Inspired and desperate, Tigers steal show Greg Baum
The Age
April 25, 2011RICHMOND 1.3 6.8 10.10 17.10 (112)
NORTH MELBOURNE 5.1 8.6 12.11 14.19 (103)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Martin 4, King 3, Cotchin 2, Miller, White, Edwards.
North Melbourne: Petrie 6, Swallow 2, Cunnington, Harvey, Wells, Adams, Hansen, Tarrant.
BEST
Richmond: Martin, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Houli, Deledio, Foley, Nahas, King
North Melbourne: Petrie, Swallow, Harvey, Adams, Rawlings.
INJURIES North Melbourne: Harvey (quadricep)
UMPIRES: Stevic, Meredith, Ritchie.
CROWD: 36,461, at Etihad Stadium.
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THIRTY-SEVEN years ago, when the eyes of the football world were last focused exclusively for one day on Richmond and North Melbourne, they were playing off for a premiership. Yesterday, perversely, the stakes were as desperate, if not as high: more than any other clubs in the competition, these two needed to win. This was already round five; even Gold Coast had won a game.
Hitherto, there were excuses. Tigers and Roos had suffered nearly identical thrashings at the hands of rampant Collingwood. Otherwise, the Tigers had played only top four contenders and the Roos had had to travel to Perth twice. But this day, there could be no alibi.
For three quarters, Richmond was the busier team, but North was more efficient, and that looked likely to be enough to gain it victory. By the indicators most prized by coaches - contested possession, clearances, inside 50s - North edged or at least squared this game. But in the last quarter, the Tigers overran North with their admixture of desperation and inspiration, kicking seven goals to two, and no one could dispute the result.
Aptly, Richmond's first six final-term goals were kicked by Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Dustin Martin, two each, in alternating pattern. Cotchin blazed the way, marking with one hand at half-forward, stumbling under the force of his own momentum, as if drunk, then steadying to kick truly.
Riewoldt's were from signature soaring marks, each converted with a nonchalance that cousin Nick must envy. Riewoldt kicked five to counterbalance Drew Petrie's opportunist six at the other end for North. Riewoldt, it ought to be noted, also had eight handpasses yesterday, at least three leading to goals, to leave far behind the early season critique that he was self-centred. Then came Martin. After a bit of artful dodging on the boundary line, Robin Nahas dribbled the ball into the goal square, where Martin, with breathtaking imagination, stretched out his right foot to goal on the volley. Later, from a free kick, Martin would kick the goal that put the Tigers in front for good. The free was doubtful, but the identity of the kicker was poetically just.
Martin plays with a knowing and physical presence far beyond his 19 years. If he was a Pakistani cricketer, there would be questions about his birth certificate. He was best-on-ground yesterday. Richmond coach Damian Hardwick said he thought the substitute rule worked to the advantage of premium ball-winners. Martin already is one. As it pleases itself, North will wonder how it lost. It controlled the first third of this match. The Roos figured to put the ball repeatedly to the hot spot at the top of the goal square; Petrie and Lachie Hansen marauded against Luke McGuane and Alex Rance. Petrie demonstrated genius when he gathered the ball at the back of a pack, and with a banana kick off one step, while tumbling backwards, goaled. Riewoldt kept the Tigers in the contest, but Martin, when isolated on the forward line, was the Tigers' only other threat.
The Roos continued to barge down the middle. But the Tigers worked their way into the game with rapid switches across the half-back line and lightning raids down each flank. The class of Martin, Cotchin and Brett Deledio made it work, but the awareness and discipline of rejects Bachar Houli and Shaun Grigg was telling, too. Shane Tuck, called into the game late in the third quarter for his first appearance this year, had 12 touches, enough to tip the balance.
Andrew Swallow and Brent Harvey laboured to the point of exhaustion to restore the Roos' authority, but Daniel Wells again failed to force his way into the contest. In the last quarter, the tide ran the Tigers' way. Odd instances of lack of composure threatened to undo them, but mostly, they held their nerve. Tiger fans typically sing their club song with gusto, but yesterday added a heartfelt ''Richmond, Richmond'' chant at match's end. It was one win, in a maiden, but the fact of victory makes all things possible. North, conversely, has nothing to show for the season. ''We clearly have to look at our side and we have got to tweak a few things up,'' said coach Brad Scott. ''There are some things that are really working for us but it is not getting us over the lines.''
HE'S BACK
For many Tiger fans, Shane Tuck had been a surprising omission until yesterday, with football manager Craig Cameron explaining that the game was at its quickest in the early rounds and it was decided to hold back the big-bodied Tuck until yesterday, when he came on as a substitute.
ON AIR
An hour before the opening bounce, veteran Kangaroos midfielder Brady Rawlings conducted an interview with 3AW from the dressing room. Before he signed off, Rawlings said the Roos needed to improve ''across the board''. Unfortunately for the Roos, that didn't quite prove to be the case.
FRONT AND CENTRE
While Brett Deledio initially had the role at half-back of curbing Daniel Wells, would Richmond have been better served by starting him in the middle? The Tigers were under the pump early and could have used the skills of their best ball-carrier in the engine room. Deledio didn't have his first kick until midway through the first quarter. He found himself at centre bounces in the final term.
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