Richo roams, but fails to find success
Samantha Lane | April 21, 2008
LATE in the third quarter, Richmond's cheer squad finally got release. The bunch of yellow and black clad fanatics began saying their "Hail Richos" — an arms up-and-down bowing action performed while simultaneously chanting the name of their club's favourite son. Matthew Richardson, the subject of their praise, had just kicked his first goal of the day.
The Tiger army that was stationed at the Coventry end of Telstra Dome had hardly seen their beloved forward all day. At least not in the capacity with which they were familiar. Coach Terry Wallace had been evasive about where Richardson would start against the Western Bulldogs after he had led a spirited round-four victory for his club in Perth playing on a wing. It had been a four-goal, 25-possession, brilliant — if unorthodox — day out.
What Wallace did say before yesterday's game was that all his veteran forward wanted was success and, in order to taste it more regularly, Richmond's 12-time leading goalkicker was prepared to play wherever, whenever. Yesterday, wherever translated to everywhere.
It was a strange sight when Richardson began on a wing alongside Bulldogs' captain Brad Johnson. He followed the play and, when roaming the centre of the field, Johnson stuck with him. When Richardson pushed forward, the Dogs' No. 1 defender Brian Lake would take over.
After Lake dobbed the first goal of the match — only the 11th of his 102-game career — things felt fittingly topsy-turvy. Things seemed stranger still when, in the second term, Richardson took a mark so close to goal, those keeping score instinctively grabbed pens and were ready to credit him for what was surely — even for Richo — a certain goal. But Richardson, at that point, was actually playing in defence, so his grab was cheered for what it had saved rather than produced.
As the match wore on, Richardson's newfound everything role looked to be making increasing sense. As Richmond looked more and more like a winner, he spent more and more time in attack. His second goal came early in the final term, which was the only quarter he began in his conventional position.
When Richardson kicked a third major, the Tigers were 18 points up. It was only when the Dogs got their run on later in the term that Richardson moved back into defence. And it was there he stayed as what had been a 25-point margin for the Tigers was systematically whittled away. When the scores were levelled with 14 seconds left, Richardson hauled himself into attack.
He had played wherever, whenever. Even better, he had seemed destined to finish a victor. But when the final siren rang, Richardson led his side off the ground neither a winner or loser. He was simply shattered as the rest of them.
http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/richo-roams-but-fails-to-find-success/2008/04/20/1208629737302.html
