Author Topic: Richmond vs Geelong @ the M.C.G., Rnd 13, 2018  (Read 14659 times)

Offline Assange Tiger 😎

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Re: Richmond vs Geelong @ the M.C.G., Rnd 13, 2018
« Reply #165 on: June 20, 2018, 02:47:04 AM »
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Offline one-eyed

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Richmond’s win over Geelong was a win for football (theRoar)
« Reply #166 on: June 20, 2018, 01:42:27 PM »
Richmond’s win over Geelong was a win for football

Alphingtonian
theRoar.com.au
20 June 2018


On Sunday afternoon at the MCG, we witnessed an extremely important game take place – not just for the two teams involved, but for the state of the game in general.

Geelong went in having kicked 100 points or more at the MCG in just three of their last 22 games.

While the conditions weren’t favourable to high scoring, it was obvious that the scoring issues and defensive philosophy the Cats have taken at the home of football over the last three years would continue.

By contrast, Richmond had kicked over 100 points or more on the hallowed turf in their past ten matches.

This was a game of anti-football vs football. Geelong tried to strangle Richmond as they’d done to Collingwood in a pitiful game a few weeks before, winning that game with a dismal score of just 66 points.

The Pies knew what to expect back in Round 8 and still found it impossible to break free. Nathan Buckley grew frustrated at questions about his role in the low-scoring contest, explaining post game, “Geelong have a really strong defensive focus, they’re the slowest ball moving side in the comp – by design. So that they don’t lose shape when the ball turns over.”

In the lead-up to last weekend, Chris Scott was challenged on his team’s poor record at the ‘G compared to GMHBA stadium and interstate grounds. Geelong had lost 13 of their last 26 games at the famous arena, in an era when the club has seldom been out of the top four.

His response, as usual, was evasive bordering on patronising, but did give some insight into the defensive mindset he takes toward the MCG.

“It’s a reasonable observation to say we haven’t been quite as good at the MCG as we have down at Geelong for example, or even interstate as well,” Scott said.

“Making it hard for them to score is clearly a priority…it’s much much wider than it is down here (GMHBA) so it is different.”

The Cats’ slow ball-movement and stoppage-based defensive game has become so predictable I was able to see it coming before the season even started with this little passage from my season preview: “The Cats certainly won’t be relying on quick transition… for the lion’s share of their scoring opportunities in 2018 – especially at wider grounds like the MCG. Instead, a rolling maul will be the Geelong way in most of their MCG games this season.”

Jonathan Brown backed this up in the commentary during the weekend’s game. Following Geelong forcing a boundary throw-in, he said, “This is good, this is Geelong’s strength so they need to create boundary throw ins, a stop play, get their numbers back to where the ball is and just start again and just work their way down the field and get it into their forward half.”

Who wouldn’t want to see that kind of electric footy!

This tiresome gameplan has come about because of the side’s inability to read trends in the game, pursuing a list management strategy which values physical strength and ball-winning ability over speed and dynamism – highlighted perfectly with the selection of Lachie Fogarty over West Coast dynamo Liam Ryan in the 2017 draft.

The Cats have built a tall, strong, physical list that’s almost impossible to beat at the narrow GMHBA, but one that’s hopelessly exposed again and again on the majestic wings of the MCG, where attacking flair and speed rule.

The question posed on Sunday was would Richmond be caught in Geelong’s dour anti-football, unable to bring life to the game as had happened to the Pies?

Luckily, run, carry and dare won the day over the stop-start Cats who barely pieced together anything resembling fluent play after quarter time, relying on three goals from free kicks to keep them in it, while they spent the majority of their energy attempting not to lose the game rather than win it.

Geelong deserve credit for being the best defensive team in the league but the spectacle they provide with their stoppage-based, kick-down-the-line footy and unwillingness to take the game on lest they should expose their defence is painful to watch.

The Tigers showed why Geelong have only won three finals from 11 in the last six years – because in high-intensity games, you simply don’t have the luxury of slow ball-movement. The pace of the game is forced upon you and if you’re not used to high-intensity footy, you can’t be expected to really compete when the whips are cracking.

Richmond should be commended for saving the state of the game on the weekend, shining briliantly with their attacking footy on a sodden, dreary day.

The Tigers kicked six of seven goals during the second and third quarters, completely dominating the contest, often gliding across turf, with their speed on transition producing poetic pieces of play that defied the conditions.

When these teams meet again, the true gap between them will be exposed. A let’s hope it is, because if ultra-defensive footy like Geelong’s starts to win finals and grand finals at the expense of footy like Richmond’s, then God help us all!

https://www.theroar.com.au/2018/06/20/richmonds-win-geelong-win-football/

Offline Damo

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Re: Richmond vs Geelong @ the M.C.G., Rnd 13, 2018
« Reply #167 on: June 20, 2018, 09:48:19 PM »
Amen

Dougeytherichmondfan

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Re: Richmond vs Geelong @ the M.C.G., Rnd 13, 2018
« Reply #168 on: June 20, 2018, 11:38:51 PM »
The Roar is head an shoulders above all else in its write up's and takes on football.

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