The Benny

There was a bit of redemption talk going around before this game. Most of the talk said “you don’t get redemption for a grand final belting by winning a roster game”.

I am writing this in the lead up to the Round 11 clash with Port Adelaide. We were terrific in Rounds 9 and 10. But there’s nowhere to hide, we were awful against GWS.

Naish came in for Caddy, and we were also missing The Dads; Edwards, Houli and Cotchin. I felt we still outstripped GWS for talent, and I looked forward to beating them on their ground.

Which worked out fine except for one man, Toby Greene. I can’t stand him, and while I maintain he is not the amazing footballer everyone says; its a fact that he kicked five and won the game off his own boot. We kicked 6.14 which tells its own story.

The Benny Votes

Dusty (5) had a vintage night. Shai (4) in the midfield has been a revelation and he was creative and kicked a precious snag. Vlastuin (3) stood up well in defence, Short (2) played OK and Kamdyn (1) did some good things.

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

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

Prestia, Houli 3, 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 3, Chol 1

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

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

Eggmolesse-Smith 5, Chol 1

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

Graham 32
Lambert 25
Soldo 24
Pickett 23
Prestia 21
Cotchin 20

Before I go into this week’s Tigers game, I’ve got a bit of a confession. I lost a bet on the Tigers/Saints game, and the winner got to choose what game in Perth the loser buys the tickets for. So, Thursday saw me heading into Optus Stadium Perth to see the Cats and Pies. It was an uninspiring game, but it was good to see the AFL live and being in WA not being in lockdown. (Apologies to all those in lockdown reading this).

Saturday afternoon I watched East Fremantle v South Fremantle with the South Fremantle Bulldogs running all over the Sharks. Marlion Pickett was a South Freo footballer as were a couple of others who ran around in the Yellow and Black; Andrew Krakour, Stephen Jurica, Darren Gaspar to name a few. Nicky Winmar and Brad Hardie are also amongst the many South Fremantle players to make it to VFL/AFL ranks. Based on that I might follow this mob whilst I’m over here… as long as the game doesn’t clash with a Tigers game.

Q1 Tigers 4.3; Roos 0.0

Righto, onto the first quarter of the Tigers and the Kangaroos, first centre clearance, a free kick our way and we go for the Hail Mary up and under bomb and it gets returned from whence it came. For a few moments I thought oh no please not again. However we kept rolling forward, the pressure we’re used to seeing was there as was the chaos footy. After 8 inside 50’s Pickett kicks across his body for the first Tiger goal of the quarter. I wrote on my pad the pressure is back.

Up steps Dusty for our next, Chol got his first goal and his athleticism again was showing and Lynch to Riewoldt for our 4^th. Eggmolesse-Smith was on another level to last week and was showing the selectors he wants to stay in this team. The centreline and backline did a superb job and North were goal-less in fact scoreless for the quarter

Q2 Tigers 6.5; Roos 2.3

The first notes on the pad for Q2 were Caddy injured and Pressure, Pressure, Pressure. It looks like someone is going to have to step up to replace Caddy but the Tiger pressure, run on chaos footy and relentless forward pressure is back. Aarts intercepted well in the forward line but shanked the kick denying him his first Tiger goal.

It was the athleticism of Chol mixed with the Tiger forward pressure that saw our first goal of the quarter with Castagna dribbling one through from the goal-square. End to end running set up by Pickett switching play on the backline saw Bolton on the end of a chain hitting Lynch who kicked truly. North got a couple of late quarter goals, maybe we ran out of a bit of steam or maybe they got their game plan working. Quarter three would tell.

Q3 Tigers 9.7; Roos 2.6

North started by driving deep into their forward line and Pickett drifted across the pack to pull down a strong mark. That’s how our quarter started, continued and finished. Everyone playing a part, players linking up, Tigers creating pressure at every stoppage.

Dusty goaled, Rioli goaled and Chol was on the end of a good turnover chain and gave the Tigers three for the quarter. Once again in the third quarter North were goal-less but inaccurate kicking didn’t help them.

Q4. Tigers 11.11; Roos 2.11

With the game all but over it was a matter of how much will we win by? We missed a couple including Aarts from another set shot but within minutes he made amends by roving off the pack and kicking across his body for a goal. He followed up later in the quarter with another goal sneak roving opportunity.

This was a win by 22 hard at the ball; at every contest, Richmond players. Soldo and Chol were doing great second efforts. If Chol can work out the centre bounces he’s a handy back up, however second efforts from both of those players is worth noting. Likewise we’ve kept 2 teams to a total of 5 goals between them for 8 quarters of footy-pressure and poise all in one. Our big 2 forwards are down a little on form (in my view) but still contribute well and there’s plenty of Yellow and Black to mop up crumbs and provide chaos and pressure.

With a host of big names out there is a lot to be excited about.

The Benny Votes

5: Egglmolesse-Smith –he was everywhere and provided plenty of run. Filling big shoes and played a very solid 4 quarters.

4: Short – Another solid 4 quarter contributor fed and fed off team mates with poise.

3: Bolton – Could have got the 4 votes. Played centre and was everywhere. If he can find the next level of fitness he will be unstoppable.

2: Soldo – You can’t go past his second efforts and 23 hit outs against a quality ruckman in Goldstein deserves more than the 2 votes but I am fast finding out this voting caper isn’t easy.

1: Graham – 9 tackles (most of any Tiger) . Here is a bloke who keeps the Elastoplast shares on the up with the amount of shoulder strapping he needs weekly. That deserves a vote.

Unlucky not to get a vote or two; Pickett, Chol, Broad

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

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

Prestia Houli 3, 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 3, Chol 1

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

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

Eggmolesse-Smith 5, Chol 1

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

Pickett 22
Prestia 21
Lambert, Soldo, Cotchin 20
Graham 18

What an ugly win…

In 1984, the year I finished high school we kept the Swans to a meagre 28 points, fast forward to Sundays game and we kept them to 26 points. That has to be a positive in an otherwise ugly win from a game of ugly football.

Three goals in the first 10 minutes to the men in Yellow and Black and then only one more goal for the game but… we win.

This week well I thought I’d do a rolling commentary without a quarter by quarter breakdown… only because quarter 2 and 4 would be no comment.

The Tigers again managed to score before most of the support staff had taken their seats. Be it as it may from a free kick, it was the forward pressure that had the umpire calling a deliberate over the goal line and stand in captain Jack Riewoldt nailed it. Next up saw a chain of play from the centre ending up in Dusty’s sure hands, and on cue he plays on and we score our second sausage roll for the quarter. Within minutes another handball chain sees Bolton slot one though on the run from about 50.

Now readers, this is when you can either skip to the votes or read on.

The Sydney coach decided the best form of attack is defence and so he threw Mills down back as an extra man and as luck would have it, it seems every forward foray for the next two quarters ended up with Mills somehow getting involved… only to have Grimes, McIntosh or Baker turn defence into attack from our backline.

Yes it was raining, yes the quarters are shorter, yes it’s strange times indeed but please why bomb into a congested forward line stacked in the Swans favour?E

Let’s look at the positives though. Chol again showed he can be a valuable contributor, he is athletic and can tackle. Balta and Aarts played ok and Eggmolesse-Smith also did OK. Pickett seems uncoordinated at times; that’s just his style, but he finds targets – so in terms of depth, we have got some.

Lynch kicked the only second-half goal, maybe should have got another but he wasn’t Robinson Caruso when it came to missing goals.

In the end we won, we won ugly, we got the four points and we came away without injuries and with game time for some young up and comers. I’m not sure I’ll watch this game again but there were positives.

Oddly enough it seemed Grimes was everywhere but he had single figure touches as opposed to McIntosh, Baker and Broad. Our backline is solid. We had chances and missed up forward but any other day it could have been 10.4 instead of 4.10. Soldo and Chol dominated the ruck… the biggest issue was flooding the backline and we couldn’t work our way around it.

Four points is four points and we are back in the 8.

The Benny Votes

5 Lambert – was a mirror image of last week and was a ball magnet most of the day

4 Baker –played one of his best games in the yellow and black, courage and poise all in one

3 McIntosh –if the quarters went the usual full distance he would have ended up with leather poisoning

2 Caddy – hard to go past his efforts again; he seems to be where the ball is landing and does something with it.

1 Chol – he did well in the ruck, laid some tackles and chased… for someone his size I’ll give that a vote each time.

Leaderboard
10: Lambert
5: Higgins, Vlastuin, Cotchin
4: Soldo, Grimes, Balta, Caddy, Baker
3: Short, Prestia, Houli, McIntosh
1: Lynch, Castagna, Chol

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

Prestia, Houli 3, 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 3, Chol 1

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

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

Chol 1

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

Prestia 21
Cotchin 20
Lambert 18
Soldo 17
Edwards, Bolton, Pickett 15

Here we go TTBB fans, my first crack at a match report and the all-important player votes. I offered to do the write up for round 5 as I was shipped off from the heartland of footy in Victoria and into exile in Perth. Richmond were meant to be playing West Coast in the Queensland hub but someone in Melbourne caught this flu thing that’s doing the rounds and our neighbours shut their doors on us Victorians…

As with all things in times of Covid don’t go making too many plans.

The upside for me was my 2 week lockdown finished the day after we were meant to play West Coast and that meant I could venture out and watch the Melbourne game in a pub. So the report notes were taken during Sunday lunch at JB O’Reilly’s Irish “eaten and drinkin emporium” in Leederville.

Q1

As with last weeks game we got a quick goal early thanks to first gamer Aarts being able to dish off a nice pass to Lynch; from then on quarter 1 became a bit of an arm wrestle with both team making some fundamental footy errors and both teams scoring from a running game. Quarter time saw both sides at 3 goals a piece and not much separating the good or bad passages of play. It was good to see Balta, Aarts and Chol getting a run and Rioli back in the line up. Balta took his chance with 20 disposals for the game, Aarts 15 and both Rioli and Chol 8 apiece.

Melb 3.1 Rich 3.2

Q2

Thankfully Richmond decided to play like Richmond in the second and it was the premiership heroes who all scored for the Tigers, as they turned up to kick four goals for the quarter to the Demons zero. Nankervis, Riewoldt, Castagna and Lambert all slotting through majors for the term with first gamer Aarts unlucky to miss on debut… and don’t get me started on the endless score reviews. Houli stood up down back and Cotchin was playing the general’s role as usual.

Melb 3.2 Rich 7.3

Q3

The Richmond side that was there for the second quarter must have eased back into Covid Tiger mode as the third quarter didn’t produce too much in the way of Tigerish play. The exception of course being Lambert’s smother; follow up and goal. On the reverse end of that highlight was Nank’s going down and the turnovers. I was starting to lose interest watching the usually silky-smooth-skills mixed with the play-on-at-all-costs chaos footy Richmond play, slowly unwinding.

Melb 5.2 Rich 9.7

Q4

Another dour arm wrestle with no real highlights, maybe it was the beers with lunch in a Perth suburb instead of being at the MCG that took the wind out of my sails, maybe it was Castagna going down the tunnel, maybe it was seeing Cotchin hobble. Lynch got a couple to keep us at arms length but again a few fundamental turnovers hurt the boys in the Yellow and Black. The highlight for me would be Lambert again, the 100 gamer putting through his third for the match to ice the game and ice his 100^th game cake.

Before I go into the votes I actually looked in to the stats, not something I’d do on a weekly basis…….in fact never do but thought as I am writing for TTBB best I put the extra effort in.

The difference in disposals was 13 our way, we both had the same amount of handballs (155) but we had 13 more kicks (180-167). However TTBB fans we were efficient, we went inside 50, 4 times less than the Demons but our defence did it’s job and the forwards did theirs with 19 scoring shots to 12 for the game.

Richmond by 27 points over the Dee’s.

Yes we’ve got injuries but we had those last year and still managed to win the flag in both AFL and VFL so injuries and family commitments may be seen as a season ending blow; or, a chance for the depth and talent to shine as we saw with Balta and Aarts. Chol also played his part with some fierce tackling and running with Gawn. Don’t be surprised to see him doing the same again next week in the northern hub.

The Benny

 5 votes Lambert in one of his best performances of his 100 games.

4 votes Balta, 20 disposals is a statement right there, I’m here and I want to stay here.

3 votes Prestia he was in everything until being injured

2 votes Caddy, he is a work horse and had plenty of touches

1 vote Houli, another solid performance turning opposition attack into a rebounding Richmond defence.

Leaderboard
5: Higgins, Vlastuin, Cotchin, Lambert
4: Soldo, Grimes, Balta
3: Short, Prestia, Houli
2: Caddy
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 3, 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 3

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

Prestia 21
Cotchin 20
Edwards, Soldo 15
Bolton 13

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

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

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.

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

Thursday June 11 2020

It had taken me very little time to accept that there would be no footy in 2020.  In the teeth of a global pandemic that would cause our health system to collapse, losing a season of footy seemed a small thing.  And once crowds were out, well footy was out.  I’ve long argued the point that our game, at the top level, is not about the great mark or the long kick. It’s about the crowd.  Take out the crowd and you might have a pretty spectacle but you won’t have any drama.

Consequently, I was a non-believer in round 1.  Just declare the season over, I said, and give the flag to us.  Everyone knew we were going to win again.  It follows from this that I have watched with some dread and misgiving as the AFL pushed and shoved and prodded and poked until its 2020 season came back to life.

Anyway, back to life it came and back to the ‘G go our boys and the Pies.  One good thing about there being no crowd – there is no agonising on this cold Thursday night about going or not going – the couch or the outer?  That decision was made for us.  So, onto the couch we go.

Before the match all the players take a knee in solidarity with their brothers and sisters of colour and the injustices meted out to them by police and others.  It’s a moving sight and I’m proud of all of them.

In no time though I’m nostalgic for the early days of the pandemic, when tens of thousands of lives were at stake and our civilisation faced possible ruin.  At least we didn’t have football to endure.  And how I have not missed that sick feeling of dread as the Pies take control of the game and our boys look like they don’t know what they’re doing.

The big trouble with Collingwood is that they have an awful lot of very good players.  If truth be told, more skilful players than us.  Grundy, who is forever monstrous for that last-second goal that sank us in round 2 2016 – and which foretold our season quite accurately – is bigger and better than ever.  De Goey is simply terrifying – he’s like Dusty but can take a high mark and possibly kick the ball further.  Luckily, he seems to lack Dusty’s consistency.

Anyway, the Pies get the first goal and the second and then a third.  After 20 minutes I leave the couch and I miss Collingwood’s fourth.  My family are having a GoTo meeting in the wake of my Mum breaking her wrist.  This is a very pleasant diversion.  Mum appears cheerful and is now out of hospital and my brother is with her in Wodonga.  After half an hour or so I get back to the couch and things have improved slightly.  Tom Lynch has kicked three in a quarter but we’re still 14 points down at half time.

Half time score:  Collingwood 5.3.33 to Richmond 3.1.19

The second half is easier to watch than the first quarter but that’s not saying a lot.  We edge closer with a goal and then just before the last break Higgins marks a missed shot for goal.  Everyone assumes it has gone through for a point before he’s marked it but there’s a score review and the result is “no score”, a mark instead to young Jack.  Of course, he goes back and bananas it through for a goal and we’re only two points down.

The last quarter is very old fashioned – like, 1858-old fashioned.  We kick four points and Collingwood kick two.  I actually enjoy it as it’s pretty exciting and the fake crowd noise is amusing.  Then we level the scores right near the end and I think we could sneak another and win it but instead Collingwood bring the ball down-field with much of their usual skill and I cry out, “We’ll take the draw!  We’ll take the draw!”  The ball goes out for a throw-in deep in their forward line with a handful – a Grundy handful you could say – of seconds left.  But the Tigers manage to smother it again and the siren goes and it’s all over and we’ve taken two points off our dreaded enemies.

Wayne Carey says “Nobody likes draws” and I say, “No, nobody likes you Wayne.”  Honestly.  Not one player or coach or club official is heard to say “I’d rather they’d beaten us, I’d feel so much better.”  No, and no supporters say that either.  How could you?  I’d rather die of thirst than have half a glass?  Nobody says that.

But everyone agrees it has been a very strange night.  Footy might be back but it’s a zombie version that we recognise, but barely.  I note with interest that there is no music blaring during the post-match interviews, nor at the breaks.  This proves my long-argued point – the music blares out to drown out the crowd.  If there’s no crowd, there’s no need for the music.

Jack Higgins might not be our best player on the night but he’s the best story.  He says after the game that he came close to very serious brain damage after his two operations.  To be playing footy again is a miracle and something to celebrate.

Full time score:  Collingwood 5.6.36 to Richmond 5.6.36

Editor’s note: There was no round 1 match report or Benny votes because I think all of us at TTBB didn’t feel the season should go ahead, and it was a terribly flat game in the end. But here we are now, footy is happening, and at some point we will duck back and assign some votes to Round 1 as well.

Benny Votes

Higgins 5, Soldo 4, Cotchin 3, Houli 2, Lynch 1

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)
No votes yet

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

Soldo 12
Prestia 10
Pickett 9
Martin, Bolton 8

Embed from Getty Images

7.50pm Friday 20 September 2019
MCG
On Monday, when prelim tickets go on sale, I’m on the work computer at 9am, seeking “best available” tickets for my daughter and me. Work is very busy and I can’t stuff around looking for the best seats on Level 4. I’m rewarded with bloody good seats in good time – M12, bottom deck, eight rows from the fence.

The weather forecast though, is terrible and these seats are in the open. It’s going to bucket down on Friday, especially in the afternoon and at night. That will be all right though. We’ll just get to the ground early and get good spots in standing room, under cover. We’ll have a paid a fortune just to stand up, but that’s how it goes. Should we make the GF I might not get a ticket and my daughter isn’t even in the ballot. So, the prelim is our big game and surely worth the money.

And by Thursday the forecast has improved out of sight – there will be no rain until Saturday.

Embed from Getty Images

It’s a tough week at work and I’m exhausted by Thursday. The Climate Strike is on Friday and I think I will go and then I think I’m too busy and that I can’t. But on the 6.06 Hurstbridge train on Friday morning I read about the world-wide day of action and decide I have to be a part of it. And at work I’m efficient and ruthless and I get everything done that I really need to and I catch the 2.01 to Jolimont. I’ve got three days off now, the sun is shining, the breeze is warm and I join a huge crowd of the young and the old in the Treasury Gardens and the very sight of their sprawling mass and the great sound of their chanting and cheering makes me weep.

I’ve had my bike on the train and when the rally breaks up, I ride home, uphill and into the wind. I’m at home a bit after five and step into dog vomit just inside the door. I spread it up the hallway before I realise what I’ve done. Nothing for it then but to de-boot, glove-up and scrub that floor clean. It doesn’t take too long. The dog, Wolfie, appears to be perfectly well and I’m glad he hasn’t spewed on someone’s bed.
Embed from Getty Images

My daughter – the Richmond supporter – doesn’t have a phone and isn’t at home yet. She’s in year 12 and has had a tough last week of term. But like our boys hope to do tonight, she’s finished strongly. But where is she? I have a feeling I will be going to the footy alone, with an expensive, spare ticket in my pocket. But using a seldom-used bit of technology known as an APP – A phriend’s phone – she calls before six and we arrange to meet at Betty Cuthbert at seven.

I charge out of the house with a hastily packed bag, wearing two scarves and lugging my daughter’s duffle coat, a good bit after six. I run half the way to the tram stop which is just as well as a tram comes very soon. On my phone I check the train times and decide to alight after two stops and leg it to Thornbury Station. There’s a train at 6.31 and my own calculations tell me that it will get to Jolimont at about ten to seven.

It’s crowded, mostly with Richmond supporters. At Jolimont we all get off and I find my daughter at Betty Cuthbert’s feet, reading the Record. The lines move quickly, even the bag-checking line, and we’re in the ground in no time. When we played the Cats in the Qualifier in 2017 those lines were endless. Maybe we’re a bit earlier tonight.

My daughter asks if we’re standing up. No, I say, sitting. In quite good seats. She can’t believe how good they actually are, about 60 metres from the goals at the Punt Road End. But you pay a price, greater than dollars, for these seats. Our fellow Richmond supporters are almost silent. They are happy to bag the umpires and boo the opposition, but that’s about it. They won’t break into a chant to save their lives. And it must be true, as I read on the train this very morning, that the richer you are the less you connect to other people. The music is as loud and obscene as ever, but Nirvana’s song seems very apt – “Here we are now, entertain us…” My fellow supporters have parted with their hard-earned and expect the Tigers to deliver them a Grand Final. They won’t help cheer and sing them over the line though. Oh no. They’ve paid their money and expect a return, no further effort on their part is required.
First Quarter

Cotchin wins the toss and chooses the Punt Road End, which is unusual. Usually he likes to kick to the City End first. But there’s a good breeze blowing outside the ground, toward the City End, and maybe he wants to come home with the wind. His choice makes us nervous and we can’t help but think of the qualifier against Port in 2014.

Embed from Getty Images

Early in the game Ellis makes a great spoil on the half-back flank and I’m glad he’s in the side and intends to stay there. Then Cotch gets it to George who misses from not too far out. A bit later Riewoldt fumbles, Geelong rebound and Ratugolea takes a huge mark on the wing. He is one Geelong player who is truly frightening. With three minutes gone Ablett scores at the Punt Road End. It’s a goal but there’s a long score review before the match can continue.
I preferred the old system of trusting the goal umpires and then bagging them all week when they got it wrong. That seemed to work for everyone.

Geelong are on top and I don’t like it and there is much moaning in M12. But then Richmond attack, Rioli kicks to Martin who runs back, marks and goals and we all feel better.
Embed from Getty Images
Graham makes a great break from the middle, kicks to Lynch who marks and kicks the goal from 48 meters. His kick is high and straight and aren’t we glad we picked up this feller?
Embed from Getty Images

Dusty goes off the ground for some reason, Soldo taps the ball to Presty who kicks it long to the goal-square. How short the ground seems when players run straight out of the middle and bomb it long. And when you have Lynch in the goal-square who can fumble the mark but kick the goal anyway. Tigers lead 3.1 to 1.0 and it’s going to be our night.

Ratugolea out-marks Toby but misses from 45 out. I love Toby to pieces but he seems to be shorter, lighter and slower than Ratugolea. But then, most people are. Presty, who is already having a great game, kicks it to Caddy who marks but kicks a point. Geelong attack in a very controlled, relentless fashion, all skill and possession and clean marking – I mean, who needs it? Eventually they go long and direct, Grimes spoils but Kelly snaps and goals from 45 out and they’re back in it.

Embed from Getty Images
Graham has come off the ground and one of the blokes in front of us, who is wired for sound, says he’s dislocated his shoulder. This is terrible news. This is going to be a tough game and he’s one of our toughest players. He won’t be doing any more tackling tonight.
The Cats attack again, Grimes tries to clear but Miers scores and it’s three goals each and the Cats have the momentum and their supporters, whom we clearly outnumber, are making a great noise. They actually seem to have some good chants going, something like “Geelong – kick it long!” Even when we had our three goals in a few minutes M12 was almost silent. The whingeing when Geelong are doing well is much louder than the cheering when it’s going our way. What does that say about people?’

Soldo takes a great mark in defence and the Tigers make a fast break but in the middle of the ground Ellis hands the ball to Toohey, which is a mistake. We win the ball back, Riewoldt marks on the forward flank, kicks short to Cotch who is tackled and is holding the ball. We’ve made some basic mistakes and our game might be unravelling. To underline this, Geelong get another through Miers who appears to be doing as he pleases. The siren goes with Geelong a goal up and well and truly on top.

Quarter time score: Richmond 3.3 – Geelong 4.3

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

At the very start of the second term Kelly goals from 45 out and Geelong are two goals up and we look a bit hopeless. Guthrie evades two tacklers in the middle of the ground, Blicavs wins a holding-the-ball free against Lambert, but misses an easy shot. Unlike their massacre of us in round 12, the Cats are actually missing a few shots. But they are still killing us. They seem to be winning the ball more and doing smarter stuff with it.

Vlaustin turns over the footy in the back-line but Selwood misses the easy chance this affords him. Bad luck Joel. Geelong have had 16 out of the last 18 inside 50s. But Graham has reappeared on the bench with his shoulder taped up. We’re still under siege though and Lambert is lucky not to be pinged for deliberate when he goes over the line as he’s tackled.

Embed from Getty Images

Geelong attack again and Miers wins a very soft free for in-the-back against Baker, who is smaller and much lighter than him. If such a little bloke can push you around what are doing playing AFL?

Richmond finally launch an attack but Bolton misses quite an easy snap. We’re looking a bit better than we were. Graham is back on but evidently has only one arm. We clear the ball well from defence, Cotch completely outwits Ablett on the boundary and soccers it beautifully to Ellis who kicks to Martin who marks but misses from close range. We really needed that one.
Embed from Getty Images

Geelong rebound from defence and Narkle scores easily and this looks like one of those nights. Geelong are 19 points up. Nothing works for us, everything goes right for them. Cotchin is limping and the whingeing and moaning in M12 is insufferable.

Richmond attack well but Lambert’s kick goes down the throat of Kolodjashnij. Another good attack results in Martin giving the footy away after a great run down the wing. Broad is doing well and makes a great spoil against Ratugolea in the forward pocket. The Tigers rebound and Houli, who is having a good game, kicks perfectly to Castagna, 30 from goal. There is much grizzling in M12 about what a dud set-shot for goal George is. But he goes back and kicks it. It’s a goal we really, really needed but if you think that would fire up M12 you’d be wrong. People barely clap.
Embed from Getty Images

Richmond are definitely looking better but Grimes’ clearing kick is marked by Stewart who sends it straight back in. It sails over a pack of players, from the front of which Dangerfield dives like Dan from Sea Change. The umpire calls “Push!” but doesn’t say whose ball it is. Houli assumes it is his, as he actually had some physical contact from an opponent. Cotch gives him the footy but the umpire says, no, it’s a Geelong free and now it’s 50. So, Danger is gifted a goal.

I hate to criticise the umpires. I umpired a game once when I was eight and I’ve never gotten over the trauma. But this is a stinker of a decision. The umpire never said whose footy it was. So how can it be wrong to give the ball to a Richmond player?
So, plenty to sook about at half time. After we were looking a bit better, we are now 21 points down again. It could be a lot more if Geelong had kicked straight, but we missed some sitters too, so it might be less.

Half-time score: Richmond 4.5 to Geelong 7.8

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

My daughter and I decide that we really don’t like our fellow Tiger supporters in M12. They have paid all this money and all they do is whinge. They never join in a chant and every mistake by an umpire is worth ten minutes of moaning, even while play goes on and even if Richmond might be doing well. And the man next to my daughter called the umpire a faggot and his girlfriend called someone retarded and this is what “Best available” seating gets you.

We don’t know what to do. My daughter suggests making eye contact with a few people and asking them nicely to be “chant buds.” Get a few going and the rest will follow. But I don’t have the nerve and so we go into the second half without a plan to make things better.
The Tigers, however, do have a plan. From the first bounce they attack with fury and skill. Cotch lays a big tackle in the square, Prestia gets the footy and kicks long to Lynch who marks and goals from 30 out and we can say, “We couldn’t have started any better.” It’s been so quick that our fellow supporters have almost nothing to whinge about and I’m out of my seat and in the aisle with my back to the ground, shouting and waving my arms. “Richmond! Richmond! Richmond!” And this is all it takes. In every row of seats a few people join in. Still a minority, but what a happy crowd we are. “Oh, so this is what you can do at the footy,” they seem to be thinking.

By the time I sit down again I’m faint with the effort, but it’s been worth it. And clearly our boys are appreciating this extra bit of barracking because they go in a bit harder and force a Geelong clearing kick out on the full. Martin gets the footy and kicks it high to Lynch who out-marks two defenders but misses the easy set shot. As Geelong rebound, Houli gathers the ball in the middle, handpasses to Short who evades two Geelong players and kicks deep into the forward line. Lynch can’t mark it but Martin crumbs the spilled ball and goals and we’ve got two in two minutes and are only eight points down.

Embed from Getty Images

And I’m in the aisle again, shouting and clapping and getting people going again until I’m too faint to stand up. And what a difference it’s made. People are joining in all over the place, still a minority, but a bloody noisy one. Who knew that this was all it took?

Embed from Getty Images

We are getting even better though. With only a second to put the ball on his boot, Bolton passes perfectly to Castagna. He finds the exact spot between two big Cats that George bravely flies into, with no thought for his safety. He holds the mark, of course, and nails the set-shot, of course, and there’s only a point in it. And I’m out in the aisle again, shouting and waving my arms again and heaps of people are joining in, and isn’t this fun when we’re playing well and you actually feel like you’re a part of it?

With six minutes left in the quarter Lynch puts us in front with his fourth goal. The build-up to this is magnificent, an endless series of pressure acts and tackles and a simple refusal to let Geelong clear the footy. Eventually Narkle almost breaks free but runs into The Great Wall of Cotch. The ball spills loose, Baker gets it to Shedda who kicks it to Caddy in a bit of space near the boundary. Caddy gathers calmly and passes to Presti in the pocket who centres the ball to Lynch. The big feller flies against four opponents, is held onto but marks anyway. He kicks the goal from fifteen out and we’re in front and going nuts, even in M12.

But I need to note that the glass-half-empty trio in front of us are booing the umpire even as Lynch lines up his set shot.

Embed from Getty Images

But it’s not all going our way. The ball is kicked into our backline, players go down and Miers wins a free. Broad is on the ground, concussed, and is helped from the ground by the overworked trainers. Our luck really has turned though and Miers misses.
The ball is on the wing at the bottom of a pack with Martin on top of it. Somehow, he gets out from under a great pile of Cats and brings the footy with him. I could watch this reply fifty times but I could never explain how this is possible. He gets the ball to Castagna who passes to Lynch who kicks to Prestia who marks a good distance out. In the face of the relentless Tiger pressure the Cats should have conceded a fifty but the umpire hasn’t noticed. It doesn’t matter because Prestia kicks a booming goal from 48 meters and we’re up by 10 points.

As a footnote to this, after Martin’s Contested Possession for the Ages, he finds himself tackled over the boundary line, near the interchange bench, so he just gets up, walks a few steps to the bench and sits down. Job done.

Half an hour ago it all looked pretty hopeless and I was making mental health care plans for myself for the next few weeks. Now we’re roaring and I think there’s just more good stuff to come. But Henderson marks and goals for the Cats just before the break and they’re back within a goal.

Is this the start of their fightback or a mere blip against our run?
Three-quarter time score: Richmond 9.7 – Geelong 8.9

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The last quarter begins well. Prestia wins a free kick in the middle and kicks it long. A pack flies, Shedda crumbs it, kicks perfectly to Lambert who marks, runs into an open goal and scores. Tim Kelly, who hasn’t gone away, gets one back for the Cats and it seems like they still want to make a fight of it. Ablett has a chance to put them back in front after out-marking Baker, but he misses.

Embed from Getty Images

Geelong attack again but Ellis wins the footy just outside the defensive 50, gets it to Houli who give it to Prestia who gives it to Caddy. Caddy kicks long to Lynch who marks almost un-opposed and kicks his fifth and were up by 11 points again. And after each of our goals I’m out in the aisle again and M12 are making some noise. And then I’m sitting down again before I fall over with light-headedness.

Riewoldt marks on the boundary, kicks and celebrates and the Tiger crowd at the City End go up with him and I’m out in the aisle again and shouting and waving my arms to an un-moved audience. “It wasn’t a goal mate,” someone says, and I skulk back to my seat.

Soldo takes a great mark in defence and has been having a very good night. With six and a half minutes left Jack Graham has a chance to win the game for us but misses on the run. It doesn’t matter, because not long after Bolton grabs the footy and handpasses to Prestia who goals from 40 out. We’re three goals up and there’s five minutes left and we’ve kicked 8.6 to 2.3 since half-time.
Riewoldt wins a holding-the-ball free kick but misses and we’re up by 19. Geelong get another point when Lachie Henderson helpfully touches a kick that would have been a goal. At the very end Castagna has a set shot that doesn’t miss by much and we’ve won by 19.

We scream and roar and sing the song, even the naysayers and the whingers in front of us sing it. And people high-five strangers and say, see you next week, if only that could be true.

Embed from Getty Images

On the telly, Hawkins looks so sad that I feel sorry for him. On the field he’s a giant I want slain, in the coach’s box he’s just a fellow human who’s stuffed up and paid a great price.

Winners can afford such generous thoughts.

Embed from Getty Images

This has been the night of nights. From so far behind and playing so badly to right in front a quarter later. And then such a strong finish. We’ve won 11 games in a row since the bye and we’ve beaten the Cats in a final, again. And we’re in a Grand Final, apparently, against Collingwood or the Giants and maybe we could even win that too.

Embed from Getty Images

I sing the song as we leave but nobody joins in. And our crowd is very different to 2017. We left the prelim that night and everyone – everyone! – was glowing like new parents. Smiling from ear to ear, bursting into song all over the place. Not tonight though. There seems to be a feeling of, “Well what else do you expect?” On the crowded train home there is no bursting into song, like the carriage-full of strangers did in 2017. People are just chatting quietly and looking at their phones and, I know we all follow our own path, but I think we should be a bit happier and celebratory.
It’s not every night you get into a Grand Final.

It’s not every night you pay Geelong back, just a little bit, for the Waverley Massacre in the ’95 prelim.

Embed from Getty Images

We walk home from Thornbury Station full of love and dis-belief. My partner and daughter are in bed but Wolfie greets us and brings out his toy to show how happy he is that we’re home. I make my daughter a cup of tea and I pour myself a beer and we watch the second half on the tape and it’s no more believable on the telly than it was at the ground.

Best players: Lynch, Houli, Prestia, Martin, Edwards, Grimes, Vlaustin, Baker, Soldo. Can I name the whole team? Everyone has done their job. Bolton didn’t have a great game but several of his kicks and touches were gold. Ellis has been great. Broad was great before he was knocked out. Graham, as Dimma says at the presser, will have a chapter written about him in the history of the club. Castagna has been very good too, marking heroically against much bigger opponents and kicking calmly under pressure.

I just love the way this team plays and I love how hard it is to pick our best players. And I love how we’ve passed every test since the bye, since Geelong and Adelaide flogged us in early June.
But there’s still one game to go. I’ve missed out on the ballot, but have another chance to buy a ticket tomorrow. I’ve tried and failed to get a Giants membership this morning, but I seem to be not the only one trying that trick at the moment.
Embed from Getty Images

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Benny Votes

Lynch 5, Houli 4, Prestia 3, Martin 2, Edwards 1

Leaderboard

Martin 52
Houli 49
Vlastuin 37
Lynch 33
Grimes 31
Edwards 29
Prestia 26
Stack 18
Lambert 17
Ellis 13
Cotchin, Bolton 7
Castagna, Soldo 6
Nankervis, Graham 5
Baker, Broad 4
Chol 3
Astbury, Ross, Naish 2
Rioli, Balta 1

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

People keep asking me if I’m nervous about the footy but I’m not until late on Saturday afternoon. We’re a different team and a different club to the one that ventured to the Gabba in 2001 and got shredded by the Lions or the one whose heroic winning streak hit a brick against Port in Adelaide in 2014. But the fact is, we’ve never won an interstate final.

Also, at least twice that I know of, we’ve played in the first week of the finals the team we had just beaten in the last home and away round. And we lost both of them. This was to the Bombers in 2001 and North in 2015. The simple fact is that both teams tanked those home and away games. Essendon with some subtlety in 2001 and North without shame in 2015.
Yes, things are different now. But still…

I spend two hours cooking an excellent dinner which I hope we can enjoy like civilised people at the table before the footy. But in fact, it’s not ready until bang on 7.25 so we eat on the couch. Roasted veg, pork and fennel sausages, flathead fillets and, for my Richmond-barracking daughter, a simple potato and cauli fritter that I whipped up right at the end. My plate is piled with food but the nerves have kicked in and I’ve never felt less hungry in my life.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

I’m glad that we kick the first two goals because, despite the many Tiger fans at the ground, this sounds like a real interstate final with a hostile crowd. They seem to boo everything any of our players do. And I’m worried about the weather too. My phone told me it was 27 degrees before the game started and this will surely make it hard for our boys to run the game out.

Riewoldt kicks the first from the 50 after winning a holding-the-ball free. It’s true that his opponent had almost no prior opportunity but nobody does these days and the commentators make more of this than I want. Speaking of the commentators, they include Darcy whom I can’t abide. In the opening minutes he makes a reference to Grimes’ reputation “…around the industry…” The industry! Why do we let Marketing Departments tell us how to speak?

Shedda makes a great snap for goal number two and maybe this will be our night? Maybe we’ll crush the Lions early and silence the crowd and hold them at arms-length for the rest of the game?

It’s not to be though. Brisbane attack and attack again and we can’t seem to break clear. They have five points on the board in no time and we’re very lucky that they can’t kick straight. Then they have their first goal and the crowd goes off and then their second and they’re in front and then two more before the first break and we’re on the ropes.

Quarter time score: Brisbane 4.6.30 to Richmond 3.0.18

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The second term begins well when Caddy takes the ball from the middle and finds Cotch who out-marks Hodge in the pocket. But our captain misses from an angle and we have our first point of the night. Maybe things aren’t going to go our way? Riewoldt makes a great attempt at a high mark and the ball spills loose and one of our brilliant crumbers will surely kick a goal. But no, a free kick is awarded against Riewoldt for in-the-back which is simply ridiculous.

Lynch takes what I count as his third mark from a clearing kick but then he kicks it backwards and we turn the ball over. Someone needs to tell our players that the Wallace and Frawley kick-it-backwards-at-all-times era is over. We’re Richmond and we kick it forward!

Embed from Getty Images
Saturday 8 September 2019 7.25pm
Shai Bolton flies and holds the mark. It’s an absolute ripper but his kick is even better. It finds Lynch 15 from goal who goes back and kicks it. Suddenly we look a much better team and we’re only three points down.

Rainer is playing well for Brisbane and takes a great mark. Grimes and Cameron are having a good tussle and when Cameron helps Grimes to his feet I realise why my daughter loves Charlie so much.

Richmond attack again but Brisbane win it back and move the ball very easily into the 50 where Rayner marks but misses from 45 out. This is a big let-off for us. Darcy annoys me again by saying the Tigers are having “the rub of the green.” Maybe a bit of luck with the umpires, but Riewoldt would disagree.

Embed from Getty Images

We are lucky though with Brisbane’s kicking for goals which is terrible. Cameron gets free and snaps and misses. Hodge is doing well in defence, even though the Chanel Seven commentators say so. The Lions attack well again but Grimes takes a mark on the last line of defence and wins a 50 as well. The ball gets to Caddy who bombs it long into the 50, Lynch flies but doesn’t mark, Rioli gathers and goals and we’re two points up with seven minutes left in the quarter. The Lions have outplayed us everywhere but can’t kick straight while we don’t seem able to miss.

Rayner misses an easy one to emphasise this. Graham makes a huge tackle in the middle and wins a free but the Lions rebound again. With four minutes left McStay out-marks Vlaustin. Tigger and Houli, too, are not having their usual great games. But the luck is with us as McStay misses from right in front. The Tigers rebound quickly, Dusty is one-out in the forward line, marks and goals. We have just done to Brisbane what teams used to do to us several times a game, every game, from about 1983 to 2016.
McInerney wins a free for falling over but misses from close range. We rebound again, Dusty wins the footy, finds Bolton with a handpass and Bolton steams in with nobody near him and kicks a goal. It’s half-time and after being outplayed for most of the first term and a fair bit of the second, we’re 11 points up.

Half-time score: Brisbane 4.10.34 to Richmond 7.3.45

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The third term starts very well for us. Presty and Shedda combine to get the ball to Martin who wins a free for a clear hold and kicks a goal from close range. Then Shedda wins the ball again, kicks it to Rioli who ought to play on and goal but instead kicks it to Bolton who is out-marked. This is a mistake our forwards make too often – dishing off the footy instead of taking responsibility and kicking the goal themselves. Sometimes that “team-first” rubbish can really hurt you. But I’m being very picky, we’re three goals up in the third term in an interstate final and I just need something to worry about.

Shedda is having a huge game. The quarter isn’t half over and he’s had 14 contested possessions. With Martin in the forward line he’s running the midfield like he owns it. We attack again and this time Rioli hogs the footy, as he should, while Botlon keeps the Brisbane defender away from him. Young Dan bounces and almost loses the footy, but gets it back, has another bounce and goals from close range and we’re four goals up and this is starting to feel very good.

Not long after this Rioli snaps again but misses. Then Riewoldt taps a boundary throw-in to Dusty who runs in and goals again. It’s his fourth and he’s unstoppable and Richmond are five goals in front.

Bolton picks up the footy and kicks it out on the full, proving that not everything we do is perfect, but at least not adding to our measly total of behinds. The commentator, Mark Soderstrom, is still calling him “Shy” Bolton, although it is fairly well-known that his name is pronounced “Shay,” as in Guevara. My daughter points out, “It’s his frickin’ job to know how to say players’ names!”

Things really are going our way. Hodge, who is having a very good game, kicks out-on-the-full and Lynch marks the resulting free without too much trouble and kicks the goal. We’re six goals up and have kicked eight in a row. The Lions last goal was in the first quarter but they’ve added a bundle of behinds since then.

Embed from Getty Images

Shedda takes a massive, very brave mark, running back and leaping with the flight of the footy. He gets it to Caddy who kicks a goal from the 50 and we’re 41 points up. My other daughter and my partner dish up a pear and blueberry galette with ice-cream and we are living the life.

McCluggage, whose name I can’t quite believe, gets one for the Lions and then Shedda takes another great mark. We break-away down the field, Caddy runs along the wing, gets it to Bolton who finds Castagna who snaps and goals from 40 out. Then Dusty gets his fifth and we’re 46 points up and I’m starting to believe that we’ll probably win and daring to admit that I’m actually enjoying this.

Vlaustin helps Cameron to his feet after a contest and I’ve always loved Tigger. This gentlemanly conduct might have to stop as Christensen gets Brisbane’s second goal of the quarter just before the siren and we’re 38 points up at the last break.

From memory, this is what we trailed the Lions by at half-time in the prelim in 2001.

Three-quarter time score: Brisbane 6.14.50 to Richmond 14.4.88

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

My partner, bless her, has come up with a great nick-name for Grimes – The Cleaner. D-Grimes = The Cleaner. Which describes his game completely, he just cleans up.

Brisbane start the last term as they have played all night. McCarthy out-marks Baker but misses from 20 out with not much angle and they now have 6.15 for their night’s work. Rioli goes down and looks to have a problem with his ankle, then he’s off the ground and the doctor is taking a look.

Caddy gives away a 50 for some reason on our forward 50 and McCluggage marks in the Brisbane forward line and misses. Rioli’s ankle is being bandaged, there’s 13 left in the term and we’re six goals up. I’m not relaxed about the result. If Brisbane ever work out that they should kick between the big sticks they could have six goals in no time. I want us to kick two more to finish them off. Then Riewoldt kicks one and I feel safe. It should never have been a goal – Dusty blatantly threw it to him, scooping the ball off the ground, but he got away with it.

Maybe we have been lucky tonight.

Lachie Neale, who has been good, if not quite as busy as last week, gets a goal for the Lions but the match seems to be over. The crowd is 37,478, which is a record footy crowd for the Gabba. Brisbane kick another point and Richmond are up by 35 with 10 minutes left. Brisbane attack but Shedda takes yet another great mark in defence and sends us into attack. Dusty gathers the ball on the 50 and kicks his sixth goal and I think we might be home.

Then we win a free and a 50 in the forward line and Riewoldt kicks another and we’re 47 points up, the same as Soldo’s number. Our supporters are singing “Tigerland” and all is right with the world. Rioli is back on and makes a great tackle. We’re 47 points up, there’s seven minutes left and he’s still throwing himself into it.

Martin wins a free on the 50, the ball gets to Caddy who makes room for himself and goals and we’re 53 points up. Christensen gets one back for the Lions and only then do I realise that the Lions too have been afflicted with the electronic roar, may our respective Marketing Departments burn in hell.

The siren sounds and we’ve kicked 18.4, the second-most accurate kicking of any team in any final and the most accurate score I can remember the Tigers kicking ever. In the second half we’ve kicked 11.1 to 4.7. Our players look happy and there seems to be lots of good will between our players and theirs. I could be wrong though, victory does give one a particular view of things.

Final Score: Brisbane 8.17.65 to Richmond 18.4.112
Embed from Getty Images

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

We’re allowed one rendition of Tigerland before a truly awful ad booms out over the ground’s PA. If I didn’t have such a malign view of marketing departments, I would swear that fascist aliens had taken over and were issuing instructions. Then a very loud ground announcer is heard and what a relief it is not to have the ends of games ruined by the singing and cheering of supporters. I can’t imagine anything worse than that.
Shedda is interviewed and is predictably modest, saying his team-mates did all the hard work on the inside to get the ball to him. This is quite a thing to say after you’ve won 18 contested footies.

It’s a great night for the Tigers. Remember that awful night in round two, our first game without Rance, when Collingwood pulled us apart? Or two weeks before the bye when Geelong humiliated us at the ‘G? (They didn’t complain about playing at the ‘G that night). Or that awful run of injuries to our best players? And now we’re in a prelim, against Geelong or West Coast, with two weeks to prepare for it.

But to keep things in perspective, we’ve been lucky. Brisbane kicked their way out of this one and had three more scoring shots than us. Especially in the first and second quarters, had they kicked straight we would have been in all sorts. And had we not kicked straight at our end, who knows?

Shedda has been magnificent, the best game I’ve seen him play and he’s played some beauties. Presty has been great in the middle too. Dusty has been quite handy in our forward line and six goals is not to be sneezed at. Soldo has been great in the ruck and, it may be blasphemous to say so, but he’s playing better than Toby. Quite often he puts the ball down the throat of his team-mates. And our defenders, despite the massive pressure they were under early in the game, have stood up. Grimes has been outstanding and Astbury has been good too. Baker and Short have been good. Houli and Vlaustin have not played their usual games but have battled away to the end.
Embed from Getty Images

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Benny Votes

Edwards 5, Prestia 4, Martin 3, Soldo 2, Grimes 1

Leaderboard

Martin 50
Houli 45
Vlastuin 37
Grimes 31
Edwards, Lynch 28
Prestia 23
Stack 18
Lambert 17
Ellis 13
Cotchin, Bolton 7
Castagna, Soldo 6
Nankervis, Graham 5
Baker, Broad 4
Chol 3
Astbury, Ross, Naish 2
Rioli, Balta 1

Embed from Getty Images
Sunday 25th August 3.20pm
The start time is very significant, for a while. I have a friend who’s written a play and the last performance is in Elwood at 6.30 on this very night. Can I get from the ‘G to Elwood by 6.30 if I stay and watch the whole game? I look at various possibilities and the answer is no. Eventually I compromise with myself and work out that I can leave the ‘G at 4.40, ride to Richmond Station and catch a train to Elsternwick which will get me there in time. I’ll miss much of the last quarter and I hope that we’ve got the match won by then.

All of this planning is academic in the end because I miss the footy and the play. In the morning my partner comes off her bike on the steep hill just near our house. She’s alive and hasn’t broken any teeth or bones and her brand-new bike is un-marked. But she’s lost a lot of skin from her chin, hands and knees and in no state to cross town for her friend’s play that evening. So I stay home to look after her and I watch the footy on delay – the second half after dinner, the first half on Monday night.

It appears to have been a cracker of a game. Brisbane, we need to remind ourselves, were top of the ladder. I ought to mention too that I once played Gaelic football with their coach, Chris Fagan. At least, I think I did. He used to play for Hobart – my team – in the Tasmanian Football League and his brother was in my sister’s class at Dominic College. And one day, for some reason, Chris joined us for PE when we played the Irish Code. At the end he said he found the round ball hard to get used to.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

To finish in the top four, we need to beat Brisbane, as we needed also to beat the Giants and the Eagles, both of whom looked formidable at the time. And Brisbane look good today, getting the first goal in the opening minutes. But Dusty soon puts things to rights. Soldo grabs the ball in the middle, handpasses to Prestia who gives it to Martin who runs to the edge of the centre square and unloads a bomb from 60 metres.

We keep playing well but Castagna misses an easy shot from 30 out after Ellis completed a good chain of passes. Who is this team who pass the ball so well and so quickly? When I watch other teams play – the St Kildas and the Melbournes, or especially if I remember the Tigers of the Wallace and early Dimma years – I am reminded that this is exceptional footy and not to be taken for granted.

After a great bit of Tiger pressure on the wing Lambert gets the footy and kicks long into the 50. Riewoldt is one-out with his opponent but the ball doesn’t bounce his way. Nonetheless he gets a boot to it. Balta goes in hard, gathers, gives it to Rioli who kicks with the outside of his boot from 35 out and we’ve got another. Prestia who has started very well, again, finds Castagna all alone with a beautiful long pass. George’s bad start continues though as he runs in under little pressure and misses.

Embed from Getty Images

Rioli is tackled by Zorko and manages to get a kick away but still has a free awarded against him. None of our players whinge too much because they know there’s no point. The crowd is building and BT keeps telling us that it could be a record crowd for a game featuring a team from interstate.

Vlaustin is playing very well, again, and takes a great mark, going back with the flight of the ball.

He intercepts another Brisbane attack and handpasses to Castagna – the RFC forwards are working very hard to help out their defenders. Castagna’s kick finds Soldo in the centre who handpasses to Dusty who passes long and beautifully to Riewoldt. Jack kicks the goal and we’re up 3.2 to 1.1. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I have never seen a player pass the ball as well and as often as Dusty. I’ll remember forever his 60-metre effort that found Grigg in the goal-square in the last quarter of the 2017 final against Geelong. It was so precise that Grigg didn’t have to move. Just held his ground, marked it and kicked the goal.

Richmond take it up another notch after the centre bounce. Soldo’s tap finds Martin, who handpasses to Presty whose kick finds Riewoldt who goes back and kicks another. Each player in the chain had a solid quarter of a second to decide what to do and then to do it. This is a team in good form.

With five minutes left in the term Ellis finds Riewoldt who marks and goals from 35 out. He’s got his kicking boots on today. The Tigers’ passing is lightning-fast at times and their defenders are winning everything.

Brisbane win the ball on their own 50 but Caddy stops them with a brilliant smother. But then Hipwood, one of the Lions’ two tall, lean forwards, kicks a set shot from a tight angle and cuts the lead to 19 points. Riewoldt wins a bit of a lucky free and goals from 15 out and he’s got four for the quarter and we’re four goals up again.
In this quarter it’s been a solid and at times, brilliant, team effort, but our best players have been Riewoldt, Presty, Martin, Vlaustin and Soldo.

Quarter time score: Richmond 6.2.38 to Brisbane 2.1.13
Embed from Getty Images

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

At the start of the second term Hipwood marks and goals to give the Lions hope. Baker is playing well on the back line though and seems to be foot taller than he really is. He has all the skills and all the guts you want in a player. Grimes seems to be fine too and is easily beating Cameron.

Embed from Getty Images

There’s a long period of stalemate after the goal-fest in the first, but then the Lions get another goal and our lead is 16 points. Lynch marks on the 50 and inexplicably handpasses to Short who kicks from 60 and doesn’t make the distance. One thing that Lynch seems to have done all year is take responsibility and go back and kick his set shots. But maybe in round 23 he’s had enough of doing that?

Castagna shakes off his kicking yips with a goal from close range after Cotch won a free for being pushed under the ball in a marking contest. Then Lambert, our hard-working hero, takes a pass from Caddy and kicks the set shot from 45 out on a bad angle. We’re up by 28 and there’s six minutes left in the half.

Bolton takes a great mark and sets off on a run but comes a cropper as he tries to squeeze between two Lions who are rude enough not to let him through. I’m reminded of Blight when he coached the Crows in the 90s and he’d tell his players, “I don’t care if you get caught holding the ball.” He was happy for them to take the game on. It’s an even game now but the Tigers have been much more efficient in attack.
Embed from Getty Images

Cameron Rayner takes a good mark for the Lions but misses from 40. The Tigers make a great break from defence but Lynch has a free paid against him, literally because his opponent fell over. If anything, Lynch should have gotten the free, but there it is.

Brisbane get a 50 as well but Grimes takes a great saving mark in defence and the quarter ends without another goal.

Half-time scores: Richmond 8.6.54 to Brisbane 4.4.28

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Brisbane get right back into the game in the third term. Zorko gets an early one for them and then another with only three minutes gone and we’re only 14 points up. Riewoldt marks on an angle but kicks out on the full. With the quarter half gone Cameron gets away from Grimes at last and it’s only seven points to us. Brisbane have kicked five of the last seven goals and something needs to be done.
Astbury – my brother-in-law’s cousin’s daughter’s boyfriend – takes a very good intercept mark in the back line. A great chain of Richmond passes ends with Rioli on the 50 who kicks to Lynch right in front who kicks his first goal of the game and something indeed has been done.

With a minute left in the quarter Lambert goals on the run on quite an angle. It was a beautiful series of passes that eventually found him – Cotch stole the ball from a ball-up, handpassed to Castagna who handpassed to Riewoldt who gave it to Lambert. We’re 19 points up now and looking a lot better.

We attack again but the siren goes with the ball in the air in our forward 50 and Dusty one-out with Hodge. The commentators make much of how relieved Hodge would have been to hear the siren.

Three-quarter time scores: Richmond 10.7.67 to Brisbane 7.6.48

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Lachie Neale has had 40 disposals to three-quarter time which is some achievement.

We kick to the Punt Road End in the last and it starts well when Dusty pounces on a slight fumble by the Lions defenders and goals and we’re 25 points up. Vlaustin takes another strong mark in defence and Leigh Mathews says of him, “He doesn’t even think about spoiling, he just marks it.” That sounds like our Tigger all right.
Embed from Getty Images

With 12 minutes gone Richmond win the game with a beautiful passage of play. Rioli gets it to Soldo who gives it back to Rioli on the 50. Rioli kicks to Lambert who marks right in front. But Ellis is steaming in from the side, un-attended, and Lambert dishes it off to him. Ellis almost kicks the ball over the Olympic Stand and Richmond lead by 31 points. I’m really amazed at how quick and mobile Soldo is for such a tall man.

Cameron pulls one back for the Lions who now trail by 25 and Richmond need to win by six goals more in order to jump over the Lions into second spot and get a home final against them.
Lachie Neale gets his 50th possession and then his 51st. I’m not sure who was playing on him, but I’m glad it wasn’t me. Near the end Lynch marks but hits the post and then Hipwood does the same at the other end and we’ve won by 27 points and got ourselves the double chance for the third year in a row.

Final Score: Richmond 12.10.82 to Brisbane 8.7.55

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

The crowd was 76,995 which is an Australian record for a home and away game between teams from different states.

This has been a very solid win against a very good team. Richmond haven’t lost a game since the bye, which they went into with some wobbly form – they had been very well beaten by North, Geelong and Adelaide. Actually, we were destroyed by Geelong and our season looked a mess. We look like a different team now. And with Soldo getting into the swing of things in the ruck, Cotch also finding his way back in and newer players like Baker, Balta, Bolton and Short showing a lot of promise, I have a feeling that this team can get a lot better.

Embed from Getty Images

My best players were Martin, Vlaustin, Grimes, Soldo, Prestia and Lambert. But once again, I find this very hard. Everyone played well, again. The other defenders were outstanding, again. Where would we be without Houli?

In The Age on Wednesday Dylan Grimes says that he was feeling overwhelmed as the main tall defender after those losses. But rather than bottle it up and try to get on with things on his own he came to the club on the Monday and told everyone “I feel overwhelmed and I need more help.” And lo, by naming our horrors they disappear. His team-mates got around him, on-field and off, and Richmond won every game after that.

Embed from Getty Images

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Benny Votes

5 Martin, 4 Vlaustin, 3 Grimes, 2 Soldo, 1 Prestia

Leaderboard

Martin 47
Houli 45
Vlastuin 37
Grimes 30
Lynch 28
Edwards 23
Prestia 19
Stack 18
Lambert 17
Ellis 13
Cotchin, Bolton 7
Castagna 6
Nankervis, Graham 5
Baker, Broad, Soldo 4
Chol 3
Astbury, Ross, Naish 2
Rioli, Balta 1

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images
Sunday 18th August 2019 1.10pm

The time is relevant to this story because my weekend is full and everything has to go right if I’m to get to the footy. On Friday night we go out as a family to see Shakespeare in Love at the Playhouse and, unless we are greatly mistaken, Geoffrey Rush, who was in the film 20 years ago, is sitting a few rows in front of us. It is a wet, cold night and the kids don’t really want to go out to see a play they’re sure they’ll hate. But they are converts well before the interval. It’s the bit with the dog that seals it.

We catch a late tram home and see on the phone that the Demons have lost to Sydney, at home, by 53 points. Sydney who had not won for two months, have flogged them. What on earth has happened to Melbourne? It’s one of life’s great mysteries.

I’m up before five and out the door a bit after six. I ride, in the early light, to Spencer Street and catch the 7.05 to Wodonga. On the train I eat toast from a paper bag, coffee from the thermos, do a bit of the crossword, have a good sleep, look out the window and all is right with the world.

From Wodonga Station I ride to Mum’s house and have a lovely day and night with her. I catch the 6.44 morning train back to Melbourne. More thermos coffee, more toast from the bag, a bit less sleep than I wanted. I make a bold decision to alight at Broadmeadows rather than stay on until the city. I am greatly vindicated by the howling northerly wind which pushes me home to Preston in good time. That train can really crawl from Broady into the City and then I would have had to ride uphill, and into the wind, to get home.

For the first time in a while I’ll have company at the footy. My daughter and I leave home half an hour after I arrive, catch the tram in good time and walk through the gardens to the ‘G. We’re in standing room in M9 with a good spot against the barrier, a good half hour before the first bounce. Time for some hot chips and a bit of the quiz before the fun starts.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

West Coast win the toss and kick to the City End, as teams do when they win the toss. Is that so Richmond won’t be kicking to the Punt Road End in the last? Whatever the reason, it pays off for them handsomely as they are out to a five-goal lead in no time. They don’t seem able to drop the ball or miss a shot at goal. Richmond seem to give them all the room and time that they want and they don’t want much. A second too long here, a yard or two there, and they have another goal.

They get the first two before Caddy marks a good kick from Bolton and pulls one back for us. Caddy, with that goal we really need, again. Presti gives a clever, underground kick to Houli who finds Lynch who marks and misses badly. Then West Coast kick the ball around their backline at their leisure before setting sail for the City End where Hickey marks easily and goals from 25 out.

Castagna gets one back for us, a very clever, bouncing grubber of a kick after a nice bit of ducking and weaving. But too soon after that the wrong Rioli gathers and steams into an open goal and it’s 2.1 to four straight and it’s galling how easily the Eagles can score. Our defence seems to be in tatters as Petruccelle gathers and goals and they have five. Another easy mark to Oscar Allen and we’re almost four goals down and the quarter isn’t half over.

Do the Eagles have the wind? Or are we just hopeless and flat-footed? Is this the first good team we’ve played in months? They pull us apart again and it’s seven straight to them and the lead is as good as five goals and despair is barely kept at bay in M9. Please let it rain! Let something stop this slick machine.

Then we get a bit of luck when Short kicks and goals from 45 out. West Coast attack again and Hurn lines up from the 50. But they are mere mortals after all and the Eagles have their first behind at last. Richmond attack but Lynch is out-marked very easily and I wonder if the kick to him had held up in the wind. We’re four goals down and West Coast are marking cleanly and kicking straight and our pressure game doesn’t seem to trouble them.
Embed from Getty Images

Quarter-time score: Richmond 3.3.21 to West Coast 7.1.43

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

At the break I think we’re only still in it if we win the second quarter. Well, that’s pretty obvious. And indeed, the game seems to have changed since Short got his late goal in the first. The sun has gone and rain might be coming, but we can’t see the sky from under the concrete at M9. It’s just us and the game.

The first West Coast attack at the Punt Road End is repelled but Richmond only kick a behind as they rebound. Then Riewoldt takes a great mark with is not paid because of the Toby Greene rule. Greene’s bad influence on the game is immeasurable. But then Rioli wins a free, kicks long to Bolton who gathers, weaves, makes space for himself and goals and a good chant of Richmond, clap, clap, clap, starts up. Maybe we can get back into this game?
Embed from Getty Images

With about six minutes gone Lynch takes a huge pack mark, somehow plucking the ball from the air with arms all over the place, like a kelp forest. He kicks the goal from 20 out and we feel much better, it’s 5.2 to 7.1 and it hasn’t even started raining yet.

West Coast attack again, Kennedy marks in a pack but only kicks a behind. Then Flyin’ Ryan takes a pack mark which is paid, unlike Riewoldt’s and we are not surprised. And he goals and we’re three down again. Ryan’s mark followed Edwards losing the footy on the 50. Many of our players have made big mistakes, while the Eagles seem to do everything right. This is very hard to watch.
Embed from Getty Images

Shedda makes amends with a good pass to Chol in the pocket, but Chol who is usually a good set shot, misses this one. Houli marks a clearing kick from West Coast and kicks it to Riewoldt who misses and we trail by 16. Graham snaps a point and we don’t seem able to find the big sticks. But then Riewoldt does, after marking on a tight angle 20 metres out and there’s only 10 points in it.

West Coast attack with their appalling grace and fluidity – and in their dreadful Marketing Department jumpers – but Kennedy is denied a free as he goes to ground in a tangle with Grimes. I’m amazed, players often get frees these days for falling over. But then Soldo is denied a mark right in front so it’s not going all our way. Castagna gets into the bad kicking habit by missing an easy set shot by doing that silly side-on thing that’s all the rage now.

This is much better though. But while there’s more fight for the footy we have only a few goals to show for a long period of dominance. West Coast’s ability to attack quickly and cleanly is really frightening. If they dominate for another half a quarter like they did at the start they could wrap this game up. On the other hand, if we can win this after giving them a five-goal start it will be one to remember.

Half-time score: Richmond 6.5.41 to West Coast 8.2.50

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

By the time the Auskickers have left the field it has gotten much colder and my coat is zipped up and my scarf is wrapped tightly around my neck. The rain starts and supporters seek shelter from their expensive, but exposed seats. Some look quite unwell after braving the rain in those awful throw-away ponchos.

The match becomes a slog which might suit us, but almost ten minutes pass without any goals. Then Tom Barrass does an embarrassing thing and passes perfectly to Lambert who marks 25 out and goes back and kicks it. Lambert simply amazes me. I’ve watched his third-quarter goal in the GF – the one that put us 28 points up – about fifty times and I still can’t believe how far and how quickly he ran to be in the right spot for Grigg’s handpass. He just works and works and works and his skills are polished from long use. But most supporters of other clubs have never heard of him.
Embed from Getty Images

The margin is down to four points and maybe we can do this. Ellis goes in very hard in the back pocket and forces a boundary throw-in. The ball comes up our end again, and Lambert snaps for the third time in a minute with no reward. We’ve completely – or almost completely – controlled the game for half a quarter and we’ve one goal and few points to show for it. West Coast attack, win a mysterious free and goal, of course. They can’t bloody miss anything and we’re two goals down again.

Ross wins a free for a high tackle but misses from 25 out. Richmond attack again, Bolton gets it to Prestia who gets it to Dusty who goals. This is the Richmond we like. It’s still raining and 26 minutes have passed and we’re one point down. West Coast attack and are repelled and in the misty rain someone is being helped off the ground by the trainers at the City End. There is concern in M9 and my daughter thinks it’s Grimes. I’m sure it’s a West Coast player because an injury to Grimes is unthinkable. The ball is on our forward pocket when the siren goes. This is a shame as I could have watched us slowly but surely grind the Eagles to defeat in the drizzling rain for the rest of my life.
Embed from Getty Images

Three-quarter-time score: Richmond 8.8.56 to West Coast 9.3.57

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Grimes is back and Dusty opens the last quarter with a point and scores are level. Then Baker gets it to Castagna who gets it to Bolton who marks 25 out, but kicks badly and we’re a point up. Then Soldo wins a free for kicking in danger – the one that’s paid about once a year – and he goes back and kicks it from 25. I’ve really loved Soldo’s form in recent months, he seems to be getting better and better and he’s starting to kick Caddy-like goals, the ones we really need.

Riewoldt handpasses to Shedda who goals and we’re up by 13 points and we should bury these interstate interlopers with their awful song. But they won’t bloody lie down and Ryan wins a very doubtful free kick for high contact, goes back and kicks it and there’s only seven points in it.

Lynch wins a free for high contact after a Barrass, I think, hurdled into him. From a tight angle, 15 out, he kicks it and we’re 13 points up again and surely the burial of the Eagles has begun. West Coast have kicked only three goals since quarter time and we’ve kicked eight. From a boundary throw-in they score again and it’s only seven points. Why won’t they just lie down and die?

Ross makes a horrible mistake, giving the ball away on the back-line right in front of us and another bloody Eagle goal results. They’ve got their kicking boots on today, our defence seems to be in disarray and we’re only a point up. Lynch comes to the rescue once more, snaps and goals and 24 minutes have gone and it’s seven points. West Coast win a free against Baker for some reason but from 25 meters out they miss. At last! An easy miss! But it’s six points and far too tense to be any fun.

Kennedy marks right in front. From my completely objective standpoint he seems to be holding onto Astbury, my brother-in-law’s cousin’s daughter’s boyfriend, but the umpire doesn’t see it and Kennedy goals and the scores are level and why did we miss so many gettable shots and why do we have to go through this agony? And please let us score again, please.

It’s raining again and 27 have gone and Ellis who just keeps trying, week in and week out, gets it to Riewoldt who goals and we’re six points up. And at this point I have to put my notebook away because it’s too close and too tense and the quarter is endless. Minutes crawl by like years and it keeps raining and the Tigers keep fighting for the footy. With 34 minutes gone they win it again and Rioli has it and then Castagna has it and he bangs it towards the goal and all we want is a point, just one more beautiful point, but we don’t even need that because the siren has sounded and we jump up and down and scream and shout and burst into song. What a relief. What a great win after giving this very handy team, who just happened to be the reigning premiers, a five-goal start.
Embed from Getty Images

Full-time score: Richmond 13.10.88 to West Coast 13.4.82

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Houli has been great, again. Dusty, very good, Vlaustin very good too. And I liked Soldo’s game a lot, he’ll be very unlucky if Toby pushes him out of the side. And, as usual, a huge list of players who did all they had to do. The ones who come to mind, Lambert, Graham, Ellis, Lynch, Riewoldt, Prestia. Face facts, we have a bloody good team and nearly everyone plays really well every week. It would be easier to pick out the ones who might have disappointed, but I would hate to do that.

This week, Brisbane, who are top of the ladder. And we thought we came from nowhere in 2017! It really is all on the line this Sunday.

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Benny Votes

Houli 5, Martin 4, Vlastuin 3, Soldo 2, Lambert 1

Leaderboard

Houli 45
Martin 42
Vlastuin 33
Lynch 28
Grimes 27
Edwards 23
Stack, Prestia  18
Lambert 17
Ellis 13
Cotchin, Bolton 7
Castagna 6
Nankervis, Graham 5
Baker, Broad 4
Chol 3
Astbury, Ross, Naish, Soldo 2
Rioli, Balta 1