TIGERS ARE READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD
By MATTHEWS B
Herald-Sun
Edition 2 WED 26 APR 1995, Page 008
Richmond's ability to seize the initiative at the centre bounces certainly wasn't lost on Carlton coach David Parkin and his assistants Ken Judge and Colin Kinnear, who were watching from the MCC members' stand on Monday night.
The Tigers' centreline of Michael Gale, Matthew Knights and Wayne Campbell snared the ball 28 times to help set up the nine-goal opening quarter blitz. And they maintained the workrate to collectively finish with 91 possessions.
In damning contrast, eight North Melbourne players gathered less than 10 possessions and were, basically, onlookers with the other 62,606 who witnessed Monday night history.
Without the normal fast centre breaks from the likes of Wayne Schwass, Anthony Stevens, Anthony Rock and Trent Nichols, the Roos were stripped and disarmed of the forward firepower generated by Wayne Carey and John Longmire.
Frankly, North is becoming dangerously predictable in the manner players funnel the ball towards Carey at centre half-forward and, really, the crumbers haven't produced since Adrian McAdam was in full flight a couple of seasons back.
Richmond's triple-talls forward set-up worked efficiently with options of Matthew Richardson, Stuart Edwards or Benny Gale, although the latter was admirably contained by Ian Fairley.
And, when normally productive opportunist Chris Naish was shut down by Roos half-back Ross Smith, up bobbed Nick Daffy to take responsibility with six goals.
As Tiger coach John Northey later remarked, it was the type of blistering start that North Melbourne often uses to destroy an opposition's game plan.
"It will give our players a lot of confidence in tackling sides and the boys were pretty keen to get at North," Northey said. "Now they shouldn't be concerned that we can't beat any side out there at this stage."
Northey praised the leadership of Tony Free, Gale and Knights, who addressed the players in the rooms before the Tigers shattered North with six goals in the opening eight minutes.
"That's where we're better," Northey said. "They are really thinking about their football. They are more focused to find out about the opposition and they are so close, these fellows."
THE VOTES
3-Greg Dear (Rich)
2-Michael Gale (Rich)
1-Matthew Knights (Rich)
MATCH DETAILS
Richmond 9.2 13.4 20.4 21.8 (134)
North Melbourne 3.0 7.0 8.5 13.7 (85)
Goals - RICHMOND: Daffy 6, Richardson 4, Edwards 4, Broderick 2, Rogers, Campbell, Dear, Bourke, Bond. NORTH MELBOURNE: Carey, Reynolds, Archer 2, Schwass, Rock, Scott, Nichols, McKernan, Longmire, Capuano.
Best - RICHMOND: Dear, M Gale, Knights, Campbell, Daffy, Broderick, Richardson. NORTH MELBOURNE: Smith, Fairley, Laidley.
Injuries - Nil.
Reports - Nil.
Umpires - D. Howlett, D. Rich, G., Scroop.
Crowd - 62,606, at the MCG. Gate: $400,407