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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.

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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.
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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.

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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.
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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?
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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.

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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

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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.

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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.
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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.
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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

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.
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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

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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.

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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.

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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
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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.

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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.
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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

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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

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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.
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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.
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Quarter-time score: Richmond 3.3.21 to West Coast 7.1.43

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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?
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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.
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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

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

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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.
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Full-time score: Richmond 13.10.88 to West Coast 13.4.82

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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.

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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

Sunday 11 August, 3.20pm, MCG
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I leave the house in a rush but go back for my gloves as it’s so cold. But I still manage to forget my scarf, of all things, and I don’t realise until I’m well up the road. I’m aiming for a train that I’ll have to run for and I don’t go back for the scarf. I hope this doesn’t bring us bad luck.

I have to give up on the train and I catch a timely tram instead. If you think we’re spoiled for choice with public transport in Preston you are right. I get into the ‘G a few minutes before the start. Tigerland is being played and sung by some as I make my way to M9. The players are warming up in the teeming rain and after the Friday night snow in Canberra I reflect on the sadness of Melbourne, that no matter how cold it gets, it’s never going to snow. And Rob Snarsky’s song comes into my head, “It starts with snow and it ends with rain…” which for this round of footy will be the case.

Riewoldt is Captain. Cotch is sitting this one out and Dusty’s out too, with “general soreness.” It’s Shedda’s 250th and he’s the 250th player to reach that milestone. Later I will see on the telly that fewer that 2% of AFL players get to that many games. So well done Shedda, we love you and we’re very proud.

Riewoldt wins the toss and chooses the City End so that we’ll kick to the Punt Road End in the last. At the huddle Lynch looks happy and relaxed. But I can only tell this by looking at the TV screen. In real life all the players with blond hair look the same and I struggle to pick Lynch, Riewoldt or Broad apart. Ellis is a bit easier as his shape is distinctive.

Richmond dominate early and after 13 minutes Riewoldt marks a perfect pass from Stack and goals from outside 50. A few minutes later Lynch marks close in, plays on and goals despite being tackled and falling over. Perfect passes from Houli to Caddy to Lynch follow but he misses from 30 meters. Carlton win a soft in-the-back free but miss from 25 out and maybe this will be our afternoon?

Bolton handpasses to Graham who kicks the wet ball from outside the 50 and goals. There is sunshine now and light rain and quarter ends and we’re three goals up and playing quite well. Edwards has had a heap of marks and has been very busy.

Quarter time score: Richmond 3.2 to Carlton 0.2

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It’s always good when Richmond are attacking the Punt Road End. When we’re winning that is. Graham makes a great smother to force a boundary throw-in on the forward flank. Light rain falls, Riewoldt gathers and snaps a behind. Carlton attack but a Vlaustin mark stops them in their tracks. Tigger is playing very well.

The ball is in the pocket in the teeming rain and we win a free for out-on-the-full. The ball lands on the deck, Graham gathers, kicks as he’s tackled and goals. He’s playing like he really wants to play finals again. Watching footy in the rain brings out a lot of nostalgia and clearly this is shared by the players too who organise a bit of a brawl after Graham’s goal, but I’m too busy scribbling to see how it started.

It does remind me of the best radio call of all time – the ’79 GF which we taped and played and replayed on a loop. And Smokey Dawson said to Doug Bigelow at one point, “You watch the fights Doug, I’ll watch the footy!”

Carlton are attacking more than I want them too but can kick only points, even when Richmond gift them a chance after going backwards like in the worst days of Wallace and Frawley. What could go wrong if we keep kicking backwards?

Richmond attack again and Bolton makes a very brave attempt to mark. He still manages to handpass to Graham who steadies and snaps his third. In the teeming rain he can do no wrong.

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Chol on the other hand can do little right and drops an easy mark. Well, it would have been easy on a dry day. But Chol does get a handball to Graham – why give it to anyone else? – who goals again and we’ve kicked six and Carlton have only four points. I love the idea of keeping Carlton goal-less for a whole game. Carlton attack twice for two more points. Then Tigger, who’s been having such a good game, stuffs up the kick-out and gifts the Blues a goal. I’m a bit gutted that they didn’t have a goal-less half of footy.

Half-time score Richmond 6.4.40 to Carlton 1.6.12

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At half-time I go to the loo and line up for a latte and miss out on the horror of “Are you paying attention?” I can still hear the theme music for it though. The coffee is very welcome.

At the start of the third term Lambert handpasses to Shedda who goals from 55 out. His mates gather around to celebrate. Lynch takes a great mark on the 50 and his kick is only a little short. Murphy for Carlton kicks a very clever banana kick in front of us which is pretty clearly a goal, but there’s never a good reason to spare us the spine-tingling tension and commercial opportunity of a score review, so there is one and it is a goal. Damn, the bastards have got two and we’re only 29 points up.

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Carlton are on top for the next ten or fifteen minutes and I don’t like it. Carlton attack again and get another goal and it’s 7.5 to 3.6 and the Tigers look a bit flat. After 24 minutes Lynch marks about 30 out, looks like he wants to give it away then goes back and kicks it. It’s been our first proper attack in a good while.

Casboult pulls one back for Carlton after a very good mark, right in front and it’s under four goals again. This is the sort of margin that could give a team hope and I wish we led by more. Richmond win a free 45 out and Lynch kicks a point. The free was for holding the ball, I think, and was a bit lucky as a Carlton player seemed to be chicken-winged. I think we’re a bit lucky to be four goals up as Carlton have had a very good quarter and our attacks were not convincing.

Just before the siren Ellis makes a huge attack on the footy on the half-back flank and a big tackle to follow up. He too is playing like someone who doesn’t want to miss a spot in the finals team.
While I write this the idiots are cheering for “Race the Jeep” at three quarter time. Honestly.

Three-quarter time score: Richmond 8.6 to Carlton 4.6

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We’re kicking to the Punt Road End in the last and I hope we bury the Blues. Kreuzer wins a free and then a 50 but misses his shot from 30. Richmond are under siege at the City End and Carlton really believe they can win this. Carlton win another free for out-on-the-full but the mug kicks out on the full himself. Maybe it won’t be Carlton’s afternoon.

Finally, six minutes into the quarter Richmond attack and Ross wins a free for deliberate out-of-bounds. Riewoldt takes a huge mark right in front and kicks a goal and I feel better.

Then Bolton, still not having a great game, gives away a soft free for high contact on the wing, then a fifty for a shove and then another fifty for holding his opponent up. Carlton kick the goal and it’s 9.7 to 5.8 and it’s raining again.

It’s heartening to see a big flock of seagulls in the corner of the centre square. The control freaks who run our game must be beside themselves. Those overhead wires worked for a while and now they don’t.

Carlton attack again and again and then Astbury marks in defence, only it’s not paid because Grimes touched it. But as Astbury is tackled as soon as he marks it – and has no prior opportunity that I can see – it should be a ball-up. No, Carlton free kick and now it’s 17 points and I really hate Carlton. Only 20 minutes have gone and there’s plenty of time for them to pull off an upset.

Vlaustin makes a massive spoil to put the ball out of bounds on the flank. He’s having a very good game and he ran a mile to get to this contest. Carlton attack again and a rushed behind results and they trail by 16. Richmond attack, Graham handpasses to Caddy who goals from a few feet out and Richmond are home. Then Rioli gathers, runs, bounces and kicks long to Castagna who marks in the square as the siren sounds. He goes back and kicks it and the song starts and we’ve won by 28 points.

Full time score: Richmond 11.7.73 to Carlton 6.9.45

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While it would have been great to wallop the Blues by 100 points and give our percentage a boost, that was probably never going to happen. They’re a handy team who’ve recently re-learned to believe in themselves and we ought to be happy with the four points. Without Martin and Cotchin too.

This week we play West Coast followed by Brisbane. If we beat both teams we can think ourselves good enough to win the flag. If we lose both we won’t be. Win one and lose won, who knows?

Best players for me were Vlaustin, Graham, Houli, Ellis, Lambert, Edwards and, bugger it, Astbury and Grimes. Those two are always good and, as I’ve pointed out before, it’s very easy to take them for granted.
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Benny Votes

Vlastuin 5, Graham 4, Houli 3, Ellis 2, Lambert 1

Leaderboard

Houli 40
Martin 38
Vlastuin 30
Lynch 28
Grimes 27
Edwards 23
Stack, Prestia  18
Lambert 16
Ellis 13
Cotchin, Bolton 7
Castagna 6
Nankervis, Graham 5
Baker, Broad 4
Chol 3
Astbury, Ross, Naish 2
Rioli, Balta 1