Doggies do the damage
4:51:23 PM Sun 14 August, 2005
Paul Gough
Exclusive to afl.com.au
The Western Bulldogs' late-season charge to the finals remains on track but only after the Doggies survived a great test of their character at Telstra Dome on Sunday.
After three successive wins in which they had showed devastating flair to beat Geelong, Brisbane and West Coast, the Dogs had to grind out victory on Sunday against a Richmond side that was in a similarly desperate position.
Both sides went into the game with nine wins and ten losses and knowing defeat would end their finals hopes and it was the Bulldogs that lived to fight another day after coming from 21 points down at half-time to win 18.11 (119) to 16.11 (107).
It was a sweet win for Bulldogs fans coming against their former coach Terry Wallace and in the process condemning Richmond to yet another season without finals action - the 21st time in the past 23 years the club has failed to make the finals.
But at half-time it looked as though it would be Richmond which would move to within percentage of a top eight berth and not the Bulldogs.
The Tigers might have come into the match having lost eight of their past ten matches but they dominated the first half and in the end paid a heavy price for not making more of that early dominance.
With Matthew Richardson, who last year kicked a career-best ten goals against the Bulldogs, again proving too strong for Brian Harris - the Tigers looked the more threatening side and Richardson had four goals to half-time.
The Tigers were also enjoying the better of the midfield battles as skipper Kane Johnson and the hard-working Shane Tuck continued to win the ball from the centre.
However while the Tigers kicked six goals to three in the second term to lead by 21 points at half-time they should have been further in front with Greg Stafford from a set shot and Wayne Campbell and Chris Newman from shots in play all missing from within 40 metres.
It was the let-off the Bulldogs needed and with greater run in their legs as Richmond appeared to tire after coming off last week's trip to Subiaco, they took control of the game after half-time.
The Dogs kicked seven goals in the third term and hit the front just before three-quarter-time in bizarre circumstances.
After Mitch Hahn had kicked the ball forward from a pack out of defence, the crowd and the players from both sides suddenly realised there was not a single player in the Bulldogs' half of the ground.
It suddenly became a sprint race which was won by Matthew Boyd, who soccered the ball forward before gathering it to kick a goal which lifted the entire Bulldogs team.
The Bulldogs never looked like relinquishing that hard-won lead in the final term as Brad Johnson again showed what a fantastic player he is by again delivering the goods when it most counted for the club he has served magnificently for more than a decade.
Johnson took two great marks one-on-one with direct opponent Chris Newman and coolly converted both chances to finish with four goals and best-a-field honors.
He received great support from midfielders Daniel Cross and Scott West while young ruckman Will Minson again showed plenty of promise and capped off a great game with two second half goals.
The skilful Robert Murphy overcame a slow start to chip in with three goals and while the Bulldogs again showed they had plenty of options in attack, the Tigers again relied too heavily on Richardson.
Their champion spearhead finished with six goals but lacked support as the Tigers continue to badly miss the injured Nathan Brown.
The Tigers are now out of finals contention because of their poor percentage and even if they won their last two matches they would miss still miss the eight on percentage.
However the Dogs are now outside the eight on percentage only but face another mini elimination final next week against a Melbourne team in an identical position as both clubs know that only wins in both their remaining matches will be enough to secure a finals berth.
RICHMOND: 5.3, 11.7, 14.8, 16.11 (107)
WESTERN BULLDOGS: 5.2, 8.4, 15.7, 18.11 (119)
GOALS – Richmond: Richardson 6, Simmonds 2, Stafford 2, Tuck, Pettifer, Moore, Foley, Johnson, Campbell Western Bulldogs: Johnson 4, Murphy 3, Grant 2, Minson 2, Giansiracusa, Gilbee, Street, Robbins, Cross, Hahn, Boyd
BEST – Richmond: Johnson, Tuck, Hartigan, Richardson, Bowden, Pettifer Western Bulldogs: Johnson, Cross, Murphy, Minson, Hahn, West
INJURIES – Richmond: Tivendale (corked hip) Western Bulldogs: Nil
CHANGES: None
REPORTS - nil
UMPIRES - Ryan, Avon, McInerney
CROWD - 33,482 at Telstra Dome
http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=222403
