Media articles and Stats: Dees claw past Tigers

[one-eyed]

Dees claw past Tigers
By Jennifer Witham
4:51 PM Sat 25 Jun, 2011


Richmond         3.5   7.5    10.9     13.13  (91)
Melbourne       7.1   12.4   14.14   17.16 (118)

GOALS
Richmond: Vickery 3, Farmer 2, Newman 2, Deledio, Edwards, Foley, Grigg, Riewoldt, Martin
Melbourne: Watts 3, Green 3, Trengove 3, Jones 2, Martin 2, Jurrah 2, Howe, Sylvia

BEST
Richmond: Foley, Deledio, Newman, Nahas, Edwards, Houli, Vickery
Melbourne: Moloney, Watts, Jones, Frawley, Scully, Green, Petterd, Jamar

INJURIES
Richmond: Conca (head knock)
Melbourne: Macdonald (knee)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Reece Conca (head knock) replaced by Jeromey Webberley in the third quarter
Melbourne: Joel Macdonald (knee) replace by Cale Morton in the third quarter

REPORTS
Richmond: Nil
Melbourne: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Stevic, Findlay

Official crowd: 61,900 at the MCG

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MELBOURNE has climbed into the top eight for the first time since round seven after a 27-point victory over Richmond on Saturday afternoon at the MCG.

The Demons stalled in the opening stages of the game and trailed by 16 points in the first term, which prompted game great and 3AW commentator Leigh Matthews to muse if the "bad Melbourne" had turned up to play.

It was as if the players heard his words as suddenly the "good Melbourne" arrived, jolted into action and stormed into the quarter-time break with a 20-point lead after kicking six unanswered goals.

They didn't relinquish the lead from the 23-minute mark of the opening quarter and got as far as 38 points clear in the third quarter.

Then, they held off final quarter surges by the Tigers that saw them get within three goals twice to win their third straight clash with the yellow and black, 17.16 (118) to 13.13 (91).

It is also just the second time this year the Demons have won consecutive games with their first pair coming in rounds three and four against the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast.

Essendon's loss to Hawthorn on Friday night presented the opportunity for Saturday's winner to take its place in the top half of the competition, and for the Tigers, it would have been the first time in more than three years they were in the top eight.

But even a light week on the track after their recent tour of Australia that saw them visit Darwin, Sydney and Brisbane in the past month, and an appearance from Ben Cousins in the rooms before the game, weren't enough to help them over the line.

Despite winning the clearances 22 to 16 in the first half, it was the Tigers' tardiness down back that cost them with the Demons scoring five goals as a result of turnovers in the defensive half.

After the main break, the Demons - mainly led by clearance king Brent Moloney - hit back at the stoppages and won the count 38 to 33 for the day, but allowed the Tigers to remain in the contest until midway through the final term because of wasted opportunities in attack.

Influential players
For the Tigers, Nathan Foley (27 touches) and Brett Deledio (26) were best and combined for eight clearances while the latter led his side for inside 50s with seven.

Robin Nahas tried hard to provide the sort of spark that usually comes from Jake King - who missed with suspension - and had 23 touches, while Chris Newman didn't stop trying with 21 possessions, 11 of which were contested, and provided consistent rebound from defence. Tyrone Vickery was the only player Hardwick said won his position.

The crowd
With a top eight spot on offer for the winning side, supporters of the recently success-starved clubs turned out in force with an attendance of 61,900. It was just the fourth time in history the clubs have played each other in front of a 60,000-plus crowd, and the second biggest attendance for the head-to-head in a home-and-away game after the 76,387 that turned out for the round 22 match in 1998. The only other crowd to surpass Saturday's between the Tigers and Demons was the 70,330 recorded for the 1940 grand final. 

The banner
The Tigers touched on their recent busy travel schedule in crepe paper form with the yellow and black banner reading, "After four weeks away, we're back where we belong. At the end of the day, you'll hear the Richmond song".

Sadly, the local crowd - which had not witnessed its team live since round nine's win over Essendon before Saturday - had to settle with singing it only before the game instead.

Keep an eye on … Jack Riewoldt
The big Tiger was well held by Frawley and kicked just one goal, three behinds and had two goal assists, which completes a month of quiet appearances from the talented goalkicker. It saw Hardwick questioned about his fitness after the game, and he admitted his 2010 Coleman medallist was playing sore. The coach was loathe to elaborate on the location of that soreness but said Riewoldt would keep playing as he was "just tired and sore like the other guys" and would "battle on".

What it means
For the Tigers, it was an opportunity lost as far as climbing into the top eight was concerned but it gave Hardwick the positive that despite just one player winning his position, the final margin was under six goals. He said after the match the result meant the Tigers' worst was getting better, but had highlighted some "fundamental errors" the players would need to work on. It also sets up a huge clash with the in-form Carlton next weekend.

What the coach said
Richmond - Damien Hardwick
"Footy as we know is a game of chance. If you don't take yours at the right time, the momentum goes the other way.

We thought we were pretty dominant in that first 10 minutes but we couldn't just quite get that scoreboard ascendancy we were after.

I just thought Melbourne's pressure around the ball was very, very good. The heat they brought was outstanding and we just couldn't quite … I think we had 32 clangers, which is world-record pace for us. That's normally a two-game total."

Dream Team highlight
Richmond: Shane Edwards ($191,900) laid eight tackles to go with his 22 possessions to lead the way for the Tigers with 113 points with Foley ($338,200) nipping at his heels with 109.

Quarter by quarter
First quarter
The Tigers bounced out of the blocks at the MCG, but registered four behinds in succession before Dustin Martin booted his team's first goal from long distance.

Damien Hardwick's men looked in ominous touch on their way to a 16-point lead, but Melbourne skipper Brad Green sparked the Demons with two goals that changed the entire complexion of the contest.

The Tigers' run and enthusiasm deserted them as Melbourne scored the last six goals of the quarter to lead it by 20 points at the first break.
Melbourne by 20 points

Second quarter
Tyrone Vickery re-ignited Richmond's challenge with the first two goals of the second quarter and when Jack Riewoldt followed up with one of his own the Tigers were right back in the contest.

But the Demons were equal to the challenge with Moloney leading the charge with 10 possessions for the quarter including four clearances. Stef Martin, Jack Trengove and Nathan Jones hit the scoreboard as Melbourne extended its lead to 29 points at half-time.
Melbourne by 29 points

Third quarter
The Demons should have put the game out of Richmond's reach in the third, but managed just 2.10 from 17 inside 50s. Jack Watts contributed the second of those goals just seconds before three-quarter time after brilliantly dispossessing Bachar Houli.

Nathan Foley had 10 possessions for the term, but the Tigers struggled to bring the ball inside 50 efficiently with Riewoldt well held by James Frawley.

Both teams activated their substitutes with Reece Conca (head knock) replaced by Jeromey Webberley and Joel Macdonald (knee) coming off for Cale Morton.
Melbourne by 29 points

Fourth quarter
With Riewoldt struggling to have an influence it was Vickery, who bobbed up for his third goal, that kept Richmond's hopes of a come-from-behind win alive. Mitch Farmer had Tigers' fans on their feet when he sliced the margin to 18 points soon after but, as they had for much of the contest, the Demons were able to reply when called upon with Jack Trengove booting his third late in the term to seal the win.
Melbourne wins by 27 points

Next four: The fixture ahead
The Tigers stay at the MCG for the next fortnight with clashes against Carlton and Essendon on the radar, before they hit the road again and travel north to take on Gold Coast at Cazaly Stadium in Cairns. Then it's back to Melbourne where they'll face Geelong at Etihad Stadium.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/117062/default.aspx

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Team Stats

Disposals           372 - 358   
Efficiency%          72 - 74
Kicks                 201 - 179
Handballs           171 - 179   
Con. Marks          14 - 9
Uncon. Marks       61 - 48
Tackles                72 - 91
Clearances           33 - 37
Clangers              57 - 44
Frees                   17 - 20
Hitouts                 29 - 46 .... (Browne 23, Vickery 2, Miller 2 // Jamar 27, S.Martin 17, Silvia 2 )
Con. Possies       148 - 157
Uncon. Possies    217 - 194    
Inside 50s            47 - 63
Assists                 17 - 19     

Individual Stats

                    Disp.    K     H    G     B    SC   SCA   CM   UM   T   C   Cl    FF   FA   CP   UP  In50   A   Eff%

N.Foley           27    14    13    1    0    107      92    0    5    5    5    3    0    0    11    16    4    0      67%
B.Houli           27    17    10    0    0      84      88    0    4    4    1    8    1    3    10    12    2    0      70%
B.Deledio       26    13    13    1    0      89    106    1    3    2    3    3    1    2      7    18    7    0      77%
R.Nahas         23    10    13    0    0      77      86    2    0    4    1    1    1    0      9    15    4    0      70%
S.Edwards      22    14      8    1    1      92      57    1    4    8    2    2    1    0      6    16    4    1      64%
C.Newman      20    14      6    2    0    102      99    1    2    3    1    3    0    1    11      7    3    0      65%
T.Cotchin        19    15      4    0    0      76    101    0    1    4    4    3    2    1      8    10    3    0      68%
S.Grigg           19      9    10    1    0      75      82    0    5    3    3    1    0    0      5    13    2    0      79%
D.Martin         19    11      8    1    0      68    106    0    3    3    3    2    1    0      7    12    2    0      74%
J.Batchelor     18    13      5    0    1      91      60    1    2    6    1    3    0    0      6    12    4    0      72%
D.Jackson      18    11      7    0    1      66      89    0    2    4    2    4    0    2      4    14    1    2      67%
A.Rance         18    12      6    0    0      68      81    1    7    3    0    4    3    1      3    15    0    0      72%
D.Gourdis      16      4    12    0    0      75      75    1    3    2    0    0    0    0      7      9    0    0      75%
T.Hislop         16      5    11    0    1      59      40    1    4    4    1    2    1    2      6    10    1    1      81%
J.Riewoldt      13      7      6    1    3      73      81    0    5    3    0    1    0    1      7      6    3    2      77%
L.McGuane     12      4      8    0    0      56      56    1    2    3    0    3    0    2      8      4    0    0      75%
T.Vickery       12      7      5    3    2      86      71    2    2    3    1    1    2    0      8      5    0    0      58%
B.Miller          11      4      7    0    1      52      51    1    2    1    1    2    1    0      6      6    4    3      73%
A.Browne       11      4      7    0    0      72      74    0    2    1    3    3    2    2      8      2    0    0      73%
M.Farmer       10      6      4    2    0      58      61    1    1    3    0    3    0    1      6      5    1    0      80%
R.Conca           9      2      7    0    0      27      60    0    0    3    1    5    1    2      5      5    1    1      78%
J.Webberley     6      5      1    0    0      21      25    0    2    0    0    0    0    0      0      5    1    0    100%

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/super-scoreboard?match_id=10311403

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Relentless Melbourne rattles Richmond

    BRUCE MATTHEWS
    From: Sunday Herald Sun
    June 25, 2011 9:20PM

IN football speak, clangers kill Tigers.

It must have made for tough viewing for Richmond coach Damien Hardwick as he watched from the back of the interchange bench as his players coughed up the ball to relentless Melbourne opponents at the MCG.

"I think we had 32 clangers which is world record pace for us. That's normally a two-game total, so that was very, very poor," Hardwick said.

"We had 12 turnovers in our defensive 50 and they got six goals. That's paramount, No.1 (to get better) at the minute.

"I thought Melbourne's pressure was very, very good. The heat they brought was outstanding.

"When you go through our list of players, I thought we had probably one winner, Ty Vickery, on the day. Melbourne got us in a lot of areas, we were probably lucky not to go down by 10 goals in the end.

"Probably the back 15 minutes of that first quarter was where the damage was done. I think we had the first four shots on goal and couldn't get any scoreboard pressure.

"Footy is a game of chances, if you don't take yours at the right time, the momentum goes the other way."

In contrast, Melbourne coach Dean Bailey lauded his players for what was a record 88 tackles since he took over as coach.

Forward Ricky Petterd told the tale of desperation - he wasn't among the eight goalkickers but his 14 tackles were immeasurable contributions towards the 27-point win that catapulted his team into the top eight.

"I don't know how many were in the forward 50, but I reckon he would've had 10 or 11. To be able to do that was outstanding. He was one of many in the forward line who put pressure on their back 50. They're a very good kicking team out of their back 50," Bailey said.

"Like all clubs, we want to win the tackle count and the possessions count. But where you tackle is the most important thing.

"There have been times where we've been tackling in our back half too often, but today we were able to get the ball in deep and our forwards were able to compete and mark. The forwards do work hard with their chasing, but to get that tackle count was terrific."

For a contest billed as the battle of football's young guns, Bailey was thankful for the work of senior players such as skipper Brad Green, midfielders Brent Moloney and Nathan Jones and defender Jared Rivers.

"Although the game was built up around a lot of the young, drafted players, I thought our senior players were very good. And we got a game back into Mark Jamar," Bailey said.

Green again led his players in measured celebrations for back-to-back wins, mindful of a third six-day rest in a row before facing the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.

"That's going to be a real challenge for us. From a physical fitness point of view and a medical point of view, I don't think we'll be doing too much this week," Bailey said.

"For the rest of the night, you've got to enjoy the feeling of winning."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/relentless-melbourne-rattles-richmond/story-e6frf9jf-1226081976579

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Melbourne Demons grab spot in top eight after win against Richmond

    Michael Horan
    From: Herald Sun
    June 26, 2011

ALL season Melbourne has struggled to cope with prosperity; fabulous one week then comprehensively thrashed the next.

At the MCG the Demons flirted with that streak of unpredictability before deservedly posting 27-point win over a brave, persistent but inferior Richmond.

For the faithful of both, here was a watershed day: the two sides on 5 1/2 wins for the year and 9th and 10th on the ladder, the prize having the club name back in bold print at the right end of the table.

So it was that in front of 61,900 fans - the third largest home and away crowd for a game between these two clubs - Melbourne is back in the eight and Richmond's chance gone for now.

The Demons were the rightful winners but how they flirted with fortune.

Coming off the previous four matches that saw an 89-point win over Fremantle last weekend, a 78-point belting by Collingwood, a 33-point win against Essendon and a 47-point lesson from Carlton, it was a matter of wait and and see which Melbourne turned up.

As fate would have it, the answer was both.

Six minutes into the game the Tigers had logged six inside 50s to nil for six scoring shots, the score 2.4 to nil. The Dees weren't up and about and the trend of win one, lose the next, looked set to continue.

By quarter-time the inside 50 count was 17-14 Melbourne's way, the score 7.1 to 3.5 to the Dees and the game was in their control. Better skills, better structure, deadly finishing - and a 20-point lead.

Roll forward to five minutes into the third term and the contrast couldn't have been more startling. Melbourne's lead had swelled to 38 points while Richmond was static, under pressure and awaiting a flogging.

It is a measure of emerging sides that skill and execution levels fluctuate wildly and quickly - and the third term was a glowing example of why the Demons should have buried Richmond and registered a monster win and instead found themselves three goals up eight minutes into the final term with the contest well and truly alive.

Four seconds before the three-quarter-time siren Melbourne had effected 16 entries into the forward 50 and kicked 1.10. Only a brilliant gather and snapped goal by Jack Watts right on the siren pushed the Dees buffer back out to a fairly safe 29 points.

In an odd way it might have been a good learning curve for Melbourne. The tenacious Tigers would surely continue to challenge and it was time to show what they could do with pressure - both absorbing it and applying it.

One telling stat from yesterday spoke volumes about why the Demons are back in the top eight.

In Round 6 against the Eagles in Perth, much was made of the fact Melbourne didn't record an effective tackle inside its forward 50 in the opening half.

The Dees racked a game-record under coach Dean Bailey of 35, with Ricky Petterd laying 14.

That pressure produced three final-term goals that provided answers to the three Richmond booted in its bid to steal the show.

The Dees relished the return of ruckman Mark Jamar and the flow on effect of being able to push him forward at times while Stefan Martin played a superb back-up role. At ground level, Brent Moloney also gloried Jamar's return with 11 clearances among his 27 disposals.

In the Richmond forward half James Frawley completely out-played Tiger spearhead Jack Riewoldt.

At the other end, Demon fans are starting to see what all the fuss was about when the club made Watts the No.1 draft pick back in 2008. Three contested marks inside the forward arc, nine scoring involvements and 19 possessions augurs well for the future.

Tigers fans will despair a lost opportunity but in defeat they never quit and they kept coming, being beaten by a side a little further advanced and more skilled. But they are headed in the same direction.

In six days the Dees are back on the big stage of Friday night footy when they face the Western Bulldogs, aiming to make it three wins in a row.


SCOREBOARD:

MELBOURNE 7.1 12.4 14.14 17.16 (118)
RICHMOND   3.5  7.5  10.9  13.13 (91)

Goals: Melbourne: Green 3, Trengove 3, Watts 3, Jurrah 2, Jones 2, Martin 2, Sylvia, Howe. Richmond: Vickery 3, Newman 2, Farmer 2, Deledio, Martin, Riewoldt, Foley, Edwards, Grigg.

Best: Melbourne: Moloney, Watts, Frawley, Scully, Jones, Martin, Petterd, Garland. Richmond: Foley, Deledio, Houli, Newman, Edwards, Rance.

Umpires: Matt Stevic, Robert Findlay, Dean Margetts.

Official Crowd: 61,900 at MCG.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-v-melbourne/story-e6frf9jf-1226081793649

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Demons grab finals chance
Jon Pierik
June 26, 2011

MELBOURNE 7.1 12.4 14.14 17.16 (118)
RICHMOND 3.5 7.5 10.9 13.13 (91)

GOALS -
Melbourne: Green 3, Trengove 3, Watts 3, Jurrah 2, Jones 2, Martin 2, Sylvia, Howe.
Richmond: Vickery 3, Newman 2, Farmer 2, Deledio, Martin, Riewoldt, Foley, Edwards, Grigg.

BEST -
Melbourne: Moloney, Watts, Jones, Frawley, McKenzie, Petterd, Jamar.
Richmond: Foley, Vickery, Deledio, Newman.

INJURIES: Melbourne: Macdonald (sore knee).

UMPIRES: Stevic, Findlay, Margetts.

CROWD: 61,900 at the MCG.
--------------------------------------------------------

THE mid-season demise of Essendon continued to reverberate through the football world yesterday. The fallout from Friday night's mauling by the Hawks meant there was plenty for coach James Hird to answer when he completed a round of radio interviews.

But amid the post-mortem, one key point was largely missed. The Bombers would be out of the top eight once yesterday's clash between Richmond and Melbourne was completed at the MCG.

Indeed, the more pressing question yesterday was whether the Tigers and Demons, both blessed with a wave of first-round draft picks, were ready to legitimately have hopes of securing seventh or eighth spot come the end of the season.

On a delightful winter's afternoon, in front of the second largest home-and-away crowd between the clubs, the Demons proved that could well be the case with a 27-point win in a game marred by several questionable umpiring decisions.

Provided they maintain their intensity, there is no reason to think the Demons cannot edge Fremantle, North Melbourne, St Kilda, the Bombers and Tigers for at least seventh or eighth come September - and enhance coach Dean Bailey's hopes of a contract extension.

''With that team on the park, they will play finals this year,'' former Richmond coach Danny Frawley declared on Triple M last night.

While the Demons still have kinks to work out - they became predictable going forward in the third term, and their conversion was terrible during this period with two goals from 17 inside 50s - there was much to like.

They have the ability to play ''burst football'', an ingredient all good teams possess. That was shown when, with momentum on their side, they drilled the final six majors of the first term to secure what ultimately proved to be a match-winning 20-point lead.

''Richmond challenged us quite a few times throughout the game and we kept responding, and got one back when we needed to,'' forward Colin Sylvia said.

''It was another good win. It was good to back it up [after defeating Fremantle]. We probably have had an up and down year.''

One consistent presence in the past month, however, has been Jack Watts, who was superb deep up forward or when used as an option at half-forward or through the middle.

Clearly more at ease now with some muscle on his bones, Watts looks like a footballer, and he plays like a good one.

His decision making was excellent. He kicked three goals and would finish with a direct involvement in nine scoring shots.

His only blemish was when he attempted to turn enforcer after Stefan Martin had goaled in the third term, gifting the Tigers an immediate free kick from what should have been the ensuing centre bounce.

Suspended Tiger Jake King said pre-match the key for his team was whether it could pressure the Demons' defenders and trap the ball inside its attacking 50.

The problem for the Tigers wasn't so much that, but actually getting the ball near goal. At one stage in the second term, the Tigers were unable to carry the ball inside their attacking 50 for 14 minutes.

The Demons would finish with 35 tackles inside their attacking 50, a record under Bailey and more than doubling the Tigers' output. Ricky Petterd led the way with 13.

''It was definitely a focus for us, playing the game as much as we can in our forward half,'' Sylvia said. ''That's an area that was a real highlight for us and something we have been really working hard on throughout the week.''

The development of tagger Jordie McKenzie has also been crucial. Last week he silenced Matthew Pavlich. This time it was emerging maestro Trent Cotchin. Full-back James Frawley also played a key role in restricting a sore Jack Riewoldt to just one goal.

The Demons also boast goalkicking options that will hurt opponents. Premier ruckman Mark Jamar is also a legitimate power forward, allowing Liam Jurrah to be more of a floating option. Skipper Brad Green was again solid, so too Sylvia, Watts continues to develop, while Petterd was a bulldog.

Then there are the likes of midfielders Nathan Jones and Jack Trengove, who also enjoy capping off some good work, while Brent Moloney was typically robust at stoppages and had 11 of his team's 63 inside 50s.

''Obviously there was a lot to play for. Richmond are in a similar position to us. They have improved a lot,'' Sylvia said. ''It was good for the boys to have a bit of a sniff [of the finals] now.''

For the Tigers, it wasn't all doom and gloom. They did well to close the gap to 17 points early in the final term. Skipper Chris Newman and Nathan Foley were strong all day, while Brett Deledio provided run, particularly in the first term with 10 disposals.

Richmond president Gary March said a finals berth could help the development of his young side. As of last night, it appears to be the Demons who are a step closer.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/demons-grab-finals-chance-20110625-1gkzc.html#ixzz1QJHITJYY