By Barry Kennedy, AFANA Reporter in Melbourne
Since draft and salary cap equalization began leveling up the competition ten years ago, clubs have adopted a youth first approach. Rebuilding sides invariably pack their teams with young players and Richmond and Brisbane are very much in that category. Young teams are often inconsistent however and so it proved this night for Brisbane. Richmond had the game sealed well before half time. Only time will tell how good the new batch of Richmond talent will be. Unfortunately for Brisbane with premiership heroes bowing out almost by the month, the stark question is how many more maulings like this lie in wait.
Richmond took to the match with fervor and in the space of a quarter had seven goals on the board, the shell-shocked Brisbane managing just one in reply. If there was one catalyst for this charge it was definitely Patrick Bowden who racked up a remarkable 16 possessions in the first quarter and 25 for the half. He was also on hand to steer through the Tigers first goal and took a number of marks in defense that stymied Brisbane’s rare and timid attacking forays. There were plenty of support acts that also made an impact. Enigmatic Matthew Richardson proved he was on early after two neat goals, and a give off to Andrew Krakouer. Around the ground Troy Simmonds was in command of the aerial contest and giving the likes of Shane Tuck, Chris Hyde and Brett Deledio first use of the ball. Krakouer with a pair of goals and Richard Tambling with some lightning runs and a goal of his own were great.
In contrast Brisbane were a rabble. The most unfortunate gauge of Brisbane’s sagging confidence level, in the absence of skipper Michael Voss, was when three Brisbane defenders spoiled themselves whilst all going for a mark. Richmond kicked a point soon afterwards, the subsequent kick out going out of bounds without a Brisbane touch. Three more goals to the Tigers with little resistance winded up the quarter.
Richmond kicked a further seven goals in the second quarter to completely blow the Lions out of the water. The goals rained with monotonous regularity for Lions supporters, many of them under no pressure. Matthew White kicked a nice snap after three minutes to re-ignite Richmond’s tempo of the previous term. Richardson’s great run around goal after a good mark on the flank was all class. He kicked a fourth later after Jason Roe took on two Richmond forwards and lost.
Brisbane was clearly rattled with Roe conceding a point by walking the ball through after not kicking out from a point in the allotted time. Confusion reigned as a free kick was awarded to Richmond in front of goals that was converted by Cameron Howat. Adding insult to injury before the ball returned to the center, the usually composed Luke Power gave away another free kick to Patrick Bowden who kicked his second. When the siren for half time went, Richmond had kicked 11 straight goals and the lead was 80 points. Brisbane scored no goals for the quarter, with rush behinds its major contributor for the term.
With the game beyond them the young Brisbane outfit at least put the brakes on the Tigers stampede in the third, adding a goal while conceding three. Jed Adcock and Justin Sherman were by far the most prominent players for the visitors throughout, with tons of possessions and noticeably higher work rates than many of their teammates.
Richmond for its part became less efficient as a team with more players deciding to go for the long goal rather than passing off. This shift in focus probably cost the Tigers the chance to register their first 100-point win since 1998. Tuck and Raines were still getting the ball forward while Richardson was by now on his third opponent. The Tiger cult figure’s fifth summoned a ‘Richo,’ chant much like cricket fans get behind an opening bowler after taking a wicket.
A fine tap from Stafford to a roving Simmonds was classical team play. Bradshaw finally kicked Brisbane’s second. Up to his point only 1 goal 3 point had come from boot of Brisbane players, while 5 points had been rushed.
The Lions played the game out with a more up-tempo style and several soft goals wound up a match that rapidly unraveled in intensity. Brad Scott got a lot of the ball in his last game in Melbourne, while Notting took a ‘speccy.’ Richard Tambling kicked an exciting running goal in the mould of Aaron Davey, while Richardson kicked his sixth.
The final margin would prove 82 points.
For the Tigers Patrick Bowden was irrepressible. Richmond fans must wonder why the Tigers didn’t initiate a trade with the Western Bulldogs earlier in his career, as his current form alongside his brother in the backline is of All-Australian quality. Simmonds did as he pleased against a Brisbane ruck brigade sorely missing Jamie Charman. Shane Tuck, Andrew Raines and Chris Hyde were the main sources of ball supply to the Richmond forwards, most notably Richardson, while Greg Tivendale and Brett Deledio also did some good things.
Brisbane got good games out of Adcock and Sherman who both look like fine long term prospects. The more experienced trio of Tim Notting, Power and Scott were good but the Lions needed much more from them. Other premiership players, Mal Michael and Simon Black looked a long way off their best. Bradshaw kicked three, but all were when the game was already lost.
The clash was yet another reminder of how quickly the wheel turns in AFL football. Brisbane’s played in a Grand Final as recently as 2004, and were oh so close to claiming a fourth straight flag that year. Now they must put blind faith in a new generation of players as many of their greats bow out or succumb to injury. Many of the Tigers young brigade are enjoying the shared experience of winning games together. It’s a process the likes of Leppitsch, Voss, Lappin and Daryl White started experiencing regularly with Brisbane in the mid to late 1990’s. The Tigers have young tyros including, Deledio, Hyde, Raines and Tambling that have been in many winning teams this year. Although still an unlikely scenario, Richmond is now a chance for a finals appearance. That have a good draw to finish including Carlton and Essendon and with the Western Bulldogs looking shaky the cubs from Tigers may get the benefit of some more shared experience.
Richmond 7.4 14.7 17.11 21.16 (142) Brisbane 1.1 1.5 2.12 8.12 (60)Goals
Richmond: M Richardson 6 T Simmonds 2 G Stafford 2 P Bowden 2
A Krakouer 2 R Tambling 2 J Schulz B Deledio A Pattison M White C Howat.
Brisbane: D Bradshaw 3 L Power T Selwood J Sherman J Roe R Hooper.
Best - Richmond: P Bowden M Richardson T Simmonds S Tuck A Raines B Deledio.
Brisbane: J Sherman J Adcock T Notting B Scott.
Umpires: S McLaren S Grun T Pannell
Crowd: 27,211 at Telstra Dome.
Article last changed on Sunday, August 20, 2006 - 1:07 PM EDT
