Football > Match reports and stats

Media articles and Stats: Dark day as Suns down Tigers

(1/1)

one-eyed:
Dark day as Suns down Tigers
richmondfc.com.au
By Jason Phelan
4:51 PM Sat 16 Jul, 2011


Gold Coast   1.2    7.6    7.9    12.13 (85)
Richmond    6.8    6.9    8.16    9.16 (70)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Stanley 3, Brennan 3, Swallow 2, Ablett, Iles, Rischitelli, Toy
Richmond: Cotchin 3, Nahas, Foley, Grigg, King, Newman, Riewoldt

BEST
Gold Coast: Bock, Stanley, Iles, Ablett, Swallow, Brown, Smith
Richmond: Houli, Nahas, Grigg, Deledio, Newman, Rance, Cotchin

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Charlie Dixon replaced by Matt Shaw during the third quarter
Richmond: Andrew Browne replaced by Reece Conca during the third quarter

Reports: Nil

Umpires: McBurney, Grun, Kamolins

Official crowd: 10,382 at Cazaly's Stadium

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

GOLD Coast has stunned Richmond by 15 points in blustery conditions at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns on Saturday.
 
The wind blowing to the northern end of the ground had a profound influence on the contest with the Suns' ability to stifle the Tigers when they had the wind in the third term a key factor in the 12.13 (85) to 9.16 (70) win.

The wind was so strong that 19 of the 21 goals scored came with the aid of the stiff breeze that prevailed throughout the game.

With the wind at their backs, the Tigers led by 36 points at the first change, but the Suns proved just as adept at using the it to their advantage and had their noses in front by three points at half-time.

Although it wasn't attractive, Guy McKenna's men played a patient, possession style of football in the third quarter that proved highly effective in restricting Richmond to just two goals with the wind in the third quarter.

Damien Hardwick instructed his players to try the same approach in the last, but their 13-point, three-quarter time lead was not enough to hold off fast-finishing Gold Coast.

The win was the Suns' third in their short history and snapped an eight-game losing streak, but condemned the Tigers to their sixth defeat in the past seven matches. 

FIRST QUARTER
With a howling breeze at their backs, Richmond jumped out of the blocks quickly to lead by 36 points at the first change. Damien Hardwick pushed Trent Cotchin forward with devastating results as he kicked three goals. The Tigers punished turnovers from Joel Wilkinson and Michael Rischitelli that led directly to goals to Jack Riewoldt and Cotchin, while Chris Newman took advantage of the wind with a 65m set shot. Robin Nahas (13 disposals) and Shaun Grigg (11 plus one goal) ran riot through the middle of the ground.

SECOND QUARTER
Just as Richmond did in the opening quarter, Gold Coast cashed in with the breeze behind them, kicking six unanswered goals to grab a three-point lead. As Nahas and Cotchin barely touched the ball, the Suns midfield found plenty of it, with Danny Stanley (10), David Swallow (nine), Gary Ablett (eight) and Rischitelli (eight) coming into the match. Stanley kicked three for the term as he and fellow former Collingwood player Sam Iles had big impacts and set each other up for goals.

THIRD QUARTER
Gold Coast's ploy of packing its back half while kicking into the wind had the desired result with Richmond kicking just 2.7 for the quarter. The Tigers were forced into a number of hurried shots from long range that were off-target and rushed through. Goals to Nathan Foley and Jake King gave Richmond a 13-point lead into the last. Both subs were activated with small men (Reece Conca and Matt Shaw) coming on for big men (Andrew Browne and Charlie Dixon).

FOURTH QUARTER
It took them a little while to get going, but the Suns came home strongly and kicked five goals to one to run out winners. Ablett got the ball rolling with a brilliant gather and left foot snap, before two goals to Jared Brennan, a composed finish to Swallow and a first career goal to Josh Toy rounded out the scoring. Richmond's only joy came from a soccered goal to Nahas but once the Suns got their nose in front half way through the quarter, the Tigers rarely threatened.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/118674/default.aspx

one-eyed:
Team Stats

Disposals           396 - 345
Efficiency%          75 - 72
Kicks                 245 - 199
Handballs          151 - 146
Con. Marks           7 - 12
Uncon. Marks    134 - 79
Tackles               56 - 63
Clearances          31 - 28
Clangers             54 - 57
Frees                  22 - 21
Hitouts                26 - 33 ....... ( Browne 11, Vickery 7, Griffiths 4 // Fraser 19, Smith 13 )   
Con. Possies      124 - 131   
Uncon. Possies   268 - 211   
Inside 50s           50 - 46   
Assists                15 - 15
 
Individual Stats

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

S.Grigg              32    18    14    1    0    113      81    0      9    2    1    1    1    0      5    27    5    0      84%
C.Newman         31    19    12    1    2    154    102    1    10    3    2    1    1    0    11    20    3    0      81%
B.Deledio           30    19    11    0    1    114    104    0      9    3    3    3    1    1      7    21    4    0      70%
B.Houli              30    19    11    0    1    131      88    1    11    3    0    2    2    1      7    21    2    0      87%
R.Nahas             28    14    14    1    1    105      88    0      6    2    4    3    2    0      9    19    3    0      82%
A.Rance             25    18      7    0    0    130      85    0    10    5    1    2    3    1      6    19    0    0      96%
T.Cotchin           24    16      8    3    0      88      99    0      8    3    3    7    0    0      7    16    3    0      63%
D.Martin            21    17      4    0    0      74      98    0    11    1    2    3    2    1      4    18    4    0      57%
S.Edwards         18    11      7    0    1      70      60    1      7    5    2    3    0    1      7    13    2    0      67%
N.Foley              17      7    10    1    0      58      91    0      2    5    3    4    0    1      6    11    3    0      65%
L.McGuane         17      5    12    0    0    101      60    1      3    2    0    1    0    1    10      7    0    0      88%
J.Riewoldt          17    12      5    1    2      88      79    0      4    0    1    2    1    0      9      8    6    3      47%
D.Jackson          14    10      4    0    1      52      85    1      2    2    2    2    2    1      6      7    5    0      57%
J.Batchelor        13      9      4    0    0      56      60    0      4    5    0    2    3    0      4      9    1    1      77%
B.Helbig            13    10      3    0    0      53      39    0      8    2    0    1    0    0      3    10    0    0      62%
J.King                12      7      5    1    0      66      65    0      5    3    1    3    0    2      4      7    3    0      75%
M.White             11      9      2    0    1      37      57    0      5    3    2    5    0    4      4      7    2    0      73%
R.Conca             10      7      3    0    0      53      59    0      6    1    1    1    1    0      3      6    0    0      90%
B.Griffiths          10      5      5    0    3      47      43    0      3    0    0    1    0    1      2      8    3    0      60%
W.Thursfield      10      8      2    0    0      50      62    1      5    3    0    4    1    4      3      7    0    0    100%
T.Vickery            9      5      4    0    0      39      69    1      5    2    1    2    0    2      4      5    1    0      67%
A.Browne            4      0      4    0    0      22      62    0      1    1    2    1    2    0    3    2    0    0    100%

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/super-scoreboard?match_id=10311702

one-eyed:
Suns sold on winning
Andrew Stafford
July 17, 2011

GOLD COAST 1.2 7.6 7.9 12.13 (85)
RICHMOND 6.8 6.9 8.16 9.16 (70)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Stanley 3, Brennan 3, Swallow 2, Ablett, Toy, Rischitelli, Iles.
Richmond: Cotchin 3, Newman, King, Riewoldt, Foley, Nahas, Grigg.

BEST
Gold Coast: Bock, Ablett, Swallow, Brown, Rischitelli, Smith.
Richmond: Nahas, Deledio, Newman, Houli, Cotchin, Grigg.

UMPIRES McBurney, Kamolins, Grun.
CROWD 10,832 at Cazaly's Stadium.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
CAZALY'S Stadium in Cairns is like watching suburban football in the tropics - there's a nice, wide hill that comfortably nestles about three-quarters of the crowd, and the lack of grandstands means the wind sweeps right through. Early in the third quarter of this match, an osprey soared close to the ground, clutching a fish half its size. You won't see that at Etihad Stadium.
 
This venue's open plan could not have been more decisive in the outcome of the game between Richmond and the Gold Coast Suns. A six-goal wind might have been best on ground. Richmond captain Chris Newman is hardly the second coming of Bernie ''Superboot'' Quinlan, but when he roosted through a goal from well inside the centre square in the first term, every player on the ground took note.

No one who marked remotely within scoring range at the northern end looked to give the ball off for the rest of the match. It was going to be a matter of which side used those conditions better - and whether the Suns, who would kick with the aid of the breeze in the final quarter, could still raise a gallop.
 
That has been a recurring problem for the Suns, but after the players were given much of the week off by their coaching staff, and the Tigers blew their chances in the third quarter by kicking 2.7 to leave them protecting just a 13-point lead at the last change, the scent of a rare victory was enough for the Suns to storm home.
 
That was after giving Richmond a six-goal start at quarter-time, too, when Trent Cotchin kicked three, Robin Nahas (easily his side's best player) had 13 touches and the ball looked like it was full of helium, so long as it was travelling to the northern end. But the Tigers were wasteful then, too, kicking 6.8 for the quarter.
 
Of course, wind aside, you still have to win the ball. In the second quarter, David Swallow began to find a great deal of it. The No. 1 pick is one Suns recruit who, rather than dropping off as the year progresses, has just seemed to get stronger. He was the key in the clinches, while Danny Stanley matched Cotchin with three goals of his own.
 
It gave the Suns a slender lead at half-time, and while they did not kick a goal in the third - unsurprising, really, since only two goals were kicked to the southern end all match - the Tigers' inefficiency always looked like costing them dearly. It did not help that Jack Riewoldt was having another stinker, beaten pointless by Nathan Bock all game. Bock, aided and abetted by Campbell Brown - too physical even for Dustin Martin, who had little influence - was impassable, while still providing rebound. All the Suns' senior leaders would be called upon to drag the younger players over the line in the final quarter, and all responded.
 
Gary Ablett, who came into the game under an injury cloud, started up forward (purely to protect his knee until he warmed up, according to coach Guy McKenna) and predictably barnstormed through the final quarter, icing it with a goal that seemed to hang in the air forever before dropping just over the line.
 
It was Josh Toy, though, who kicked the sealer late in the match to secure the Suns' third win of the season, lifting them off the bottom of the ladder - over Port Adelaide, which, as Richmond fans won't need reminding, scored one of its two wins this year against the Tigers at another foreign venue, Darwin.
 
That's two home games the Tigers have sold this season for no points.
 
WILD IS THE WIND
 
This match was all about the elements - just two goals and six behinds were scored at the southern end of the ground for the entire match, courtesy of a six-goal breeze favouring the northern side of the ground. The Tigers squandered their opportunities in the third quarter, and with them went the game.
 
FOR SALE: FOUR POINTS
 
Damien Hardwick may find it insulting, but Tigers fans will still be asking whether or not the result might have been different had this match been played at home - and whether or not the end result might have cost Richmond any chance of its first finals berth since 2001.
 
LURE OF THE TROPICS
 
More than 10,000 people crammed into Cazaly's for the AFL's first senior premiership fixture in Cairns, and they sang along with Mike Brady as he delivered what he called ''his superannuation'', Up There Cazaly. This won't be the last match here.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/suns-sold-on-winning-20110716-1hjb1.html#ixzz1SI5tMSZz

one-eyed:
Gold Coast come from behind and win against Richmond in Cairns

    Greg Davis
    From: Herald Sun
    July 17, 2011

GOLD Coast has all but killed off Richmond's finals aspirations and won over AFL fans in north Queensland with an upset 15-point victory at Cazaly Stadium.

The Suns trailed by six goals at the first change, yet held their composure to rally for a stirring 12.13 (85) to 9.16 (70) win in front of a sellout crowd of 10,832 yesterday.

It's the second interstate "home" match this year the Tigers have lost after losing to Port Adelaide in Darwin in May.

Their decision to transfer home matches for financial reasons will not sit well with supporters.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was seething after the match and in no mood to discuss whether the club had any regrets about selling off home games.

"Don't insult us," he said. "At the end of the day, if you want to play in the big one, at some stage you are going to have to play away. We've got to travel better. We haven't travelled well over the course of the last two years. It's a learning experience, we've got to get better at it."

The Suns' third victory lifts them off the bottom of the ladder and puts them in the right frame of mind to take on the competition's benchmark, Collingwood, next Saturday night at Metricon Stadium.

Richmond kicked six goals in the opening term with a howling wind but managed only three majors for the rest of the game. The Tigers struggled to come to terms with the conditions, fumbling the ball and making basic skill errors, and were left befuddled when the Suns kicked six goals in the second term.

The Tigers were also guilty of playing an indoor style in outdoor conditions.

Instead of pumping the ball long and running hard with the wind at their backs, they seemed more intent on retaining possession at times and switching play with a number of short kicks across the last line of defence.

Richmond kicked a miserable two goals with the wind in the third quarter and held only a 13-point lead at the last change.

Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna said the third quarter was pivotal to the outcome and particularly noted the work of defenders Nathan Bock, Campbell Brown and rookie Rory Thompson. "They kicked 2.7 (in the third quarter with the wind) and we kicked 5.4 in the last quarter, and that was probably the difference in the end," McKenna said.

"It gives us a little confidence that we can play a style of football that can actually win games."

Bock worked tirelessly to restrict Richmond gun forward Jack Riewoldt to one goal and Brown and Thompson kept Tyrone Vickery and Ben Griffiths in check.

Suns skipper Gary Ablett and young offsider David Swallow led the fightback in the midfield and veteran ruckman Josh Fraser was a key factor in several goals.

Hardwick acknowledged his side didn't use the wind enough to its advantage and the forwards struggled with both the elements and the Suns' tight defence.

"The windy conditions made it difficult because any time you got within 60 or 70 metres it was a shot on goal," Hardwick said.

"We didn't move the ball the way we wanted to in that second quarter and it cost us a couple of goals.

"We needed to kick seven goals in the third quarter, we really needed to kick 7.2 to take control of the game and it didn't happen."

The Suns surged home with the wind at their backs in the final term, with Jared Brennan kicking two crucial goals and Ablett shrugging off pre-match injury concerns to boot a crucial major that sparked Gold Coast.

The Suns' third victory for 2011 lifted the club off the bottom of the ladder and snapped an eight-game losing streak, while also scorching Richmond's hopes of playing finals footy.

The last time the Gold Coast tasted success was in Round 7 when the fledgling club outpointed Brisbane in the Sunshine Stoush at the Gabba.

But, most importantly for McKenna, the drought-breaker has reinforced that the Suns are on the right track.

"At any stage for the group, a win is fantastic," he said.

"It gives them a lot of confidence and I think, if anything, it gives us coaches a bit of confidence to know that we are actually developing a style of footy that can actually win games."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-gold-coast-name-substitutes/story-e6frf9jf-1226095817690

Navigation

[0] Message Index

Go to full version