Richmond Tigers

Resurgent Tigers Overcome Demons

janetl — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 19:48:34 -0500

Brook Kilpatrick reporting for AFANA from Australia

A Round 23 clash between two struggling clubs would normally not attract a lot of attention but this round had a high level of importance for both Richmond and Melbourne. The Tigers had seemingly lost their way after an exciting start to the season but, coming off a thumping 47 point win against perennial finalist Sydney, they appeared to have their mojo back. If they could pull off a win against Melbourne – a feat they had not managed since Round 18, 2009 – some momentum could be regained as the Tigers move into a very important off-season. Melbourne on the other hand, has had its season torn apart over the past month, going from a highly-touted dynasty built around Trengove, Scully and Watts to a team which sacked its coach after some abysmal late season performances. Amazingly, the Demons could still mathematically make the Finals with a win over Richmond and games against cellar-dwelling Gold Coast and Port Adelaide to follow.

The Tigers have struggled in first quarters all season, winning just three out of 20 prior to this game. As the siren sounded, that statistic became irrelevant. The Richmond midfield, led by Shane Tuck and Nathan Foley, hunted the footy with tenacity, and when they moved the ball into the forward line they worked hard to keep it there. Ex-Demon Brad Miller was the target as high profile forward Jack Riewoldt played decoy, and the Tigers had three goals on the board within seven minutes. The Tigers continued to hound the Demon defenders with excellent forward pressure, but slippery midfielder Jack Trengove managed a goal against the tide for the Demons. Colin Sylvia followed up with a second before Richmond once again began to dominate the stoppages. The Tigers were their own worst enemy in front of goal however, failing to convert gettable chances and extend their lead significantly. When the siren sounded for quarter time, Richmond held a 14 point lead that should have been much greater given their dominance around the ground during the quarter.

Melbourne worked harder after the first break, but could not get playmaker Aaron Davey into the contest. Davey, playing his 150th game, was being well blanketed by Richmond’s Bachar Houli, so much so that Davey had just one possession to half time. The frustration continued to build for Davey who not only gave away a costly free kick but felled Richmond wingman Mitch Morton in an incident that earned him a one match sanction from the AFL Match Review Panel. Sylvia, despite being reported in the first quarter for a hit on young Tiger Jayden Post (resulting in a two match sanction from the MRP), was sensational for the Demons throughout the quarter. He continued to accumulate possessions and even managed to take a screamer of a mark over Tiger defender Matt Dea, converting the resulting kick into one of his five goals for the afternoon. It was goal for goal with Sylvia and Liam Jurrah prominent for Melbourne until late in the quarter when Richmond regained the ascendancy with consecutive goals through Jake King, Angus Graham and Miller. At half time, the Tigers had a handy 26 point lead which could have been a lot more considering their domination of the inside 50m count, 30 entries to 18.

Melbourne coach Todd Viney tinkered with his charges for the third quarter, moving the frustrated Davey into defense along with the quiet Jack Watts. The Demons burst out of the blocks, outworking the Tigers in the contested possessions. After just four minutes of play, the Demons had two goals on the board and were closing fast. Against the run of play, Dustin Martin managed a freak dribbled goal for the Tigers to keep them ahead but Melbourne continued to dominate possession. Nathan Jones for the Demons was brilliant, having numerous possessions and popping up for a couple of goals to put Melbourne in front. With a 7.1 to 1.3 third quarter, Melbourne had turned the game on its head by outdoing a rattled Richmond both in contests and tackling and causing a 34 point turnaround. At three quarter time the Demons led by eight points and looked to have the game in its grasp.

Richmond’s character would be tested in the final quarter. Livewire Robin Nahas put the icing on some nice work by Trent Cotchin in the center of the ground to record the first goal of the final term. Substitute Jeromey Webberley was activated for the Tigers with immediate results. Webberley streamed down the flank and thumped a 50 meter long goal that put Richmond back in front. Looking more like the Tiger outfit from the first half, they were working hard in and under the packs and applying hard tackles on their Melbourne counterparts. Sylvia rose to the challenge, shooting on goal to put Melbourne back in front by two points. Richmond’s Brett Deledio had had a very slow day by his lofty standards but his desperate smother off a Melbourne boot in the goal square saved a sure goal. It was a cracking finish as the lead see-sawed back and forward. King, Martin and Shane Edwards combined to get the ball in the hands of Cotchin who bullocked his way through traffic to goal for the Tigers. Richmond had the momentum but missed several chances to put the game beyond doubt until a bit of magic from full forward Riewoldt who goaled and extended the Tigers’ lead to nine points. Daniel Jackson and Edwards were in everything for the Tigers, and when young gun Martin managed a terrific goal while standing up in a tackle, the result was all but sealed. Melbourne managed two late goals through Sylvia and Jones but Richmond kept the lead and ran out deserving winners by just seven points.

The Tigers will be buoyed by two solid wins and travel to Adelaide in Round 23 to face a rejuvenated Crows’ outfit that will be a big test for Damien Hardwick’s young squad. For the Demons, the year continues to go pear-shaped with any chance of a Finals berth now completely snuffed out. Melbourne finish the season with games against the lowly-placed Gold Coast and Port Adelaide, both games they should pencil in as potential wins.

Scoreboard
Melbourne: 4.0 7.1 14.2 17.8 (110)
Richmond: 6.2 10.9 11.12 17.15 (117)

Best players
Melbourne: Sylvia, Jones, McKenzie, Bartram, Jamar
Richmond: Foley, Miller, Houli, Tuck, Martin, Rance

Tenacious Tigers Top Struggling Swans

janetl — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:43:49 -0500

Brook Kilpatrick reporting for AFANA from Australia

Sydney arrived at the MCG for the last game of Round 21 expecting to strengthen their Finals claims with a victory over Richmond. The Tigers have had a disappointing second half to the season and, while looking to regain some respect from the football public on the back of a six game losing streak, were not given any chance against the Swans.

Sydney had added the consistent Jarrad McVeigh and youngster Brett Meredith for the clash, while the Tigers welcomed back key position prospect Jayden Post and impressive first year defender Jake Batchelor to bolster an inexperienced defense that has been under siege in recent games.

Perfect weather greeted the teams as they ran on to the hallowed MCG turf and as proceedings got underway, it was Richmond who looked the hungrier of the combatants, dominating possession in the first ten minutes of the game. The Tigers entered their forward 50 consistently early but failed to make the most of their opportunities with poor disposal marring what could have been a sensational start. Diminutive Robin Nahas did manage the opening goal for Richmond but the Swans worked their way back into the play and kicked their first goal through the in-form Adam Goodes. Dustin Martin had the chance to put the Tigers further ahead but inexplicably dropped a perfect pass from Jack Riewoldt just 20 meters out from the Tiger goals. The frustration for the Tigers was compounded when Josh Kennedy snapped a goal for the Swans after some nifty work from Goodes. As the quarter time siren sounded the Swans led by eight points after a quarter in which Richmond dominated possession.

The second quarter started off as a scrappy affair, but the Tigers worked hard with Martin picking up a lot of the football. Trent Cotchin was relishing his role as stand-in Captain and racked up numerous contested possessions at the ruck stoppages. Full forward Riewoldt was pushed up the ground in an attempt to gain some touch, while Sydney’s Goodes had his influence quelled up forward by the much improved Alex Rance. Ex-Essendon midfield battler Bachar Houli once again made the Tigers’ recruiting staff look good with some blitzing runs out of half-back, waltzing through the centre at one stage and slotting a sensational goal from outside the 50 meter arc. Coach Damien Hardwick had clearly instructed his players to take the game on and despite some costly errors they gained the ascendancy over a somewhat flat Sydney outfit. At half time the Tigers held a tenuous 11 point lead, enough to have Swans fans concerned that their Finals tickets may not be stamped just yet.

After the long break, it was Brett Deledio who joined the red hot Houli in keeping Richmond’s running game going. Sydney’s Kennedy looked ready to fire up the Swans with some solid marking and fine finishing. While on the ball Goodes was being controlled by the tag team of Shane Tuck and Daniel Jackson and this match up proving crucial in reducing the influence of the Swans’ number one game breaker. With the game in the balance, young Matt Dea received a free kick right on the 50 meter arc for the Tigers. Sydney coach John Longmire would have been mortified when Richmond’s best long distance goal kicker Deledio was allowed to waltz alongside Dea, receive a casual handball and launch a perfect drop punt through the sticks to restore the Tigers’ two goal buffer. A pinpoint pass from Mitch Farmer on to the chest of the lively Nahas, running back towards goal, set up a snap goal to stretch the lead to 19 points and the Tiger Army was roaring in approval at the thought of a potential upset.

As the final quarter commenced the scoreboard showed Richmond leading 8.12 to 5.11. The Swans had the hard work ahead of them with Richmond not only having the momentum but a boisterous home crowd behind them. Sydney was desperate to score the first goal and increased their pressure on Richmond. As Goodes ran towards goal it looked like a sure six points. Enter the best on ground Houli who lunged and brought Goodes down for a holding the ball decision that relieved the pressure and showed the desperation the Tigers had been lacking for weeks. When the Tigers brought the ball into their own forward line where Riewoldt was starting to have an influence, a howler of a mistake by Sydney defender Heath Grundy allowed Brad Miller to tackle him for another holding the ball decision in favour of the home team. Miller lined up and calmly slotted a goal to extend the Tigers’ lead to 26 points and the game looked gone for Sydney. Martin, Riewoldt and substitute Mitch Morton joined the celebrations and slotted through majors. While the Swans managed a couple of goals through the solid Ryan O’Keefe and Sean Bird, Richmond had the game well and truly wrapped up. When the final siren sounded, Richmond had comprehensively dented the Swans' Finals hopes with a 43 point demolition.

Sydney now has to hold off Fremantle and North Melbourne for a Finals berth and fans must be wondering where the fire was from their team as it was the Tigers, not the Swans, who looked like the team looking for September action. The Swans now have their Finals aspirations on the line as they face St Kilda in Round 22 and the Geelong juggernaut at Skilled Stadium in Round 23 before a more winnable Round 24 match against Brisbane.

Richmond on the other hand had many positives to come out of the win. Cotchin, Houli and Deledio were nothing short of sensational for their club. The continued development of Rance as a key back man and some nice cameos from Martin and Batchelor (the latter unfortunately sustaining a shoulder injury late in the game) are giving Tiger fans something to hang on to going into the last three rounds of the season.

Scoreboard
Richmond: 1.4 5.8 8.12 14.15 (99)
Sydney:   2.6 3.9 5.11  7.14 (56)

Best Players
Richmond: Houli, Cotchin, Deledio, Rance, Martin, Nahas
Sydney:   Kennedy, Hannebery, O’Keefe, Mumford, Goodes

Happy West Coast 25th Anniversary

rickb — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 07:30:33 -0500

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Patersons Stadium, Perth

In recent years Patersons Stadium has been a fortress for the West Coast Eagles against Richmond with 12 of the last 14 matches going West Coast’s way. The Richmond Tigers had been given no chance of winning the Round 20 encounter particularly with the Eagles celebrating 25 years in the competition and knocking on the door of a Final Four berth. Tiger fans hoped that with nothing to lose, Richmond might come out with a hunger to play and rain on the Eagles’ parade.

First on the board was a Jack Darling mark and goal for the Eagles. Richmond replied immediately when Dustin Martin speared a pass on to the chest of Brad Miller who kicked straight. The ever-improving Brad Ebert read the ball off hands and strolled in for an easy goal. Much of the play was in the Eagles’ forward half but Richmond made the most of their entries into their 50 meter zone, kicking the next two goals against the flow of play. The first came from ex-Eagle Mitch Morton, who dribbled a long kick through the goals. Miller kicked his second from a mark. Richmond took the lead at this point and the Tigers had their tails up. Unlike past weeks, there was an air of determination about them and a belief that they might just take this game on. Mark Nicoski soon stamped his authority on the contest with two goals from free kicks. Ebert scored his second after the ball traveled the full length of the ground in quick order, but when Tyrone Vickery made the most of quick ball movement out of the middle, his goal had Richmond trailing by only seven points at the first change.

Richmond was put on the back foot when Quinten Lynch took a strong mark and kicked a 50 yard goal to start the second quarter. Speedy Robin Nahas did his job roving the packs and picked up the Tigers’ fifth goal for the game. From that point on however, it was the Nic Naitanui show. He took a spectacular mark on the wing in front of the appreciative Eagles’ members and the ball soon found itself in the capable hands of Dean Cox who kicked a goal. Nicoski scored his third from a Lynch mark and handball and it looked like that might be the end for Richmond. However Vickery steadied the visitors with a goal from a good transition up the ground by his team mates to keep the Tigers in touch. The Eagles were dominating in the clearances and also benefiting from a fairly lopsided free kick count. Naitanui was given a free kick for a ruck infringement and scored his first goal of the game. Darling scored from another free kick and the Eagles were running away with the game. Naitanui received a bullet pass from Luke Shuey after a turnover and his goal gave the Eagles a handy 34 point lead at the half time break. West Coast was winning the ball away from the bounces both in the center and at stoppages, and Shuey was carving up the opposition with his ball use.

One of the few weaknesses with the Eagles this year has been their third quarter performances and a tendency to lose momentum and be outscored. Richmond would have been aware of this and came out to start the quarter with enthusiasm. Ebert scored first for the Eagles but Jake King got one back. His good roving skills and accurate kick around his body was a tonic for his team. Ebert and Nicoski both scored goals to restore the balance but Jack Riewoldt finally broke free from the Darren Glass clamp and came into the game. He kicked his first goal deep into the quarter giving the Tigers a slight sniff of possibility. The Richmond coaching staff sensed it too, activating substitute Reece Conca for Daniel Jackson to get fresh legs into the contest. As has become the norm, once one side brings in their substitute, the other follows and Chris Masten soon replaced Matt Rosa for the Eagles. Shane Tuck scored back to back goals for Richmond to bring the margin back to 33 points. A 50 meter penalty for encroaching on the mark gave Darling a gift for his third goal. Daniel Kerr is slowly returning to his best after ongoing injury issues and had been influential in farming the ball out to his team mates all day. His read of the ball off the pack and subsequent goal restored the gap for the Eagles but there was still some determined opposition to contend with from the Tigers. Brett Deledeo scored the goal of the day when he took possession of the ball at the 50 meter line and snapped across his body to see the ball sail straight through the middle. Darling, who is looking more and more comfortable as a key West Coast forward, floated across and took a mark on the goal line and kicked truly for his fourth. It was now or never for Richmond and Riewoldt didn’t let them down. He kicked two more goals, one with 14 seconds to go while Bachar Houli added to the score when he goaled from a 50 meter penalty free kick. The Tigers had clawed their way back into the contest to trail by 27 points at the final break.

West Coast’s forward press was working well at the start of the final term. Shannon Hurn drifted up from the back line to score a rare goal that started a succession of Eagles’ goals. West Coast kicked the next four goals to snuff out any chance of a Tigers’ resurgence. Nicoski kicked two more to take his tally to six for the game. Mark LeCras finally got on the board when he marked a pass after a great run and carry by Patrick McGinnity along the outer wing. Shuey finished up a best on ground performance with a goal after being awarded a free kick for a high tackle. Riewoldt helped his chances for the Coleman Medal (for the most goals kicked for the season) when he marked and goaled with 14 seconds left on the clock.

In the end it was a party, as the Eagles won their 25th Anniversary game by a commanding 57 points and kept their Final Four chances very much alive. To their credit, Richmond never gave up the fight but were outclassed by their opponents when it mattered. The Eagles have a good draw on the run to the Finals, playing teams that are below them all the way home. Richmond is out of the Finals race and will begin to concentrate on next year and ponder on what happened to their promising start to the season.

To view David Woodley's photos of this match, go to: http://www.afana.com/drupal5/category/image_galleries/2011_season/2011_s...

Scoreboard
West Coast: 5.2 11.6 17.8 22.15 (147)
Richmond    4.1  6.2 13.5 14.6   (90)

Best Players
West Coast: L Shuey, D Kerr, M Nicoski, A Gaff, Q Lynch, N Naitanui
Richmond:   S Tuck, N Foley, T Vickery, B Deledio, M Dea

Bombers Punish Toothless Tigers

janetl — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 05:23:32 -0500

Brook Kilpatrick reporting for AFANA from Australia

Fresh from an unexpected victory over the all-conquering Cats, Essendon were favored to continue their resurgence with a win over a Richmond team coming off a belting at the hands of a rampaging Carlton. Essendon made one forced change from the team that beat Geelong, with the injured Andrew Welsh making way for Ricky Dyson. The Tigers decided not to make wholesale changes in the wake of their dismal display against Carlton, recalling Luke McGuane to bolster a thin defense and bringing back young draftee Reece Conca after a week’s rest.

As the “clash of the sash” got underway, the MCG was buzzing and it was Richmond that looked set to wash away the embarrassment of the previous week by going in hard at every contest. Both teams made early mistakes but surprisingly it was the Tigers who were more efficient with their forward entries. Whilst star forward Jack Reiwoldt struggled to break free from the close attention of Michael Hurley, it was pint-sized dynamo Nathan Foley doing the damage with two early goals. Richmond has struggled with first quarters all season but their accuracy in front of goal helped them to an eight point first quarter lead. Brett Deledio, Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin were performing well, and without a recognised ruckman it was left to Ty Vickery to compete with the two-headed monster of David Hille and Paddy Ryder. Some post-siren unpleasantries between the two combattants resulted in a few torn jumpers and no doubt some extra work for the Match Review Committee during the week.

Richmond continued its hard work early in the second quarter and threatened to break the game open, only to see Essendon fight back after some Stewart Crameri brilliance. Crameri was giving the Tiger back line some headaches with his mobility and ability to find space. Richmond used handball to create free running space for their quality midfielders but sadly the very same tactics brought them undone on occasion as their skills were found wanting. The game had turned into an arm wrestle with neither side able to maintain momentum. Two late goals to Reiwoldt and the oft-injured Ben Griffiths gave the Tigers a nine point buffer heading into the main break.

Richmond’s hard running continued into the third quarter and a goal to Vickery had them looking the goods as they stretched their lead to 23 points. Unfortunately for Coach Damien Hardwick and the loyal Tiger faithful, missed opportunities in front of goal kept Essendon in the game, and ultimately led to their downfall as the Bombers fought back. An absolute howler of a mistake by Richmond captain Chris Newman gifted a goal to the Bombers Angus Monfries and from that point on the Tigers lost their composure. Brett Stanton was having an influence on the Bombers resurgence with his tackling and attacking work, while ex-Cat Brent Prismall was dominant around the packs. Essendon bombarded the goals but their finishing was wayward until ex-Bomber turned Tiger Bachar Houli lost his footing while trying to evade Crameri in the back pocket in the last minute of the quarter. The resulting goal embarrassed the Tigers and handing Essendon an ascendancy that they would not give up. While Richmond held on to a three point lead at three-quarter time, all the momentum was with James Hird’s Bombers as opposite number Damien Hardwick looked frustrated at his error-riddled Tiger defense.

The final quarter was all Essendon as David Zaharakis, who was becoming one of the best players on the ground, kicked a goal to put the Bombers in front within a minute of the restart. Alwyn Davey backed it up with another Bomber goal within seconds of the ball-up and the Bombers were on a roll. Richmond players struggled to get their hands on the ball as Essendon took over the ruck contests and in turn the clearances around the ground. When the dust had settled, the Bombers had racked up seven last quarter goals whole the Tigers could not even manage one. One could have been forgiven for thinking the Richmond boys had taken an early shower as Essendon completely dominated all facets of the game to go on and record a comfortable 39 point victory.

The reward for Essendon was a spot in the Top Eight while Richmond has a week to pick up the pieces before flying to Cairns for their first ever Gold Coast game at Cazaly Stadium. What would have seemed like a certain victory for the Tigers a month ago now looms as a real test for the confidence of this young team. The Bombers on the other hand have regained their mojo after a tough mid-season slump. They travel to Adelaide next week and will feel confident of maintaining their place in the top eight as they face a Crow outfit that is a shadow of its former self.

Scoreboard
Essendon 3.5 5.9 8.12 15.15 (105)
Richmond 5.1 7.6 9.9   9.12 (66)

Best players
Essendon: B Stanton, D Zaharakis, S Crameri, B Prismall, D Heppell, M Hurley
Richmond: T Cotchin, S Edwards, J Batchelor, N Foley, T Vickery

Blues Blitz Tame Tigers

janetl — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 08:48:58 -0500

Brook Kilpatrick reporting for AFANA from Australia

After going down to the vastly improved West Coast Eagles last week, Brett Ratten’s Carlton players were keen to re-establish themselves as a genuine Top 4 team on the big stage of the MCG. Richmond on the other hand was in need of a solid showing after playing whipping boy to the Blues in their last seven encounters.

Just under 60,000 hopeful fans turned up to a one-sided affair with the Carlton engine room completely dominating a hapless Richmond outfit. After getting out of the blocks early, Carlton was never threatened on the way to a massive 103 point win. If not for a late Tiger surge in junk time, the Blues would have eclipsed their biggest winning margin over the Tigers of 115 points.

Carlton’s Mitch Robinson dominated possession in the opening quarter, showing how well he can finish with an early goal. With Chris Judd back to his best and Marc Murphy continuing his stellar season in the midfield, Carlton made all the early going with Richmond unable to force its way into its forward 50 for the first ten minutes of the quarter. The Tigers were butchering the ball in the backline, allowing Carlton easy goals from turnovers. Poor starts have been a continuing theme for Richmond so far this season and today’s encounter would prove to be more of the same, as Carlton cruised to a 22 point quarter time lead.

In the second quarter it was a more even contest but it was once again the class of Judd who found the elusive Eddie Betts for the first goal. Betts and his forward line team mates were working hard to keep the ball in the Blues' forward 50, with their high pressure tactics proving too much for the inexperienced Richmond backs. With backline leader Kelvin Moore and young up and comers Dylan Grimes and David Astbury out injured, the Tigers have struggled to keep strong teams off the score sheet all season, and today the floodgates opened. With Robbie Warnock completely dominating in the ruck for the Blues, the Carlton midfielders continually had first use of the footy. The Tigers much vaunted top four midfielders in Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Daniel Jackson and Nathan Foley could manage only one clearance between them to half time. When the siren sounded for the main break, Carlton led 11.7 to 4.6.

After the half time festivities, Carlton continued their own navy and white party as Judd racked up five clearances and a couple of goals to go with them. Warnock continued to feed the ball to his Carlton team mates as raw Richmond ruckman Andrew Browne was given a football lesson. The hitout count ended 40 to 18 in Warnock’s favour with this duel going a long way to deciding the fate of the game. A 16 to three clearance count helped a rampant Carlton pile on nine goals for the quarter as the rejuvenated Andrew Walker and the returning Jarrad Waite got into the act up forward. At the other end of the MCG, Jack Riewoldt was battling hard to score for the Tigers but the lack of supply made his task next to impossible. At three-quarter time, the Blues had extended their lead to a whopping 89 points.

Brownlow fancy Murphy drew first blood for Carlton early in the last quarter and a record winning margin seemed on the cards. Walker and Waite continued to dominate the air while Betts hunted the packs to pick up any loose football that hit the ground, ably assisted by youngster Jeffrey Garlett. Richmond didn’t completely throw in the towel and managed a few late goals, but the damage to the Tigers was well and truly done. When the final siren mercifully rang to put the Black and Gold army out of its misery, Carlton had totally dominated to earn the four points with a comprehensive 103 point trashing.

This victory was the second biggest win of the season for Carlton, falling just short of its 119 point demolition of fledgling club, the Gold Coast Suns, back in Round 2. The percentage boost will be a welcome bonus for Coach Brett Ratten as Carlton moves into third spot on the AFL Ladder with a double chance looming in the Finals. With games against the Western Bulldogs, Collingwood and Essendon on the agenda, the Blues have a chance to stake their claim as contenders to be reckoned with come the business end of the season.

For the Tigers, Coach Damien Hardwick is left to pick up the pieces of a 2011 campaign that has shown some promise, while at the same time proving that Richmond has a long road ahead before being taken seriously by the top clubs in the AFL. Things don’t get any easier for the Tigers as they come up against arch rival Essendon next week in a game that looms as super important, not only to its short term aspirations but for its membership drive into the future.

Scoreboard
Carlton  5.2 11.7 20.13 28.16 (184)
Richmond 1.4  4.6  6.8  12.9   (81)

Best
Carlton:  C Judd, R Warnock, M Robinson, E Betts, A Carazzo
Richmond: R Nahas, N Foley, B Deledio, A Rance

History Made At MCG

rickb — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 07:24:07 -0500

Rick Browner reporting from the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Victoria

Saint Kilda was the firm favorite with the bookmakers on a warm and clear night at the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the first game of Round 2 of the AFL season. Rain was forecast for late in a game that was billed as a clash of the forwards with the Riewoldt cousins (Nick and Jack) facing off. This game marked the first time that Richmond and St Kilda have played a Friday night game on the MCG. Richmond has had the better record over the years but since 2003 St Kilda has won thirteen consecutive matches.

Stephen Milne got the Saints off to a great start when he kicked the first goal with only 90 seconds on the clock. Richmond players were slow to tackle and early misses by both teams were costly. Brendon Goddard took a strong mark and played on to kick the Saints’ second goal. Milne kicked their third soon after and it looked all over for the Tigers, even at this early stage. It wasn’t until the 17 minute mark that Trent Cotchin got his team on the board and disaster struck when the Tigers lost their full forward in Jack Riewoldt to concussion. Riewoldt argued heatedly with the team doctors that he was fit, however they substituted him soon after. It was a move that actually helped the Tigers in the long run as they were forced to find other avenues to goal. Both teams traded goals as the quarter ran out with the Saints up by 14 points.

Dustin Martin fired up the Tigers with a snap across his body to goal from 30 yards out but the Saints were more focused on the ball and began to run away with the game again, kicking the next two goals. A couple of free kicks that were converted to goals had the Tigers back within touch. More importantly however they got fiercer and tougher in their tackling. Led by small hard man Jake King, with support from his bigger team mate Shaun Grigg, the Tigers hit the front. St Kilda became more and more pedestrian in their attacking moves and found themselves seven points in arrears when the half time siren rang. Richmond kicked seven goals to three during the second quarter.

Lenny Hayes, the Saints’ vice-captain, was carried off in the third quarter with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament ending his season. With him went the concentration of his team as Hayes is a leader and a fighter and his presence was sorely missed. To the Saints’ credit they fought strongly against some hard forward pressure from the Tigers. Ben McEvoy brought St Kilda back within three points of the Tigers to set the scene for a close and exciting final quarter.

Rain started to fall as the umpire bounced the ball and it was on for young and old with the game on the line. Richmond could sense an upset and there was a sense of disbelief from Grand Finalists St Kilda that such a young, inexperienced team was taking the game right up to them. Nick Riewoldt was the beneficiary of a controversial free kick when Luke McGuane was judged to have handballed deliberately through the point posts to avoid being caught holding the ball. Riewoldt kicked truly to tie the game, much to the horror of the Richmond fans. Milne kicked the next one to give the Saints a six point lead with only minutes left to play.

All was not lost for the Tigers when Grigg kicked the ball a country mile to goal and bring the scores back to even. There was still a lot of run left in St Kilda’s legs and Jason Blake brought the house down when he sprinted 30 yards to outrun the Tiger’s Jake Batchelor and kick the Saints ahead by a goal. In a bizarre incident, Jake King for the Tigers was running off for an interchange rotation when the ball nearly landed on the back of his head. He was alerted by the crowd’s screams and turned around in time to take a mark. His kick forward and resulting goal by Daniel Jackson had the Tigers up with with two minutes left to play. St Kilda kept the ball in its forward line until the siren rang but could kick only two points to draw the match.

It has been 100 years since there have been two drawn games in the first two rounds. Both teams were shellshocked by the draw, the Saints having wasted game-winning shots from Milne and Blake in the dying minutes and the Tigers having once again been in a winning position only to see themselves without the four points.

In a final twist to the game, the field umpire admitted after the game that he had erred when awarding a free kick against Luke McGuane in front of goal. The AFL Rules allow for a player to handball through the goal posts when under pressure. That is small comfort for Richmond who take two points from the game instead of the four they deserved.

Scoreboard
Richmond: 2.4 9.5  10.9 14.11 (95)
St Kilda: 4.6 7.10 9.12 13.17 (95)

Best
Richmond: B Deledio, S Grigg, T Cotchin, D Jackson, C Newman
St Kilda: J Gram, D Armitage, S Milne, N Dal Santo, S Fisher

New Jobs For O'Loughlin And Schwab

Lisa Albergo — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 14:19:42 -0600

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

There is very little Peter Schwab has not done in football, except perhaps umpire games (unless you count the 2006 USAFL national tournament when he donned a whistle for several matches). He has been a player (Hawthorn), an assistant coach (Richmond and Hawthorn), a senior coach (Hawthorn), a member of the Match Review Panel, umpire director and CEO of AFL Victoria. He has now been appointed the AFL Director of Coaching. He will begin his new role once he finishes with his current duties with AFL Victoria. He has degrees in teaching and journalism.

As Director of Coaching Schwab will:

Manage broad based and high performance coaching strategies with the AIS/AFL High Performance Coach.

Review, develop and publish coaching curriculum specific to each segment of the coaching pathway.

Lead the development of courses, materials and seminars for coaching education.

Manage and mentor the AIS/AFL High Performance Coach and AIS/AFL Mentors.

Mentor States' Academy and Talent Coaches.

Develop coaching strategies to engage international, indigenous and multicultural coaches and talented players.

Work collaboratively with the AFL Coaches' Association.

In related news, former Sydney great Michael O'Loughlin has been appointed to replace Jason McCartney as the AIS-AFL Academy High Performance Coach. McCartney resigned his position to take up a development role with Fremantle.

AFL General Manager National and International Development, David Matthews is delighted with the appointments of both Schwab and O'Loughlin saying they each bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to their respective new jobs. He pointed out O'Loughlin's leadership on and off the field while playing with the Swans as well as his management of other AFL programs since his retirement as a player. O'Loughlin had already been working at the Academy as a mentor and with former Brisbane player Chris Johnson on indigenous programs.

O'Loughlin, who has always had an interest in mentoring young players, said he was excited by the chance to coach the young players. He said the strength of the Academy was not only in helping participants develop their skills as players, but also to be better people. He said working with McCartney had been a great experience and he is looking forward to working with AFL Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan and Peter Schwab.

Michael O’Loughlin:
Drafted:1994 from SA club Central Districts
Debuted: 1995
Games: 303
Goals: 521
Honors: 1995 Rising Star nominee, 1998 club best and fairest, 2000-2001 club leading goalkicker, All-Australian 1997 and 2000, 2005 Premiership, 2009 Madden Medal, Indigenous Team of the Century

Source: Nick Johnston and Anna Wallin , AFL Media Release

Laidley Stays With Port Adelaide

Lisa Albergo — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 15:06:33 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Port Adelaide assistant coach Dean Laidley has decided to remain with the Power, after previously informing the club he wanted to return to Melbourne. However, he will have the best of both worlds as he will split his time between the two cities. In essence, he will be a "commuter coach". He will spend four days in Adelaide and three in Melbourne.

Laidley's decision came after his unsuccessful bid for Essendon's senior coaching position. Port's new senior coach Matthew Primus is happy at the prospect of Laidley continuing as Port's midfield coach. Primus said that Laidley, who joined Port last year after stepping down as North Melbourne's senior coach, has a great relationship with the playing group and that his experience will benefit both the staff and players.

Port has promoted Cameron Hitchcock and Danny Meyer from the rookie list to the seniors. Hitchcock played 17 games in 2010. Meyer played 20 games for Richmond 2005-2008 before being delisted by the Tigers. He was rookie listed with the Power in 2009 and played six games for Port in 2010. Port has delisted Jay Nash, gained in 2009 via a trade with Essendon. Nash played 43 games with the Bombers 2005-2009 but managed just eight with Port in 2010. Also gone is Matthew Westhoff, younger brother of forward Justin Westhoff. Mathew played only six games 2008-2009 and no games in 2010. Westhoff will continue to train with Port until the draft later this month. The club has the option of re-drafting him to their rookie list.

Source: Daniel Norton, Club Media Release; AFL Record 2010 Season Guide, AFL 2010 Grand Final Record

Pies Get Easy Ride In 2011 Schedule

johnson — Sun, 31 Oct 2010 03:21:41 -0500

by Johnson Leung reporting for AFANA in Melbourne

Collingwood's chances of winning consecutive Premierships have been boosted by the 2011 AFL schedule, revealed in Melbourne last week. The club have been given 18 games in Melbourne next year, with 14 at the MCG, and do not travel outside Victoria until Round 14. The Pies will finish with three interstate games in the last seven rounds of the regular season. This year, the Pies played seven matches at the MCG from Round 16 to Round 22 on their way to claiming top spot, then four finals (including two Grand Finals) at the venue to break their 20 year premiership drought.

AFL Chief Operating Officer Gillon McLachlan rejected the suggestion from Hawthorn President Jeff Kennett that the schedule favored the defending Premiers, saying nearly every Melbourne club asks to play at the Pies at home. "(Collingwood) travel the least of anyone in the competition ... because when we match all the games and club requests and where we try to put them, they become a bit landlocked," McLachlan said. "It's a quirk and it's just how it is."

Carlton and Richmond will open the season for the fourth year in a row, on Thursday March 24. The following night Geelong hosts St Kilda at the MCG, while the Pies get the premiership defence underway with a Saturday afternoon home game against Port Adelaide at Etihad Stadium. However the Pies are not expected to unfurl their 2010 flag until their Friday night Round 3 clash against Carlton. Other highlights of the opening round include a Saturday night contest between Adelaide and Hawthorn at AAMI Stadium to commemorate the Crows' first official match in 1991. A day later, James Hird will coach Essendon for the first time in a home and away game against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

Gold Coast's entry into the AFL means byes will return to the schedule for the first time since 1994. Next season will consist of 187 matches across 24 rounds. There will be 19 rounds of eight matches with one bye and five rounds of seven matches with three byes. All clubs will play 11 home games and 11 away games with two byes. The new schedule means the domestic TV broadcast arrangement will change. While pay-TV broadcaster Foxtel will be guaranteed a minimum of three games each week, free-to-air networks Seven and Ten could broadcast as little as one match each week, depending on the schedule.

Gold Coast will have the bye in Round 1 and will make their debut in Round 2, against Carlton at the Gabba in Brisbane. The Suns will play three home matches at the Gabba. Their first home match at the redeveloped Gold Coast Stadium will be in Round 10 against Geelong and will mark Gary Ablett's first match against his former club.

Rounds 5 and 6 have been dubbed a "footy fiesta" with the AFL scheduling 14 games across nine of 11 days, with only two days separating the last match of Round 5 (Hawthorn v Geelong on April 26) and the first match of Round 6 (West Coast hosting Melbourne in the first Thursday night game at Patersons Stadium, formerly Subiaco Oval). Traditional rivals Essendon and Collingwood will clash at the MCG on Anzac Day, followed by a night match between Fremantle and Western Bulldogs at Patersons Stadium.

The AFL has abandoned its policy of the previous year's Grand Finalists only playing once the following season. Collingwood and St Kilda will clash twice next year, at the MCG in Round 11 and Etihad Stadium in Round 21. The League has again scheduled a "floating" final home-and-away round to give it more flexibility for the final week of games before the finals. Essendon will have the bye in this round.

Other features of the 2011 schedule include:

Two Monday night and three Thursday night games.
Geelong, Fremantle and Sydney will have games against teams coming off the bye four times, while Collingwood, Hawthorn, Gold Coast and the Western Bulldogs have none.
Essendon have the most games of any club against this year's top-eight clubs (12) with five matches against top-four finishers. By contrast, the Western Bulldogs only have three games against their fellow top-four finishers.
Adelaide are either at home or in Melbourne in the first 19 weeks of the season. They will only travel to Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland. The Crows will play three Saturday afternoon games (against Fremantle, Gold Coast and West Coast) at home, and at least eight of the Crows' 11 home games will have live telecasts against the gate.
Brisbane Lions will play three games at the MCG and three at Etihad Stadium for Victorian-based supporters. The Lions and the Suns will clash Saturday night at the Gabba in Round 7 and Round 21.
Essendon will play five 2010 finalists (Western Bulldogs, Sydney, St Kilda, Carlton and Collingwood) in a row to start the year. They go to Perth twice in five interstate trips and play Gold Coast only once.
Fremantle have been rewarded for their breakthrough 2010 season with three games at the MCG compared to none last year, that is until they reached the finals. They also get to play two Friday night games against St Kilda (Round 20) and Collingwood (Round 23)
Geelong will face a unique challenge in the 2011 schedule when they have three straight weeks of games against teams coming off the reintroduced bye: Collingwood in Round 8, Carlton in Round 9 and Gold Coast in Round 10.
Identical twins Brad and Chris Scott will coach against each other for premiership points when Geelong play North Melbourne at Skilled Stadium on Saturday afternoon in Round 7. Channel Ten had requested that the match be played at Etihad Stadium on a Saturday night to maximise TV ratings, but the Cats objected.
Gold Coast will have at least 18 matches on Saturdays, eight of which will be played at night. The Suns are the only club that won't play at least one match on either a Thursday or Friday night, with Sydney playing their first home game on a Friday night since 2003. The AFL has stated that matches involving the Lions and the Suns will never be played in the same timeslot.
Hawthorn will play nine games outside Victoria, including four home games at Launceston's Aurora Stadium. This compares to just seven interstate games this year, including one trip to Adelaide and Perth.
Melbourne have one less interstate trip than this year, with four away matches in Darwin, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. They also have 10 Sunday games next year.
North Melbourne have to visit Paterson's Oval (formerly known as Subiaco) twice in their first three games and also play Hawthorn in Launceston. In all, the Roos will travel six times. They will also confront Grand Finalists Collingwood and St Kilda twice and the bean counters will not be happy with only one Friday night game. The Kangaroos' only Friday night game will be in Round 19 against Carlton.
From Rounds 7 to 17 Port Adelaide will have a demanding schedule: home, Sydney, home, Darwin, home, Perth, home, Brisbane, home and Darwin. The Power will play three Saturday afternoon games at AAMI Stadium, against West Coast, Gold Coast and Fremantle.
Richmond play their first nine matches in Melbourne, including their first four at the MCG. The Tigers will not play in Victoria for a 35-day period from May 21 to June 25, during which time they will travel to Darwin, Sydney and Brisbane, along with the first of their two byes. Cairns in tropical north Queensland will host an AFL match for competition points for the first time when the Tigers take on Gold Coast at Cazaly's Stadium in Round 17. It will be the first of three matches to be played between the clubs over three years at the venue.
St Kilda have the most games played at night with 16 games, including one Thursday night game, one Monday night game, six on Friday nights and six on Saturday nights.
Sydney will play eight games at the SCG and three at ANZ Stadium (against Essendon, Collingwood and St Kilda).
In a new concept, West Coast will tackle the Western Bulldogs in an indigenous-themed clash at Patersons Stadium in Round 9, the same weekend as the Richmond-Essendon "Dreamtime at the 'G" clash. The Eagles will host the HMAS Sydney tribute match for the first time against the Swans at Patersons Stadium in Round 4 and will have just three six-day breaks and two night away matches.
Patersons Stadium will be empty for a weekend in Round 17 when West Coast take on St Kilda in Melbourne on the Saturday while Fremantle will be in Sydney on the Sunday.

Sources: theage.com.au, heraldsun.com.au, AAP, The West Australian, adelaidenow.com.au

Footy Redemption For Andrew Krakouer

Lisa Albergo — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:14:00 -0500

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

In times of trouble, family, friends and a good support network can work miracles. Former Richmond Tiger and current Collingwood recruit Andrew Krakouer can attest to that as he has had an abundance of support while in prison and since his release. While in jail, he found ways to stay fit and joined the prison footy team. Once paroled, he joined Swan Districts in the WAFL and helped them win the 2010 Premiership.

He is only the second player (after former North Melbourne Kangaroo Barry Cable) to win best on ground in the WAFL Grand Final along with the Premiership medal, the Swan Districts best and fairest and the Sandover Medal (WAFL equivalent of the Brownlow). Last week, Krakouer had a chat with Melbourne Age sports writer Caroline Wilson and told her how footy was, and is, his salvation.

This author must defer to the professional writing of Ms Wilson as anything summarized would not do proper justice to the story. Please click on the link below to read the story in full. It is a story that had to be told and is a must read.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/how-football-saved-krakouer-20101020-16u8u.html