VFL Tigers scorch past Dons Brenton Mann
AFL Media
Mar 2, 2019 1:02PMRichmond VFL hosted Essendon at its second home at Holm Park, Beaconsfield, in their first practice match of 2019, with the 10am start an attempt to beat the heat with Victoria sweltering through its hottest summer on record.
The game started at a frenetic pace, with both sides keen to showcase the fruits of a gruelling off-season.
The Bombers had the better of the first half, however the Tigers finished the strongest, fighting back to secure a gritty 13-point win, 9.10 (64) to 7.9 (51).
Richmond recruit and ex-local, Luke Nelson put his best foot forward, kicking a game-high four majors on debut.
Essendon was cleaner early, taking full advantage of the newly introduced 6-6-6 rule, with towering forward James Stewart lining up for goal in the first 30 seconds.
Stewart missed, but he seemed to enjoy the increased space to work in as a result of a tinkered set-up for centre bounces.
Richmond was able to slot the first major against the tide, with dynamic small forward, Luke Nelson opening his Yellow and Black account.
The Tigers fought and scrapped at half-back, with Billy Coates bustling through the pack and shovelling the ball out to Nelson in the corridor.
Nelson then cruised to 50, set sail and watched the ball skip across the goal line for a major.
Connor Menadue was sharp and alert and teamed well with Derek Eggmolesse-Smith, Patrick Naish and Sydney Stack with the quartet leading the resistance off half-back.
They all combined to provide real bounce, drive and penetration from the defensive half, as the Bombers peppered their attacking 50 at will.
Their growth will be in their defensive efforts, with Naish and Eggmolesse-Smith, particularly, focussing on honing and sharpening their one-on-one craft.
Callum Coleman-Jones is another who seems to have taken some significant strides following his first full pre-season at Tigerland.
Coleman-Jones assumed the number one ruck role, pushing hard defensively to provide aerial support to an undersized Tigers’ backline.
The second quarter began with Essendon hitting the scoreboard early, as Stewart loomed large, and was a continuous threat in the air.
The Tigers fought tooth and nail to own the corridor, trying to push the Bombers wide and cut off their want to attack their forward 50 through the middle of the ground.
Callum Moore provided a real highlight, soaring high above the pack and dragging down a ripper in front of the brave and sweltering Tiger faithful.
The Tigers came out after half-time full of running, with draftees Fraser Turner and Luke English injected into the game, rotating with Ben Miller and Stack.
The home side went on a four-goal blitz, snatching the lead from the Bombers, which they never surrendered.
With Miller sitting out the second half, and Coates’ hands full with Stewart, the Tiger half-backs were called upon to provide aerial support.
And they did just that.
Reuben Hayward spoiled strongly and then was cat-like once the ball hit the ground, as he sliced his way through the corridor, hitting-up Coleman-Jones at centre half-forward.
Coleman-Jones then flicked the ball off to Nelson who streamed into the open goal for his second goal.
There’s a reason why Nelson looked right at home at Holm Park, with the budding forward cutting his teeth in big finals at the venue as a 17-year-old for Berwick Football Club.
Nelson dazzled with his nous and poise around goal as well as his ferocity at the player and the ball.
He finished the game with four majors and was the leading goal-kicker on the ground.
Turner picked up the speed of the game instantly and had a hand in a game-turning major.
The youngest player selected in last year’s AFL Draft pounced on an errant kick from the Bombers coming out of their defence and coolly found Coleman-Jones free inside 50.
The burgeoning big man immediately handballed to Jake Aarts, who snapped truly in customary fashion.
The Tigers upped the ante in the final term, with Nelson slotting back-to-back goals, and Moore slotting a major after the siren to seal a 13-point win.
RICHMOND 1.1 1.3 5.8 9.10 (64)
ESSENDON 2.2 3.5 4.5 7.9 (51)
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2019-03-02/vfl-tigers-scorch-past-dons
