Mark Robinson: Richmond will be kicking themselves for letting season-opener slip

Who would you take if Adam Saad and Daniel Rioli were lined up against a wall? Mark Robinson looks at all elements of the thrilling Carlton and Richmond draw.

Blake Acres looks dejected after the draw. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Mistakes always hound both teams when it’s a draw.

The brilliant moments are lost to the what-ifs and maybes in what was a scrapping, tough and momentum-laced opening round of the season – and there were thousands of what-ifs and maybes at the MCG on Thursday night.

The Blues were gritty, real gritty and, at times, mature.

Twice they had to wrestle massive momentum from Richmond and still they were tantalisingly close to being rewarded with a win.

Coach Michael Voss will hammer home that positive, and if anything, they harboured enough fabric to believe they will be up for the fight in every game this season.

Some of the mistakes will be another topic, however.

But as he said in recent weeks, his team is a work in progress to get better.

The Tigers had a familiar feel about them. They dominated the first and third quarters and, again, what-ifs and maybes will be a sizeable topic in the review.

Should the Blues have won? Probably not.

The Tigers? Probably yes.

The inside-50 count was Richmond 66 to Carlton’s 45.

The numbers say the Tigers have to work on their entries and efficiency.

The positive was they basically squared clearances (they were +4) and scores from clearances 20-9 in Richmond’s favour. Coach Damien Hardwick would be pleased with that.

Shai Bolton reacts after his miss late in the game. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

In the third quarter, Richmond kicked 5.4 to 2.1, after kicking just two goals in the first quarter. In the final quarter, it was 1.2 to Carlton’s 2.1.

The final quarter was a slog – two teams punching and counterpunching on punch-drunk legs. The tactical sub was on show for the first time.

In the final quarter, Blues wingman Lachie O’Brien replaced Lachie Cowan and in a foot race on the Warne Stand wing, Daniel Rioli – close to best afield – was unable to chase down O’Brien.

Afterwards, the Tiger slumped on the ground with leg cramps.

Mind you, Rioli is one of the best two-way defenders, curtailing Matthew Owies and an improved Jesse Motlop, and bursting with the ball from halfback.

It’s a good discussion – who would you take if they both were against the wall: Rioli or Adam Saad? The Blue was terrific last night, having 18 disposals at 100 per cent by foot.

Jack Silvagni was the only other player to go at 100 per cent, but only had two kicks.

It was a tale of the fittest for both teams and, in the end, they couldn’t separate.

So much for the golden oldies at Tigerland.

They had seven players 30 and older and they will be kicking themselves for letting this game slip.

Maybe they’ve lost the killer attitude. Maybe they were unlucky, or maybe the Blues are serious contenders. We’ll know more in a month.

What an opening night. There were 88,000 fans, it was balmy in the air and hotter on the deck.

Last-quarter fighters included Patty Cripps (10 disposals and four clearances), Jack Graham (three disposals and five tackles while carrying a calf concern), Dylan Grimes and Nick Vlastuin were huge at the back, while Mitch McGovern had his moments but took two intercept marks,

He looms as a critical player for Voss.

So, too, Sam Docherty. He kicked a booming goal from 60m to give the Blues lead in the final quarter.

Sam Docherty celebrates his long-bomb goal. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

When Charlie Curnow kicked his third goal in the final quarter, the momentum was with Blues.

It was an amazing effort. He was falling and got his foot to the hanging footy and was able to slightly checkside it so it departed his boot slightly at right angles. He’s a special talent.

The Blues led by eight points at quarter-time, yet the inside-50 count was Carton 13 and Richmond 21. The Tigers had 16 front-half intercepts, which got the ball back off the opposition – when the average last year for teams was 23.

But the most important numbers are on the scoreboard.

Richmond’s pressure and set-up game, and well-drilled defence hemmed the Blues in for much for the first quarter, and the Blues did much the same in the second quarter.

Two goals were kicked in the first 90 seconds of the game, and four goals were kicked in the next 60 minutes.

So much for pandemonium footy.

Both teams will rue missed opportunities. Tom Lynch kicked 3.3. Tim Taranto had four shots for two behinds and Graham missed two goals in the first quarter.

Shai Bolton kicking around the corner from 30m in front was mystifying. Clubs say they practice it, but clearly they have to practice it more often.

The two Blues debutants, Ollie Hollands and Lachie Cowan, who played on Shai Bolton, separately won two huge contests, which although the game was more furious than they had ever played in before, tell us they weren’t overawed.

One played wing (Hollands), the other at halfback (Cowans) and Blues fans would be rapt with their first outing.

Tigers fans overall, not so much.