Round 12 Scores Part 2

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

RICH  6.3  12.8   14.12   18.16 (124)
MELB  2.2   2.4     8.6    11.9 (75)

GOALS: RICH - Brown 3, Richardson 3, Pettifer 3, Tivendale 3, Deledio 2, Hyde 2, Johnson, Tuck; MELB - Holland 3, Davey 2, Jones, McLean, Bate, Johnson, Petterd, Robertson

BEST: RICH - Tuck, Foley, Tivendale, J. Bowden, Richardson, Polak; MELB - White, Davey, Holland, Green, Sylvia, Bate

INJURY: RICH - Polo (shoulder) replaced in selected side by Tivendale, Krakouer (calf); MELB - Neitz (finger) replaced in selected side by Yze, Holland (nose), Yze (groin)

UMPIRES: Donlon, James, Rosebury

CROWD: 46,161 at the MCG

The Tigers made Nathan Brown's comeback game a memorable one as did Brown himself. He started in the forward line and played out much more of the game than expected and performed beyond anyone's expectations. He roamed freely, kicking and setting up goals to the delight of Tiger fans, who gave him several standing ovations when he came on and off the ground.

The Tigers dominated the first five minutes of the game, but couldn't translate that dominance on the scoreboard with just one goal from four scoring shots. Brown then sparked the Tigers with a goal and set up Pettifer for the next. Hyde banged through two goals in a minute with the second coming when Polak kicked the ball to an unmanned Hyde in the goalsquare. Halfway through the term, the Tigers were four goals up and Brown was off for a rest. The Demons kicked two but so did Richmond to be 25 points ahead at 1/4 time.

The first three Richmond goals for the second quarter came from free kicks, before kicking three more on their own terms. Robertson soared for a great airborne grab, but his kick went wide for just a point. Melbourne managed just one more point for the term, leaving the Tigers with a hefty 64 point lead at 1/2 time.

Melbourne played much better in the third term. Holland, who had endured a horror first half, bagged three goals, followed by Davey, Johnson, and Bate to cut Richmond's lead. The Tigers steadied with goals to Brown and Tivendale to lead by 42 points at 3/4 time.

The final term was mere formality as the Tigers added four goals to Melbourne's three. One of those goals was kicked by Brown. He marked on the lead (caught the ball) and goaled, after which every Tiger within sprinting distance mobbed him.

COL  3.5   6.11   8.13   10.16 (76)
SYD  1.1   2.1    3.4     8.9 (57)

GOALS: COL - Thomas 4, Rocca 3, Cloke, Pendlebury, Didak; SYD - O'Loughlin 2, Hall 2, Everitt, Ablett, O'Keefe, Goodes

BEST: COL - O'Bree, Pendlebury, H. Shaw, Thomas, Rocca, Cloke, Burns, Licuria; SYD - O'Keefe, Kirk, Goodes, Fosdike

INJURY: SYD - Davis (ankle) replaced in selected side by Grundy

Umpires: Vozzo, Margetts, Ryan

CROWD: 64,222 at Telstra Stadium

The Swans committed a number of skill errors, especially in the first half and it was only Collingwood's inaccuracy when shooting for goal which kept them in the game. Goals to Thomas and Rocca had the Pies out to a 14 point lead. Ablett nailed Sydney's only goal late in the term but Pendlebury took a strong mark and goal to finish off the term and leave the Pies with a 16 point lead at 1/4 time.

The Pies stretched their lead even further with two goals to Rocca to start the second term. When Thomas slammed through another, the Pies were 35 points clear midway through the term. Again, they could have been further in front but for some wayward kicking for goal. O'Keefe was the only goalkicker for Sydney in the term, leaving Collingwood 34 points ahead at 1/2 time.

The third term was equally low-scoring for both sides and it took almost 10 minutes for a goal to be registered to Didak,giving the Pies a 40 point lead. O'Loughlin booted one for Sydney but Cloke, who had earlier missed three kicks on goal, didn't make the same mistake a fourth time and Collingwood was 39 points up at 3/4 time.

Hall finally got away from Wakelin to kick a goal, followed by Hall, Everitt, and a great running goal from Goodes gave Swan fans some hope. That hope was dashed with an equally brilliant goal from Thomas who snaffled the ball near the boundary line and kicked it from a difficult angle. Rocca popped one through for the Pies to ensure there would be no miracle comeback for the Swans. Hall added a consolation goal after the siren.

STK  3.3   10.6   12.7   15.9 (99)
WCE  3.4    4.5   10.7   11.10 (76)

GOALS: STK - Koschitzke 4, Baker 2, Milne 2, Dal Santo 2, Rix, X. Clarke, Gilbert, Riewoldt, Montagna;  WCE - Braun 2, Seaby 2, Lynch 2, R. Jones, Hurn, Le Cras, Graham, Cox

BEST: STK - Koschitzke, Montagna, Dal Santo, Clarke, Harvey; WCE - Braun, Cox, Seaby, Hurn, Stenglein

UMPIRES: Head, Hendrie, Goldspink

CROWD: 39,401 at Subiaco Oval

The Saints may not have been able to deliver a premiership for their midfield maestro Robert Harvey but they were determined to make his 350th game a memorable one. They pledged to do so at his testimonial dinner last week. Their cause was helped with the absence of Chris Judd, a late withdrawal with a groin injury. Also missing were Eagle playmakers Andrew Embley, Chad Fletcher, Ashley Hansen and, of course, Ben Cousins. With so many missing, the Eagle midfield was a shadow of the side that usually dominates all comers. In contrast, the Saints had Harvey as well as the likes of Dal Santo, Ball, and Montagna. They simply outran and outplayed the Eagles. Up forward, the height of Riewoldt, Koschitzke and Gilbert stretched the Saint defense.

Braun opened the scoring for the Eagles but the Saints were quick to reply through Koschitzke. The sides went goal for goal in the opening term. Missed shots on goal left the game up for grabs and the Eagles with a one point lead at 1/4 time.

The Saints kept the pressure on in the second term with Harvey leading the midfield which fed the ball to the waiting forwards. While Harvey racked up the possessions in the midfield, Koschitzke bagged two more goals for the term as the Saints romped away with six goals to one. Gilbert capped off the term with a magnificent long kick from 50 meters (55 yards) to give the Saints a 37 point lead at 1/2 time.

The Saints kicked two of the first three goals to be out to a 44 point lead midway through the third term. The Eagles rallied with the next five goals to bet trail by just 12 points at 3/4 time.

Another miracle win looked imminent when Lynch's goal slashed the Saints' lead even further. However, the Saints were not going to be denied and were not going have Harvey's party ruined. They kicked the next three goals and the defense held firm to stave off any Eagle rally.

STANDINGS

       W   L   D   FOR    AGST     %     PTS
GEEL   9   3       1358    874   155.38   36
HAW    8   4       1157    945   122.43   32
WCE    8   4       1100    912   120.61   32
COL    8   4       1120   1043   107.38   32
ADE    7   5        989    885   111.75   28
ESS    7   5       1201   1162   103.36   28
WB     7   5       1223   1222   100.08   28
PA     7   5       1127   1130    99.73   28

KANG   7   5       1101   1137    96.83   28
SYD    6   6        999    904   110.51   24
FRE    5   7       1155   1188    97.22   20
STK    5   7        913   1032    88.47   20
BRIS   4   7   1    958   1076    89.03   18
CARL   4   8       1239   1524    81.30   16
MELB   2  10        938   1245    75.34    8
RICH   1  10   1   1049   1348    77.82    6

GOALS
Fevola (CARL)     38
Pavlich (FRE)     37
Johnson (WB)      36
Franklin (HAW)    35
Lucas (ESS)       34
Lloyd (ESS)       31
Welsh (ADE)       29
Richardson (RICH) 29
Mooney (GEEL)     28

Source: Melbourne Age & Herald Sun