Posted on March 19, 2008 | Category: Match Reports
Richmond 17. 7. 109
Carlton 11.13.79
After an ordinary start, the Tiges have shown that it shouldn’t be quite as bad as last year. Was a very even effort, with the good guys getting better and better as the game got longer. Jake King sparked something very special: making up for a shaky start and in the final quarter the boys just started putting their bodies in at the ball a lot harder than the boys in blue. Daniel Jackson, Andrew Raines, Kelvin Moore and Richard Tambling (I never thought I’d say it) put in courageous efforts that just proved that we wanted this harder than they did. Fought and fought.
And no matter how badly he screws up, it’s impossible not to be in love with big Richo. He is starting to look his age, but he is still the best contested mark in the game (well, maybe). Cam Howat is beginning (only beginning) to mature as a player, and the way the Tiges rallied around after he copped that filthy hit was great. Jackson fought well, first tagging Judd and then back in defense. Perhaps the crucial moment in the match came as he was amongst three carlton defenders and had the vision to pass the ball out to Simmonds in the clear, who got the ball to Polak, to Richo who passed short to Brown.
Votes:
3. Jake King
2. Daniel Jackson
1. Matthew Richardson
Go Tiges!
mumble mumble mumble
YELLOW AND BLACK
bom bom bom bom
He could well be the ugliest man in the football world (and he’s improved his chances with that haircut) but he is beautiful. Big mark and goal. Night night Carlton.
Gets a free kick for getting in hard and putting head over the ball. Shot on goal. Scores it! TIGES ARE HOME!!!!!!! Tiges by 24.
Courageous efforts in the backline. Should be home. Still 97 - 79 (18 points)
Tough one. Thought I’d called it too early. Back to saying that you can’t call it yet. Tiges by 18. 97 - 79
Judd is all class. Hasn’t been the best on by quite a way, but just uses the ball beautifully.
That’s the sound of the fat lady right there. 25 points and it shouldn’t matter if there’s controversy over that point. Richo roved a contest beautifully while the Blues stood and watched.
Takes a great mark. AND HE KICKS IT FROM 40! 19 points now, looking like the winners at this stage. But still too early.
Now 13. Tiges might be the goods, but it’s still too early.
And the blues kick one. Tiges by 8.
Results in ball to Hughes. But seriously - Kayne Pettifer handballed. Hughes misses and the Tiges by 9.
Freed from watching Judd, Jackson deserved to be mentioned in that group below. He’s been wonderful. Tiges by 8
Tigers are starting to run for one another, and actually looked on top this quarter. Jake King was magnificent - if the man had any height at all he would be unbelievable. Raines provided great run and bounce from the defensive 50. Thursfield has held Fev well all day - it’s good to see him wearing the number 2 so familiar for our best backman. Richo has been mighty - looks so commanding. Game is certainly still in the balance: a decent run for either side could win it from here. Tambling found something special after I gave him a blast - it’s the courage he shows when he’s playing well that makes it so hard to take when he’s weak most of the time.
And courage has been the catalyst for the Tiges: Hughes, Richo, Tambling, Tuck, King and Johnson have all provided inspiration for the good guys. 9 of the last 10 goals was a great effort.
Tigers are leading after a BIG Richo goal from 40. Howat taken from the field after a really dirty incident. Probably an elbow. Tigers by 2.
Great kick in heavy traffic sends Simmonds to Richo to Polak to Brown. 4 points in it.
Should have kicked it. Very low scoring quarter
That boy does like kicking a goal, even when he hasn’t earnt it.
Tigers best player tonight by far. Made some mistakes, but has energised the side.
Should kick it. And does. Carlton by 15.
Third for the night.
Nobody knows why
He’s not the captain for nothing. That’s a holding the ball against Judd.
Couldn’t be more hot and cold. Now he has a run down the field, but kicks out of position to Richo.
Should have cost us a goal. Carlton are almost as bad as we are. Carlton by 9.
Well, but for some ordinary umpiring calls late in the quarter, the Tiges could be level. As it is, it stands at 9.6.60 to 8.5.53. Jake King, Cam Howat and Nathan Brown provided the spark - Jake King is playing like a midfielder. Cam Howat and Matty Richardson both took fantastic courageous marks, and were robbed from rewards: Howat by his own boot and Richo by the umps.
Murphy has quickly become the Blues most dangerous player, getting much too much of the ball. Jackson has done a fair job on Judd - he took a pretty big hit courtesy of an accidental knee to the temple in a tight contest, but has come back out and looked like he might be another maturing Tiger. Judd has been good, but certainly not the best on ground.
Tiges will only win if we can use the ball: kicking has been atrocious. Even just holding onto the ball seems to be a challenge, although there is some moisture on the park. Tim Lane was ready to call the Blues halfway through that quarter, so it was good to see the Tiges come back into it. Schulz did a pretty good job in the backline - he’d be very aware that this year will be his last unless he shows something. Set for a big last quarter, but the game does feel like it has a fair chance of blowing out - and if it does I don’t think we’ll win.
Took the mark, copped a hip and shoulder to the HEAD! “Play-on”. That’s just dangerous umpiring. Where’s “protect the head” now.
Umpire says the ball was over the line. Umpire full of crap.
That boy is quick! Richo kicks from a set shot, 20 out. I KNOW! I’m in shock. Tiges have it back to 8.
Barely a contest from the centre. O’Hailpin misses.
Brown going on the ball causes the Tiges to start looking alright. Tucky kicks nicely to Lids and he scores from 30. 13 in it.
Who knew that Adam Pattison could snap across his body? Tiges 18 points down again.
Great run from Carlton - they look like a team.
Only his second touch - barely noticed he was out there, but his class shines through and he kicks a ripper.
Another kick-in goes to Carlton. We’d be 50-50 kicking out from behinds today. Carlton kick another goal from the resulting ball up.
And Carlton kick two in a hurry. Blues by 18.
Fortunately he kicks like a Tiger. Carlton by 6.
Neither team able to make a decent kick into forward 50.
Fortuantely Carlton can’t kick.
Houlihan gets the advantage after a Fevola free.
At this stage Carlton looked the better team for the quarter, but the Tiges showed some really good glimpses. Frustrating to see such poor quality disposal in the first game of the year - goes to show that we can’t expect too much. McMahon has looked good, giving plenty of drive and just looks like a significantly classier player than the majority of the list. Simmonds looks rusty, but has done enough to hint that he might get back to the great form he showed before his horror injury run. Kelvin Moore alluded to his pre-season not just being a fluke - looks like he’s put in a good effort between seasons and we’ll hopefully see him able to regularly get a game.
Fevola has been the dominant player of the game though - which isn’t a good sign, he has a habit of bringing out his best for the yeller and black.
O’Hailpin kicks a good one from 45 to bring the scores level. 27 a piece.
He’s starting to look dangerous. Cam Howat’s first touch (almost) results in a Richo goal.
With a behind.
Admittedly they weren’t moving at the time. Holding the ball results in Foley goal. Scores level.
AKA - Atrocious. Looking ominous. Fevola contest includes another goal. Carlton by 2 goals
30m out from the Carlton goal, and we kick it out of bounds on the other side of the ground. Only the Tiges can do that. Fevola goals: Carlton 5 points up.
Good to see that someone still can’t kick. Likely to be the first of many.
You wouldn’t have your money on him for the first Tigers goal for the year. Tigers equalise
Murphy from a great Fevola run. Carlton 7, Richmond 1
Uglier than usual!
Carlton 1, Richmond 1
Brave move from Wallace
Unfortunately it looks like we have Robert Wall’s providing our “insight” for the evening, so it could be a long night. No matter how bad Wallace is - Walls was worse.
Hopefully it’s only the intro that’s dominated by the skinhead blue-bagger, but you’d be hard pressed to work out whether or not anyone else is playing this evening.
Realise this is an exercise in “if a tree falls in the woods…” but there’s a bit of fun in the idea of trying this out. So here we go. Updates will appear as soon as I can think of something valuable to say.
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March 20th, 2008 at 3:37 am
Well done mate, great to read your thoughts. Was also eying Sharp Things in the Kitchen halfway through the second - The boys did well to come back from there: we won’t make the eight, but perhaps we can make a glorious return to ninth.
Betweem the triple blues of Lane, Maher and Walls (throw Quartermain in too) I wasn’t looking forward to a loss as much because of their gloating as because of the splinters, but it worked out OK.
Captain K is looking his age more than RIcho, I wonder if this might be his last? And Coughlan still to come back! Gold.
March 20th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Johnson does look like he has 2 or 3 at best left in him - he’s not the sort of midfielder who can go lurk in the forward line late in his career, is he? Cannot stand hearing Robert Walls - the closest to insight he gets is when he says the things that any three year old could point out. Look, it’s not the glories of ninth just yet - but for the moment, we’re in top spot!