Tigers massacre Blues
4:59:58 PM Sat 7 May, 2005
Matt Burgan
Exclusive to afl.com.au
Richmond has recorded the biggest victory of the 2005 home-and-away season thus far in annihilating its greatest AFL rival Carlton by 85 points at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers 23.13 (151) defeated the Blues 10.6 (66) to notch up their fifth win of the season, while they eclipsed their previous best win over Carlton, which was 77 points in round one, 1978. Interestingly, that was the same margin the Tigers led by at half-time.
Richmond also achieved its first win over Carlton since the first semi-final clash in 2001, after it piled on the opening 12 goals of the match to set up the win in an extraordinary first half.
The Tigers had a number of outstanding players, including Jack Dyer Medallist Mark Coughlan, who had an incredible 38 disposals, which is his best individual effort in his 56 matches.
Other Richmond ball-winners to shine included Joel Bowden (33 touches) and Wayne Campbell (26 possessions).
Up forward, Andrew Krakouer snagged five goals to have his best match thus far in 2005, while Matthew Richardson and Nathan Brown booted four goals each. Richardson also notched up his 600th career goal and now has 603 goals from 201 matches.
Richmond's defence was also terrific with Andrew Kellaway and Darren Gaspar continuing their fine starts to the season.
For Carlton, Matthew Lappin finished with five goals, while Nick Stevens (30 possessions) and Scott Camporeale (32 touches) were its best.
The match also marked a significant AFL debut with Irishman Setanta O'hAilpin joining the likes of past contemporaries Jimmy Stynes, Sean Wight, Tadhg Kennelly, Brian Stynes, Paul Earley and Dermott McNichol to be recruited from Ireland to play at the highest level in the AFL.
Richmond had a scintillating opening term when it slammed on seven goals to zip to lead by 46 points at the 23-minute mark and 44 points at the first break.
Richardson and Brown had four goals between, Coughlan amassed 11 touches and the work and rebounding of Ray Hall, Andrew Kellaway and Darren Gaspar down back was proving a handful for the Blues.
The Blues had to wait until Jarrad Waite posted his side's first score, a behind, at the 27-minute mark. Carlton had two further opportunities, just moments later to record its first major, yet fluffed both of them.
A soccer attempt in the goalsquare from livewire forward Eddie Betts smashed into the foot of teammate Lance Whitnall and rebounded out of the Blues' attacking zone. This was followed up by Waite having a shot at goal which resulted in the ball hitting the behind post.
And just to add further salt into the Carlton wound, Whitnall's set-shot on the quarter-time siren sailed through for the Blues' second behind.
The Tigers continued the onslaught in the second term when they added another five in succession - and six for the quarter - to lead by a whopping 77 points at half-time. It was also Carlton's lowest half-time score against Richmond since they clashed in round eight, 1908 - the first of their 195 clashes.
Carlton finally managed its first goal of the match via Matthew Lappin, who kicked truly at the 24-minute mark after he led and marked in front of Tiger Mark Chaffey, who was playing his 150th AFL match.
Coughlan had a mighty first half with 24 possessions, while Bowden, Kellaway, Brown and Tivendale were other stand outs for the Tigers. Overall, Richmond had 79 more disposals than Carlton before the main break in a stunning period.
The second half was purely for the record books. Although the Blues finally managed to add some goals to the scoreboard - four in the third term - it still wasn't enough to win the quarter, as Richmond managed another six majors to lead by 92 point heading into the final stanza.
Carlton managed to outscore Richmond in the last quarter, booting five goals to four, yet it mattered little in the overall result. But the sight of O'hAilpin registering a goal from his first kick in the AFL gave the Blues' fans at least something to smile about.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace agreed the Tigers' performance was better than last week's when they came from behind and kicked 13 unanswered goals to defeat reigning premier Port Adelaide.
"I thought we met a side today that we hadn't beaten since the 2001 semi-final - a side that we've got a huge history against, a side that our supporters and past players would love to beat more than any other side in the competition. We met them head-long and handled it very well," Wallace said.
"It was just really pleasing that… we’ve been promising our supporters that we had an improved style of play. I think the guys now are believing it more as it's going along.
"A hell of a lot of effort (has been) put in over a six-month period by everyone at the club, the assistant coaches, players. There's been a little bit of reward for that effort now."
Carlton coach Denis Pagan said he was bewildered by his side's performance.
"Our young players were very negative in their approach and perhaps our senior group was too attacking," Pagan said after the match.
"We fumbled badly and couldn't supply any pressure and we couldn't make them defend.
"They got their confidence up and we were stunned and it was just a chain reaction from that."
RICHMOND: 7.4, 13.8, 19.11, 23.13 (151)
CARLTON: 0.2, 1.3, 5.3, 10.6 (66)
GOALS – Richmond: Krakouer 5, Brown 4, Richardson 4, Pettifer 2, Campbell 2, Deledio, Simmonds, Stafford, Johnson Tivendale, Kellaway
Carlton: Lappin 5, French, O'Hailpin, Longmuir, Scotland, Waite
BEST – Richmond: Brown, Coughlan, Tivendale, Kellaway, Krakouer, Bowden, Gaspar, Johnson
Carlton: Stevens, Lappin, Camporeale, Scotland
INJURIES – Richmond: Stafford (ankle)
Carlton: Nil
CHANGES – Richmond: Nil
Carlton: Chambers and Carrazzo replaced in selected side by O'hAilpin and Prendergast
REPORTS - Nil
UMPIRES - Stevic, Wenn, Avon
CROWD - 52,235 at the MCG
