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I had hoped to get to this game but there was a clash with a delayed Mothers’ day event and so I watched it on telly instead. I watched the last quarter live and caught up this morning with the first half.

Shedda is captain again which is always good. Queen is playing loudly which is not. Brian Taylor is “Not sure about the drums” which have been a Richmond tradition going back to 2016 or so. Gillie says it’s about getting the crowd going, which of course is the complete opposite of what the drums and all the loud music is about, which is getting the crowd right out of it. I love Gillie and think BT is a fool, but even fools can be right about some things.

The Hawks start well and Richmond don’t apply too much pressure – only 17 tackles to half-time, Tim Watson says. Luckily the Hawks can’t kick straight and this keeps the Tigers in it.

Scully appears to score, but of course there’s a review before it’s declared a goal. Hawks 1 goal to none. Hawks are looking good early, confident and quick but the Tigers smother their next attack. Ivan Soldo is in the ruck, game number nine, but his first for this year. We are told he is Maric’s cousin, which is reason enough to pick him. Martin makes a good break and does a quick one-two with Lambert, then gets the ball across to McIntosh, but the Hawks clean up.

BT says Richmond haven’t lost to anyone at the ‘G in 33 months except twice by bloody Collingwood. Well he just said “Collingwood,” but I can’t say or write that name without an adjective.

Vlaustin kicks very well to Higgins who takes a brave mark and cops a strong bump for his trouble. When he’s on song Vlaustin’s kicking is beautiful. Another Richmond attack is repelled by the Hawks who rebound well but only get a point for their trouble.

Ryan Garthwaite is in the team too, for game number five.

Higgins is pinged for a throw after what some would call a clever tap. It seems harsh when I think of the blatant throws people get away with, but there you go. Who’d be an umpire?

Breust for the Hawks has a very gettable shot and misses. Hawthorn have had five shots on goal and lead 1.4 to 0. We are very lucky to be still in it.

Houli is having another good game, kicking is on target and he’s working his legs off, as usual. Sicily is giving Lynch a hard time, which is impressive, in a way, given he’s so much smaller, but appalling, in another, considering he’s wearing that awful jumper and his target is Our Tom.

Another beautiful 50-meter kick from Vlaustin to Higgins who marks well, goes back and kicks it. Then obediently runs off the ground, as is the fashion in modern footy. Don’t want anyone kicking too many goals at once, be bad for the team balance, or something.
Ellis makes a very good interception but Castagna is pinged for dropping the ball once we get it inside the 50.
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Breust kicks another for the Hawks and they lead 2.4 to 1.0.
Mcintosh makes a huge run-down tackle but doesn’t win a free. Vlaustin, in a great bit of play, gets it to Balta who has three bounces and puts it out on the full. I do love Balta, he’s huge, very quick and doesn’t mind a bounce. There’s plenty of good bits of play from the Tigers but overall they’re not putting it together.
Breust misses again. Lynch marks from a good kick from Grimes. Lynch’s kick is high and straight and Tigers trail 2.5 to 2.1.
Lynch takes another mark inside 50 but kicks out of bounds.
Lambert snaps and misses.

McEvoy of the Hawks is off injured and won’t come back. Higgins marks inside 50 and then waits before passing to Martin, quite close but on a bit of an angle. It’s his 13th touch of the footy for the quarter and he kicks after the siren and goals. Without him and the Hawks poor kicking we would have been in strife.
Quarter time score 3.2.20 to 2.5.17
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Balta sends a huge kick to Baker who turns too slowly and is run down and tackled. Lynch wins a 50 and goals from about 30 out. Tigers 26 to 17.
Hawks miss again. Looking dangerous in attack but they can’t finish. Long may it be so. Moore for the Hawks makes another miss. Grimes is having a bit of a day out and is quite the attacking defender. Another good kick from him into the forward line leads to a snapped goal from Caddy. Richmond are in front 5.5 to 2.7.

Hawthorn string some passes together and score, now 5.5 to 3.7. Hawks miss again, 36 to 26. Lots of pressure by both teams and it seems very hard for anyone to string passes together and break free.
Ellis, who is also having a bit of a day out, finds Baker on the 50 with his left foot. Baker kicks and finds Martin in the pocket. Martin goes back and kicks it with three seconds left in the quarter.
Half time 42 to 26

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Third quarter
Two quick goals to Breust makes it a close game. Things are not working so well for Richmond, passes are going astray, players are caught with the footy. Eventually a long kick into the 50 is brought to ground by Lynch, Caddy gathers and kicks from 45, a lucky bounce sees it over for a goal.

A brilliant break by the Tigers sees them suddenly outnumber the Hawks. Astbury kicks out, but the Hawks win the ball back and are stringing some good passes together until Player X intercepts the ball, it goes to Prestia, he handballs to Balta who runs bounces and runs and bounces and handballs, over the top to Castagna who nearly kicks it over the Ponsford.

It’s a brilliant transition as the Richmond players run into space once they have the footy. I can’t see who Player X was who started it all with his interception. It seems to be one of our smaller defenders. When we come back from the ad Watson is praising him. It’s Edwards, of course.

Houli is having a good game. He gives the ball away and then follows up with a tackle from which there is no escape. Bolton kicks into the 50 and Lynch marks strongly but the umpire gives the ball to Macintosh for being held. Mac drills it and Lynch pats him on the head, so there are no hard feelings, apparently. Richmond by 21 points.

With Lewis and McEvoy injured, it’s little surprise that the Hawks are being out-run. Ellis marks a Hawthorn kick, goes across ground to Vlaustin who kicks long and low to Baker who marks about 40 out and goes back for the set shot. It’s a huge kick from the young feller, from the 50, plenty of height and length and it sneaks through for a goal. Tigers by 22, with three minutes left in the term.
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Great bit of pressure in the forward line, Dusty should have gotten a free but didn’t.

Impey is very good for Hawthorn. Is it just me or are there smaller, highly skilled players around at the moment than they used to be? Richmond seem to have six or ten of them in the side each week and other teams seem to be catching on.

Mac passes into the 50 and Balta runs in from the side and takes a great grab. Kicks it from about 25, Tigers by 28.

11.7 to 6.9 at the last break

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I can hear the grating voice of the spruiker loud and clear as the play is about to re-start. There are 60 thousand in the ground but almost no crowd noise at the break, even as the ball is about to be bounced.

Mac has a good chance but misses the set shot. Balta gathers a spilled ball, moves into space and sends a great kick that’s marked by Higgins who hits the post. Tigers by 31.

A great Vlaustin tackle causes a turnover, Edwards gets it to Baker who gets it to someone who kicks very well from outside the 50 and near the boundary. Caddy pounces on the ball and snaps for a goal. Tigers by 30.
Gunston has a good chance to pull one back but misses an easy shot.

Vlaustin takes a handball from Martin, turns and kicks from 55. Kick is high and handsome and Richmond are up by 36 points. Vlaustin has his kicking boots on today. Along with Astbury and Grimes he has gone up a level or two since Rance was injured.

Hawthorn have a lot of space in their forward line and Dylan Moore scores his first goal in AFL footy. Richmond by 30.

Menadue passes to Baker who takes a good overhead mark and passes to Lynch who marks well. He goes back and kicks from the 50, straight, high and long and the Tigers are up by six goals. From the bounce Martin passes to Baker who has a kick from outside 50 after the siren. He tries a torp which goes right off the side of his boot. It is very pleasing to see him smile after this and even more pleasing to see him try a torpedo. It would be a great shame were this art to be lost to the tyranny of the drop punt.

It’s a very good win by the Tigers, especially considering Hawthorn’s demolition of the Giants at this ground last week. We have unearthed a lot of young players who are filling the big boots of Rance, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Nankervis, Short, Butler and Grigg. Lynch is settling in well. The run of the team when they win a turnover is often breathtaking and the skill in execution is a sight.
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Dusty was best on ground. A truckload of possessions, about half of them contested. Ellis was very good too, as was Grimes, Astbury and Vlaustin. Edwards, another good game. But a very even performance. At least a dozen players could have gotten votes – Houli, as almost always, Baker, Stack, Caddy, as is his happy habit, kicked goals when we really needed them. Balta was very exciting. Has there ever been such a big player who liked to bounce the ball so much?

Today in the paper Hardwick, as is the Richmond way now, admitted fault and said he often didn’t see the positive side of Ellis ‘game. How I love Dimma and his boys.

I think we’ll give the Bombers a hard time next week, as usual.

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Benny Votes by Chris

Martin 5, Houli 4, Ellis 3, Vlastuin 2, Balta 1 and an additional honourable mention from me for Soldo. He was lucky McEvoy went down but his tap work was super all day.

Leaderboard

Edwards 19
Vlastuin 16
Grimes 14
Lynch 12
Stack, Martin, Ellis 11
Houli 10
Ellis 8
Bolton 6
Nankervis 5
Prestia 4
Cotchin, Broad, Lambert 3
Ross, Baker 2
Rioli, Castagna, Balta 1

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Sheddda leads and Dusty’s back
We only got to see half of this match and it wasn’t the best half. We had been in Wodonga for Good Friday and had travelled home on Saturday. And we were late home and left for the game not long before the first bounce. The tram was late and slow and it was half-time by the time we got there and found our way in.

But the news to that point was good. Richmond had the better of the Swans in the first quarter and then towelled them up in the second and now led 9.5.59 to 4.2.26. I know that Swans haven’t started the season well but they’re always good, even when they’re not. That is, even in their slumps, a good team lurks waiting to pounce.

We found reasonable seats on the top level near the Swans end of the ground. A good crowd was in and on this balmy autumn night the roof was shut, so it was hot and stuffy. The closed roof at Docklands is a metaphor for the closed mind of the AFL. We have a roof, it must be closed. If we didn’t’ close the roof, how would people know that we could close it if we wanted to?

In finding our seats we had missed most of the half-time horror, the worst of which is Are You Paying Attention? This is a charming segment where people in the crowd are exposed for the sin of not watching the scoreboard and therefore seeing themselves on camera. It’s hilarious. I mean some people go to the footy and don’t watch the big screen at half-time. What on earth can they be doing? Talking to their friends? Sending their mother a text message? Sitting there quietly enjoying themselves? All of these things are crimes, or should be, and are rightfully exposed. “Ownlife” is what this crime was called in Nineteen Eighty Four.

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Then the game restarted and the Swans made a game of it for a while. But the Tigers steadied and increased their lead. Dusty scored a brilliant crumbing goal, coming from nowhere. Lynch had gone for the mark, the ball spilled to ground and Dusty swooped. It’s good to see him kicking goals and smiling again. Another highlight was when Shai Bolton went on a bit of run from the pocket, evaded a tackle or two and then missed with a banana. But it was good to see him have a crack at it.

Another thing I really liked was Edwards talking to the defenders after each of the Swans’ goals. I don’t know if Cotch does this, but it moved me. What a good leader he is.

At the last break Richmond led 11.9.75 to 6.3.39.

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And at the last break there was Cuddle Cam, another abomination. Then the game got going again and Richmond kicked to our end but were outscored two goals to four for the term. I didn’t like the way the Swans were able to move the ball out of defence. Apparently this had been impossible in the first half. There were nervous moments when it looked like the Swans might come back but Richmond would not be rattled. Late in the quarter Castagna marked at about the spot were Dragicevic marked against Adelaide in a close game about 19 years ago. Dragga had missed and we lost. But Castagna went slotted it and we were home and much relieved.

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We sang the song and then Dusty was interviewed and said he’d prepare for Wednesday night’s game by having “a few beers.” Then he said they’d be having “chocky eggs” on Sunday and getting back into it. We left then, before the second rendition of the song. We were exhausted by our travels and by the Docklands experience. We got lost leaving the ground but eventually found the new bit of Collins Street and our tram came straight away. The next day was Sunday and we still had Monday off. We didn’t have to move house or travel anywhere and Richmond had won, again, with so many players out. But after that great win against Port we hardly consider this. We don’t have players missing so much as we just have different players in the team.
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I don’t want to whinge too much about Docklands, but the place stinks. And the way the RFC presents the “match-day experience” will soon lead to zero atmosphere at our games. Even at a game against an interstate team I was struck by how quiet our supporters were. What’s the point of having the most passionate and numerous supporters if you don’t let them make their own noise?

The papers gave Edwards best on ground and I won’t argue with that. Also Martin, Stack, Prestia, Vlaustin [who have got votes] and Caddy [unlucky Josh]. Having missed the first half it was difficult to tell. But our defence stood up well again. Franklin was allowed to kick four goals but nobody else was off the leash.

Now Melbourne, tonight. I actually expect us to win and this is still an odd feeling for a Richmond supporter.

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Benny Votes 

5 Edwards, 4 Martin, 3 Stack, 2 Prestia, 1 Vlastuin

Leaderboard

Edwards 19
Grimes, Lynch 12
Martin, Stack 6
Vlastuin 5
Cotchin, Broad 3
Lambert, Ross, Nankervis, Prestia 2
Rioli 1

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Until those glorious weeks of September 2017, all my generation had ever known was pain. Born in the 1980s, our first memories are generally of the bankrupt club languishing on the bottom of the ladder. We’d go through alternating cycles of mediocrity and irrelevance, with only Richo to brighten our spirits every week. Finals seemed to be the domain of other more competent clubs. But it did not stop me from imagining, from dreaming, from hoping, that one day, the premiers might well be Richmond.

Then it happened, so suddenly, so beautifully. Everything I’d ever dreamed of arrived from nowhere. It took me almost a day to hit me, sitting on the wing of Punt Road Oval, watching the replay, with tears streaming down my cheeks. We’d done it and Richmond were premiers!

As I reflected on the journey of a lifetime, supporting this wonderful club, suddenly a fear struck me. Now that we had reached the promised land, would any of this feel the same again?

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Fast forward eighteen months, and a season that had started with plenty of promise had seemingly collapsed in the blink of an eye through a combination of injury, poor form and suspension. Port’s midfield is actually pretty stacked, I begin to prepare myself for a ten goal plus loss. Wines, Powell-Pepper, Rockliff, Boak. With Ryder and Lycett going in tandem against Nank all afternoon, feeding them. This is going to get messy. Or so I thought.

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I love that we asked Sheds to captain. It’s been such a joy to watch him grow as a person, as a leader, ever since he arrived at Punt Road all those years ago. It took him 13 games before he played in a winning side, and an eye watering 205 before playing in a winning final. Now he’s a premiership player, an All-Australian and forever will now be a captain of the Richmond Football Club.

He wins the toss. Reassuringly for me, watching far away on television, he kicks to the opposite end of the ground to what Cotch did all those years ago. It’s a good omen, I say to myself, trying to reassure myself, even if I have no idea what way the wind might be blowing.

We bravely throw eighteen-year-old debutant Jack Ross into the centre square for the first bounce of the game. We’re rewarded when he wins the first clearance, leading to a mark to Lynch inside 50. He misses, but we look up for this most difficult of challenges. Frustratingly though, Port goal through Brad Ebert on their first foray forward.

The remainder of the first quarter plays out as I expect. Port are on top, although their lead is a modest 8 points. Our effort was commendable, but Port were able to control the ball for most of the quarter and caught us on the counter a couple of times. The highlight of the quarter is unquestionably Noah Balta’s intercept and run through the middle of the ground setting up Josh Caddy’s second goal.

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In the second quarter, we look the Tigers of Old – that is the Tigers of late 2017. Our pressure across the ground is fantastic, and we move the ball quickly and aren’t afraid to smash the ball forward. It feels like a glimpse into our future as well, as Jack Ross dominates the quarter, and has 15 touches to half time. Bolton shows all of his considerable talent. My favourite moment is Ross winning a tough clearance, dishing the ball out Balta, whose 70-metre kick ends up with Bolton in the pocket, who snapped the goal. I certainly hope the three of them play plenty of footy together, we’re all in for a lot of fun over the next few years if that is the case.

The siren rings out to signal half time. I’m proud, every bit as proud as I was during September 2017. We may be behind but the effort has been phenomenal. It had been an impressive half from a young team. I tweet out two words “I believe.” I do. But deep down, I think about all those young Tiger legs out there. Surely, eventually, they will start to fade.

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Port make the initial running in the 3rd quarter, but both Ryder and Ebert miss opportunities to make us pay. Ryder does however nail a shot from outside 50 to extend the margin somewhat. But then, the momentum swings, suddenly and decisively. Thanks to some good work in tight by Higgins and Stack, Rioli is able kick long to Lynch alone inside 50. Lynch runs into an open goal, and is foolishly pushed after he had kicked – a double goal and from nowhere we are in front.

Sydney Stack is next to bob up, getting a skilful crumb and the ball out to Baker, who snapped truly. Just one minute later we’re on the board again through Lynch, snapping a goal after a Higgins shot fell short. Our midfield is suddenly on top and our forward is functioning beautifully.

I can scarcely believe it. We’re dominating the play. We’re 15 points up. I begin to truly believe.

Then it happens.

Kamdyn McIntosh had been good. Under no pressure at half back, he decides to uncharacteristically pass it backwards inside defensive 50. The kick falls short and puts Broad under tremendous pressure, eventually bouncing between his legs. Sam Gray swoops on it and kicks an easily yet undeserved goal. It feels like a significant moment.

Poor Kamdyn. Within 60 seconds, he would again be under pressure, punching a ball out of bounds. He was pinged for delibrate. Another goal ensures. In a blink of an eye, all the work is undone; momentum is back with the Power. I expect them to overrun us now.

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Toby would step up. It’s amazing to think he has only played 51 games in the yellow and black and 63 overall. He already feels to me to be one of the leaders of the club. We need a goal. After a free from a ruck infringement, he goes back. I back him in and he delivers. We have a chance.

Port pull one back just before three quarter time. I still fear for our Tiger cubs’ young legs. But I’m bursting with pride as the players run to the huddle.

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Rioli opened the scoring in the final quarter, following a sensational kick from Menadue. But his gettable set shot missed. A small buffer would be built up after Lynch drew a 50 on the wing and converted his shot from just inside the 50.

Momentum would soon swing again. Balta tackled Drew hard close to the Port goal and was most unfortunate that the ball slipped out just a little to early, and Port were back within a kick. Stack, who’d backed up his sensational debut well, kicked out on the full without any pressure allowing Port a forward 50 entry which they were able to turn into a Wines goal. Port were back in front. It appeared that our brave fight was about to come to an end.

Digging deep, we’re able to snatch the lead back. Some slick hands from Bolton released Lambert who kicks long to Caddy and Lynch. Caddy brought it to ground, Lynch held it up long enough for Caddy to go for a long range soccer effort, it bounced, and bounced and bounced through for a goal! Eight minutes to go and we are ahead.

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Grimes, who had played a quarter for the ages, finally made an error. After yet another spectacular intercept mark, his clearing kick could only find Dan Houston still inside our defensive fifty. Under considerable pressure, he put Port back in front. It’s now going to hurt more, I think to myself, that we got this close.

Almost immediately, hope is restored. We win the clearance; Lynch created the contest and brought the ball to ground. Castagna’s handball finds McIntosh. He’s on the wrong foot. It doesn’t matter. The snap is ugly yet perfect and bounces through the middle. Oh boy, redemption is sweet! Tiges back in front!

There are four minutes to be played out. Agonisingly, the majority of time would be played out in Port’s forward fifty. Fourth gamer Xavier Duursma, who has the chance to break Port out of jail. No doubt with heavy legs, he shoots from not far out, but on an angle. The kick only scrapes through for a behind. We dodge a bullet.

Our lead is just a single point. There is no margin for error. Sheds takes it upon himself to take the kick out. With Vlastuin’s assistance, we get the ball outside 50. But it comes it comes back in once more. Grimes marks. Again. In the last quarter, when the clearances and the inside 50s started to go against us, it was Grimes who held the dam wall up. It had been effort every bit as good as Rance’s against the Swans in 2014. One hundred seconds was all now that separated us from an equally unlikely triumph. I start to count them off in my head.

Jack Ross’s debut had been as impressive as any I’ve seen. He still had a couple of decisive interventions to play. He won the contested ball on half back. His handpass finds Caddy, who belts the ball forward, finding Baker out the back. Lynch had run hard, and was able to mark inside 50. The shot was no certainty, and in fact, all but a mirror image of his shot in the first minute of the game. But Tiger fans across the country would soon rise as one as our new champion slotted his sixth. We were almost home.
40 seconds to go. We just needed to win a clearance and get a clean possession.

Prestia won the clearance, but puts the ball out of bounds. “Deliberate” cries the crowd. The umpire agrees. 32 seconds. Port kick long down the line. Jack Ross brings down a contested mark. We’ll win it now. I’m hit with a wave of adrenaline. We’ve gone to Adelaide, against a pretty good team, without our four best players and without our two best half backs and we’ve done it! After the start to the season we’ve had, it’s bloody sweet. Certainly one of the greatest home and away wins of the Hardwick era.
The siren sounds and a couple of tears roll down my cheeks. It had meant a lot. I’d missed this feeling, of winning against the odds. My heart is full of pride and love. Most importantly, I realise my worries were unfounded. I realise that all those feeling for the club that I love are still there, and will be with me as long as I live.
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Benny Votes 

5- Dylan Grimes – Was a colossus in defence, holding Grey and Westhoff and playing the Rance role taking plenty of intercept marks. One for the ages.

4- Shane Edwards – Took to the captaincy like a duck to water, continuing his excellent form. Was simply brilliant off half back. 

3- Tom Lynch – Six goals. Worked hard. Kicked straight. Took his opportunities. Got us over the line with five goals in the 2^nd half.

2- Jack Ross – Twenty-five possessions, winning the ball on the inside and using it well on outside. Another gem we’ve discovered.

1- Toby Nankervis – I could have given this final vote to about 12 different players, but I chose Nank for his lionhearted effort against two quality rucks.

Leaderboard

Edwards 14
Grimes, Lynch 12
Vlastuin 4
Cotchin, Broad, Stack 3
Lambert, Martin, Ross, Nankervis 2
Rioli 1

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We board the bus. I already feel empty. It is my first live game of the season. Normally, there is a familiar combination of excitement, anxiety and hope. Not this time. Just 16 days previously, we were flag favourites. However, what the footy gods giveth, they can quickly take away. Our shot at redemption has felt mortally wounded ever since Alex Rance.

It is the Capital Tigers annual pilgrimage to the footy. I am fortunate enough to have the means to be a flying tiger, where I am semi-regularly able to get down to Melbourne and other cities to join the tribe and watch my team play. For many of us though, this is our only chance for the year, and despite the odds, and my own feelings, there is a sense of excitement in the air.

Our trips to Sydney over the years have truly been the best of times, and the worst of times. Without question, the highlight was 2014 against the Swans, riding a wave of emotion and with the most unlikely finals births in history in sight, the elation of getting five goals up with fifteen minutes and the tense final quarter, interrupted only by Dustin Martin’s running goal. This single moment remained unrivalled even throughout the 2017 finals as a pure moment of energy, excitement and ecstasy.

On the other hand, the utter despair two years later, when the Swans were 20 goals up at three quarter time. At the time, it seemed an entire generation of Richmond talent had been wasted and the promised land may have well been situated somewhere in Andromeda Galaxy. Little did we know…

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In a post premiership world, it is a little easier to take the fact that we are missing five of arguably our ten best players (Rance, Riewoldt, Caddy, Grimes and Houli) so my expectations are well in check. “I just want to get close to them, to have something to believe in for the rest of the season” I reason.

Nonetheless, within minutes, the season goes from bad to worse. Short, outnumbered deep in defence, courageously makes a contest and holds the ball up, but only to emerge with a distressing elbow injury. What more can go wrong in 2019, I ask myself. (Spoiler alert, plenty).

The refreshing contrast to this is our debutant, Sydney Stack, a player whose very presence on the field represented a significant triumph in itself. An early kick does go out on the full, but it is not long before he has a chance to redeem himself. A 50 metre penalty helps bring the young defender to the edge of what might be possible, and with all the composure in the world, he went back, hit it sweetly and it split the middle. It was a wonderful moment as the players ran from everywhere.

Despite the severe lack of personnel, we are up for the fight, and the effort is good. Rioli, after patchy form in the first two games, slots a brace of goals to announce his return to form, putting us up at quarter time, and despite Short’s injury, the visiting supporters were cautiously optimistic.

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Unfortunately a brain fade from Dusty would start the second quarter, earning him a week’s holiday and costing the Tigers any momentum we would have, gifting the Giants a shot in front of goal. Things would get worse a few minutes later, when Rioli clashed with Phil Davis on the half back flank. Sitting just metres away, the noise it made was horrific and I immediately feared he had cracked a set of ribs. Incredibly, he would return to the ground and would even snag an additional goal – the kid is tough – but clearly he was pushing through the discomfort.

There are bright spots. Tom Lynch, who has a kicking motion better than any player alive who isn’t named Tayla Harris, keeps us in the contest with a couple of goals. Sydney Stack continues to impress down back, both rebounding from defence – no small feat consider he already lost help in this area with Short going down – but with several solid defensive efforts. It is early days, but it appears we have unearthed a gem.

Lynch’s second goal brought us within two goals, but in classic pre-2017 Richmond, we give up a goal on the half-time siren.

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We do our best to hang on during the third. Early on Cotchin disappears; we later discover he is yet another addition to our already lengthy injury list. Lynch keeps us in touch with a couple more goals. GWS stretch our defence and Dimma throws the magnets around, Balta back – he acquits himself well under difficult circumstances – Vlastuin forward and McIntosh is thrown in to ruck at a couple of centre bounces. However, GWS continue to edge away. We enjoy a late quarter run of form, but asides from an opportunistic snap from Lambert, we cannot take advantage and we are unable to get the margin under four goals.

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In the final quarter, it all gets away from us. We are two rotations down, plus Rioli is clearly sore and the intensity of his first game finally, and most understandably, begins to tell on Stack’s young legs. The dam wall breaks and the Giants run rampant, a run of six goals only broken by a piece of Snags Higgins brilliance. Eventually the siren rings out and we have been done by 49 points, and have lost our captain and best rebounding defender. 2019 has not started well.

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We gather our group together and wait for the bus. News of Cotchin’s hamstring filters through. We let out a collective sigh. One of our number is upset, angry at everything from selection, to coaching, to our list management. I think it is a little harsh given we were premiers just over a year ago and the mountain of injuries. Unfortunately the right words fail me, so I let him go, hoping at least he finds it cathartic. Eventually the bus arrives and we quietly pile on for the long journey home.

I myself am not quite sure how to feel just yet. We are only 1W-2L. Just three weeks ago we were flag favourites. West Coast won the flag last year without Naitanui and Gaff. All of our injured players except Rance will be back in a month. I am aware too, that premierships are difficult to win and this disruption makes it harder still. It will help us in the long run to get games into Balta, Garthwaite and Stack, and to try see if we can find some more gems. But I’m finding as each games passes this year, the more I am retreating back to my happy place, those three glorious games of football in September 2017.

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Benny Votes 

5 Shane Edwards – Is it possible he is still improving? A true leader and a well-deserved honour for him to lead the team out next week.
4 Tom Lynch – Worth every cent. Still finding match fitness, but his beautiful straight kicks kept us in it for most of the afternoon.
3 Sydney Stack – Best debut since Dean Polo? Looked great with the ball in hand and stood up defensively as well.
2 Kane Lambert – Battled hard along with Sheds on a day when Cotchin was injured and Dusty did not resemble Dusty.
1 Daniel Rioli – Dan’s back! After two weeks of indifferent form, was back to his brilliant best until slowed down somewhat by that hit. But respect for playing on.

Leaderboard

Edwards 10
Lynch 9
Grimes 7
Vlastuin 4
Cotchin, Broad, Stack 3
Lambert, Martin 2
Rioli, Nankervis  1

Seven hours driving and finally I arrive at the MCG. I’m home. The feeling never goes away. The way the heart flutters that little bit faster whenever you see someone wearing yellow and black. The exchanged nods and “c’arn the tiges”. We’ve all walked the same path, experienced the same highs and lows. It is this sense of camraderie, this sense of belonging, that keeps bringing me back to Melbourne for so many games. Standing at the Punt Road End, as the team runs out on to the field. It is the one place where I truly feel I belong.

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The game finally starts. Then my heart sinks. Before the first goal of the match is scored, Jack Riewoldt is out. Carlisle’s careless and forceful spoil collects him on the head. Even from the stands, it’s clear he has got no idea where he is. My stomach churns a little. Jack is escorted off. He’ll be ok, he’ll be looked after. My mind immediately starts to re-assess the game. One player down. Six-day break from Perth. A lot of tired bodies from a series of physical encounters and short breaks. No Dylan Grimes to keep Jade Gresham in check. Trouble.

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If any one player epitomises what it is to be a modern Richmond player, it’s Kamdyn McIntosh. What he lacks in skill he more than makes up for in heart and effort. He so brilliantly demonstrates this mid-way through the first quarter. Conca kicks long to him on the wing, but he is surrounded by Saints, and it’s Brandon White who is in prime position to mark. McIntosh spoils, then tackles, then lunges, then tackles again, before ultimately winning the footy and getting it out to Dusty. I rise to my feet and start applauding. Frustratingly the opportunity to goal is missed. We’re just a little off.
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We go in at quarter time nine points up. It’s far from the sharpest quarter of our season. But Cotchin is looking very much like the Brownlow medallist that he is, and Jayden Short is dominating off half back, hitting targets at will. But there is an additional concern. Bachar.

When he crossed to Richmond, I immediately fell in love with Bachar. It’s more than his silky left foot. He is not Jacob Townsend. You can see that the physical side of the game, putting his body on the line, does not come at all naturally to him. Yet, for years now, contest after contest, you see him do it anyway. That for me is the definition of courage. I love him for it.
Anyone who watches Richmond closely knows how important Bachar is. The key to defeating 2012-2015 era Richmond was to take him out of the game. Our form tanked for many reasons in 2016, but a significant one was Bachar’s injury. It gave me so much joy to see him play well in last year’s Grand Final, so long overlooked by the broader footballing community, now everyone got to see just how brilliant our half back is.
We were now down two rotations, including our best key forward and our best half back. Modern footy is dependent on rotations and it’s rare for a team to win when two men down for so long. A sense a doom comes over me. It would get worse.

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Enter Snags Higgins. His enthusiasm for the game is so infectious – so infectious in fact it only took the Tiger Army a single game to come up with a nickname for him. While more than deserving to wear our jumper, he has demonstrated a weakness in his set shots. He had marked on fifty. No one expects him to kick the goal. He takes a couple of steps to open the angle a bit, kicks long and straight. It’s a goal. That’s how it looked from the stands. That’s how it looked to the umpires who call it a goal, while sending it for review. That’s how it looks on the replay too. Except for the goal review system is clearly broken, they don’t even bother to review all the angles before overturning the decision. Snags loses his moment and the Tiger Army is ready to riot.

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The momentum then swings. The Saints kick the next four to set up a handy two goal lead. St Kilda fans might be in a minority, but they are making a lot of noise. They are beginning to believe. It reminds of another time, when the shoe would be on the other foot, and we’d be going head to head with a Sydney or a Hawthorn with a mediocre team. Still two players short, I begin to reconcile myself to the inevitable defeat.
But we need not have worried, for we would have an unlikely hero. Nick Vlastuin, who spent much of the first half of 2017 playing as a depressingly ineffectual pseudo key-forward, was recast in the role. But this time he thrived. We all know ice flows through his veins, his 50-metre goal against Geelong in the Qualifying final is testament to this, and he didn’t disappoint, slotting back-to-back set shots to steady the Richmond ship. He’d go on to kick a third and set up another for Josh Caddy once the tide turned back in our favour.

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Dusty, who in my mind has clearly being struggling with some sort of niggle for most of the season, steps up from there. His influence is decisive and far exceeds his two goals. The Saints can’t go with him and we break the game open.
Josh Caddy further makes a mockery of the second-round pick and the fourth-round pick upgrade (which netted us premiership hero Jack Graham) that Geelong let him go for. Caddy played both as an elite forward and a more than adequate midfielder. Six goals, an Ian Stewart Medal and a spot in the top 5 in the Coleman medal is due reward. After Caddy’s fifth goal, which put us four goals to the good, I let out a loud cheer which is equal parts joy and relief. This game had been a hard road. Far tougher than it appeared on paper and the victory had been truly earned. There is still something about this team.
I drive back happy, and immediately start planning my next trip home.

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Votes
5 votes: Josh Caddy
4 votes: Trent Cotchin
3 votes: Nick Vlaustin
2 votes: Jayden Short
1 vote: Dustin Martin
Unlucky: Rance, Nankervis.

Leaderboard