RICHMOND AGAIN PREMIERS

A four points victory

Close, Keen Game

The Age, Monday 17th October 1921.

by Pivot.

For the second year in succession Richmond won the League premiership on Saturday. Carlton, the minor premiers, being defeated in the grand final at the Melbourne ground by the narrow margin of four points. Without acknowledging that it was a great game from the standpoint of team excellence, it rose to being great in the popular sense because of brilliant phases of individual effort, the closeness of the scores, and a really fine finish, in which masterful tactics of leaders and men came into the science of things. It would be an in---tion on the teams to attempt a story of how the match was lost and won. Victory depended so much on one or two straight kicks. Honors on the general play were easy taking the game right through. An eleventh hour dash down by Carlton when only points stood between them and the premiership was as impressive as it was exciting. The miss in picking up by a Carlton man, which might have meant such a lot, was, to the team's following a disaster in its way, yet what could have been more inspiring then than the dashing relief work by Richmond's great defenders. The match in reality worked out its finish as far as the result was concerned in the last 30 seconds of play. There was very little to condemn in it, and less to condone. The weather was again in fickle mood, sun one minute and the rain the next early, but mostly rain late, and naturally the sodden conditions had an effect on the game, but not to any great extent.

In the opening play nothing was better than the marking of O'Brien, half-back for Carlton, and some good passing by Chandler of the same team. The game had opened out, but not Richmond's way, as was the case the previous Saturday. Nevertheless, the Punt-road men were first to score. Morris took a hurried long kick, and for once the watchful Jamieson was not at his post. The ball bounced along and through the posts. It was really Richmond's first time over the half forward line, but they got into their swing quickly after. Don swooped down, and with a flying shot, scored a point. Chandler, working down towards O'Brien, showed a lot of dashing play. When he missed, the big centre half back came along. A pass, Hall to Turnbull, was a neat movement, one of the few about the play which was fast developing into a physical battle. Richmond, out of the game the first ten minutes, the came well into it, but without scoring. Carlton were more fortunate. A clever pass over by foot, Green to Daykin, and the first goal came to them from a running shot. The rain was making easy things hard to accomplish. Clover kicked well on and in the scrimmage Taylor was fouled, and through the free kick relieved a position that had looked very awkward. Again Clover forwarded and this time McLatchie, _ying in and out of a pack of men, kicked the ball through - Carlton's second goal. Individual play which brightened up the football came from Morris, Taylor and Hughes of Richmond, at different periods, but Carlton was again the great team in the game towards the end of the term. No one looks to Duncan for goal kicking achievements but he made a very fine effort to get the big points when he hit the post just before the term ended.

Carlton were just the goal ahead - 2.2 to 1.2 - at quarter time, and on their play early and late they deserved better results. The great Richmond half back line, Smith, Hislop and McIntosh, had much to do, and McIntosh was quite above himself in his play, which is saying a good deal. Thorpe, as usual, was just where his services were most required. The forwards were not yet themselves. The neatest phase came with the opening of the second quarter - James (free kick) to Minogue to Hughes to Bayliss, but the accompanying kick went out of bounds. Richmond's sentimentalists regarded it as a bad omen for their crack forward to fail early, and to them that miss meant something. Hiskens came into the game finely from this point, and he splendidly beat back a dash down which had been started by Minogue. Herbert fouled Toole, and he got the free within kicking distance, but failed. Then Boromeo stood out from all the others. A splendid kick off, a fine mark by him was well taken by Clover. Boromeo ran on, marked the ball from Clover, and sent it through. Martin and Clover were in partnership in another forward move, but nothing came of it. Richmond had been temporarily under an eclipse, and they looked like coming out of it when Smith, Weatherill and Carew finished a great turn from half back to half forward; O'Brien, however, was at his post. Clover was getting kicks, but too far out. Once he passed on and Daykin had a running shot; he could not lift the ball. Then Martin tried a place shot, it was a beautiful kick, but for a point only. The greatest makr of the day was by Hislop, over the heads of half a dozen players. Carlton showed at this stage the better play all round, excepting forward, where Richmond's backs were the better. Half time scores were Calrton 3 goals 4 behinds, Richmond 1 goal 3 behinds.

It was Carlton's quarter, but Richmond had the better of things in the third quarter. Minogue carried the ball down from the bounce quickly, shot it on to Morris. and he to Bayliss, who, with a splendid kick, got second goal a minute after the start. Blackman and Greenhill, centre and half-back for Carlton respectively, ahowed determined football, but Taylor, of Richmond, was also a strong repelling force. Turnbull passed in from the wing in the direction of Bayliss; the ball went over the forward's head into Herbert's hands, and he scored a point. There was a test between Clover and Hislop. Both went for the mark and each missed, but in the race to the ball Hislop won. Chandler, playing well, brought the ball back, and Thorpe turned it over to the stand wing, and James, who all along had been one of Richmond's best men, took a great mark. Off his kick Bayliss secured, and got the goal, reducing Carlton's lead to 1 point. The game was working up to the expected climax. Great marking and kicking followed on both sides. Daykin secured a point for Carlton - and points had their full value - but the merit in general play this term remained with Richmond, who at three-quarter time were only 2 points to the bad. 3.6 to 3.4.

Spectators confident of an exciting if not gruelling finish watched play intently. Free kicks were plentiful, and the umpire's decisions regarding holding the ball rule were somewhat perplexing. In everthing else he was doing splendidly. Herbert, off a free kick, sent the ball well down. There was a scrimmage in front, and James whipped the ball through off the ground. The hadicaps were now on Carlton, for the wet ball required some handling, and onth e play there was little hope of goals coming in "doubles." Not a player faultered in his desire to do his best, although the conditions underfoot made the usually easy tasks difficult. Hughes, Morris and Turnbull played spledidly in concert, and Bayliss got the ball; his was a bad kick. Then Don rushed up to the mouth of the goal hotly pressed by Carlton men, and he fell when about to kick - the ball dribbled behind. Carlton's forces rallied, and for minutes Richmond's supporters were held in suspence. Great work by them broke down half-forward. Smith, from a free kick, brought Richmond into attack again. James scored a behind. Herbert took the kick in well, and Turnbull marked. The kick brought the most valuable goal of the match. Still Carlton was not yet beaten. Fisher kicked well forward, and Stevenson scored Calrton's fourth goal from a running kick. The Blues came down off the wing again, and Boromeo shot the ball across to half-forward, but to no one in particular. Duncan failed to secure it, and Hislop, dashing in and picking up smartly, kicked it well out of danger. The bell rang amidst scenes of the wildest enthusiasm. Every Richmond player was carried in, and the ground was overrun with jubilant supporters, one of them being a young woman, who showered confetti on a number of men. It will remain a memorable game. Subsequently Calrton officials and the tema's captain, G. Green, visited the dressingroom and congratulated the team on its success. It was a neat sporting compliment.

There was a display of temper by a number of players early in the match, otherwise the game was played fairly, but hard. No players were reported. Duncan fell in the the first quarter, and it thought at the time that he had been seriously injured. He, however, recovered well. Carlton's forwards in this match were not the men we know them to be, and it was there where the only weakness existed. Richmond's best players were McIntosh, James, Harley, Smith, Hislop, Thorpe, Carew, Smith and Turnbull. Their team work stood to them, and every player was under notice at some time or another. For Carlton, O'Brien, half-back, was very fine; probably he was the best man on the ground in the first half. Jamieson was reliable in goal - excepting for the early mistake of leaving the position unguarded - and Blackman and Chandler effective players about the cnetre. McLatchie, Stephenson, Martin, Boromeo, Fisher and Greenhill were the best of the others. The final scores were:- Richmond, 5 goals 6 behinds; Carlton, 4 goals 8 behinds.

1921 Richmond Premiership Side

B: E. Taylor V. Thorp G. Weatherhill HB: N. McIntosh M. Hislop J. Smith C: F. Harley M. Morris R. Carew HF: D. Don R. Weatherhill N. Turnbull F: B. Herbet G. Bayliss C. Hall R: D. Minogue H. James F. Hughes

Quarter Scores

Richmond	1.2	1.3	3.4	5.6-36
Carlton	2.2	3.4	3.6	4.8-32