Inspired Tigers rise to challengeAshley Porter, Adelaide
August 29, 2011RICHMOND 5.2 6.8 12.13 17.19 (121)
ADELAIDE 7.3 9.6 12.9 15.9 (99)
GOALS
Richmond: Vickery 4, Nahas 3, Miller 2, Martin 2, Graham, Jackson, King, Riewoldt, Morton, Cotchin.
Adelaide: Gunston 5, Vince 2, Tippett 2, Van Berlo 2, Wright, Douglas, Thompson, Walker.
BEST
Richmond: Cotchin, Vickery, Riewoldt, Deledio, Martin, Jackson.
Adelaide: Van Berlo, Vince, Jacobs, Dangerfield, Reilly, Gunston.
INJURIES
Richmond: Dea (ill) replaced by O'Reilly.
Adelaide: Doughty (virus) replaced by Martin.
UMPIRES Wenn, Dalgleish, Grun.
CROWD: 38,023 at AAMI Stadium.
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SCOTT Burns observed the Crows closely from the members' stand at AAMI Stadium yesterday, and he surely must have pondered whether he would like to coach them next season.
He was there as midfield coach for West Coast - their opponent next round - and after losing to Richmond by 22 points, those at Adelaide who want him sitting in the coach's box from 2012 has probably doubled.
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It was supposed to be a match to determine who would have the first pick between these sides at the national draft.
But when caretaker coach Mark Bickley chose to play all three emergencies in the local league on Saturday, and was forced to play Brodie Martin again when Michael Doughty had gastro yesterday morning, the focus began to change.
Just as pertinent were the performances of opposing key forwards - Taylor Walker and Jack Riewoldt, who were both restricted to one goal.
The big difference was that Richmond coach Damien Hardwick called upon his leadership group at half-time to lift, and Riewoldt took notice. His work rate soared remarkably, running from end-to-end and taking Adelaide's key defender Ben Rutten out of the play, and helped teammates with three goals at crucial stages.
Meanwhile, Walker, who has been terrific of late, continued to struggle in the same zone.
Bickley tried to dismiss the fact he played all three emergencies on Saturday, and offered no regrets. "Different if it was a grand final," he said.
But while Richmond's sub Jeromey Webberley went on three minutes before three-quarter-time and looked fresh as he gathered five possessions, it was blatantly obvious Martin looked jaded.
A telling moment came when his first kick fell well short, and his only other also had no power as he kicked out directly to a Richmond player causing a turnover and a goal to Trent Cotchin, giving Richmond an 18-point lead 10 minutes into the last term.
No, it wasn't a grand final, but a crucial moment in a game that was there to be won.
Adelaide captain Nathan van Berlo clearly had Cotchin's measure early in the midfield, but again subtle changes by Hardwick brought his emerging champion well into the play and he, too, became a match-winner.
The big difference after a 12-goal first-quarter shootout was that Richmond slowed its game down and made the Crows more accountable. Adelaide persisted with its short passes to work the ball inside-50, reflected by the fact it had 267-176 uncontested possessions.
It also had 76 more possessions overall, and won the centre clearances 22-9.
But Richmond was able to recover from a 22-point deficit two minutes into the second half because of its exceptional work rate; its constant pressure and rarely allowing Adelaide to have an easy possession.
Taking nothing away from Richmond - its third successive victory and eighth this season compared with six in 2010 - this battle for draft-pick order wasn't a memorable one with players continuously slipping over and fumbling the ball in perfect conditions.
But in terms of the journey Richmond has been on, and its ability to keep the faith shared by all, it was a very productive day.
Ty Vickery exerted his leadership skills under adversity, finishing with four goals, and the ever-emerging Dustin Martin showed one of his less-obvious qualities by applying a match-high nine tackles.
HARD CALLIt was a simple question to Richmond coach Damien Hardwick. Matt Dea was subbed because of injury three minutes before three-quarter-time and the coach was asked: what was the injury? Hardwick replied: "He just had a niggle so we weren't prepared to risk him. We were running thin as it was. He will come back and play next week, which is a positive for us." Next question: "Where was the niggle?" Hardwick said: "Somewhere on his body." Wow, that's news.
CRY ME A RIVERRichmond's win means it will finish higher than Adelaide for the first time since 2001. The Crows are destined for 14th spot - officially their worst season - with only seven wins and the daunting task of facing West Coast in the last round.
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