Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Richmond will take the win - AFL Blog 2006


Terry Wallace admits the Tigers' error-ridden eight-point win over Carlton was one of his toughest days at the office as a coach, but he was happy to walk away from the MCG with the premiership points nonetheless.

"It was extremely tough - I've got to say that … I can't recall (a game) that was much more difficult just from the fact that there were so many wasted opportunities, so much opportunity to ice a game and we just kept leaving the door open," Wallace said after the match.

Richmond was winless and life did not look bright at Punt Road a week ago, but things turn quickly in football and the Tigers now have two wins on the board after accounting for Carlton by eight points in an error-riddled match at the MCG on Friday night.

The Blues started well in a free-flowing opening quarter for a 19-point advantage at the first change, however the Tigers controlled the game from thereon, finding the lead in the third quarter despite some inaccuracy in front of goal before holding off a late Carlton challenge for a 12.20 (92) to 11.18 (84) victory.

Too classy for Bret Thornton and too nimble for Lance Whitnall, Matthew Richardson, despite being guilty of poor kicking with 3.5, was outstanding for the Tigers, plucking 12 marks in a best-on-ground performance.

He complemented the work further up the field by Joel Bowden, who set up numerous attacks from defence with his 25 possessions, and Andrew Raines with 23, while Kane Johnson kept Carlton playmaker Nick Stevens to a relatively low 19 touches.

RICHMOND: 2.3, 7.12, 11.15, 12.20 (92)
CARLTON: 5.4, 8.7, 9.13, 11.18 (84)

GOALS – Richmond: Richardson 3, Pettifer 2, Tivendale 2, Krakouer 2, Hyde 2,
BEST – Richmond: Richardson, Pettifer, Hyde, Raines, Tuck, Coughlan, J Bowden

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Well done Tigers!