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Night Grand Final thoughts

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For a Grand Final I like to keep things simple. I listen to the build-up on the radio and I sit down to watch when they get to the anthem. I go out for a kick at half time but I try to catch the footballers sprint. When the game is over I go away and think about it for a while. Unlike most Richmond people I have no attachment to Mr Brightside because after the siren in 2017 I was up at the school kicking the footy in the gloom trying to make sense of what had happened. I couldn’t sit there and watch any longer once the Collingwood president started explaining it to me.
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For a Grand Final I like to keep things simple. I listen to the build-up on the radio and I sit down to watch when they get to the anthem. I go out for a kick at half time but I try to catch the footballers sprint. When the game is over I go away and think about it for a while. Unlike most Richmond people I have no attachment to Mr Brightside because after the siren in 2017 I was up at the school kicking the footy with Marcus in the gloom, trying to make sense of what had happened. I couldn’t sit there and watch TV any longer once the Collingwood president started explaining it to me.

The night Grand Final is no good for many footy lovers but that won’t matter, it will be here to stay if that’s what the AFL wants. I’m curious what the players think of the extended half time to allow for extended warbling and prancing. Cotch does not seem to be a fan.

I would like a bit of openness. We’ve lost a lot in footy this year – assistant coaches, womens teams, programs and initiatives that were considered ‘non core’, the entire VFL. How much extra money does a night grand final bring in? Where will that money go? Can we have some of our pre-Covid footy normality back?

I am never going to watch the “entertainment” because the footy is the entertainment. It doesn’t matter to me that the sequins or the fireworks or the lasers are going to show up better. It does matter to me that the AFL handed out 31,000 button battery-powered LED wristbands that are now being urgently recalled because of the danger to children. They’re a choking hazard but can cause horrific internal burns if swallowed.

Kids watching at home at least were safe from the batteries but I know many who were sent to bed at half time. I think that’s good parenting but how terrible that mums and dads have been put in that position.

Please let this be a one-off, a future quiz question. As a non-Melburnian I am fairly relaxed about the Grand Final being played elsewhere, but please let me have some daylight to kick the footy at half time. Let the kids watch. Let the players have a reasonable half time break in line with their usual habits, home and away and finals, for the rest of the season.

No more night Grand Finals.

Round 17 v Geelong at Carrara

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This was another low scoring affair, won by the Tigers – but at great cost. We lost Soldo for the season and probably a good chunk of early 2021, and Lynch went off with a hammy in the 3rd and won’t play next week. We were the better side; Geelong are chock full of big (ageing) names that just don’t deliver consistently. They had one goal to 3QT. Our radar was off; we kicked 2.5 in the first quarter and 2.8 in the third. We should have been gone out of sight by 3QT. Cameron Ling: “Richmond should be ten goals up”.
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This was another low scoring affair, won by the Tigers – but at great cost. We lost Soldo for the season and probably a good chunk of early 2021, and Lynch went off with a hammy in the 3rd and won’t play next week. We were the better side; Geelong are chock full of big (ageing) names that just don’t deliver consistently. They had one goal to 3QT. Our radar was off; we kicked 2.5 in the first quarter and 2.8 in the third. We should have been gone out of sight by 3QT. Cameron Ling: “Richmond should be ten goals up”.

In the last quarter when we were undermanned they made their move with their 2nd, 3rd and 4th goals in quick succession.

Important side note about Soldo’s injury: it was directly caused by Hawkins shoving his defender Balta into the pack. It’s dangerous, it’s against the spirit of the laws of the game and to my eyes it’s against the letter also. With HQ so keen to tweak rules at the moment I expect this get attention, but all that’s really required is umps to pay frees that are already in the rulebook. Hawkins copped a lot of hate through the week but he is not the only one who does it, probably just the strongest.

Castagna settled the game with a wonderful running goal. He received a handpass from Lambert on centre wing, then exchanged little passes with Graham and Bolton, before galloping to 40 and saluting. Wonderful stuff, and it came off the back of Hawkins down the other end marking then playing on and spraying a shot out of bounds.

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Benny Votes

As I love to do, I am working smarter not harder and I have lifted the votes and notes from Richmond legend @Tigers_of_Old.

5. Grimes. Best game all year against the best oppo.
4. Vlastuin. Not far behind just brilliant.
3. Riewoldt. Never write off a champ.
2. Balta. Challenge accepted.
1. McIntosh. Ran hard all night.

Leaderboard
26: Martin
22: Bolton
18: Grimes, Vlastuin
17: Short
14: Balta
12: McIntosh
11: Cotchin
10: Lambert, Graham, Riewoldt
9: Baker, McIntosh
7: Prestia, Pickett
6: Soldo
5: Higgins, Eggmolesse-Smith, Chol, Houli
4: Caddy
3: Lynch
2: Aarts
1: Castagna

Maurice Rioli Grip of Death Trophy for Tackles
Kane Lambert 48
Marlion Pickett 42
Trent Cotchin 42
Jack Graham 41
Dan Rioli 38

Round 15 v Fremantle at Carrara

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We’ve seen a lot of games like this in 2020 – low-scoring, constipated affairs played without much flair or fluency. There always seems to be too many players around the ball, especially in the forward 50-metre zone, where it’s inordinately hard to find any space or win clean possession. It’s frustrating to watch, and you can see that it’s frustrating for the players and coaches as well. In summary, this game was an unattractive scrap from which the Tigers did well to emerge with victory, on the back of only two quarters of good play. Looking for positive things to say about it all, this is what comes to mind:
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We’ve seen a lot of games like this in 2020 – low-scoring, constipated affairs played without much flair or fluency. There always seems to be too many players around the ball, especially in the forward 50-metre zone, where it’s inordinately hard to find any space or win clean possession. It’s frustrating to watch, and you can see that it’s frustrating for the players and coaches as well. In summary, this game was an unattractive scrap from which the Tigers did well to emerge with victory, on the back of only two quarters of good play. Looking for positive things to say about it all, this is what comes to mind:

Marlion Pickett seems to have really lifted his game in the past few weeks. His peculiar loping style is a pleasure to watch, and he’s one of those players who seem to make the game slow down when he has the ball. He has a special talent for subtly changing the angle of the play too, and I thought he was our best on the night. 

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Jayden Short’s run and dash has been a pleasure to watch all season. His ability to transfer quickly from defence into attack is as good as anyone’s and I don’t reckon he’s played a bad game all year.

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Fridge Graham has been playing with terrific, sustained intent. Get tackled by this bloke and you stay tackled. He’s not flashy but he’s brutally effective, and I hope his strong performances over recent weeks will be enough to cement his place in the team.

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Kamdyn McIntosh seems to have new hair but, fortunately, this hasn’t changed his distinctive running style or his cartoonish Popeye arm-flexing routine when he celebrates a goal or some other notable passage of play. In a game where a lot of our mid-fielders didn’t rise to any great heights, it was McIntosh and Pickett on the wings that carried much of our game ‘between the arcs’ (as they say in the commentary booth). 

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I don’t think this was a match than anyone will really want to revisit. But the Tigers won, so that’s what counts. Our next game against Geelong promises to be a bigger and better occasion.

Benny Votes

5. Marlion Pickett
4. Jayden Short
3. Jack Graham
2. Kamdyn McIntosh
1. Jake Aarts

Leaderboard
26: Martin
22: Bolton
17: Short
14: Vlastuin
13: Grimes
12: Balta
11: Cotchin, McIntosh
10: Lambert, Graham
9: Baker, McIntosh
7: Prestia, Riewoldt, Pickett
6: Soldo
5: Higgins, Eggmolesse-Smith, Chol, Houli
4: Caddy
3: Lynch
2: Aarts
1: Castagna

Maurice Rioli Grip of Death Trophy for Tackles
Kane Lambert 46
Marlion Pickett 42
Trent Cotchin 39
Jack Graham 38
Dan Rioli 36

Round 13 v Essendon at Marrara, Darwin

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Dreamtime at the G became Dreamtime at Marrara this year; the whole shebang shipped to Darwin. And you know, its a great occasion each year bringing Indigenous Australia to the city and to the greatest sporting venue in the world; but maybe it should travel more often. Richard Fejo launched it with a dynamite Welcome to Country. It must have felt so great to be there and be Larrakia Tiwi, Yolgnu, Jawoyn, any of the top end countrymen he welcomed so powerfully, the Noongar who are so well represented in footy, the Koori and Murri from the east, Tassie got a mention. It started the night on a great positive note.
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Dreamtime at the G became Dreamtime at Marrara this year; the whole shebang shipped to Darwin. And you know, its a great occasion each year bringing Indigenous Australia to the city and to the greatest sporting venue in the world; but maybe it should travel more often. Richard Fejo launched it with a dynamite Welcome to Country. It must have felt so great to be there and be Larrakia Tiwi, Yolgnu, Jawoyn, any of the top end countrymen he welcomed so powerfully, the Noongar who are so well represented in footy, the Koori and Murri from the east, Tassie got a mention. It started the night on a great positive note.

The first half was not sparkling football but the highlights belonged to a Dons debutant, Irving Mosquito. Lynch opened the scoring but shortly after the mid-sized and quick Mosquito got a match-up on Soldo and just got away from him to mark, and goal confidently.

Tippa (The Little Man™ J. Brayshaw) took a very brave mark and was lightly collected by Grimes. There was a lot of heated talk during the week after about Grimes, not so much for this as for when he flopped to win a free which meant a goal to Tipungwuti was overturned. He got death threats.

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It was 3 goals each at half time; Dons had been accurate, we had not. Dusty, Tom, Oleg, Dyl (!), Kam, Jack R and Jack G all missed, one after the other. Pretty excruciating. A rushed behind was sweet relief. Just before halftime with a total of four majors on the board, Mosquito improved things immensely swooping on a loose ball and running through a closing gap to kick his second. Shai answered quickly, Rioli another, and we went in 7 points up.

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Around that time Shai collected on the wing and hit Jack on the chest, one of the best kicks of the night. It went totally uncalled. Richo and Brayshaw were busy talking about Oleg’s barista moey. Sure, dull game, but keep half an eye out for class.

After kicking two before the break we started the third a volley of goals to Riewoldt, Dusty and Lambert. Shai and Dusty had control in the middle, and the Dons were a key back short after Francis went off with a hammy. Jack Graham had possibly his best ever roster match; he hit Lynch on the chest with a great pass and Lynch nearly killed Saad who bravely/unwisely got in the way.

From there Essendon got close a couple of time but we held them at arms length. After a neat pick up from Short, Graham bobbled it in low and Lynch used his body cleverly to allow it to run to Marbs who kicked it high into a tree. Merritt and The Little Man™ kicked consolation goals but we saw out time for a 12 point win.

Essendon 1.1 3.1 6.1 10.1.61
Richmond 1.5 3.8 7.10 10.13.73

Benny Votes
A bit unfair to Lynch, Soldo and Baker here but…
Dusty 5, Bolton 4, Graham 3, Vlastuin 2, Grimes 1
Leaderboard
25: Martin
22: Bolton
14: Vlastuin
13: Short, Grimes
10: Lambert
9: Baker, McIntosh
7: Prestia, Balta, Riewoldt, Cotchin
6: Soldo
5: Higgins, Eggmolesse-Smith, Chol
4: Caddy, Graham
3: Houli, Lynch
2: Pickett
1: Castagna, Aarts

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Round 11 v Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval

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A weird game. Umpires in white, goal umpires in black bomber jackets. Weird man. Ladhams freak goal, 7-foot bloke punting it off the outisde of his toe from the deep pocket – weird. Amon, Butters, Woodcock and other blokes not yet shaving were running us ragged. Suddenly they had 4 goals and we had none. Very 2014 EF vibes, and I could feel a hot wind in my face, even on the radio.
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A weird game. Umpires in white, goal umpires in black bomber jackets. Weird man. Ladhams freak goal, 7-foot bloke punting it off the outside of his toe from the boundary line – weird. Amon, Butters, Woodcock and other blokes not yet shaving were running us ragged. Suddenly they had 4 goals and we had none. Very 2014 EF vibes, and I could feel a hot wind in my face, even on the radio.

I said to the room “We’ll get back in to this; but we won’t win”. Mabs made an outstanding run. He ran back with the flight of an Egg kick, halved the contest, got to the spill first at top speed, shinned it on, then tapped it over an opponent, then gathered off the ground to get possession for the first time and immediately dished to Caddy who goaled. On Fox McGuire said “Mabior Chol stand up, we salute you. That was magnificent.” It really was.

We kicked the last three of the quarter to go to the huddle 7 points down.

QT Sellers on the radio said “Port kicked almost the first four goals of the game when you think about it”. Weird.

We’d rested Cotch, dropped Snags, brought back Rioli and Caddy. Might have been nice to have Trent out there come to think of it.

We hit the front briefly in the second.  A huge mark to Pickett went utterly uncalled by Ed who is still whinging about a free not paid to Port earlier. Aarts kicked a wonderful solo goal, dancing zigzagging in from the point post goal. half time siren beats Gray kicking his 3rd. 4 goals each this term and at the long break we’re 9 points down.

Big Dixon kicked another 7-footer’s freak goal as he was heading for row H at the time. Weird. Kmac collected a ground ball and showed incredible vision to hook it off his left to Stacky.

How did he see him? He can’t have seen him.

Port have been terribly wayward kicking 2.5 to our 4.3, and we go in a point up.

The last quarter started with Balta mistake for a Port goal, he was trying to do the quick hands and just rushed himself into a turnover. Then Dusty gave away a silly 50, and Caddy added another 50 to hand them another goal. This might have marked Josh’s card, as Dimma was as displeased as you’ll ever see him. And that was game over, we didn’t score after 3QT.

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On the stats they killed us (i50s 55-24) but we hung in until suddenly we couldn’t any longer. I believe there’s something about the way we defend that creates inaccurate scores.

Port Adelaide 4.4 8.6 10.11 13.15 (93)
Richmond 3.3 7.3 11.6 11.6 (72)
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Benny Votes
Again these are @Tigers_of_old’s best players
5 Bolton, 4 McIntosh, 3 Chol, 2 Short, 1 Vlastuin

Leaderboard
20: Martin
18: Bolton
12: Short
10: Lambert
9: Vlastuin, Baker, McIntosh
8: Grimes
7: Prestia, Balta
6: Soldo
5: Higgins, Vlastuin, Cotchin, Eggmolesse-Smith, Chol
4: Caddy
3: Prestia, Houli, Lynch
2: Riewoldt, Pickett
1: Castagna, Graham, Aarts

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Round 1 v Carlton at the MCG

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[written in retrospect in August] I approached this game like a hungry person who has been handed a hubcap full of cold baked beans. It does make you wonder how hungry you really are. There was no crowd due to Covid 19 social restrictions. Case numbers were climbing around Australia, and governments were scrambling to take measures to stop it. Local sport was cancelled everywhere, we were all avoiding touching anything and each other; I was wearing a mask to the shops at this time I think. And I didn’t think there was a place for AFL football to continue.
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[written in retrospect in August] I approached this game like a hungry person who has been handed a hubcap full of cold baked beans. It does make you wonder how hungry you really are. There was no crowd due to Covid 19 social restrictions. Case numbers were climbing around Australia, and governments were scrambling to take measures to stop it. Local sport was cancelled everywhere, we were all avoiding touching anything and each other; I was wearing a mask to the shops at this time I think. And I didn’t think there was a place for AFL football to continue.

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This was Marlion Pickett’s long-awaited 2nd game, in front of about 100K less people than game 1. The Tiges leapt out of the blocks, inspired by Jack Riewoldt. we kicked the first 5, then Kreuzer went down with an ankle injury. [He’s still not back as of August]. And that was the result fairly set, the rest of the evening was keeping them at arm’s length. New Blue Jack Martin was excellent, kicking 4 of their 12. Riewoldt, Shai, George and Dan Rioli all kicked 3 for the Tiges. Martin, Prestia, Bolton, Baker and Riewoldt were all excellent.

RICHMOND    7.2     11.3     14.5     16.9 (105)
CARLTON        2.1      3.5       8.7       12.9 (81)

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BENNY VOTES r1

Martin 5
Prestia 4
Bolton 3
Riewoldt 2
Baker 1

Corrected Leaderboard, after round 8
10: Lambert, Short, Martin, Bolton
8: Vlastuin
7: Prestia
6: Soldo
5: Higgins, Vlastuin, Cotchin, Eggmolesse-Smith, McIntosh, Baker
4: Grimes, Balta, Caddy
3: Prestia, Houli
2: Riewoldt
1: Lynch, Castagna, Chol, Graham

Round 3 v Hawthorn at the MCG

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My daughter’s soccer training has resumed on Thursday nights. Where once she trained in the afternoon at the end of our street, she now she trains at night in the Deep North of Reservoir at a ground named, I am told, after Trent Cotchin’s father.
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Thursday 18 June 2020

My daughter’s soccer training has resumed on Thursday nights.  Where once she trained in the afternoon at the end of our street, she now she trains at night in the Deep North of Reservoir at a ground named, I am told, after Trent Cotchin’s father.

This is not all bad.  I have plenty of time to call my Mum and only miss a bit of the start on the radio.  But by then Richmond are doing badly and it only gets worse.  Later I re-watch the first quarter just so I can record it for posterity.

There is no Dusty but we’ve won without him before and I’m not worried.  At the start of the game the players and umpires gather in the middle and take a knee in solidarity with their brothers and sisters for racial justice and then the game starts for real.  There is fake crowd noise leading up to the first bounce and this is quite extraordinary.  This was the most notable loss of atmosphere in the pre-pandemic AFL – the spine-tingling crescendo of crowd noise as the first bounce approached.  Well, the AFL destroyed that years ago and now it’s back, only it’s fake.  The lesson seems to be, you can have anything these days, so long as it’s not real.  I don’t want to think about that too much.

Rioli’s hair is a worry.   Its’ far too short and we all know what happened to Bontempelli and to Samson when their long locks were shorn.  Richmond are good in the first few minutes.  Prestia attempts a long-range soccered goal which goes out on the full.  Does his grin afterward suggest he can’t take this crowd-less game seriously?  Then Shai Bolton misses from right in front.  The Hawks rebound quickly and Vlaustin gives away a free to Gunston who kicks it.  I whinge about the umpiring, but it was there and we’d have taken it if it had gone to us.

Hawthorn attack again and force a turnover as Richmond try to clear.  Wingard out-marks Stack, plays on and goals and it’s two goals to one point.  We attack but the Hawks win a 50 and in no time Breust kicks another.  Richmond can’t get anything going.  Kicks go straight to Hawthorn players, the Hawks attack again and O’Meara goals.  It’s four goals to none and the short quarter is barely half over.  Among other things I hate, I hate how Hawthorn have a player called Hardwick.  It’s not right.

Riewoldt takes a good mark on the flank but his kick is marked by one of the four Hawk defenders it falls to.  Pickett kicks it straight to McEvoy and clearly some basic instructions need to go out to our boys.  With 16 seconds left Ceglar tackles Stack and wins a free right in front, and the fake fans make quite a racket.

Quarter time score:  Hawthorn 5.1.33 to Richmond 0.1.1

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Richmond make some progress after this, but in the end it’s the first quarter that kills us.  We lost that by 32 points and we lost the game by 32.  In the last term we actually threaten to make an unlikely comeback. But our set shots are abysmal.  Lynch’s miss from the top of the goal-square is the worst but he has plenty of mates.  Bad kicking is bad footy and we’ve been outplayed all night.

Final score:  Hawthorn 11.6.71 to Richmond 5.9.39

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Vlaustin might be our best player.  Our four Jacks don’t do much.  I wonder how hard it is for Richmond, in particular, to play in front of no crowd.  Our players and our coach always thanked our fans for their noise and passion.  It can’t be easy when that’s taken away and in an even competition every little edge counts.

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Next Saturday we play the Saints at Docklands which will be even more soul-less than usual.  I would like to say I’m looking forward to it, but I’m not.

Benny Votes

Vlastuin 5, Grimes 4, Short 3, Cotchin 2, Castagna 1

Leaderboard
5: Higgins, Vlastuin, Cotchin
4: Soldo, Grimes
3: Short
2: Houli
1: Lynch, Castagna

Blair Hartley Appreciation Award: for players who have joined Richmond from another club
(Eligible 2020: Caddy, Grigg, Houli, Lynch, Nankervis and Prestia)

Houli 2, Lynch 1

Anthony Banik Best First Year Player:for anyone who was yet to debut before round 1
(Eligible 2020: Collier-Dawkins, Dow, Turner, English, Martyn, Cumberland, Aarts, Ralphsmith, Nyuon, Miller)

No votes yet

Joel Bowden’s Golden Left Boot:for left footers
(Eligible 2020: Chol, Nankervis and Houli)

Houli 2

Greg Tivendale Rookie List Medal:
upgraded from the rookie list during the current season

(Eligible 2020: Aarts, Baker, Chol, Eggmolesse-Smith, Stack and Pickett)

Maurice Rioli Grip of Death Trophy:
For the Tiges top tackler in 2020

Soldo 15
Pickett 11
Cotchin, Prestia 10
Bolton 9

10 of the best: Brenda Palmer

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Social distance: Brenda at her front gate with persimmons (“My husband used to eat them”).

Brenda is going okay.

She’s doing a lot of crosswords, and gardening, and watching replays of old footy games – presumably ones we won. (Does anyone watch replays of a game lost?).

I knocked on her door yesterday afternoon to surprise her with a delivery, five plump homegrown persimmons from two trees I planted for each of our boys.

She opened the door, called out my name – Dugald! – and this was Brenda: personable, matter-of-fact, warm-natured, engaging with the world, and in her slippers.

I asked for her photograph. “Wait a minute, I’ll do my hair”.

For all who don’t know, Brenda is maybe Richmond’s most fabulous supporter, although she’s known more widely as the longest-serving supermarket employee at Coles.

Or as she says: the “oldest check-out chick in Australia”.

You may have heard her on the radio, seen her on the TV, advocating for mature-age employees, for working until later life. She is a treasure, and a total character.

Welcome mat: Brenda with her collection of scarves sewn into a bedspread, as she showed me in May 2016.

I first knocked on her door in the depths of the 2016 season, on a Sunday morning after a half-hearted Richmond loss the night before, and her pragmatism cheered me, her perspective, and back then I couldn’t imagine where we are now: two premierships and a pandemic, and me delivering a handful of persimmons to her door.

*

Since writing about her, a few things about Brenda I ought to share:

She’s now a sprightly 88.

A few weeks back, asking how she was, she said Coles have paid her not to work, news I found heartening. Her age and her job put her in a high-risk category for the virus. She is one in the community who needs to be especially cautious. She is also a great asset to her employer. To all of us. She teaches us things about ourselves, sets an example, shows us how a life can be lived. I am thankful to Coles for looking after her.

(And she tells me many customers have asked after her, asking when she’ll be back, concerned for her welfare).

After interviewing Brenda four years ago I returned and fixed her front gate. It’d dropped on its hinges. Needed to be lifted over the latch before it could be opened. When working, Brenda leaves home in the morning dark to start her early shift. I asked if it was a nuisance. She said it was. I returned on my bicycle, then rode to the hardware store for a few coach screws, and took me two goes at it, was a bit trickier than it looked, but it was done and now swings freely. She was grateful.  

Young and old: Brenda at the Bowderbird launch party.

Late November I launched my new venture, Bowerbird Gardens, a calling to keep me gainfully employed, and many gathered in our back lane and Brenda came along with a few other Richmond friends – bless them all – and she interrupted my speech.

“I’ve got a bone to pick with you,” she told the crowd.

When I spoke with Brenda for her fan profile (republished, below), she said I told her how I’d once taken our two young boys to school by wheelbarrow (true), and had said if Richmond ever won a premiership I’d take her for a ride in it, too.

Was a promise made when I thought Richmond might never win another flag. Not in my lifetime, and certainly not in hers.

I have several wheelbarrows, I told Brenda and the crowd, and I was willing to uphold my promise and take her for a ride.

Where would you like to go?

Sharp as a tack, her reply: “Oh, I haven’t been to Albury for a while”.

*

One last thing about Brenda.

We vote for opposing political parties and probably always have and will.

When I visited her house she had a calendar on her fridge, from the then local Federal MP for Higgins. I commented on this. Her being a Liberal Party voter. Told her how my beliefs are at the other end of the political spectrum. She shrugged her shoulders, poured me a cup of tea. Was a nice brew.

I love the way football does this. It brings us together.

It reaffirms that despite all our differences – political outlook, belief systems, education and income levels – we are all roughly equal before the bounce of a ball. We all love the game, our club, it’s players, in much the same way.

These are things to hold onto in times like these.

I have much respect and admiration for Brenda, and surely always will, and know she is loved deeply by the broad church of the Richmond family.

Barrack for Brenda?

Where do you join the cheer squad?

Oh we’re from Tigerland: Brenda Palmer

Brenda Palmer, 84, “a Malvern girl”

Favourite all-time player:
Royce Hart – “There was always something happening when Royce Hart was on the field. A friend of mine who barracked for South Melbourne said to me, ‘when Royce Hart runs on the field he just speaks football’.”

Favourite current player:
Dustin Martin – “I love them all but there’s no one who stands out. I think I’ve got a fixation with who wears number four. Matty Rogers was the homecoming hero last week and I was very fond of him. I used to call him ‘dreamboat’. And I do have a real soft spot for Dusty.”

A family affair: at the game with two of her grandchildren.

Half-time at the football on Saturday night, three goals down, a forlorn season on a precipice, and I find Brenda Palmer at her usual seat on the fence with a smile. The happiness comes with being there, with her family and friends. “Where there’s life there’s hope,” she says. “What they did in the first half, we can do in the second.”

Sunday morning and I knock on her door, where she’s lived for more than sixty years, beside where Kevin Sheedy’s childhood home, and she offers the perspective of someone who’s seen a bit of football in her time. She remembers Jack Dyer as a player (“he seemed to stand over everyone else”), the lean years of the 1950s (“before the miracle happened in Tommy Hafey”), and knows of all the grand finals and wooden spoons.

“We’re all hurting and feeling dejected,” she says. “But the sun will still come up in the morning.”


Th day after the night before: “the sun will still come up in the morning”.

Listening to Brenda talk about football, about Richmond, about her family and her life, it’s a tonic. She offers the moderation of experience, of a full-life lived, of the pluck and tenacity of what it is to be a Tiger.

“In the last forty-odd years you could just about count it on one hand how many games I’ve missed in Melbourne,” she says.

Not surprising when you consider this: just after six o’clock each weekday morning she walks up to the Coles supermarket in Malvern to start her work shift. “They’ve worked out I’m the oldest check-out chick in Australia,” she says. She took a job when the store opened in July 1967, and 49 years later she’s a local celebrity, still serving customers.

Brenda Palmer (nee Schofield) was born in Deniliquin (Sam Lloyd country) in 1932, the youngest of five daughters (Mildred, Beryl, Sybil, Winifred) to a returned soldier, a builder by trade who moved his family to Melbourne in 1939 when war broke out.  They bought a house near Malvern station and as a young girl, catching the train to the city, Brenda’s eye roved toward Richmond.

“Coming past in the train, I could see them in their yellow and black jumpers, and I thought it looked interesting, what those men are doing there,” she says. “I thought I’d come back one day to find out what it was all about.”

Return to the ground she did, as a teenager, when Captain Blood was still playing, when Melbourne’s suburban grounds were like churches, when Richmond was known still as ‘Struggletown’ and the game was played between hard men with bare knuckles. “Players back then had a bit of mongrel in them,” she says. “You don’t get anywhere being a gentleman all the time.”

Brenda married in 1952, to a grocer (“he was born and bred in Port Melbourne”) who on Sundays played football for the Graham Family Hotel, in Richmond’s colours on the Lagoon Reserve oval. Together they bought a house on the other side of Glenferrie Road, in Armadale, and family life took hold with three children and a busy social schedule.

It was Brenda’s only daughter, her eldest child, Carolyn, remembered fondly by all in Richmond’s cheer squad, who brought her back to the football. It was 1967 and their next-door neighbour, Kevin Sheedy, a De La Salle boy who played for the Prahran two-blues in the VFA, moved to Richmond amid controversy and Carolyn took her mother along to see him in the big league.

For the two of them, it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

“We were right on the cusp of a glorious era,” she says. “Sixty-seven, sixty-nine, seventy-three, seventy-two, we played in all those finals. It’s wonderful. You have to live through a period like that to know how wonderful it is.”

Badge of honour: part of Brenda’s collection of Richmond badges.

On Sunday morning, the sports pages of the newspaper spread on a table, Brenda makes a cuppa tea, and talks about football and I could listen all day. She says she liked visiting St Kilda’s old ground, the Junction Oval, and “the little Hawthorn ground”, both “just a tram ride away”. Of Glenferrie Oval, she says: “It was so small if they kicked it one way it landed on the railway line and if they kicked it the other way it landed in the street. And one day we were there it landed in the fish fryer.”

Her least favourite ground was Victoria Park. “It was like stepping into a different world going over there.”

She also didn’t much like visiting Kardinia Park. “It was never very friendly down there. They used to always open up the gates for all their members, and we would be the last in, and we had to sit in a designated section. And if there wasn’t enough room for us, well, bad luck.”

What she remembers most about Punt Road Oval, and the Western Oval, is the mud. “The Footscray ground was notorious for it,” she says. “The players would be so covered in mud you couldn’t even read their numbers or hardly tell who they were.”

Richmond, a dish best served hot.


R

In 1970 her daughter Carolyn met under-19s Richmond player Graham Gaunt at a BBQ at Punt Road Oval. Six years later they married, and Richmond literally became part of her family, and weekends were spent at the games, and afterwards at the clubrooms for player roasts and mock weddings and fundraising events.

“None of my family barrack for anything else except Richmond,” she says. “Except for my son Bruce’s wife, who says she barracks for Carlton, but she wouldn’t know what a football was. Almost the first word all the children say is ‘Tiger’. Half of them say it before they say ‘dad’ or ‘mum’.”

Of Richmond’s immediate concerns, she’s philosophical. Brenda has known good times and bad, and knows how quickly they can turn, and how life’s full of hurdles. In the past 10 years she’s lost her husband, Alan, two of her sisters, one of her sons, and a little more than two years ago her most loyal football companion, Carolyn, who died not long after being diagnosed with cancer.

But still there is the football, other family and friends, and her front row seat in the Olympic Stand pocket.

She said she has read some of the “nasty things” some Richmond fans have posted after Saturday night’s loss about the team or club on Facebook. “That’s not them, that’s the hurt coming out,” she says. “You’ve got to get rid of that hurt somewhere, and that’s how those people do it.”

Each room of her house is adorned with Richmond memorabilia, keepsakes, trinkets, with boxes full of badges and framed photographs, and there’s no doubting her loyalty to something that’s been a part of her life for the longest time. “For Richmond to be so unsuccessful since the early eighties and still have 70,000 members is a credit to both the club and the supporters.”

Brenda will be at the game on Friday night, as she always is. And like the rest of us, she hopes our performance against Hawthorn, with backs to the wall, is a credit to each and every player.

Go TigesI

A Tiger in Madagascar

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TTBB’s old mate and constant supporter Tiger Tommo, last heard of in Kenya, is currently working in Madagascar. He’s just been in touch to say he’s coming to town for Round 1, he’ll be outside the G with a radio and a few beers.

EDIT: this has been overtaken by events. As of midnight tonight all arrivals in Australia are required by law to self isolate for 14 days. Tommo won’t be at the MCG and that is terrible for him, having come so far.

TTBB is in favour of these measures. We love our footy but these strong measures instituted early will save lives. We have to learn from what has happened in other countries, where people now wish events has closed down earlier.

There will be thousands of sad stories like Tommo’s, but we’ll get through this by sticking together and all staying apart.

AFLW r5 v Greater Western Sydney at Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga

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I have missed all of our AFLW matches since round 1 which isn’t good and our team still haven’t won a game which isn’t good either.  On the other hand, at least I haven’t missed our first win in this competition. This match isn’t on the telly but the streaming over the internet thingy works surprisingly well.  For the first half I’m getting dinner ready as I watch but for the second half I plug the laptop into the telly and enjoy – if that’s the word – the game from the couch.

5.10pm Saturday 7 March 2020

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I have missed all of our AFLW matches since round 1 which isn’t good and our team still haven’t won a game which isn’t good either.  On the other hand, at least I haven’t missed our first win in this competition.

This match isn’t on the telly but the streaming over the internet thingy works surprisingly well.  For the first half I’m getting dinner ready as I watch but for the second half I plug the laptop into the telly and enjoy – if that’s the word – the game from the couch.

Our first quarter is pretty good.  After the Giants get the first goal Conti makes a great run through the middle, kicks long from outside 50 and the ball is gathered and kicked through the big sticks by Bernardi and there’s only two points in it.  But not too long after that Privitelli gets away from her several Tiger defenders to mark and goal.  I don’t think much of it at the time, but it sets a pattern of sleepy defending that will hurt us badly.

Quarter time score:  GWS 2.5.17 to Richmond 1.1.7

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The Giants are clearly the better team in the second term but miss lots of chances.  Stahl takes a very brave mark in the middle of the ground for us and Monahan clears well from defence a couple of times but there seems to be little system to our game and passes rarely find a team-mate.  At the main break only the Giants’ poor kicking for goal is keeping us in it.

Half-time score:  GWS 3.8.26 to Richmond 1.2.8

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The Giants keep missing in the third term, but it seems that even their points will be enough to beat us.  Beeson hits the post after marking Privitelli’s pass very easily and then Barr misses from right in front.  Grace Campbell defends bravely for the Tigers and wins a free but the siege of our backline continues and the inside-50 count is 21 to 10 for the afternoon.

From a stoppage the Giants’ Irish giant Staunton storms through and kicks another goal.  Privitelli takes another very good mark and hits the post.  Richmond attack a couple of times but can’t find the big sticks either.  Frederick takes a big mark 55 out but Conti can’t hold her kick into the 50 and nothing comes of it.  Frederick marks again, runs into the forward line and kicks a point and at the last break it’s the Giants by 28.

Three-quarter-time score:  GWS 4.13.37 to Richmond 1.3.9

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Phoebe Monahan is moved into the middle in the last quarter which might be a good move.  We need something to change, that’s for sure.  On the other hand, we probably miss her in the back-line and the Giant’s pile on the damage in the last.  After Bernardi kicks another point from a set shot Staunton marks again, plays on again and kicks her third.

Frederick hits the behind post and the Giants attack again.  Staunton marks and plays on, yet again and goals and it seems as if nobody wants to tackle her.

Hannah Burchell for the Tigers wins a holding-the-ball free for a very good tackle, but her kick falls short.  Monahan snaps and misses.  There’s a big scuffle near the bench, the Giants are awarded a 50 and Staunton marks yet again.  Privitelli marks her kick and scores from the tight angle with seven seconds left.  The siren is a great relief.  It’s the Giants’ highest ever AFLW score and their biggest ever winning margin.

Summary

Not a lot of joy for the Tigers this afternoon.  The effort and ferocity which were a real feature of our game in round one seem to have lessened and a more skilful and experienced team like the Giants can then do much as they please. This seems especially so in the last quarter when the Giants buried us.

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Best players for Richmond:  Conti, Monahan, Bernardi, Frederick.  Grace Campbell also showed some skill and bravery and Kate Dempsey showed promise in her first AFLW match.

The Maureen for best player
5 votes – Monica Conti
4 votes – Phoebe Monahan
3 votes – Christina Bernardi
2 votes – Sabrina Frederick
1 votes – Grace Campbell 

Leaderboard
20 Monahan
18 Conti
10 Campbell
8 Bernardi
6 Wakefield
4 Makur Chuot, Frederick
2 Brennan, Edmonds
1 Stahl

The Kate Sheahan Shield for players recruited with AFLW experience [eligible: Burchall, Bailey, Tesoreiro, Frederick, Bernardi, Conti, Whitford, Ross, Makur Chuot, Monahan]
20 Monahan
18 Conti
8 Bernardi
4 Makur Chuot, Frederick
2 Brennan

The Peggy O’Neal Claret Jug for best AFLW first year player [eligible: everyone else not in above list]
10 Campbell
6 Wakefield
2 Edmonds

The Kate Dixon Grip of Death for our top tackler
25 – Conti, Jacques,
22 – Campbell
21 – Sansonetti
17 – Woodward
16 – Brennan
14 – Molan, Monahan

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