VFL R8: Richmond vs Essendon @ Punt Rd, Sat. May 25 [curtain raiser]

[one-eyed]

Chol in the ruck. Towner, RCD & Graham in the centre.

Straight out of the middle and Aarts marks 30 out directly in front. Goal! 

Rich  6.2-38
Ess   1.2-8

3 min Q2

[one-eyed]

Good pressure and plenty of smothers.

Goal to them though. Beasley's kick out of defence is OOTF. The Bombers transfer it to the corridor via ex-Tiger Dea and run it down for the goal.

38 - 14

8 min Q2

[one-eyed]

Great transition by the Tigers. Started by Chol who beat 4 Bombers in traffic to get it out. A string off hands and Aarts gets it over toe Graham for a goal from the goalsquare

Rich  7.2-44
Ess   2.2-14

10 min Q2

[one-eyed]

One of the best games Chol has played. 1st ruck duties suiting him.

Morris nice speckie.

Goal to the Dons though. Our last 3 F50 entries have held up strongly into the breeze and they rebounded.

44 - 20

16 min Q2

[one-eyed]

Turner has lifted and is leading disposal getter with 13.

We get it forward and good pressure forces a number of ball-ups inside our F50. Ump then pulls out a soft BS free off the ball that no one knows what for. It allows Essendon to run it down the other end and they get a goal out of it  .

Thanks umpire! 

44 - 26

20 min Q2

[one-eyed]

Another free to Essendon in the middle and they get another goal.

44 - 32

22 min Q2

[one-eyed]

Chol good again in the ruck. Wins his own ball and gets it out to Eggy. To Street at HF who gets the free. Finds Towner in the pocket. Misses.

45 - 32

[one-eyed]

We've slowed approaching half-time.

Point to them.

45 - 33

[one-eyed]

Towner pushed in the back 50 out = not paid  .

Two poor handpasses in the middle cough it up but luckily just as a Bomber was running into an open goal the siren goes.

All-in after the siren.

Half-time

Richmond    4.2    7.3-45
Essendon     1.2    5.3-33

Goals: Chol, Townsend, Miller, Aarts, Graham, Street, Coates.

[one-eyed]

Stats:

Turner 14 disposals
Beasley 11
Chol 11 & 10 hitouts.
Butler 10
Townsend 10
Graham 10
Eggy 9.

[one-eyed]

These umps are a joke. Two Bombers caught with the ball and dropping it and no free.

We get it forward. Butler running at goal just can't get free and hits the post.

Grewar cops it high directly in front but it's paid HTB against.

We get it forward again. Chol hands to Aarts who snaps a point.

47 - 33

[one-eyed]

Bomber kick-in is called OOTF. Butler centres it. Chol dragged down. Silvestro up and down kick is rushed through.

48 - 33

[one-eyed]

50 paid to Essendon. Excellent smother by Credlin saves a goal.

We force a turnover in midfield. Thompson out to Butler but his snap across the body misses.

49 - 33

[one-eyed]

Turner with 18 disposals.

Nice spin out of defence by Fletcher who finds Chol on the wing. Goes to HF but it's a ball-up. Bombers clear but only to Naish. Goes long and Graham takes the pack mark in the goalsquare. Goal! 

Rich  8.7-55
Ess    5.3-33

15 min Q3

[one-eyed]

Free to Essendon at a ball-up inside their F50. Another goal via a free to them.

55 - 39

19 min Q3

The breeze has dropped.