This match promised great things early, with goals aplenty and unbelievable pressure in the first quarter. We went in without Lynch as a precaution, and relied on Jack and Marbs up front. Prestia and Bolton were big ins, at the expense of unlucky Jack Ross and inconsistent Josh Caddy.

Things got started with a big Brisbane goal. McCluggage marked on 50, then Daniel Rich wandered over and said ‘give me the kick’ then stood there whistling. Tigers stood off while Buggerlugs thought about it for a few beats and finally handed it to Rich who thumped it through. James Brayshaw yelped “What a start that is for Richmond! Uh the Lions! And Rich!”

Shai fooled around so much he was caught by the very big Oscar McInerny, then made things worse by giving away 50, enabling the Big O to bring up a goal. Bakes kicked his first goal of the year on the run from 50, and the skipper followed up to keep us in touch at 19-19. Kam added another and we went in on top at 4.1.25 to 3.1.19

We traded goals after the restart, then we owned the ball for the next fifteen minutes. It was clear as day that the Lions couldn’t continue to hang on. We just kept pumping it in and Harris Andrews took relieving mark after relieving mark. Never in footy history has a team dominated fifteen minutes as we did and failed to score at all, as we did.

What happened next was goals to Rayner, Cameron, and Neale. Neale’s was a double 50 on the stroke of half time, where we cocked up a goal chance with one too many handballs, and suddenly found ourselves conceding one instead. In this quarter we shattered our mental grip on the Lions, played Cameron and Rayner into form. Like Cotchin, Neale doesn’t kick many, and the value for them is slightly more than six points like Cotch’s are for us. We were down 5.1.31 to 7.2.44 at the long break and it seemed like a welcome halt to the momentum.

It didn’t work. Four minutes into third term Cameron kicked his third, and the spell we (Grimes) have had over him was broken. Rioli kicked a wonderful snap in reply for us; he hasn’t had a great year but spring always sharpens him up. It was 52-38 and we were just staying in touch. It was a cracking game – as the scoring slowed after QT the pressure went to new levels throughout. Bailey got another for them. Young Keidean Coleman in his 5th game could have just about pushed it out of our reach but he was hauled down by Astbury with the timekeeper’s finger on the button for the 3QT siren. If he’d been content with a zig he would have been fine but he essayed a fateful zag. Dave’s tackle slipped down into a trip but umpies don’t care these days. We trailed 6.3.39 to 9.6.60.

The ageless Kam McIntosh scampered through the wing and set up Dan for his second. Shai executed another squiggly run and finished off with a goal that could have been remembered forever if it hadn’t brushed the post. Probably for the best as Bruce’s call of it deserves to be forgotten. Riewoldt took a difficult pack mark and slotted one to get us within nine points, and arguably we had the flow. Time ticked on, and our desperation started to work against us. Hipwood wasted a chance to seal it but Buggerlugs didn’t, giving the Lions a deserved 15 point win, 10.9.69 to 8.6.54.

The Benny

5: Graham carries such a load now for a young player – 9 tackles.
4: Cotchin had seven clearances and a goal
3: Short had 22 touches and always had his eyes up
2: Prestia is working back into some form
1: Astbury is unsung but was our best defender today

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

Maurice Rioli Grip of Death Trophy for Tackles
Graham 60
Pickett 59
Lambert 54
Cotchin 47
Bolton 45

Exciting to have Shedda back in the side. He was one of 4 changes, coming in with Lord David Astbury, Marbs and Caddy for Lynch (injured) Shai (rested/injured) Soldo (proper injured) and Markov. The Crows have had a dog of a season but have just started to turn it around in the last few weeks. Never a chance of winning but likely to be obstinate opponents.

Crows goaled first and had their tails up. We hit back with goals to Caddy, Jack and Aarts to lead 3.0 to 2.2 at quarter time, although they looked the better side, getting over the back of our defence a few times. Shedda contributed to Aarts goal with this millisecond give and gather.

After quarter time we kicked 9 goals to two and our relative quality was obvious against the wooden spooners. Noted chillout-merchant Brad Crouch pushed Cotch in the back, Cotch remonstrated and Crouch swung a nose-breaking left hook just shy of his hooter. The free kick to Cotch was overturned when Toby quite rightly flew the flag.

Benny Votes

As usual this season I have copied these votes and notes from the mighty @Tigers_of_Old. This season he’s made his own excellent Richmond merch, check it out if you haven’t yet.

5. Shedda. Couldn’t have been a better return.
4. Dusty. Constant danger.
3. Graham. Our workhorse.
2. Lambert. Timely return to form.
1. Baker. Flawless down back.

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

Maurice Rioli Grip of Death Trophy for Tackles
Pickett 55
Lambert 53
Graham 51
Cotchin 46
Bolton 44

This was not a great game from us, an atypical snooze fest. But it was exactly what we’ve come to know and love from Gold Coast – exciting youngsters, a very competitive first half and a tailing away in the latter stages. There was a slow start, and it never got exactly frenetic. This will be the briefest of summaries.

AFL match report says we “owned” the first quarter. OK. Riewoldt was on, and we certainly looked the more potent side up front. Scores were level at the first break.

The Suns may have got a rocket from Stuey Dewey with their oranges; as they were by far the better side in the 2nd Q but sprayed it. Again I am floating my theory that there’s something about our Grimes-led back 6 that causes wayward kicking. Old fashioned “chewy on yer boot” action? Perhaps. I don’t think we rush more than average. They led 3.6 to 2.2 at half time. Yes, our boys kicked two majors in the first half.

Jack starred and this was clearly his best game of the season. Not long after the season restart Marcus and I speculated about his future; but I wouldn’t do that after this game. He’s still got what it takes to take a game by the scruff, especially a moribund off-Broadway affair like this.

We kicked three to none in the 3rd quarter, Pickett put us in front in his usual laid back way. After the last change we just eased away with three more goals to one for as unspectacular win as you’ll get. Just contento with the puntas quatras as they possibly say in Spanish.

Lynch had a good game but was cited for thumping a young Coaster in the guts. This was the main footy story of the week as the commentariat decided it was time to pile on the club. He’s getting caught retaliating, and will miss more important games than this one if he keeps it up.

Benny Votes
This week I’ll man up and call the votes myself.
Riewoldt 5, Grimes 4, Vlastuin 3, Cotchin 2, Short 1
Leaderboard
20: Martin
18: Bolton
13: Short
12: Vlastuin, Grimes
10: Lambert
9: Baker, McIntosh
7: Prestia, Balta, Riewoldt, Cotchin
6: Soldo
5: Higgins, Eggmolesse-Smith, Chol
4: Caddy
3: Houli, Lynch
2: Pickett
1: Castagna, Graham, Aarts

Lions have been travelling very well and were expected to be a good test for us. Vlossy was back for Markov. Hipwood goaled first. Charlie Cameron is one of the league’s in-form forwards, and he was on the board and revving his mini bike early. We found the ball and got in front by quarter time. Harris Andrews is a talented and huge man but his spoil technique handed us two goals.

The Lions now kicked the game away. After QT they kicked 2.14, which of course is oddly familiar. They kicked 8.17 in last year’s qualifying final, letting us off the hook despite 10 scoring shots to 3 in the first quarter.

The current “Tom Lynch is a thug” movement started here, when he pushed Alex Witherden’s face into the turf. He avoided a suspension but it might have been for the best if he’d been given a week and taught to cool it.

Shai Bolton has gone to another level, seeming to glide around the midfield. He collected a ball at pace in the exact centre of the ground, continued for 5 steps then roosted the ball from all of 70 metres. Marbs shepherded it through for one of the longest goals I’ve seen.

A beaut highlight with an anti-climactic end was Kamdyn’s fancy stepovers on the outer wing, which lost McLuggage completely. Kamdyn then took about 18 steps and was whistled up for too far. He’s extraordinary.

Benny Votes
I have again used @Tigers_of_Old’s list of the best Tigers on ground. Dusty is in Brownlow form now IMO. Baker is going to be top 3 in the B&F in my opinion. Bolton was a very good small forward in 2019 but a revelation in midfield now. Lynch worked very hard. Jake Aarts knows where the goals are, knows his role and plays it well.
Martin 5, Baker 4, Bolton 3, Lynch 2, Aarts 1

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

Dusty was best-on again against the Bulldogs. Rioli, Graham and Naish were all dropped for Ross, Markov and Stack, and the skipper was back with Vlastuin out injured. We went in with three genuine tall forwards, and the Dogs just didn’t have the defensive power to match. Aarts is thriving in the Butler role and bobbed up for three goals. Grimes won us a 50m and goal with a stagey flop when he was brushed by Ed Richards; this was the beginning of a deliberate tactic that I do not like to see in my favourite Tiger.

We really clobbered them. Bont was very quiet. Dusty was a 4-quarter player and kicked an inside-out boomer from the right pocket, all three of his goals were actually top drawer. Newbies Markov and Ross combined to create another goal. Marbs played cleverly and is just a delight to watch.

He’s reinventing football

— 4boat (@4Boat) July 29, 2020

It’s so eye-opening to see a tall player confident in their speed and agility. Combined with Noah Balta down back (his citizen’s arrest on Josh Bruce was fantastic) we have so much excitement to look forward to.

Benny Votes
I have pinched these from @Tigers_of_Old who is a shrewd observer. Dusty has leapt to the top of the leaderboard.
Martin 5, Grimes 4, Balta 3, Pickett 2, Chol 1

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