Memorable Moment #14: 51 point comeback win against Hawthorn

[one-eyed]

This Anzac Day weekend is the 5th anniversary of Richmond's 51 point comeback win against Hawthorn on Saturday, 26th April, 2003.

RICHMOND:  2.1    8.3   15.5   18.7 (115)
HAWTHORN: 8.3   12.6   12.8   14.11 (95)

GOALS:
Richmond: Stafford 3, Coughlan 3, Chaffey 2, Campbell 2, Richardson 2, Krakouer 2, Cameron, Rodan, Johnson, Houlihan.

Hawthorn: Everitt 2, Tallis 2, Lekkas 2, Thompson 2, Harford, Dixon, Rawlings, Loats, Barlow, Graham.


BEST:
Richmond: Campbell, Stafford, Coughlan, Richardson, Chaffey, Krakouer.

Hawthorn: Crawford, Everitt, Lekkas, Tallis, Barlow.

INJURIES:
Hawthorn: Everitt (cheekbone).
Richmond: Richardson (hamstring).

CHANGES: Hawthorn: Jonathan Hay (hand webbing) replaced by Nick Stone.

UMPIRES: Humphery-Smith, Ryan, Nicholls.

CROWD: 45,140 at the MCG.

[one-eyed]

Selected Team on the day:

B:   C.Newman    D.Gaspar    M.Chaffey

HB: R.Hilton      A.Kellaway   W.Campbell

C:  J.Bowden      D.Rodan      L.Cameron

HF: G.Tivendale M.Richardson A.Houlihan

F:  A.Krakouer      R.Hall         M.Rogers

R: G.Stafford     M.Coughlan    K.Johnson

Int: T.Zantuck, A.Fiora, K.Pettifer, T.Fleming

Emg: C.King, A.Mills, R.Vardy

[one-eyed]

Tigers' record comeback rolls Hawks
Sat 26 April, 2003
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
 
Richmond has produced one of the greatest wins in its long history – coming off not only a five day break but from a massive 51 points down in the second quarter to run all over Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.

The Tigers 18.7 (115) to 14.11 (95) victory was their fourth consecutive victory since their first round loss to Collingwood but easily their best.

In fact it was Richmond’s greatest ever comeback in any VFL/AFL match they have contested since joining the competition in 1908.

Their previous best was when they came back from 48 points down at quarter-time against Sydney at the SCG back in 1982.
 
But when Ben Dixon goaled at the 22 minute mark of the second term to extend the Hawks’ lead to 51 points – 12.6 (78) to 4.3 (27) – you could have got any odds on a Richmond victory.

At that stage it looked as though the fact the Tigers had only had five days to prepare for the game – after playing against St Kilda last Monday – had come back to haunt them, particularly as the Hawks had come off a full seven day break.

At that stage the Tigers had no run in their legs at all and had been embarrassed in a dreadful opening quarter, when the Hawks had slammed on eight goals to two.

But the turning point of the game came just before the Tigers launched their amazing comeback late in the second term.

At the 13 minute mark of the second quarter the Hawks lost their number one ruckman Peter Everitt with a suspected fractured cheekbone after a clash with Richmond’s Greg Stafford.

To that stage Everitt had been the dominant player on the field but as soon as he left the field, the Hawks simply fell apart in the most insipid manner imaginable.

The Tigers immediately kicked the last four goals of the second quarter to give themselves a chance and by half-time they had cut the margin to 27 points.

But surely Hawthorn would settle and regroup at half-time against a team that could have been expected to run out of legs after only a five day rest.

Wrong.

Instead the Tigers played some of their most exhilarating football imaginable in the third term as they slammed on seven goals to nil to take an unlikely 15 point lead into the final quarter.

And once they got a sniff of victory, the Tigers would not release their grip as they ultimately ran away with the game in the final term.

Such was Richmond’s incredible dominance that they kicked 14 unanswered goal between the 22 minute mark of the second term (when they trailed by the game-high 51 points) to the 12 minute mark of the last term when Kane Johnson sealed victory with a goal that extended the lead to 33 points.

Wherever you looked the Tigers had heroes.

Skipper Wayne Campbell lead the way with 29 possessions and two goals while former Adelaide premiership wingman Kane Johnson is really starting to revel in life at Punt Road, starring with 30 touches.

Young goalsneak Andrew Krakouer, in his first game for the year, kicked two vital goals after half-time while excitement machine David Rodan’s goal on the run late in the third term was the moment the fanatical “Tiger Army” sensed victory could be achieved.

Another of the Tigers’ young guns Mark Coughlan also added to his growing reputation with 19 touches and three goals while Matthew Richardson took several towering marks as he took full advantage of Jonathan Hay being a late withdrawal for the Hawks.

But unfortunately Richardson was forced to leave the field late in the third term with what looked a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury.

However not even the loss of their best player could dampen the spirits of one of the AFL’s largest and most passionate group of supporters as they celebrated a famous win.

As for Hawthorn – it promises to be a long week on the training track as under-pressure coach Peter Schwab deals with the inevitable questions that will now arise about Hawthorn’s lack of character after such a disastrous fade-out.

[one-eyed]

What the Tigers said about the comeback
Samantha Lane
afl.com.au
Sat 26 April, 2003
 
Mark Coughlan
19 touches, 2 marks, 3 goals

Richmond's players were naturally jubilant at their side's magnificent comeback win over Hawthorn. This is what they told afl.com.au after the game.

“I don’t know what sparked us into action. What an amazing game, I don’t know what to say.”

“I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet. I think we were just about down and out, to be fifty points down after a five-day break we were all feeling pretty tired. But to our credit we really fought it out well.”

“You always try to stay positive on the footy field, otherwise it might have been a one-hundred point loss. I think the four goals before half-time really lifted us and we came into the rooms upbeat and came out firing in the third quarter.”

Ray Hall
13 touches

“That was one of the best wins I’ve ever played in. It’s unbelievable, it just feels fantastic.”

“Danny came out at quarter time and told us what he thought. I think a lot of it came from the players too. The players just decided to dig in and do all the hard things and grind out a win.”

“The way we played the last three quarters, we’ve got to get a lot of belief out of it.”

Tim Fleming
6 touches

“Danny (Frawley) was pretty proud. I’ve never seen a coach so proud I don’t think and he definitely made everyone play pretty important in the end.”

“Three wins in three games is pretty good and as long as we keep on winning I don’t mind spending time on the bench!”

“Danny got stuck into us about looking after your teammates and helping each other out. We weren’t running. He really focused on helping each other out, getting numbers around the ball and he’s pretty emotional Spud. That’s a good way of getting the boys fired up.”

Joel Bowden
17 touches, 3 marks

“Basically as a group I think we’ve become very strong and close and a few good wins like this can make the group even closer. Hopefully that can help.”

David Rodan
4 touches, 1 mark, 1 goal

“It’s definitely the best win I’ve ever been in. I’ve never felt so many highs and lows in the same game.”

“To come back and keep chipping away and then get the win that we did was the best thing I’ve ever felt.”

Greg Tivendale
21 disposals, 6 marks

“We just stuck together and I think Cambo (Wayne Campbell), Joel Bowden and the boys in the middle led the way and we just clawed our way back.”

“We’ll enjoy it tonight but then get down to the club on Monday and start again. Go through the game and then start focusing on the week after.”

Andrew Krakouer
8 touches, 1 mark, 2 goals

“The boys had a lot of faith in themselves and the coaching staff and we thought we could win it and gratefully we did.”

“Power of 22 like we say, so everyone’s got to contribute and I suppose I’ve just done my little bit.”

[richmondrules]

Reckon the players comments were pretty telling after the game. I understand the guys were excited but those quotes are just embarrassing.

Mark Coughlan

"I don’t know what sparked us into action. What an amazing game, I don’t know what to say.”

Why doesn't he know?

Ray Hall

“That was one of the best wins I’ve ever played in. It’s unbelievable, it just feels fantastic.”

It is unbelievable. Seems none of you had a clue what you were doing right.

Tim Fleming

“Danny got stuck into us about looking after your teammates and helping each other out. We weren’t running. He really focused on helping each other out, getting numbers around the ball and he’s pretty emotional Spud. That’s a good way of getting the boys fired up.”

Getting the boys fired up was the extent of Danny's game plan by the sound of it.

Joel Bowden

“Basically as a group I think we’ve become very strong and close and a few good wins like this can make the group even closer. Hopefully that can help.”

Is that a question Joel? You don't sound sure.

David Rodan

“It’s definitely the best win I’ve ever been in. I’ve never felt so many highs and lows in the same game.”

Emotional roller coaster. Not great for a professional football team.

Greg Tivendale

“We just stuck together and I think Cambo (Wayne Campbell), Joel Bowden and the boys in the middle led the way and we just clawed our way back.”

So Greg, you haven't a clue what happened. How embarrassing.

Andrew Krakouer

“The boys had a lot of faith in themselves and the coaching staff and we thought we could win it and gratefully we did.”

“Power of 22 like we say, so everyone’s got to contribute and I suppose I’ve just done my little bit.”

Excuse me? The power of 22? WTF! Andy doesn't sound sure either.

Danny had no clue and this is why I never felt confident about the team and why we never did any good. Emotion might work in the lower grades but definitely not at AFL level.

[mightytiges]

LOL RROFO.

Spud at half-time:
"Yeah nah stick fat we're not far behind but we've got a long way to go kangaroos and emus don't walk backwards. Got it boys?"

Team: "Ummm yeah umm sure Spud".

Selected Team on the day:

B:   C.Newman    D.Gaspar    M.Chaffey

HB: R.Hilton      A.Kellaway   W.Campbell

C:  J.Bowden      D.Rodan      L.Cameron

HF: G.Tivendale M.Richardson A.Houlihan

F:  A.Krakouer      R.Hall         M.Rogers

R: G.Stafford     M.Coughlan    K.Johnson

Int: T.Zantuck, A.Fiora, K.Pettifer, T.Fleming

Emg: C.King, A.Mills, R.Vardy

Geez what a line-up. That forward line is tragic .

Just Newy, Richo and Sugar remain in our 22.

Joel, Tivs, Petts and Cogs still on our list but the first 3 of the 4 could be gone at the end of the year.