The Tackle: Richmond falls short against Geelong, but at least they’re taking risks again
THE Tigers didn’t get the four points, but Robbo says they may have gone a long way towards unlocking their best football. RECAP LIVE CHAT.
Mark Robinson
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mark Robinson. Followed categories will be added to My News.
GALLANTRY is a hideous word in footy because it’s a touch condescending.
You tried, but bad luck.
Try telling that to Richmond players, fans and officials.
The more informed commentary would ask: Where has yesterday’s second half of football been hiding these past three weeks?
The positive is coach Damien Hardwick can point to that second half as evidence to his players that when the A, B and C of football is played, it adds up to some scorching football.
CHECK OUT WHAT ROBBO HAD TO SAY IN MONDAY’S LIVE CHAT BELOW ...
LISTEN TO THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE SUPERFOOTY PODCAST BELOW OR CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE IN ITUNES
Wasn’t it great to see the run and risk-taking back? Players, yes several players in the one play, ran to create and support and receive the handballs, which opened up Geelong.
SPIRITED TIGERS FALL SHORT AGAINST CATS
Coaches talk about being predictable to their teammates and the Tigers yesterday knew if they ran, they would be used.
It was so different to the tentative and cautious footy which sucked the life out of the game plan against Collingwood and Hawthorn, and for a period against Brisbane.
The risk-taking was infectious.
RICHMOND COACH DAMIEN HARDWICK IS THE SPECIAL GUEST ON THE COUCH TONIGHT - 8.30 PM ON FOX FOOTY
Brandon Ellis, Nick Vlastuin and Reece Conca suddenly had the verve of last year. These three are critical despite their inexperience. When they play well and play without fear, the Tigers look sharp and hungry. Youth does that. It means Cotchin, Martin and Deledio can assess the next play or the one after that, and not believe that they have to get to every contest.
It creates run and overlap and static footy becomes surge footy.
Clearly, Shaun Grigg had a look at his output. He played part creator, part run-with yesterday and laid five tackles after laying just eight in the first six weeks.
David Astbury and Alex Rance were active at the back, Martin was back in the midfield and influencing rather than loping and the skipper overcame Cameron Guthrie to be prominent at the end.
There were contributions from Tyrone Vickery (two goals), Titch Edwards as the sub and Bachar Houli was backing back into packs.
HARDWICK WANTS ATTITUDE EACH WEEK
GET SAM EDMUND, MICHAEL WARNER AND ANTHONY HUDSON’S TAKE ON THE TIGERS IN THE SUPERFOOTY PODCAST:
The desperation came from Daniel Jackson. Thirty-four touches, a game-high 18 contested possessions, five tackles, five clearances. He was exhausted at the end.
That’s how Richmond should play football. That’s how Jackson plays footy. This late bloomer is blossoming, although it’s more an old oak than crimson rose.
Again, where has it been?
The problem is Richmond is 2-5 after seven rounds and need to win 10/11 of 15 to play finals. It is a tough ask but not an impossible one.
They’ve unlocked the mind, now they have to play accordingly.
DAWES WINS NEW RESPECT
THIS is not an apology, it is a realisation that players and teams aren’t what you believe them to be.
Take Collingwood. Round 1 they were too small, too slow and their defensive pressure lasted 30 minutes against Fremantle.
Six rounds later they are top four and their collective pressure is as good as any the competition.
Take Carlton. They could learn to be more consistent with their pressure. One week they are animals, the next they are witches hats.
REPORT: GAZ LEADS SUNS PAST KANGAROOS
REPORT: GUTSY MELBOURNE STUN CROWS
And don’t ask about North Melbourne. Their best is credible. Their worst is wicked. And doesn’t that sound familiar?
The winners of the weekend were Gold Coast and Melbourne — both on the road.
Gold Coast were led by Gary Ablett who added yet another three votes to his Brownlow Medal tally. Three-time Brownlow Medallist has a nice ring to it, four would elevate him to a class of his own.
The other team was Melbourne. And the other player who led his team to victory was Chris Dawes.
There’s a first. Ablett and Dawes in the same sentence, talking about leadership and stability and inspiration.
Ablett shredded the Kangas with sheer talent in the final quarter, whereas Dawes helped the Demons with a sheer will to compete.
He had 20 disposals and kicked three goals in his team’s win.
Yet Dawes’ game cannot be judged by numbers alone.
If it was, would like to know how many times he presented at the ball and flew for the mark to contest _ without winning the ball.
Of his 20 disposals, 14 were contested, which was a career-high for him, which was phenomenal for a big man.
He only took five marks, and three were contested, which included one in the final minutes against two Crows players on the wing. In a quarter where it seemed every possession would decide the outcome, the mark was powerful. It was leadership.
So was Jack Grimes’ spoil on Patrick Dangerfield.
So was just about every act of desperation from Melbourne players.
But it was Dawes, who had mainly Kyle Hartigan as an opponent, who put a stamp on this game.
He missed the first three games of the year and coach Paul Roos looked as though he was coaching group of sheep dogs.
They would run in the circles, and left and right, and it seemed the ball seemed to go anywhere but forward.
It wasn’t quite the case because inside 50s for the first three rounds averaged 42. For Rounds 4-7 it is still a 42 average.
The difference is Dawes has helped straighten the Demons, as given his teammates a target.
In the first three rounds, the Demons scored 13.6 per cent of time they went in their forward line. That it is diabolical. It was 6.5 per cent less than any side in the competition.
In Rounds 4-7, with Dawes presenting and kicking eight goals, the Demons have scored 23.4 per cent, which currently has them ranked 10th.
Dawes has something which is difficult to measure — enthusiasm.
He was in the face of Jack Watts on Saturday, urging and encouraging, and while sometimes enthusiasm can be misplaced when a team is being scorched on the scoreboard, it certainly wasn’t on Saturday.
The Melbourne win over Essendon in Round 10, 2012, was the best in recent memory. This one was far better. Adelaide in Adelaide and they didn’t yield.
Dawes played 70 games for Collingwood and while there played second fiddle to Travis Cloke. Sometimes, and especially in his final season, it felt he would be a better being a professional fiddle player than professional footballer, such was his level of confidence in playing game.
On an estimated $500,000 a season at Melbourne, the money seemed obscene when you considered his output in that final year at the Magpies.
He was injured last year and from his 12 goals he kicked just 12 goals. This year he has eight from four.
He still can drop what appear to be easy marks, and sometimes the ball just seems to fall in his hands.
But Saturday was something else. He was a big, brute of a forward who ran himself into the ground and that won him a lot of respect.
Maybe it was an apology after all.
LIKES
1. Gold Coast
In order: Build a team, become competitive, win at home and win on the road. Tick. Tick. Tick. And a tick yesterday for on the road. Probably the best win for the club and did it in style, with fierce defence and frightening ball-movement. It wasn’t all about Gazza’s 28 and four goals. Prestia is among the best young mids in the comp, Tommy Lynch threatens to be a superstar, Harley Bennell is whatever Harley wants to be and I’m still upset I didn’t put Kolodjashnij in my SuperCoach team. That’s four players. There’s another 15 who deserve a mention.
2. Melbourne
That’s why winning road trips are the best. Dawes we’ve mentioned, Grimes we’ve mentioned, and then there was Kennedy-Harris forward of centre, Jamar in the ruck, Jetta on Betts, Terlich’s ticker at the death, Viney’s 12 contested possessions and seven clearances and have to say Cam Pedersen is better than I thought. One thing about the Dees, they are difficult to score against — unless you are West Coast (123 points). That blow out aside, the Dees have allowed 86, 79, 69, 68, 67 and 58 points against.
VINTAGE FLETCHER NOT DROPPING OFF
3. Dustin Fletcher
Turns 39 this week, had 25 touches at the weekend and it wouldn’t surprise if he earned the three Brownlow Medal votes. Seriously, 39? He’s fitter than last year — he’s dropped 2kgs from his 2013 season — his reflexes are sharp, his kicking length is not an issue — he found a teammate in the last quarter with a 55m drop punt — his judgment in the air is not an issue and he uses his body so, so well. Makes you wonder why he’s not more talked about with Silvagni and Scarlett.
4. Jordan Murdoch
His tackle and goal against Nick Vlastuin in the final quarter is forward pressure at its most inspirational. Has been a bit player in recent years — he’s played 26 games in three years — but has the knack of finding the scoreboard. He kicked two yesterday to make it 23 goals from his 26 games. None was better than yesterday’s: in the wet, game tight, won the ball the hard way and finished with class.
5. Tom Derickx
Not so much a like, but reckon he will be liked — by the Swans and SuperCoaches. Couldn’t get a crack at Richmond and was delisted at the end of last year, and now will be Sydney’s No.1 ruckman. Talk about someone’s trash is someone’s treasure. Mike Pyke is injured and could miss several weeks, which means Derickx is the only experienced ruckman on the list. Thirteen touches and 26 hit outs at the weekend were promising. The game-high five clangers were not.
6. The chase down
If one act on the field yesterday was indicative of Gold Coast’s approach to North Melbourne, it was Sam Day’s chase down on Brent Harvey in the third quarter. Harvey is listed 167cm and 75kgs. Day is 196cm and 103kgs. Harvey had five metres start, Day was basically on his haunches and obviously Harvey didn’t think he was threat. Day caught Harvey, both went to ground, and the Twitter world lit up. Yes, it was the chase down of the season.
7. Hawks
There hasn’t been a Hawks player mentioned in both the Tackle’s ‘likes/dislikes’ over the past three years. You may say there has, but the fact I can’t see it would suggest otherwise ... except for Ryan Schoenmakers. He’s made the ‘’dislikes’’ a couple of times, but those days might be behind him. Departed with injury as a young fresh-faced man and returned with the small pigtail, a more compact body, and a willingness to play in any position. It was forward on the weekend and the return was four goals. Is there another club with more versatile players than the Hawks? Think not.
8. Paul Duffield
We had a quick quiz in the @superfooty office in January about the better back-flankers in the comp. McVeigh, Birchall, Pearce and Enright started the roll-call and then Duffield’s name was mentioned. Some quiz masters had disbelieving looks. Well, let’s present Duffield’s numbers yesterday: Twenty-four touches at 100 per cent efficiency, 10 marks, six tackles, seven rebound 50s. Yep, every disposal found a man. #underrated
9. Tom Langdon
Overlooked for the 2012 draft, the Magpies snared him at No.65 in 2013, and he is one of the recruits of the season. Has played seven games and is averaging 18 touches and seven marks. Go on, name another player who has done that in seven games. Umm, Judd? No. Selwood? No. Ablett? No. Have to love his composure and ability to use the ball off a back-flank. Surely, a Rising Star nomination is his this week.
10. Footy
Honoured to be invited to talk at the old-timers pre-match at Carlton yesterday. Strolled in at 12.30 and my seat was saved next to the great Geoff Southby, who won the Blues B&F in his first two years at the club at full-back. Not a bad table: Kenny Sheldon, Southby, Kouta and Kernahan, among others. Funniest speech went to Peter McKenna. Next was Wayne Johnston. Maclure loved it. Jimmy Buckley is loved. Parkin is the Godfather. And the Buzz is not at his playing weight. #lovemyjob
DISLIKES
1. North Melbourne
Not even coach Brad Scott can explain what’s going on. Turning on and off the Shinboner Spirit has become the trend and it’s indicative of their ladder position (8th). One week they are contenders, the next they are pretenders. Dermott Brereton reckons they are not an “honest” side. The good news is they can find consistency as the season takes shape. The bad news is the top four might be long gone before they do it.
2. West Coast
Twleve inside 50s in the second quarter, for nine scores, for 1.8. No-one else to blame for the loss but themselves. Kicked 21.8 in Round 1 versus the Bulldogs and in their past four matches kicked 4.8, 7.14, 12.17 and then yesterday 7.12. Combined it is 30.51 in four matches. It’s an epidemic. Who would’ve thought that when we were talking about how the Eagles could improve and what their issues were, we’d be saying goal kicking?
3. Excuses
Hate them in footy because it gives everyone an out — clubs, coaches and players. The Eagles won two flags travelling every second week so the week after the Perth trip is not mission impossible. The Bulldogs and Bombers complained about the heat, and North came back from Perth after winning. Now, we have both St Kilda and Brisbane being belted a week after playing in the paddock in New Zealand. Maybe there’s argument for the travelling bug, but maybe clubs have to get better in the week-after preparations.
4. Adelaide
Could take the cricket bat out and accuse them of thinking that footy without attitude would be enough to beat the Demons. Certainly looked like it early because when they got their heads in the game, they were competitive. Actually, will take the cricket bat. They started like big heads against Melbourne and didn’t get back.
5. Brendan McCartney
The buck stops with the coach and he allowed Dustin Fletcher and Cale Hooker to dominate at the back in the final quarter. McCartney could see it from the box — my God, we could all see it — and nothing happened to rectify it. Am sure the message went out demanding to make Fletcher/Hooker accountable and if so, the players didn’t follow instructions. It’s a breakdown from both parties.
6. What knees?
Front-on contact to the knees is a wonderful rule, but it’s becoming as grey as mostly everything else in footy. Don’t know how Winderlich didn’t get a free kick after contact with Cooney ultimately sent him from the field on Saturday night, while in the wet at the MCG yesterday, the umpires didn’t enforce the rule on several occasions. Not for the first time, players and fans are confused.
7. St Kilda
The score is enough — 145 points. Everything about them was poor: Leadership, endeavour, mindset. Two goals, three behinds in each half from just 25 inside 50s. Lost clearances by three (48-45) and contested possession (145-134), but possession lacked quality, mids lacked penetration and the defence was under siege. Hard to fathom how a team could lose by so much in today’s defensively minded football. Maybe it’s an argument for another day, but the pros and cons of coach Alan Richardson flooding the defence would be an interesting read.
8. Inconsistent messages
Last week it was one of the greatest wins of Mick Malthouse’s career, this week it’s the need for players to stand up “when the heat was on”. What is it with Carlton? It must be frustrating for everyone associated with the club. Good sides are consistent. Bad sides get blown away, as Carlton has several times this year. And it’s difficult to get a handle on Malthouse. Is he coaching well or not? Or is it mainly down to the players who decide if they are collectively switched on?
9. The byes
They’re starting this week and we have three weeks of unfulfilled weekends. I’d vote for one bye weekend now and one in Round 14 or 15.
BEST TWEETS
@Rommas86: #dislike disgraceful West Coast goal kicking, Do they even practice goal kicking anymore? #structures
@B1ZK3Z: Like: Jared Polec and Melbourne fc. Dislike: Adelaide fans leaving early
@Tarvyo26: dislike Gazza getting booed, what north couldn’t handle the little champ putting them to the sword? Soft, pathetic.
@leigheustace: After seeing a showdown at Adelaide Oval compared to AAMI, how good will a derby be once Burswood is up and running?
@PoppyJase: dislike contact below the knees rule are they paying or not cats v tigers like Gary Ablett jnr impossible not to
@Gregb1972: Dislike and like the way the magpie players are playing for Buckley now amazing the difference
@samwilson43: dislike ticketek charging me $2.50 for me to print my OWN ticket using my OWN printer
@jimmybennett18: dislike tigers fans content with a 5 point loss. This is why no-one takes them seriously
@DavidNew72: Like — Tom Derickx of Swans. Looks the goods Dislike — The ‘Buddy vs. Hawks’ nonsense this week!!!!
@jgorza78: Likes — Collingwood’s inexperience defence in Langdon, Frost & Keeffe standing up yet again, seeing Chris Dawes back in form
@jtate_heraldsun: Biggest like is Gold Coast. Ablett, Prestia, O’Meara, Swallow, Bennell, Rischitelli, etc. Serious midfield getting better.
@AnthonyBitzilis: like: Ryan Schoenmakers and Melbourne. Dislike: Games at Manuka Oval, attracting poor crowds and ground not in great nick.
@anfluvara: likes watching Gary Ablett in action, dislike Carl kicking 8 in the last, scoreboard flattered us
@n4nirvana: Likes: i) @melbournefc W + conceding 550 pts in 7gms (9th best). ii).
@GoldCoastSUNS 5-2 (5th) chance to make it 6-2 vs. STK
@MattWare2: Like: Paul Roos has made MFC hard to play against for the first time in a long time there is light at the end of the tunnel
@Reidy1992: Like: Morris & Fletcher at either end of Etihad. Dislike: Crameri getting boos, surprised more didn’t leave Essendon
@MisterMadSkillz:dislike umpiring at ‘G today. Below knees a free kick, then free against, then no free at all!!! Like Conca’s game.
@Yeser_Latife : like: collingwood are the real deal dislike: Carlton aren’t
@Marajax: North Melb are like my Granny you never know what she will bring when she comes to visit
@dbj1983: likes Tyson, JKH and Salem dislikes Kangaroos pretending
@brendanc84: dislike defensive coaching,low scoring games with 4 goals in half happens to often,like Gold Coasts win
@SingaporeHawks: Dislike: negative, Ross Lyon football... 73 points a winning score? Like: attacking, flowing skilful football, Hawks, Suns
@TheGovernorSM: likes: The arrival of the Gold Coast Suns. Patience. The @GWS_Giants improvement. Moneyball isn’t the answer
@Wolfthatisgrey: Every time North Melbourne have a big win they come out and talk about how they’ve turned a corner. They never back it up.
@KateVictoria93: like Richmond actually running and carrying the ball and taking the game on, much more like the Richmond of last year!
@KevinMillar3: L: Chris Dawes, stood up big time D: Sitting eating 7 dollar chips watching a 20 goal loss — #lifeofasaintsfan
Originally published as The Tackle: Richmond falls short against Geelong, but at least they’re taking risks again
‘In games we give up’: Flag hero savages Dons as board war looms
‘We are no longer feared, we’re certainly not respected’ – Essendon premiership player Paul Weston has had enough. He tells MARK ROBINSON exclusively about his plan for change.
‘We’ve got champions who are zombies’: Mitchell’s plea for help
Last Monday, at just 58, Barry Mitchell was lying in Epworth Hospital wondering if the game he loves had almost killed him again. This is his confronting story the footy world needs to hear.