Tigers pass another test Emma Quayle
The Age
June 23, 2013 RICHMOND 4.8 8.13 13.16 17.19 (121)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 3.3 5.9 5.11 8.13 (61)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Conca 2, Grigg 2, Vickery 2, Edwards, Houli, Jackson, Martin, White, Foley, Vlastuin, Cotchin.
Western Bulldogs: Stringer 2, Cooney, Giansiracusa, Hunter, Jones, Boyd, Murphy.
BEST
Richmond: Conca, Houli, Deledio, Grigg, Martin, Morris, Jackson, Riewoldt,
Western Bulldogs: Griffen, Murphy, Macrae, Smith, Boyd, Roughead, Cooney.
UMPIRES Stewart, Kamolins, Margetts.
CROWD 29,788 at Etihad Stadium.
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When you're a football team trying to wriggle from just outside the top eight to somewhere just inside it, and people have been waiting a long time for you to get there, every single game seems to say something about you.
Can you push sides you haven't been able to push, and maybe beat one or two? Can you look comfortable against those sitting around the same spot on the ladder? Can you do what you're meant to do against the teams that wish they were just outside the eight, but are instead close to the bottom?
Richmond on Saturday night played the Western Bulldogs, a team that has belonged in category three so far this season but is slowly starting to hang around in games for a little bit longer, to use the ball a bit more cleanly and to look like a team that could be going somewhere, even if it will take a few more players and another few years.
The result was a big one: Richmond by 60 points. Jack Riewoldt kicked three goals, without needing to be the target every time. Eleven of his teammates scored at least one, too. Trent Cotchin didn't need to dominate. Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio, Shaun Grigg, Bachar Houli all did their part as the Tigers wore the Dogs down, forcing them back into those bad habits.
There wasn't too much separating the teams, early on at least. They had about the same number of possessions, clearances, inside 50s, and rebound 50s.
At half-time, not much had changed on any front. Richmond had 10 more possessions, way fewer handballs, only three extra inside 50s and three fewer clearances. The Tigers were well up on the contested ball count and well down on uncontested possession, which didn't seem to matter. They were finishing more things off, getting more things done, playing with more efficiency than the Dogs were.
In the first quarter, this meant kicking two goals into open goal squares, having held onto the ball, moved it around, waited for an open player and found them. It meant sticking tackles for just long enough that the Bulldog opponent was stopped, or the football forced out of his hands.
It was Nick Vlastuin's smother on Adam Cooney, tight in a pocket, as Cooney tried to clear the ball from defence. It was the positions the Richmond midfielders - Martin, Reece Conca, Shaun Grigg - got in close to goal, and the way their teammates kept getting it to them. The Bulldogs, however, found ways to fumble, miss a target, or muck up at exactly the wrong time.
Richmond's ability to pick its way into its forward line was concerning enough that the Bulldogs had Cooney play loose at the start of the second quarter, and then Bob Murphy.
After the game hit a slow patch they were just four goals down at the main break, after two goals from Jake Stringer that the No.5 draft pick looked born to kick: a strong standing snap, after faking a handball, then a set shot after the siren.
The Tigers had asserted themselves by then, though, despite sharing as much ball as they were. They were like a snowball, gathering momentum, adding new layers. A Ryan Griffen poster was followed by Grigg taking the ball to the 50-metre line and kicking his first goal. Conca turned and shot, for another. Martin wrong-footed Jason Johannisen and kicked one more. The Tigers got six goals clear with so little fuss, then did exactly the same thing after half time.
Tyrone Vickery found his way in, took some marks and kicked two goals.
Conca snapped another, this one even sharper than the first.
Suddenly the Tigers were pushing, even more persistently. The Bulldogs had less space, less time to think, and more opportunities to make mistakes.
Suddenly it was the start of the last quarter, Dan Jackson was snapping a freak goal from beside the behind post. Richmond was 59 points up and the best possible outcome for the Dogs was to hang in for as long as they could.
The Tigers are getting better and better, learning new ways to win.
TENSION BOILS OVERAlex Rance gave away a 50-metre penalty as the half-time siren sounded that brought Jake Stringer well within range, and the young forward's goal kept the Dogs within striking distance at 22 points down. Simmering tensions boiled over as his kick sailed through the middle with both benches cleared as the teams came together for a bit of push and shove.
BULLDOG PUP SHINESLachie Hunter joined the exclusive club of players to have kicked a goal with their … second kick in AFL footy. The Bulldogs claimed the son of Mark Hunter, who played 130 games for the club, with pick 49 at last year's national draft and they look to have uncovered another gem.
TYRONE TAKES FLIGHTTyrone Vickery was having a night to forget - he'd even received a few Bronx cheers - before he ran back with the flight of the ball midway through the second term and plucked a spectacular mark inside Richmond's attacking 50. His goal came at a pivotal time, with the Dogs pressing, and sparked a telling four-goal burst. His night continued to improve when he worked hard to set up Daniel Jackson, who slotted a freakish goal from near the point post early in the final term.
DUCK SEASONBulldogs veteran Bob Murphy made his feelings on ducking for free kicks known in no uncertain terms on Fox Footy during the week after he was shown some vision of Jack Riewoldt engaging in the practice and it appeared to add a bit of spice to the clash. Tiger forward Jake King got a measure of payback when he let Brett Goodes know all about his somewhat limp attempt at a mark in the first quarter that resulted in a turnover.
- JASON PHELANRead more:
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-pass-another-test-20130622-2oq0f.html#ixzz2WyISgc2v
