Tigers bury hoodoo
09 July 2006
Sunday Herald Sun
RICHMOND shattered its AAMI Stadium hoodoo to entrench itself in the top eight with a comfortable 38-point win against Port Adelaide last night.
The Tigers, who had never beaten the Power in eight previous meetings at the venue, registered their eighth win for the season while the injury-hit Power (6-8) faces an uphill battle to make the finals.
The Power's woes were compounded with star midfielder Peter Burgoyne reinjuring a hamstring.
Burgoyne was playing only his second match since a four-game absence when he strained a hamstring 16 minutes into the match.
With Burgoyne absent and his talented brother Shaun superbly controlled by Richmond skipper Kane Johnson, Port slumped to its fifth defeat at home.
Richmond's defence provided the platform for the 14.8 (92) to 6.18 (54) victory.
When the pressure was on, the Tigers were always able to find a way out of trouble. They chipped it around in a leisurely game of keepings-off while waiting for an option.
Like Neil Craig did at Adelaide last season, Richmond coach Terry Wallace is building a formidable side, based on a miserly backline.
The Bowden brothers, Joel and Patrick, Andrew Kellaway, Greg Tivendale, Dean Polo, Brett Deledio and Darren Gaspar provided the Tigers with plenty of composure.
Then there was little Andrew Krakouer, who appeared to be given free rein across the ground.
The livewire was dangerous in attack with two goals to be best on ground, while Nathan Brown was prominent again with three majors.
Troy Simmonds has developed into a far more versatile and reliable player this year, and was dominant again in the ruck.
Richmond took the lead late in the first quarter and never surrendered it.
But Port could kick itself for the amount of opportunities it squandered.
The home side failed to kick a goal in the third quarter, spraying six behinds when it could have mounted a challenge.
There was the scattergun kicking from the Power, including misses from Michael Wilson, Stuart Dew and Warren Tredrea.
Earlier, Dew missed an attempt at a checkside kick _ having ignored a lead from Brett Ebert _ just before half-time and it seemed the Power could not buy a goal.
There had been some encouraging signs for Power beforehand.
Matt Thomas slotted a goal with his first kick in AFL football after a beautifully-weighted kick from Ebert, Danyle Pearce continued his sterling form and Steven Salopek goaled from outside 50m early in the first quarter.
Salopek also displayed a fierce work ethic off the ball, showing a willingness to chase, smother and tackle.
But concerns soon crept in, not just because the Tigers snatched the lead.
There were more alarming problems. The loss of Peter Burgoyne was a body blow, but Tredrea never looked himself.
He played deep in the forward line and did not take off on his usual runs off the flanks.
Few at the ground would have thought he was at peak fitness.
Certainly, it served a purpose to keep direct opponent Joel Bowden away from the half-back flank and the wing where his rebound is irresistible, but it appears he is a while away from being back to his signature best.
Matthew Richardson, a late inclusion, similarly failed to make an impact.
But there was one major difference: Richardson appeared rusty, not injured, and regained more touch as the game wore on.
He also re-ignited his partnership with Brown and in short spurts they looked unstoppable.
The Bowden brothers continued their stellar season and shot down the Power's hopes of a comeback through Tredrea and Brendon Lade, who at times looked dangerous.
There was only 15 points in it at half-time, but Richmond clearly had all the run.
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