Tigers vs Swans articles

[one-eyed]

Close call a turning point in the Tigers' year
By Peter Hanlon
At the MCG
The Age
July 3, 2005

RICHMOND 2.4 8.8 12.12 12.13 (85) defeated SYDNEY 2.3 3.6 7.9 12.12 (84)

Goals:
Richmond: M Richardson 4, A Krakouer 3, J Bowden, M Chaffey, R Hilton, K Pettifer, R Tambling.
Sydney: N Fosdike 3, M O'Loughlin 3, A Buchanan, J Crouch, N Davis, A Goodes, J McVeigh, P Williams.

Best:
Richmond: A Krakouer, C Newman, W Campbell, D Gaspar, M Richardson, A Kellaway, M Chaffey.
Sydney: R O'Keefe, N Fosdike, J Crouch, A Buchanan, M O'Loughlin, B Kirk.

Injuries: Richmond: T Knobel (flu) replaced in selected side by G Stafford, C Hyde replaced in selected side by R Hilton, A Raines replaced in selected side by R Tambling. Sydney: Nil.
Reports: Nil.
Umpires: J Schmitt, C Kamolins, M Avon.
Official crowd: 34,572 at MCG.

Ultimately, Richmond had Rory Hilton's long point deep in time-on - the Tigers' only score of a remarkable last quarter that railed against the tide - to thank for its first winter win. Seasons turn on small margins, some as small as the turning of a calendar's page.

The Tigers were lucky, for sure, and would be roundly condemned this morning if the wet-sailing Swans had mustered just one more successful surge. Yet in the face of conceding the last seven goals of the match, and seeing a 45-point lead slashed to a footballing hair's breadth, there was renewed hope.

In part, it stemmed from the small things that helped prevent that "just one more" from happening - the cool and critical Joel Bowden clearance from half-back, the saving last-minute mark from the heroic Chris Newman, the timely spoil from impressive first-gamer Will Thursfield, whose fist regularly appeared between Michael O'Loughlin's outstretched hands.

And it came from the day's more enduring contributions. That of Darren Gaspar on Barry Hall, in keeping the colossal Swan goalless and frustrating him to the point that, when Hall was caught in a Newman-Andrew Kellaway tackle in the third quarter and pinged for holding the ball, all in Jolimont drew breath in anticipation of seismic activity.

Of Mark Chaffey on Paul Williams, in rarely giving one of the Swans' prime movers a centimetre. Of the veteran former captain Wayne Campbell, who won many of his 31 possessions in close and under fire, a skill that largely deserted Sydney's renowned onballers Brett Kirk and Jude Bolton. With Williams also becalmed, the Swans were thrashed out of the middle until it was too late.

Of Andrew Krakouer, in a performance that was committed as well as creative and clearly his best of the season. And of the left-footed Newman, who gave Nick Davis a lesson in desire that was best illustrated when the gifted but grating Swan meandered to a contest that Newman initially wasn't even in, yet won with a comfortable chest mark.

The game was a slow burner, but found some spark just before half-time. Sydney was reminded of the benefits of route-one football when Amon Buchanan kicked long to Hall, who followed suit to Adam Goodes to cut the margin to 14 points.

Richard Tambling and Krakouer formed an irresistible combination, and the latter fed Matthew Richardson with a deft tap. Richo, getting the better of an eccentric duel with Leo Barry, sank his fourth from outside 50 and invited the crowd to join the fun, and Tambling snuck another after the siren.

In less than two minutes, the Swans' impetus had turned to implosion.

With Richmond coasting, Nic Fosdike and O'Loughlin pinched late third-quarter goals and Davis one in the opening minute of the last to send a familiar shiver through the yellow and black. This became a shudder with a long goal from Jared Crouch, whose six final-quarter clearances turned Sydney's big failing into a 17-3 strength for the term.

Fosdike got another, Buchanan emerged from a pack unchallenged to turn shudder to hysterical wobble and Crouch burst through the middle to land a long kick in O'Loughlin's arms. If Crouch hadn't missed everything from 30 metres in the hair-raising final minutes, Richmond would still be shaking this morning.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/07/02/1119724847697.html

[one-eyed]

Never mind the fadeout, Wallace delighted
6:18:50 PM Sat 2 July, 2005
Paul Gough
Exclusive to richmondfc.com.au

Richmond coach Terry Wallace admitted his club would have been "devastated" if it had failed to beat Sydney on Saturday at the MCG after almost throwing away a 45 point lead in what was a season-defining game for the Tigers.

But despite not kicking a goal after the 21 minute mark of the third term and conceding the last seven goals of the game, the Tigers hung on to win by a point 12.13 (85) to 12.12 (84) to register their first win since round nine following four straight losses.

 
And suddenly last year's wooden-spooners again find themselves a game clear inside the top eight - with just eight rounds remaining - despite their final quarter fade-out on Saturday.

Now Wallace is hoping to use the Sydney win as the foundation to build the rest of the season on, while admitting he was concerned with the last quarter fade-out in which he believed his players tried to save the game rather than win it.

"I agree a loss in that game and the manner it was played would have been devastating but we won it," a relieved Wallace said after the game.

"Now we have got to use that and use it the right way and not just say the pressure is off us because we have won a game (to end the club's losing streak)."

And Wallace said the Tigers had plenty to play for in coming weeks, in stark contrast to recent seasons when the club had begun to fade from finals contention at this time of year after promising starts to the year.

"The competition is so even and this win puts perspective on our season," he said.

"Everyone said we were gone and the season was done and dusted for us but now we are back in the hunt again."

"And it is exciting and enjoyable to be in the hunt at this time of year rather than fading away and that's something our supporters will look forward to in the next few weeks."

Wallace was delighted with his side's pressure and tackling in the first three quarters saying that is what ultimately secured the victory but believes his team went too negative in the final quarter.

"We were trying to save the game thinking we had done enough and a lot of the young guys need to learn from that," he said.

"We had two or three numbers behind the ball and there is nothing wrong with that but we weren't prepared to run the ball (out of defence) so that gave them the momentum."

Wallace said evidence of this was the fact the Tigers had averaged 15 inside 50s in the first three quarters but had enjoyed only two in the final term with five minutes to play.

But despite the last quarter fade-out, he was pleased with his team's effort overall particularly in bouncing back from their worst loss of the season - a 70-point hiding against Adelaide in their last match a fortnight ago.

"You could come in here and be hostile about the last half an hour but we got the result we wanted," he said.

"Our last game was our worst game of the season and we came here to win a game of footy and we won it."

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=212744

[one-eyed]

Swans, Tigers feel strain
By Rohan Connolly
The Age
July 3, 2005

Laugh? Cry? Both? Or just tear your hair out in frustration? It must not be an easy job barracking for Sydney or Richmond these days, such are the highs and lows experienced by either side. And on occasions like yesterday, all in the one afternoon.

How does a team 45 points up deep into time-on in the third quarter, as were the Tigers, hang on to win by just one? How do you win kicking only one behind in the entire final term? How does Sydney manage only five goals in nearly three full quarters of football, then boot seven in the next 27 minutes of play? How do the Swans get belted for clearances all afternoon, then win the last-quarter stoppages by a staggering 17-3?

More ominously, how does either Richmond or Sydney hope to provide a competitive September presence with such scattiness? And the answer to that question won't please either set of supporters.

It's easier to understand in the case of the young Tigers. So fragile still is Richmond's self-belief that Nathan Brown's broken leg didn't rob it only of several goals per game, but seemingly much of an entire team's confidence, too.

The week off couldn't have come at a better time for Richmond, judging by the way the Tigers attacked the task at hand for the first three quarters yesterday, far more in keeping with their early-season form than that of the past month. They took on and beat at its own game a side that thrives on its capacity to win the stoppages and simply more of the football in a congested match.

It was the younger Tigers leading the way, too, Andrew Krakouer providing a real spark in midfield as well as near goal, defender Chris Newman at times embarrassing his Sydney opponent Nick Davis, and even 19-year-old first-gamer Will Thursfield keeping Swans forward Michael O'Loughlin well and truly occupied.

But that intensity of effort is a lot harder to sustain for four quarters if you're an 18-year-old first-year player in Brett Deledio than a seasoned 170-game veteran such as Jared Crouch, as the youngster and his team discovered when the Sydney runner torched the kid in a brilliant final term, which reaped 12 possessions and six clearances.

Nevertheless, it didn't take too much to turn a previously confident and committed outfit into a hesitant and nervous-looking bunch playing for time most of the last term and just praying for the siren to ring. Which, in a sense, says even more about the paucity of Sydney's effort during the first three quarters.

Such is the way the Swans play their football that they cannot possibly win games without winning at the stop plays. With the clearances running 26 to only 15 Richmond's way at the final break, it wasn't any great surprise that the scoreboard told a margin of more than five goals the Tigers' way.

That indirectness, which stands out so alarmingly when the Swans falter, was there in all its, at times, comic ugliness for most of yesterday, acting captain Ben Mathews' silly sideways chip to Ryan O'Keefe early in the final term when his team already had a goal on the board and all the momentum, merely one, albeit memorable, example. About the only times in the first three quarters Sydney even threatened to go long and straight, it scored. But by then, the gap was already more than six goals.

Too many Swans whose performances make or break Paul Roos' side had ordinary afternoons. And then there were the likes of the infuriating Davis, who coasted through three terms before showing a glimmer of interest in the last.

Natural talent he may have, but the Swan is one player who should watch some of the efforts of the young Tigers early yesterday, and take careful note. Perhaps the Tigers themselves should take note of just how the Swans, who played last week as Richmond rested, ran out this game so strongly.

And perhaps both sides should take a look at how ladder leader West Coast ruthlessly crushed an attempted Carlton rebellion in Perth later yesterday afternoon, and realise just how far both of them have to go.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/07/02/1119724847348.html

[one-eyed]

Desperate Tigers limp over the line
03 July 2005   
Sunday Herald Sun
Rod Nicholson

TRY as they may, the Tigers failed to lose to Sydney at the MCG yesterday. And the Swans succeeded in losing by a point after winning by the same narrow margin against Collingwood last week.
 
Richmond, leading by 45 points in time-on of the third team, inexplicably then tried to save the game. The Tigers stopped being active and became reactive to fall over the line in unconvincing fashion.

Sydney, seemingly intent on the most circuitous route to goal, managed only seven goals in the opening three terms, but suddenly unearthed a direct passage to goal and added 5.3 to a solitary behind in the last quarter.

Just when Sydney had all the momentum, Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes missed a goal he normally would convert and Jared Crouch failed to score from 35m.

In the end, the Tigers showed tenacity, scoring a point at the 26-minute mark from a rare venture into attack and held on to win.

A win is a win, according to coach Terry Wallace. This one was important because it ended a four-game losing streak and took the ledger to 8-6, the same as Sydney.

The Tigers begin the cycle of matches which gave them a 7-2 start to the season and the scent of finals is in the air.

Sydney, which had won six of its past seven games, also has finals at hand, but it will need to improve its effectiveness at the MCG or it will be a passing hiccup come September.

There was much to dislike about the performance of both teams, and, equally, much to enthuse. The Tigers refused to kick long in the opening term, and instead handballed backwards and sideways and generally into trouble.

However, they rectified that in the next two quarters, kicking long to provide spearhead Matthew Richardson (three second term goals) and Richmond's crumbing forwards with a feast of opportunities.

Andrew Krakouer was outstanding. He booted a goal in each of the opening three terms and deftly set up another for Richardson.

Three goals in three minutes at the end of the second term gave the Tigers a 32-point advantage. Then Rory Hilton, Mark Chaffey and Joel Bowden joined the spree and the margin blew out to 45 points.

The Tigers then stopped. The Swans booted the last two goals of the quarter to reduce the deficit to 32 points, then added the only five goals of the final term.

Sydney discovered a more direct avenue to goal in the final term and had its chances to win. Ryan O'Keefe toiled hard all match and Nic Fosdike (with three goals) was its most effective forward.

The Swans failed to win because of some stout defence from the Tigers in the dying moments, and a lack of input from two key forwards.

Darren Gaspar had the better of Barry Hall all day, and it was only late in the game that Michael O'Loughlin (three goals from only six kicks) got on top of first-gamer Will Thursfield.

Thursfield was playing reserves in the VFL a fortnight ago, but he took on a daunting initiation and played with a composure that suggests he will be a Tigers regular.

Another Swan forward who had an off day was Nick Davis. His opponent Chris Newman won far more of the ball and at crucial times. He enjoyed 24 disposals and took 11 marks.

Given that Davis (12), O'Loughlan ( and Hall (4) had only 24 disposals between them and only two goals by three-quarter time, the Swans were fortunate to be within striking distance.

Goodes (13 disposals) and veteran Paul Williams (13) were also quiet by their high standards.

The Tigers enjoyed 48 more disposals by three-quarter time and finished with 40 more. However, the difference in the final term was that their possessions were defensive.

This came about because of the Swans' dramatic improvement around the stoppages. They managed only 15 clearances at stoppages in the opening three quarters, but had 14 in the final term to Richmond's six.

Sydney had opportunities to win. It had the time – trailing by only one point with six minutes to play – the control of the ball and the momentum.

Unlike last week, when the Swans defeated Collingwood by one point, this week they failed by the same margin.

Telling marks by Newman, the coolness of Wayne Campbell, hard running by Krakouer and some tough defence from Mark Graham when backing into packs in the dying minutes allowed the Tigers to hang on.

While both teams showed glimpses of skill, they were equally ineffective and negative too often at various stages of the game.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,15802613%255E19771,00.html

[mightytiges]

Telling marks by Newman, the coolness of Wayne Campbell, hard running by Krakouer and some tough defence from Mark Graham when backing into packs in the dying minutes allowed the Tigers to hang on.

Courageous stuff by Graham. Knew what was coming from behind and copped the hit. Borderline a free kick but in the end that slowed down the game and we held on.

Our tackling in the first two and a half quarters was terrific and the best for a few years. Had the Swans under great pressure and going sideways. Then it all just fell away with one mistackle after another. How did someone like Fosdike who's spent most of this year in the reserves avoid 4 Tiger "tackles" across our half-back line?! ???

Anyone know if Kane Johnson's knee is a niggle or something to keep him out next week?

[WilliamPowell]

Anyone know if Kane Johnson's knee is a niggle or something to keep him out next week?

Grade 1 knee medial ligament strain. They reckon he could play this week or miss 1-2 weeks depends on how it settles during the week. Don't expect him to do much training this week

[mightytiges]

Anyone know if Kane Johnson's knee is a niggle or something to keep him out next week?

Grade 1 knee medial ligament strain. They reckon he could play this week or miss 1-2 weeks depends on how it settles during the week. Don't expect him to do much training this week

Thanks for that WP 

[one-eyed]

Round 14 medical report
04 July 2005   
Herald Sun
Doc Larkins

Kane Johnson RICHMOND

KNEE: Injured the inner aspect of his left knee at the beginning of the second quarter of Saturday's game against Sydney. Left the field but returned with the knee strapped and appeared quite limited during the second half of the match.

DOC SAYS: Richmond feels he has a low-grade medial ligament strain with no additional damage and if this is the case he should be available to play this weekend.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,15811582%255E25878,00.html