The Tackle: Mark Robinson spends a day with Ben Lennon’s family as he makes his Richmond debut
“WE KNOW it won’t be an easy ride”. Robbo spends a day behind the scenes with Ben Lennon’s family. Plus his likes and dislikes of Round 9. Replay live chat.
Mark Robinson
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DEBUT games are not only for the player.
While Ben Lennon, the 18-year-old Tiger, waited nervously on the subs bench, his family waited nervously in the MCG grandstands for the moment young Ben had been dreaming of for a very long time.
The whole family was there — dad Stephen, 50, mum Lesley 48, and sisters Kara 24, and Grace 22.
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Grace, the budding professional golfer, and Kara, sporting an AFL-issue picture of Ben on her jacket, couldn’t stop smiling. “He gave it to me,” Kara said with a smile.
The pair told stories about kicking the footy with their younger brother in the backyard of their Macleod home and although they said that they always believed he would play AFL, with these two you couldn’t not believe them.
They were beaming for their brother.
So were mum and dad.
Lesley found out on Thursday Ben was playing and she fired off text messages to the family. “He’s playing! X” it read. Kara responded with “Yay.’’
Lesley said she tried to keep it low-key.
“I tried to keep the week as normal as possible,’’ he said. “It isn’t normal, but it could get you ahead of yourself.
“This morning was pretty quiet. He got up before Steve and I did, got himself some breakfast and then he went back upstairs for some quiet time.
“We just let him do his own thing and he kept to himself. We didn’t want to talk too much about football.’’
The Lennon family was guest of the Tigers at the official president’s lunch. Earlier, they were in the rooms for the jumper presentation.
Originally, triple Brownlow Medallist Ian Stewart had the honours, but he declined, leaving former Tigers player Graeme Bond to fulfil the deed.
“What he had to say was really emotional, just wonderful words, just to remember the day, remember that you’re representing yourself and the club and the family, and that after today your life will be different,’’ she said.
For Lesley, it was too. “There were tears,’’ she said. To see her son on the rooms, being welcomed to the team, had her heart swelling.
“I’m really, really proud. It hasn’t been easy and unless you have lived with someone going through that, you don’t really know of the sacrifices they have to make, especially at such a young age.
“I know it won’t be an easy ride, there will be some ups and downs, and he knows he has a close family and that when there’s down we’ll be there to pick him up, and will enjoy the highs with him.
“We’re just happy he’s got this far and we’re happy he’s enjoying the journey.’’
It was half-time and with the Tigers leading by three points, Lesley predicted an early substitution in the third quarter. She was right. “And I’m thinking they will play him up forward.’’ Right again.
Wearing No. 35, Ben replaced ruckman Shaun Hampson and quickly took a contested mark and kicked a goal with his first kick from close to the 50m mark. He was swamped by his teammates.
In a difficult game, he would finish with eight touches, a second goal in the final quarter, a point and three marks. It was a debut of much promise.
As the Tigers trudged from the ground and the Melbourne theme song echoed through the grandstands, Steve and Lesley could not take their eyes off their boy.
They were pleased for their son, but disappointed for the team, which was an awkward feeling.
Steve, who was a Carlton supporter, had the Tigers scarf around the neck.
“I’m very proud of him,’’ he said. “Just to be on the ground is special enough but to get a kick and goal first up was unbelievable really.’’
How did you react?
Lesley: “I screamed, I didn’t hold it back.”
Steve: “It’s disappointing they didn’t win the game.”
Dad offered a journey of memories. “To chart his progress, and there’s lot of other kids out there for Melbourne as well ... they’ve all grown up together, they’ve played in rep sides together and to think back three years ago and they were playing under-16s,’’ he said.
“And now they’re on the MCG today in front of 60,000 people ... it’s unbelievable.’’
There were moments for everyone and dad was the same as mum. “How proud can you be when you have a son playing on the MCG? He’s worked hard to get where he is, he’s a wonderful kid and we’re immensely proud of him,’’ he said.
With that, they were off to the rooms, just like they have done since Ben started playing at age six.
Tigers sloppy and shameful
RICHMOND wasn’t soft on Saturday — they were sloppy and by the end utterly despondent against a team that played the Tommy Hafey way.
And that, Tigers, was shameful.
Pre-game comments about being relentless and tough and resilient ultimately paved the way for a Melbourne victory.
Coach Paul Roos was brilliantly provoking in his pre-match talk to the players. This was not about Richmond, he said, this was about Melbourne respecting Hafey’s legacy.
It was brilliant reverse psychology coaching.
If Roos is coach of the year at the moment, and he should be, then the Tigers are the plunkers of the year.
Is there another team so mentally fragile?
They sit in 16th position and are arguably the worst team in the competition behind an injury-ravaged Brisbane.
It’s a stunning fall for a team that won 15 games last year and for a coach who was given a contract extension until the end of the 2016 season.
Question marks hang over Punt Rd as dark and foreboding as a London pea souper, and it’s not so much about the team, but the individuals.
To put it bluntly, Richmond’s tells stink.
Ruckman Shaun Hampson can win hit-outs, but can’t mark the ball. He took his one and only mark on the half-back line on Saturday and the crowd gave him a Bronx cheer.
He’s played seven games this year and taken nine marks. He’s taken two marks in his past four matches. It’s just not good enough.
This is about Saturday and about the whole of the season.
DETERMINED DIES SPOIL TIGERS’ DAY
Full-back Troy Chaplin is 28 years old and is playing like he’s 38. He was poor below his knees against the Demons and suddenly looks slow.
He had Cameron Pedersen and Max Gawn as opponents. They took five marks against him.
Ben Griffiths has played 26 games in five years. He doesn’t find the ball as much as he should and when he does, he can be game-changing.
His seven tackles against the Demons showed he had the work ethic, but 0.3 from set shots is not acceptable for a player with considerable talent and depth in his right foot.
He has played defence in his career, but as a forward he has only 8.10 to his name.
Tyrone Vickery is the whipping boy and, sorry, but he deserves it. I don’t know what his position is any more. And he’s going to hate seeing some of his efforts overhead in the team review.
We mark the guns harder and although Jack Riewoldt has 17 goals for the season, it still amounts to less than two a game. Clearly, he is burnt by the delivery at times, but the simple fact is Riewoldt has to get more ball.
There are others. Shane Edwards has played 137 games of football. His improvement has stopped.
Shaun Grigg laid six tackles on Saturday. The week before it was five. Before that it was zero, zero, two, two, two and two. It should be minimum five every week for a mid, even for a running mid as Grigg is.
And being an outsider, he must kick goals when the opportunity rises. On Saturday he kicked 0.3
The team itself is a shell of 2013.
On Saturday, the Tigers weren’t tough enough for long enough.
They landed 29 tackles to 20 in the first quarter and virtually squared the contested ball.
After quarter-time, the Demons won the contested ball by 15 and took 19 contested marks to nine. Nineteen! No wonder coach Damien Hardwick lamented his team’s inability to win the one-on-ones.
After Saturday, it’s too easy to throw around words such as soft and insipid and pathetic at Richmond.
The fact is, they had a crack, but they’re not a good football team.
TAME, LAME TIGERS — YELLOW AND BACK
Ben Griffiths
Troy Chaplin
Shaun Hampson
Tyrone Vickery
Shane Edwards
Shaun Grigg
Jack Riewoldt
LIKES
1. The Pav. What a moment in life for the Fremantle superstar. Kicked the first goal from a difficult angle to kick start the match and then his 600th in the same quarter, which drew a standing ovation. At the siren, his team victorious, he was chaired from the field with another standing O. The bloke is a champ, is admired across the sporting continent, and is a walk up Hall of Famer.
2. Tex Walker. Mark Riccuito said he was the spiritual leader of the Crows and it was the little things that were noticeable. He moved well, he tried to be too cute with the pill at times and 17 touches, seven marks and 0.4 was a handy return first up. What was to like was Walker standing up for his teammates. At one stage he went at Alan Toovey. Other Pies were also targets. It meant for brief periods the Pies weren’t worried about the ball, but about the aggressive big man.
3. Zack Smith. It was though he hadn’t missed a game. First up after another long spell, he rucked all game. Was beaten in the hit outs 50-35, but more than made up for it around the ground. Had 10 touches, two tackles and three clearances and was seen chasing, tackling and pushing back to intercept possessions. The Suns are good. They are now better with Smith on the park.
4. Cameron Pedersen. In Round 1, 2013, Pedersen dropped his head in a marking contest which drew criticism from the considerable voice of the past players. It was a glaring mistake and one which could’ve wrecked his career. He was dropped the next week — not for ducking his head, said then coach Mark Neeld — and returned to play 10 of the next 22 games. This year, Pedersen is one of Melbourne’s most improved and consistent players. Plays ruck, forward and defence, Pedersen has matured as a footballer. Against the Tigers, he took eight marks, kicked two goals and laid eight tackles. From one mistake he has become an important player.
5. Craig Bird. Gets lost among the big names such as Kennedy, Jack, Hannebery and McVeigh, but he would never get lost by the Swans’ coaches. Is the silent assassin, either doing a shutdown job or playing as a regular midfielder. Just love his intent and his 31 disposals against Essendon was the second most in a game in his 117-game career. Averaging almost six tackles a game, which seems to be the norm for the Swans.
6. Nick Dal Santo. Training run for the Kangaroos against Brisbane, highlighted mainly by Boomer Harvey yet again and the successful return of Andrew Swallow. Want to add Dal Santo. People talk of Polec and Franklin as recruits of the year, but it’s difficult to ignore the former Sainter. He’s averaging close to 29 disposals a game and is a SuperCoach constant, not that would worry him either way. As for the Kangas, it’s Geelong away and West Coast away, so once again the challenge is upon them.
8. Ryan Crowley. He’d be a pain to have as an opponent, but as a spectacle of two players willing to go at each other, the Steve Johnson-Crowley head-to-head is one of the most anticipated on the sporting calendar. Push, shove, elbow, scrag, headbutts ... it’s supposed to be for another time in history. Crowley won this one marginally, which makes it two-in-a-row, which Johnson will hate. By the way, the forearm to the head does not deserve MRP intervention.
9. Tommy Hafey. The decision to give Hafey a minute’s applause and not a minute’s silence at the MCG was so right for the occasion. The mourning will continue today at the funeral. Saturday was a celebration.
10. Not talking about the bump. I’m bumped out, although I think Daniel Hannebery will go.
DISLIKES
1. Wonky knees. It’s the second time inside three years for David Astbury and it’s a terrible story. Popular with teammates, he also emerged as perhaps Richmond’s best performed defender this season, which makes it a double blow. The 23-year-old has played 37 games in four years and most likely won’t play again this season after dislocating his knee against the Demons. This bloke can’t take a trick.
2. His team. Not a lot left to be said about the Tigers, although the coach didn’t have a lot to say in the post-match. He can’t work out what’s gone wrong, and neither can anyone else. Ball movement is a problem, the talks are a problem, so are clearances, and can’t think of any player who has improved from last year.
3. Booing. The footy world can let itself down at times. The booing of Jobe Watson in Perth last year was unfortunate for many reasons, the booing of Adam Goodes by Essendon fans on Saturday night lacked respect and lacked reasoning, and the booing of umpire Troy Pennell who was knocked unconscious was outrageous. It’s sort of understanding when it’s a player because footy is tribal, but towards a clearly hurt individual was a bad look for our sport.
4. Matt Finnis. Am confident St Kilda has landed a chief executive with bundles of knowledge and drive, and that’s what he is: St Kilda’s chief executive. The former boss of the AFL’s Players Association yesterday decided he would weigh in to the ASADA debacle, not to talk process, but to criticise Essendon chairman Paul Little for asking ASADA for clarity and closure as Little did on Friday night. It’s not your fight anymore, Matthew ... and wouldn’t be surprised if Little telephones Finnis and tells him as much.
5. Front-on contact. Danny Stanley threw his body at an upright Nick Riewoldt yesterday and cannoned into Riewoldt’s legs. Luckily, Riewoldt’s career didn’t end on the spot. Why are players continuing to do this when they know it’s illegal. Funnily enough, there wasn’t even a free kick.
6. The runner. We’re talking about Fremantle’s and I suspect the AFL will send a letter reminding the club the runner should endeavour to get off the ground as soon as his message is delivered. It didn’t happen on Saturday night. In fact, he gave two free kicks for straying too close to the action.
7. Sending cheques. Only 14,000 at Etihad for the match between St Kilda and Gold Coast and suspect the Saints might have to send a cheque to the stadium managers who have a bottom line. Is there any other sport in the world where a professional club has to pay to play? A 4.40pm start for the only game on Sunday didn’t help either.
8. Essendon. Still can’t work out what Mark Thompson’s is trying to do. Had 35 more possessions than the Swans and lost by almost nine goals. The forward line remains a problem, but Bomber says that isn’t the main problem. For the firth week they didn’t kick more than 10 goals and you have to ask, why didn’t they take on the game in the first half like they did in the second.
9. Arms flaying. Might be me after spotting Adam Goodes taking a dive last week, but have to admit after watching Goodes flay his arms against the Bombers, he does like the umpire noticing he might be infringed against. The man’s a champ ... but with one flaw?
T OP TWEETS
@Fr3akMe: like: Ablett, Abletts third brownlow, the suns, the dies and jack watts effort in last quarter
@duckman_31: like: Hayden ballantynes game, and that’s from a cats supporter! Dislike: tigers effort!
@Paulie68: bomber fans booing the ump being wheeled off. Poor form.
@saintsarmy: dislike. An inept st.kilda. It doesn’t take talent and experience to tackle and bring spirit to a contest.
@paranoidpixie95: Like: Brent Harvey. Could play until he’s 40. Dislike: Tigers, period. Worthy of the spoon after last night.
@ianbhill: L: @dastbury12 season to date. D: his season now over. Tigers best player this year
@BIG_BIG_SHOW: like: Melbourne winning football matches and seeing their fans get some joy. Dislike: Toby Greene
@CJK05: about time we really acknowledge how good GA Jnr is. I’ve been watching for more than 40 yrs. He is the best ever!
@brendan_acfield: Like dies new look young midfield — Viney and Tyson, Dislike people booing anyone on a stretchy
@cutsywutsy: like ballentynes goal. Dislikes Adam goodies looking for soft free kicks from the umpires
@jkponly66: I am Dees fan and admit I was wrong — Like Dawes for leadership AND ability
@creighzynate: Geelongs respect for a champion despite the loss. Quality. The Dees are coming along nicely. Take a bow Roosy.
@tatts 37: you should save some time and ask for only 24 likes, Gazza should be an automatic entry every week.
@XMarney: like: the cat that saved the kid from the dog — single-handedly reversed my life long hatred of cats
@fogdog_79: LIKE: The noise Crows and Dockers crowds make. DISLIKE: Adam Goodes escaping criticism for staging.
@DamoMK: Pavlich! PAVLICH! PAVLICH PAV PAV PAV! Just make it all about the great man.
@jga118: like: Thompson press conferences dislike: Hurley. Keep your head up.
@strosh33: Likes: “The minute of applause”. Just as respectful, more meaningful than a silence.
@foxontherun513: like Ballantyne playing to annoy Geelong after having his cheekbone “popped back out”. Fyfe hang, Geelong guard of honour
@Emilhebel: like- times out of excuses for another appalling loss, dislike — lack of heart at punt rd since as long as I can remember
@chamboss83: Chris Scott throwing his hands in the air every time there’s a free kick against the cats. It drives me nuts.
@Typing_Monkey: Like: Tendai Mzungu. What an unsung player, consistent week in week out. AA smoky in back/forward flank
@iammattfinster: dislike the free kick against rivers on Saturday night. Changed momentum of the game completely.
@andrekewl: disrespect of nth Melbourne banner. B. Scott should be banned for 12 months coaches are resposable 4 everything aunt they
@thesmithdog: like Luke Parker. How good is this kid going to be and how does Sydney keep finding them?
@ausfist: Charlie Cameron, another indigenous lad and from a non-footy background showing others on the list what INTENT is about!
@PaulZauch: as a complete neutral to yesterday’s game, my like @nathan2jones. Leader, warrior, gun, champion, carries them on his back
@iBuzman: “dislike” that last year may have been the peak of the current Richmond era’s “cycle” :(
@recordspinna: Dislike; Stevie J getting away with stuff no other player does — soft high shots, face massages, scrags. Doing it all year.
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