 15 seconds remaining when he had the ball on the right forward flank. He kicked out on the full without being under too much pressure. Port worked the ball down and 75 seconds later Tredrea kicked his seventh goal to win the match.

THE UPSHOT
Had Richmond won its second game of the season, the talk would have been: can the Tigers still make the eight?; and doubt would have surrounded Port's top-four hopes. What a difference a kick can make.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfmatchreport/tigers-show-fighting-spirit/2009/05/17/1242498638940.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[one-eyed]

Tigers of old, and new, silence critics
Rohan Connolly | May 18, 2009

HAD Warren Tredrea not soared twice spectacularly at either end of the ground in the final minute at AAMI Stadium yesterday, we'd be talking this morning about a win for the ages.

Richmond doesn't have that to savour now. But the Tigers' heartbreaking loss to Port Adelaide at the very least muddies the waters significantly about the immediate future of its embattled coach Terry Wallace.

Because if there really was a push mounting to have Wallace pull up stumps mid-season in the final year of his five-year deal, his team's performance yesterday must have deflated it significantly.

Those who want Wallace gone sooner rather than later would have enjoyed the sound of this script. A demoralised Tiger line-up having to journey to a hostile interstate venue to take on a notorious flat-track bully, which has beaten up on so many weakened opponents in the past.

Likely result? Another thrashing, a consensus that the players have stopped listening to the coach, some babble about potential damaging of the brand should the situation slip further, and immediate action.

What happened was anything but damaging. The Tigers not only gave it a crack from the start, but then managed to haul in a 39-point deficit midway through the third term to hit the front, then cling to that lead for all but the final 36 seconds.

Richmond was magnificent yesterday. It played its heart out, buoyed by the spirit of some exciting kids and a couple of canny veterans. If this was a side refusing to heed the coach's message, lord knows what they'd be capable of if they were all ears. No one has wanted to listen much to Wallace's explanations about the importance of personnel in the wreckage that has been 2009, but the evidence was clear as a bell yesterday.

Into the team came some fairly handy names — Nathan Brown, Trent Cotchin and Andrew Raines. Alongside was another recent returnee, Ben Cousins.

As Richmond clawed its way back in the third quarter with a brilliant burst of seven goals in 20 minutes, it was the old heads leading the way.

It wasn't just Cousins' 24 touches, but the way he continually drew his fellow midfielders into the play with his hard running and creativity. Brown, who hadn't played for a month, got better the longer the game went, a couple of goals and some cool-headedness in a team renowned for losing its composure having an obvious impact.

At the other end of the age scale were more good signs, chiefly another gem of a game from Robin Nahas.

This had to be one of the best eight-possession games in recent memory, five goals, including the one that should have put the Tigers over the line, just the tip of the iceberg. Nahas contributed to another five, thus having a direct hand in 10 of his team's 15, laid five tackles, and his chasing and defensive pressure constantly had Port on the back foot.

Nahas played a key role in Richmond's only win, against North Melbourne, and his efforts deserved to be rewarded with another here. Yet again, we see a kid overlooked at the draft table, presumably on the grounds of his size (just 176 centimetres and 67 kilograms) taken as a rookie, and when promoted having an instant impact.

The last-quarter goals of Mitch Morton, Cotchin and Nahas were all classics.

An interesting counterpoint to the sweeping generalisations being made recently about the Richmond list. Yes, the recruiting as a whole hasn't been up to par, but what that trio has to offer shouldn't be conveniently overlooked in the argument. Nor Angus Graham. Nor Andrew Collins.

And nor a virtual recruit in Mark Coughlan whose output has increased nicely in every one of his four games since returning from a three-year absence, and which peaked yesterday with a 28-possession game.

Just four more points and Richmond would be toasting the sort of result that can turn entire seasons around. That's not going to happen at 1-7.

But there's more than the scoreboard at stake for the Tigers now and the examples out of yesterday shouldn't be lost regardless of defeat.

Is it an effort too late to save Wallace's bacon? Beyond this season, perhaps. But the Tigers have had a win and two narrow defeats over the past month.

It should take something far more dire than its present position as a team to tip a coach out mid-season.

Surely even the greatest hysterics crying out for a mid-season coaching execution would acknowledge that.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/tigers-of-old-and-new-silence-critics/2009/05/17/1242498638937.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[Smokey]

The last-quarter goals of Mitch Morton, Cotchin and Nahas were all classics.

An interesting counterpoint to the sweeping generalisations being made recently about the Richmond list. Yes, the recruiting as a whole hasn't been up to par, but what that trio has to offer shouldn't be conveniently overlooked in the argument. Nor Angus Graham. Nor Andrew Collins.

And nor a virtual recruit in Mark Coughlan whose output has increased nicely in every one of his four games since returning from a three-year absence, and which peaked yesterday with a 28-possession game.

Nor Deledio, nor Tambling, nor Rance, nor Vickery, nor Post, nor Jackson, nor White, nor Foley, nor Riewoldt, nor Tuck, nor BrownE.  Not a bad starting point for a team that some doomsday prophets have been calling a train wreck and in need of a complete rebuild.  Interesting that a media commentator with a strong bias to his own side can see that in our team.

Just four more points and Richmond would be toasting the sort of result that can turn entire seasons around. That's not going to happen at 1-7.

But there's more than the scoreboard at stake for the Tigers now and the examples out of yesterday shouldn't be lost regardless of defeat.

Is it an effort too late to save Wallace's bacon? Beyond this season, perhaps. But the Tigers have had a win and two narrow defeats over the past month.

It should take something far more dire than its present position as a team to tip a coach out mid-season.

Surely even the greatest hysterics crying out for a mid-season coaching execution would acknowledge that.

Without changing 1 person in any selected team this year but just changing the attitude of those players we are sitting 5-3 or even 6-2 and no-one is sacking anyone, no-one is rebuilding anything.  We proved yesterday that the attitude is changeable and what is achievable when it does.  No need for tanking or even panic stations - use the rest of the season to learn how to win games with the right attitude.  That's what will remove the losing culture, not tanking.

[WilliamPowell]

Tigers of old, and new, silence critics
Rohan Connolly | May 18, 2009

But there's more than the scoreboard at stake for the Tigers now and the examples out of yesterday shouldn't be lost regardless of defeat.

Is it an effort too late to save Wallace's bacon? Beyond this season, perhaps. But the Tigers have had a win and two narrow defeats over the past month.

It should take something far more dire than its present position as a team to tip a coach out mid-season.

Surely even the greatest hysterics crying out for a mid-season coaching execution would acknowledge that.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/rfnews/tigers-of-old-and-new-silence-critics/2009/05/17/1242498638937.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Actually quite a "scary" article by Rohan - a good read that made some sense while taking a subtle swipe at Caro and a few others