Tigers make it two in a row
4:53:11 PM Sun 10 April, 2005
Matt Burgan
Exclusive to afl.com.au
Richmond has notched up its first consecutive victories since rounds seven and eight last year, winning a thrilling encounter by four points against the Western Bulldogs at Telstra Dome on Sunday.
The Tigers 12.16 (88) defeated the Bulldogs 11.18 (84) in a see-sawing match that had nine lead changes, but unfortunately the match was marred by several significant injuries.
The Bulldogs lost full-back Brian Harris with a knee injury that is likely to see him miss the remainder of the 2005 season while the versatile Ben Harrison also suffered a knee injury.
Bulldogs vice-captain and two-time best-and-fairest winner Brad Johnson, who had already made a quicker-than-expected return from a knee injury which he sustained in the pre-season, injured his ankle but played out the match in typical fashion.
Richmond was not without its problems either, with Brent Hartigan - who was arguably best on ground until he left the field early in the second term - also suffering a hamstring injury. Greg Stafford also hurt his shoulder during the match, but finished the game.
The final term was a cracker, with Richmond hitting the front at the 10-minute mark, courtesy of Matthew Richardson. It was the first time the Tigers were in front since the six-minute mark of the second term.
Despite two goals from Mitch Hahn and Johnson's second, which had the Bulldogs in front, it was Richardson's fourth and Wayne Campbell's first for the day that gave the Tigers the lead.
It gave Richmond coach Terry Wallace his first win against his former club, while it was also particularly sweet for Nathan Brown, as he captained the Tigers against his ex-club in the absence of Kane Johnson, who was a late withdrawal.
Despite some wayward kicking, Richardson was best-on-ground with 16 kicks, three handballs and a whopping 15 marks. He was dangerous in front of goal, finishing the match with 4.4 in a fine display. Brown, Joel Bowden and Campbell were also among the Tigers' best.
Daniel Giansiracusa was terrific with 18 kicks, 14 handballs and 13 marks, while Lindsay Gilbee continued his outstanding start to the season for the Bulldogs and was one of his side's most important contributors.
Richmond got off to a flyer when Andrew Krakouer and Richardson kicked truly to give the Tigers a 14-point lead. But the Bulldogs answered with three of the remaining four goals before quarter-time to reduce the deficit to three points.
Both sides' playing stocks were reduced early on, with Harrison not taking part after quarter time, while Stafford left the ground with a right shoulder problem, although he returned in the second quarter.
The Bulldogs hit the front for the first time when the second quarter was under way, courtesy of Nathan Eagleton, who added the Doggies' third in a row.
Hartigan hobbled from the ground in the hands of the trainers soon after, when his hamstring went on him. It was tough blow for Hartigan as he notched up seven kicks and six handballs in just over a quarter of football.
Richardson's second put the Tigers back in front at the six-minute mark, but with the Dogs recording three goals to two for the term, they regained the lead to take a four-point advantage into the main break.
The Bulldogs posted the first two goals after half-time to extend their lead to 19 points - which was their biggest lead of the match - but it proved to be the Doggies' only two majors for the term, as the third quarter soured somewhat, when Harris went down with his knee injury.
The cruel blow came after the key defender collided with Richmond tall Troy Simmonds in a marking contest.
Although Simmonds appeared to be shaken from the incident and suffered a bloodied lip, the result was far worse for Harris, as he injured his anterior cruciate ligament.
Simmonds was back on his feet as play continued, yet Harris remained on the ground. In the process Brown posted his second, but immediately after play was halted and Harris was stretched from the ground.
A Greg Tivendale goal before three quarter-time was Richmond's second for the term, but the Bulldogs still led by six points heading into the final stanza.
Although the Bulldogs led at the 19-minute mark, Richmond posted five goals to three in the last hurrah to seal a memorable victory. The Bulldogs haven't defeated the Tigers since round 10, 2002.
The roof was shut before the start of the match due to weather forecasts predicting storms and strong winds. And it was not long before the forecasts became a reality, when the rain belted down on the Dome roof during the first quarter.
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 3.1, 6.7, 8.14, 11.18 (84)
RICHMOND: 3.4, 5.9, 7.14, 12.16 (88)
GOALS – Western Bulldogs: P. Bowden 2, Hahn 2, Johnson 2, McMahon, Eagleton, Bandy, Boyd, Giansiracusa Richmond: Richardson 4, Brown 3, Krakouer 2, Tivendale, Coughlan, Campbell
BEST – Western Bulldogs: Hahn, Gilbee, Giansiracusa, Eagleton, Faulkner, Johnson, Smith Richmond: Richardson, Brown, Campbell, Gaspar, Coughlan, Hyde, Tuck, Krakouer
INJURIES – Western Bulldogs: Harrison (knee)
Richmond: Stafford (shoulder), Hartigan (hamstring)
CHANGES – Richmond: Johnson replaced in selected side by Raines
REPORTS - nil
UMPIRES - Morris, Wenn, Hendrie
CROWD - 30,871 at Telstra Dome
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=195082Richmond
| Player | K H P M HO T FF FA G B |
| Joel Bowden | 17 8 25 9 0 1 3 0 0 2 |
| Nathan G. Brown | 17 3 20 5 0 0 0 1 3 1 |
| Wayne Campbell | 12 11 23 6 0 0 1 0 1 0 |
| Mark Chaffey | 10 6 16 6 0 3 0 1 0 0 |
| Mark Coughlan | 15 4 19 5 0 3 1 0 1 1 |
| Brett Deledio | 7 7 14 5 0 4 0 0 0 1 |
| Darren Gaspar | 14 5 19 8 1 0 2 0 0 0 |
| Mark Graham | 1 6 7 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 |
| Brent Hartigan | 7 6 13 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 |
| Chris Hyde | 17 12 29 6 0 3 1 1 0 0 |
| Daniel Jackson | 8 6 14 1 1 1 3 1 0 1 |
| Andrew Kellaway | 12 9 21 11 0 1 0 0 0 0 |
| Trent Knobel | 1 7 8 3 9 1 0 0 0 0 |
| Andrew Krakouer | 14 5 19 4 1 2 1 2 2 0 |
| Chris Newman | 9 3 12 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 |
| Kayne Pettifer | 9 4 13 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 |
| Andrew Raines | 5 3 8 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 |
| Matthew Richardson | 16 3 19 15 1 1 0 1 4 4 |
| Troy Simmonds | 6 3 9 4 3 1 0 1 0 0 |
| Greg Stafford | 3 3 6 3 7 0 1 2 0 1 |
| Greg Tivendale | 11 3 14 6 0 1 0 1 1 1 |
| Shane Tuck | 14 10 24 3 3 3 1 1 0 1 |
http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=matchresults&spg=default&m_tournamentmatch_id=1367
