Brett Deledio

Future Rosy For Eagles

rickb — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 08:11:53 -0500

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval

AFL football fans around the world dread Round 22. If their team does not make the Top Eight, there is no more serious footy action until the following April. Prior to this round, Richmond had appointed Damien Hardwick as their new coach for 2010 and, with a major clean out predicted, Tiger players were playing for their future at the club. In contrast, the Eagles had won three out of their last four games and had their sights set on finishing the season strongly in front of a capacity home crowd.

Following a scrappy and congested start, it was Richmond's enigmatic Jordan McMahon who scored the first goal. It wasn't until halfway through the quarter that the Eagles finally managed a goal of their own after a strong mark and conversion by Ben McKinley in the pocket. West Coast dominated the contested ball, covering the big ground with speed and determination. They kicked three unanswered goals with Richmond players looking inept and tentative at the ball. As the siren sounded to end the first quarter, the Eagles had a useful 23 point lead.

Within the first few minutes of the second quarter, Dean Polo had made a horrible tactical blunder. He tried to play on after bringing the ball back into play after a point but crumbled under the pressure applied by the West Coast forward, deliberately running the ball through for a rushed behind. The AFL changed this rule specifically to prevent this style of play and the resultant free kick gave Mark LeCras a gift goal from ten meters out. After this blooper, the Tigers seemed to wake up from their slumber for a time and in their best passage of play so far ran the ball the length of the ground. Brett Deledio finished off with a superb snap on goal and the visitors had their tails up. Richmond began to win the clearances and started to run in earnest. When they kicked the next two goals to make it three in a row, there was a sense of excitement around the ground. Unfortunately the tiger in their tank was short-lived. The Eagles took control to score the next five goals and effectively put the opposition away. At the end of the first half the Eagles had a commanding 33 point advantage.

West Coast were out of the blocks quickly as the third quarter got underway. Brent Staker, quiet to this point, kicked two goals to inspire his team. Richmond could only manage a single behind for the quarter and looked as if they wanted the season to be over right there and then. They offered only token resistance with their tackling pressure non-existent and their ball skills sub-standard. In addition, Richmond's midfield players failed to drop back and support their defenders who were under siege. When sides are down and players are playing for their professional lives, thoughts of individual survival can prevail over supporting a team-mate. "Lower the lifeboat, I'm in it," appeared to be the dominant thought amongst the Tigers as the game progressed. The Eagles had it all their own way and broke away to kick the last four goals of the quarter. It was six goals to nil as the siren sounded and firmly hammered the nails into the Richmond coffin.

With a lead of 72 points to start the last term, the only interest was to see if the Eagles could break their all-time winning margin of 96 points. To their credit, Richmond sensed that while the game might be lost, there was still some point in fighting for pride. They held their own over the next 25 minutes but LeCras put his final stamp on the game with two brilliant goals. One of these goals summed up the depths to which Richmond's skills could plummet. A wide awake LeCras intercepted a poorly executed McMahon kick-in and goaled over the head of his dazed opponent.

It was another disappointing effort from the Richmond players who finished the season as they started it. A team that promised much before the season and widely tipped to finish in the Final Eight, they got a belting from Carlton in the very first game and never recovered. The Eagles, on the other hand, lifted towards the end of the season, producing some excellent efforts. They take a young, blooded and raring to go team into next year and can head into the pre-season with high hopes for the future.

Scores
West Coast 4.8 9.14 15.18 17.23 (125)
Richmond   1.3 5.5   5.6   6.9  (45)

Best players
West Coast M Spangher, C Fletcher, N Naitanui, S Hurn, M LeCras
Richmond   B Cousins, B Deledio, S Edwards, R Tambling, D Jackson

Tigers Snarl in Subiaco Thriller

rickb — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:53:28 -0500

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval

When two AFL teams sitting near the bottom of the ladder are scheduled to meet, anticipation is not high for an exciting spectacle. The Round 10 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Richmond Tigers was a special game for Terry Wallace. Wallace, the media-besieged Richmond coach, would complete his 500th game as a player and coach, only the 17th man in the history of AFL football to achieve this feat. Leading into the game there was mounting speculation that it would be his last with a disappointing Richmond team performing well below pre-season expectations. With a dismal one win-eight loss record and Wallace in the final year of his contract, rumors of the end were rife. Fremantle Docker Dean Solomon, a former Essendon player and member of the victorious 2000 Premiership side, was celebrating his own personal milestone, his 200th game, so both teams had something to play for. Disgraced home town hero Ben Cousins was also playing his first game back in Perth since 2007 after being sacked from the West Coast Eagles for drug abuse. The ball was bounced and the game which unfolded over the next 100 minutes exceeded all expectations.

Giant seven foot ruckman Aaron Sandilands kicked the Dockers' first goal within two minutes and the game developed into an arm-wrestle as the teams traded goals. Veteran Fremantle forward Des Headland turned the clock back when he took a huge mark leaping high over the back of his unfortunate opponent. His subsequent goal put the home team's tails up. Richmond bounced back with three goals and the game developed into a struggle that had the spectators on the edge of their seats. Mark Harvey won the coaching duel during the first quarter by dropping Sandilands back into the forward line and kicking long to put him in a one-on-one contest. This tactic resulted in goals to the towering ruckman, Matthew Pavlich and Headland and saw Fremantle go into the first break with a slim eleven point lead.

After the cracking start to the game, the first half of the second quarter was surprisingly tame. What had begun as a free flowing game with ten goals scored became a slow moving and low scoring affair. Both teams fumbled, kicked poorly and seemed reluctant to take risks to move the ball forward. It wasn't until the 16 minute mark that Jack Riewoldt kicked a goal for Richmond. Fremantle finally goaled at the 22 minute mark and took an unconvincing 14 point lead into the long break.

No-one knows what coach Wallace said to the Tigers at half time but it appeared to work. Brett Deledio kicked an inspirational goal from outside 50 meters to start the third quarter and the Tigers turned up the heat. With Cousins passing accurately by hand and foot every time he had possession, Richmond scored the next eight goals to have Fremantle almost down and out. Injuries to Dockers players saw the bench with no substitutes for a good ten minutes as the medical staff worked frantically to get players back on the field. Richmond played on at every opportunity to run the Dockers ragged. To their credit, Fremantle bounced back and kicked the last three goals to keep them within striking distance, a not insurmountable 15 points, as the siren rang to end the third quarter.

With his reputation on the line after a patchy start to the season, Richmond's Richard Tambling was quick out of the blocks and goaled within the first 30 seconds. After that it was an old fashioned shoot-out with both teams throwing everything into their offensive games. Fremantle scored the next three goals but a costly kick-in error by Scott Thornton turned the ball over and Deledio converted on goal from a very acute angle to lift the Tigers. Big man Troy Simmonds goaled soon after to give Richmond a comfortable 14 point buffer with ten minutes left on the clock. A spirited Fremantle refused to lay down, kicking the next three goals to hit the lead with only a few minutes to play. When Mitch Morton marked the ball in Richmond's forward line and played on to open up the angle, Tigers' fans held their breath. In Round 8 against Port Adelaide, Morton had a similar opportunity in the dying minutes of the match but played on, put himself off balance and kicked the ball out of bounds on the full. He was accused of not keeping a cool head and of losing the game for his team. This time however Morton kicked truly to put the Tigers ahead by three points. Fremantle kept the pressure on and although the football was in the Dockers' forward line when the siren rang Richmond hung on to win an out and out thriller.

The closeness of the finish was fitting in what turned out to be an entertaining spectacle with thirty four goals scored. No matter which team had finished in front, all players could hold their head up in a game that was definitely won rather than lost. Fremantle and Richmond should watch this game over and over to see what they are capable of when they play aggressive and attacking football. In the long run, the result of this match won't have much effect on the composition of the Final Eight but it does show that while not winning often, each of these teams is capable of producing a top line performance and playing at a far better standard than fans have seen so far this season.

Scoreboard
Richmond  4.3 5.9 13.9 17.13 (115)
Fremantle 6.2 8.5 11.6 17.10 (112)

Best
Richmond  B Deledio, B Cousins, R Nahas, N Foley, D Polo, R Tambling
Fremantle A Sandilands, P Duffield, G Ibbotson, N Suban, C Tarrant, S Thornton

Demons Character Win

janetl — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:16:48 -0500

Janet Linn reporting for AFANA from the MCG, Melbourne

After a nightmare week in the media spotlight, beleaguered Richmond Tigers coach Terry Wallace found no salvation in Sunday's must win game against the Melbourne Demons. Week-long headlines prophesying Wallace's demise should Richmond fail to produce a winning performance were read by all it seems except the Melbourne football team. Twenty-two players, most in their fledgling years of AFL football, ran on to the MCG in red and black Melbourne guernseys. The youthful Demons came with but one aim - to play the best brand of football they could muster. Not only did they turn a deaf ear to the roars of the Tiger Army, they turned the footy tipping world upside down in a display of character football for which the Tigers had no answers. At last the starved Demons have something to build upon for the future.

Before the game began, both Melbourne and Richmond had moved off the bottom of the Ladder to make way for the Fremantle Dockers who have also struggled to get past an abysmal start to the 2009 season. In the first quarter at the MCG, the skills on display were certainly those of two of the bottom sides with clangers and turnovers the order of the day. The game began with a free kick to Richmond before the ball had even been bounced. Melbourne player Matthew Warnock was reported for striking Tom Hislop who received a 50 meter penalty and passed the ball to Mitch Morton who registered the Tigers first major. Matthew Richardson and Brett Deledio squandered easy opportunities before a Nathan Brown free kick brought up Richmond's second goal. Both teams mishandled the ball early but poor skills became the order of the day for the Tigers and the Demons were able to gain momentum through some very messy Richmond turnovers and skill errors. Brad Green and Nathan Jones scored six pointers for Melbourne and there were some very gettable shots wasted as Melbourne racked up a total of four "posters" (when the ball hits the goal post) for the quarter. At the quarter time break three points separated the two sides.

Melbourne broke the game apart in the second quarter, dominating the center possessions and moving the football quickly into their forward line. Brock McLean, Matthew Bate, Brad Miller and Colin Sylvia combined well in an eight goal onslaught by the Demons. Richmond seemed completely overwhelmed by the deluge as the Melbourne players played constructive team football, marking everything that came their way, finding space to lead, kicking to a loose man, running hard and looking for opportunities to score. It took Richmond over half the quarter to score but when they did it came through a handpass from veteran Richardson to first gamer Andrew Collins who kicked his first goal in AFL football. They repeated the play minutes later for Collins' second goal and a Richo assist. With only 13 points separating the teams, it appeared the Tigers had revived but it was to no avail. Lynden Dunn and Matthew Bate goaled for the Demons to return the lead to 25 points and a Brad Miller snap on the siren made it a 31 point margin at the long break.

An early third quarter goal to Michael Newton and an inspirational goal by Aaron Davey made Richmond's task look impossible with the Demons' hard running and fierce endeavor giving them an unbeatable edge. The quarter was interrupted by an unusual accident. One of the central field umpires was injured and had to be carried from the ground and the diversion seemed to refuel the Richmond tank. Young Tiger Robin Nahas sparked a revival with a handy goal assist followed by a magnificent solo effort on goal, narrowing the margin to 27 points. When Melbourne gave away a 50 meter penalty resulting in a goal to Richardson, Tiger fans saw some light at the end of the tunnel but another shocking turnover in defense gave Newton an easy shot on goal and the quarter ended with Melbourne 28 points ahead. Richmond had more disposals for the quarter than the Demons and for the most part their performance was better but they could not make an impression on the scoreboard. Melbourne looked set to score their first victory since Round 20, 2008.

Richmond opened the last quarter with three chances to goal before back man Kelvin Moore finally slotted through a much-needed major. With the Tigers intent on a comeback, Melbourne steadied with goals from Neville Jetta and Ricky Petterd to get back to a 26 point lead. Brett Deledio made something out of nothing to narrow the margin to 21 points with six and a half minutes remaining. The Tigers had their chances with Riewoldt and McGuane goaling but missed shots from Richardson and Morton summed up the Richmond players' day. It was a case of much too little, much too late. Melbourne ran out winners by eight points although this small margin did not reflect their better play and superior attitude.

In the final analysis, Melbourne showed determination and turned it into belief. Richmond showed a fragile psyche and turned a golden opportunity to kick start their season into humiliation, putting the club into the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The Tigers were a sorry sight leaving the ground and coach Wallace, grim-faced and no doubt confounded, is left to face another week of heavy scrutiny from within and outside the football club.

Scoreboard
Melbourne 2.6 10.7 13.11 14.16 (100)
Richmond  2.3  5.6  9.7  13.14 (92)

Best
Melbourne C Sylvia, M Newton, A Davey, C Bruce, B Miller
Richmond  J Bowden, N Foley, M Richardson, A Rance, A Collins

Bulldogs Stomp on Tiger’s Tail

janetl — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:13:56 -0500

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Etihad Stadium, Melbourne

Hopes were high that after last week’s spirited performance against Geelong, Richmond could break their winless streak and take the game up to an in-form Western Bulldogs. However there were ominous signs when Richmond players failed to break through the supporters’ club banner when running onto the ground.

In front of a crowd of over 46,000 the Tigers started well. Jack Riewoldt kicked the first goal and for the first ten minutes of the game the ball was kept in the Richmond half of the ground. On two occasions Richmond players ran too far with the ball, an unforgivable error in modern football. In spite of these simple skill errors, the Bulldogs could not capitalize on the resulting free kicks and peppered the point post in reply.

Matt White was on the receiving end of a quick and decisive series of handballs and kicked Richmond’s second goal at the 15 minute mark. The Bulldogs wasted chances late in the quarter and Richmond fans came to life when Nathan Foley kicked their third goal. With the Western Bulldogs held goal-less for the quarter, Tiger supporters had every reason to think their team was on target for an improved performance.

Richmond came out strongly and kicked their fourth goal early in the second quarter but it was only a matter of time before the Bulldogs woke up and took control. Two goals in two minutes had the Tigers on the back foot as the Bulldogs quickly closed the gap. Tempers became frayed when Brett Deledio received a solid punch to the head in an attempted spoil by defender Liam Picken who was reported for striking. Richmond drew the groans of the crowd when they could only score a behind from the resulting free kick and fifty meter penalty. When Dale Morris goaled half way through the quarter, the Bulldogs hit the front for the first time in the game. Minutes later Brad Johnson goaled from a difficult angle and when Shaun Higgins followed with another six pointer, the crank of the opening floodgates could be heard.

While the Richmond crowd screamed for Richard Tambling, having a horror match, to be taken off the ground, other Tigers mishandled the ball and were punished severely by the Bulldogs. Defender Jake King turned the ball over for a Brad Johnson goal. The die was cast when Tambling surrendered a golden opportunity in attack and Jason Akermanis scored a goal from his mistake.

In the final quarter it all went the Western Bulldog’s way. Matthew Richardson played a lone hand in trying to lift his team but in the end the Western Bulldogs ran out easy 47 point winners. While the Bullies look set to challenge top teams Geelong and St Kilda for a position in the Finals, Richmond continue to flounder at the bottom of the ladder and have their character and coaching staff questioned. If Richmond fail to win against Melbourne next week at the MCG, their credibility and 2009 Finals aspirations will be in tatters. The Western Bulldogs travel to Perth to play the out of form Eagles and should maintain their unbeaten record.

Scoreboard
Western Bulldogs    0.6 6.11 10.13 16.14 (110)
Richmond            3.4  4.8  7.10  8.15 (63)

Best
Western Bulldogs    J Akermanis, B Johnson, L Gilbee, S Higgins, D Cross
Richmond            M White, N Foley, M Richardson, S Tuck

Reports
L Picken (WB) striking