Tigers fight, but Port too classy
Ashley Porter | May 13, 2007
The Age
PREDICTABLY, given its public baking in one of its worst weeks on record, Richmond ran on to AAMI Stadium yesterday afternoon all fired up, but it could raise only a few flickers of hope for its dejected fans.
Matthew Richardson played in ruck, the Tigers won the second half, and their approach was admirable, but ultimately there was no other news to write home about. Richmond was just not good enough.
Given their standings on the ladder — 2nd versus 16th — Port Adelaide was expected to win, as it did comfortably by 40 points.
Port was ready for the Tigers' response to their humiliation last week, and for most part performed like a second-ranked side against a now regular loser.
There was nothing wrong with the basics of the Tigers' game plan. Terry Wallace had his players playing one-on-one — perhaps as a means of being more accountable — and they showed their spirit remains alive.
The statistics will highlight Port's strengths around the ground, including its better efficiency moving into attack, but the telling factor was Richmond's gross inexperience.
Port is hardly an old campaigner, but it had five more players with more than 50 games' experience. There were numerous occasions when the young Tigers set up a forward thrust and backed their own ability. Unfortunately, not all of them had the skills to match their tenacity, but at least they had the will to improve.
Six of Richmond's top 10 possession winners were among those with fewer than 50 games experience — Nathan Foley (30 disposals), Cameron Howat (24), Dean Polo (23), Brett Deledio (22), Jake King (21) and Andrew Raines (20).
The Power fed off Richmond's skill errors unmercifully, with half of its goals courtesy of opposition errors, a fact noted by Wallace.
"Every time we made an error they managed to kick a goal out of it," Wallace lamented. "It hurts, especially when you are away from home, and you kick seven points in the second quarter you go in at half-time with a little bit of a sniff rather than the margin being opened up."
The use of Richardson in ruck, switching from his regular full-forward spot, was generally ineffective. Richardson kicked two goals, but offered no great attack on the ball or in the forward line.
However, it wasn't an easy task for Richmond's few talls with Port strengthened by the return of Dean Brogan, and having Brendon Lade (three goals) again causing havoc up forward.
Port won comfortably, but at times had to work hard for possessions, as Port coach Mark Williams anticipated before the game.
"To think at the start of the game we'd have won by 40 points … we were quite anxious about the game so it was a great result for us," Williams said.
While happy with the win, Williams said there was room for improvement.
"We didn't play exactly how we'd like to," he said. "We're moving ahead along that way and we'll continue to look forward to that challenge to get better at it."
Port's depth is something Williams can lean on as it mounts that challenge. Yesterday its depth continually hurt the Tigers.
When Peter and Shaun Burgoyne weren't in control, Danyle Pearce and Daniel Motlop came to the fore. And then it was Kane Cornes, and so on.
David Rodan was also impressive against his old club, while Darryl Wakelin, 33 in August, showed there is still some quality football left in him.
Richmond was outplayed, but unlike last week against Geelong, it battled gamely until the end.
The Richmond players ran through a banner stating: "Today you have the honour of wearing a Richmond jumper. Wear it with pride". They did, but it was just not enough.
BEST: Richmond: Tivendale, Foley, Polo, J Bowden, Howatt, Deledio, Johnson.
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