*my preview is at Reading Sideways.
Quarter I:
Overview: The jumpers are looking a little like a practice jumper and definitely like an away jumper. I don’t have a problem with them. I would prefer them with the black sash on the back. The bingle green somehow looks better against the yellow background. I can’t stand the bingle green against the black on the regular jumper.
Edwards had some nice touches. A very shiny Deledio kicked a nice goal. Jack is up. The Tiges are creating space well and cutting off Port’s run. One of their better quarters of the season, as they have nullified Port. They have shown, at least immediately, that they’re not intimidated. Scrappy to begin with but then the Tiges started to find their mojo.
Best Moment: Batchelor’s goal, after Edwards had kept his feet in a marking contest and then gave off a long-handball.
Tactic Talk: David King has the job. He says, “Richmond are prepared to play wide … they’re going to challenge Port on the counter-attack.” Ricciuto (Roo) added that other teams have realised that the best way to stop them is ‘down back’. Roo also says that Richmond are letting them kick wide, but, not letting them go forward.
Best Comment: A toss-up between: Mark Ricciuto, “a little oil on the arms there Huddo”. Huddo: [after Martin’s long kick forward into empty space wasn’t considered deliberate, Razer said, “it went straight on”] “the boundary line just happened to bend there…it does there on most grounds, you’ll find.”
What Dimma should say: “That was rubbish boys! Absolute rubbish! 3 goals to none! That’s nothing. We should be ten goals up. Keep it coming, though. Keep on giving us this rubbish. Okay, you done good. More of that. They’ve thrown in the towel. They haven’t come to play. They’re tired. They’re exhausted. I want more tackles, more chases, more interceptions. More deceptions, more improvisations and more imaginations.”
Hopeful-Despondent Continuum: Well and truly on the hopeful side.
Overview: The Other Team dominated the opening ten minutes. But, the Tiges were resilient and held on. They scored a couple of goals – Wingard (“unguarded”) and Monfries (the usual snap). Some goals to Us and it was a neutral quarter. The Hoff took a brilliant mark on Deledio and fluffed his kick giving an opportunity to Griff who goaled after taking out Pittard (haircut). Credit to the Tiges for absorbing the pressure.
Best/Worst Moment: B.Ellis’s roving off the pack in the forward fifty pocket, a centering kick to the goal-square and Dusty’s outmuscle-ing of his defender, his turn and goal on the right foot. A quick gesture to Ellis (I presume). Worst Moment: Ty’s injury. The horror of The Knee.
Tactic Talk: King – “That is the first repeat entry they’ve scored from. Richmond have been good at minimising the damage, considering the Port opportunities earlier in the quarter. It is a stoppage game at the moment. Whoever wins it out of the center looks like scoring.” A moment later, Ryder kicks it out of the center and it is marked by Batchelor, on the defensive 50, alone.
Best Comment: Gerard: “The backline are delivering rubbish for Port Adelaide. Until they get that sorted, it doesn’t matter how many goals they kick.” Ouch. Tell us what you really think.
Dimma’s Speech: We are in the game. We’re still in it. We have a chance. Okay, admittedly they have a really good fitness coach and we’re a player down, but, we’re still doing not so bad. I’m liking it. I’m having a nice time up in my box, watching you boys run around. What’s my favourite movie? Umm….let me think about it.
Hopeful-Despondent Continuum: Very hopeful. Tiges have showed again that they’re not intimidated. And, even with everything not going their way, they’ve managed to increase their lead. They’ve held on and looked like they’re up for a fight, too. Don’t fool us, Tiges.
Overview: Scarves draped along the top of fences. Ads advertising LED advertising. To write about nothing, you still have to watch it first. Nothing happened for 30 minutes. Okay, nothing in the scoring department and only One Proper One for The Other team. Hats off to our blokes for stopping them from scoring without it looking like anyone of our defenders was being an absolute star. Maric was good in defence after a lapse. Okay, I think I have to admit it: Edwards has been quiet today. Hunt has been defensively minded. Grimes okay. Bachar was injured for a moment, came back with his finger re-adjusted. Menadue is on for Ty; probably not in the ‘like-for-like’ category.
Best/Worst Moment: Maric’s finger tip on X’s shot at goal. Umpire’s decision upheld. Or, McIntosh doing some fancy stuff on the Other wing before kicking out on the full. Worst moment: Maric not getting a finger tip on Ryder’s goal.
Tactic Talk: There was a lot of talk this quarter. As indeed, there wasn’t much scoring to comment on. My pencil was working overtime trying to transcribe commentary. Ricciuto: ‘get Lobey off, use Trengove in the ruck, free up Ryder, get some run in the side…Aemon is itching to get on.’
Best Comment: Huddo: ‘Jones pokes it to Boak’. Nice rhyme. Gerard: ‘He seems to run quicker in a straight line.’ Gerard: ‘Just got him on the funny bone, which is never that funny.’
Dimma’s Speech: Wake me up when it is over.
Hopeful-Despondent Continuum: A little nervous, which means still in the hopeful zone. Thinking that we need to kick two goals in this quarter to win that game. That is exactly what I think, every time we cough up a lead.
Overview: Good play by Riewoldt throughout the quarter; including a great pass to Morris, whom, well, kicked a point. Wingard goaled with 12minutes left to get Port within 19. Great mark by Riewoldt after Griff fluffed his kick from 40meters out. The penultimate-sealer. Straight-kicking. Nice.
Best/Worst Moment: Menadue (in Jayden Post’s number) and his goal – it was straight and the game was still in the balance. Worst Moment: Jack being dragged down by an injured Trengove. Not an ideal way to score a goal; could there have been better communication between the Port players?
Tactic Talk: Roo: “very smart by Richmond not to give Port any opportunities to bring the ball through the middle, fast, so that their clever forwards can have an impact.”
Best Comment: Huddo: “the buck being passed here […] the ball pin-balling around.” Gerard: “Richmond need two more goals to win the game.” Wow. What vindication! Ricciuto: “Poor bugger he couldn’t move.” Hmmm, probably mixing pub-talk a little too closely with footy commentary. Gerrard: “they’re overcooking the ball.” Ricciuto: “oh, they’re done here, look at this.” (moments before the sealer-proper from Edwards – the ball was caught in one of the Tiger banners).
Dimma: We played brilliant ordinary football today. I’m happy to take all the credit for this one. I devised the tactics; the boys followed my orders and we won. Now, where is that journalist who asked me if I doubted I’m up for it?
Hopeful-Despondent Continuum: I’m hopeful. Not taking the lid off. The Tiges have righted the ship, for the moment.
The Tiges did well to suck the life out of this game. Initially by setting up a three goal lead and then by holding off Port during the ¾ when they were sort of coming. The Tiges’ lead was by no means insurmountable in the last quarter, but, Port and their crowd were well-dampened. I’m liking the look of McIntosh, most of the time, most weeks. He has got a mature body and athleticism. He is strong and reads the play pretty well. Grigg seems to be playing better – which may reduce some of the criticism coming his way. I’ve generally liked him, but, for one reason or another, he seems to stand out if the team loses – as does Morris. As Ricciuto said, this was an ugly game to watch. But, it was beautiful also to see the way the Tiges withstood the pressure and didn’t let Port find their mysteriously missing mojo. I would prefer not to see Richmond win-ugly every week, but, for this week, I’ll take it. The ledger has been squared. Two good wins over the past two weeks, somewhat balancing out the two ugly losses (to Melbourne and Footscray).