Irving Mosquito delivers highlights on debut for Essendon in Darwin Dreamtime game
Irving Mosquito lived up to the pre-game hype on debut for Essendon, booting two goals on a special occasion as Dreamtime came to Darwin. Plus, which Richmond star is set to come under scrutiny from the MRO?
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Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch will again face the intense spotlight of the AFL match review panel after an off the ball hit on Essendon’s Michael Hurley.
After a week of scrutiny and insults thrown the star Tiger’s way for his treatment of Suns defender Sam Collins, Lynch was again caught on camera throwing a fist at his opponent.
Unlike his hit on Collins though, Lynch caught his Bombers opponent high, appearing to strike Hurley in the neck after Hurley initiated contact by hitting Lynch’s arm.
Lynch whacks Mick Hurley in the neck which is officially high contact. Hard enough to be a week. Hurley looks to be whacking his hand or trying to break his hold but it’s surely enough force for a week this time. pic.twitter.com/ICj8VvlxWl
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) August 22, 2020
Last week’s battle with Collins saw Lynch escape suspension but cop plenty of heat from AFL pundits and players alike, with Lions midfielder Mitch Robinson calling the ex-Suns captain a ‘w***er’, eventually leading to an ugly spat between former Melbourne star David Schwarz and Tigers coach Damien Hardwick.
MOZZIE BUZZES AS DARWIN LIGHTS UP
Vote 1 Richmond and Indigenous Round games in the Northern Territory.
In the first Dreamtime match away from the MCG, a special occasion for NT football and election day in the Territory, the Tigers overcame stifling humidity, early inaccuracy and a plucky Essendon to secure a 12-point victory in their historic clash in Darwin on Saturday night.
Richmond was the better side all game but booted 1.8 to start and could not put the match away until the fourth term.
Fittingly, four of the night’s first six goals were kicked by Indigenous players: debutant Irving Mosquito (two), Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli.
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Essendon made a whopping seven changes going into the game, dropping six players, and the Bombers did well to stay with the Tigers despite conceding an avalanche of inside 50s.
Richmond made its run either side of the main break, kicking five goals in a row before James Stewart ended the streak.
The Tigers kicked three majors on the trot to seal the game in the last term.
Bolton (28 disposals, five clearances, one goal) won the Yiooken Trophy as best-on-ground after a sizzling performance in the Indigenous guernsey he designed.
The last goal of the match was kicked by Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, who drew the biggest cheers all night.
Shai Bolton returns serve in the jumper he designed himself 👠#AFLDeadly #AFLDonsTigers pic.twitter.com/sxZ5bzjv27
— AFL (@AFL) August 22, 2020
And Essendon has found a player in Irving Mosquito.
Excuse the pun but there was a buzz about the Halls Creek, WA-raised small forward ahead of his debut match and he delivered with two goals.
Mosquito, who turns 20 on Monday, booted a goal with his first kick, 16 minutes into the match, to register the Bombers’ opening major.
It prompted a huge roar from the crowd but the best was yet to come.
In the second term Mosquito swooped on a ball at half-forward at pace, took a bounce then finished smoothly on his left foot.
Mozzie is SMOOTH 🤩
— AFL (@AFL) August 22, 2020
He is taking over in Darwin!#AFLDeadly #AFLDonsTigers pic.twitter.com/WB8Mll0qwU
ATTACKING DOMINANCE
Essendon was able to hang around because it was far more efficient in attack than Richmond, but it was always going to be difficult for the Bombers to win when they were on the wrong end of a big inside 50 discrepancy.
Richmond led the statistic 29-9 after the second term, 43-16 at the last break and it finished 66-24.
The Tigers eventually overcame their early inaccuracy after starting 1.8 then nailing their next six shots in a pivotal stretch of the game either side of halftime.
TERRIFIC TIWI DUO
Tiwi Islands products Rioli and Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuit were the faces of the pre-Dreamtime Game promotion and they were crowd favourites on Saturday night.
Both sparked the crowd each time the ball was in their vicinity and they had some nice moments.
McDonald-Tipungwuti kicked the first goal of the last term to trim the margin to nine points.
Earlier, he brilliantly chased down an unaware Oleg Markov to win a holding the ball free.
Rioli kicked the last major of the first half and should have had another one or two in the final term but passed the first off then missed the second.
McDonald-Tipungwuti kicked his second goal just before full-time.
WAS IT A FREE OR 50?
Essendon supporters were not happy with two umpiring decisions at seemingly crucial times.
The first was a push-in-the-back free kick paid against Jake Stringer that cost McDonald-Tipungwuti a goal in the second term.
The Bombers would have moved two majors clear if it was not paid but instead it seemed to stifle their momentum, as Richmond kicked the next five goals.
Then, halfway through the last term, Tom Bellchambers gave away a 50m penalty for what looked to be minimal contact on Nick Vlastuin and the Tigers defender goaled to effectively put the game beyond doubt.
RICHMOND 1.5 3.8 7.10 10.13 (73)
ESSENDON 1.1 3.1 6.1 10.1 (61)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt, Lynch 2; Bolton, Rioli, Martin, Lambert, Vlastuin, Chol.
Essendon: Mosquito, Stewart, McDonald-Tipungwuti 2; Clarke, Snelling, Stringer, Merrett.
BEST
Richmond: Bolton, Martin, Baker, Grimes, Graham, McIntosh.
Essendon: Merrett, Saad, Draper, Ridley, Smith, Parish.
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Essendon: Francis (hamstring)
MATT TURNER’S VOTES
3 – Shai Bolton (Richmond)
2 – Dustin Martin (Richmond)
1 – Zach Merrett (Essendon)
LYNCH UNDER FURTHER SCRUTINY FOR THROAT PUSH
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says his side drew on its connection with its Indigenous stars, including Shane Edwards who is stuck in Melbourne for the birth of his child, to help produce a special win in Darwin on Saturday night.
With the Tigers fielding four Indigenous players in the historic Dreamtime match, Hardwick said there was extra motivation to perform well not only for the occasion, but knowing Edwards was back home watching in a week his grandmother died.
Richmond, which wore Black Lives Matter T-shirts with Edwards’ number 10 on it before the game, was able to triumph by 12 points and emerging Indigenous star Shai Bolton was named best on ground.
Edwards will only be able to play one game before returning to the line-up ahead of the finals.
“Our club’s had a long history of Indigenous players walk through the door and they add to us, and it’s a great celebration,” Hardwick said.
“We’ve got one of our greatest Indigenous players at home and we spoke about him in the last quarter – let’s finish the game off for Shane.
“Our leaders (wore the T-shirts) to signify how important Shane is – this was a game he was desperate to play.
“We’re incredibly proud and grateful to play this great game. and what we also love doing is coming up here.
“We know how special it is to Indigenous people and to put on the performance we did today, we were incredibly proud to do that.”
But Hardwick also had to answer questions again about an incident involving key forward Tom Lynch.
Lynch will likely be scrutinised by the Match Review Panel for a push to the throat of Michael Hurley in the last quarter – a week after the Tigers forward copped two separate fines, including for a strike to the stomach of Gold Coast’s Sam Collins.
“I haven’t seen it but at the end of the day Tom plays, he plays like that,” Hardwick said.
“He’s a hard, tough player and you saw the courage of him coming out and leading out to that ball late and the collision with (Adam) Saad.
“I’ve been around footy a long time … and all the good ones (clubs) run the line all the time.”
Hardwick said the side was building but still had to improve its forward 50 connection and efficiency.
“I thought we played a pretty good brand of footy and just couldn’t quite get the polish on the end and we left a lot of goals on the table,” he said.
Hardwick said his side enjoyed coming up against premiership assistants turned Bombers masterminds Ben Rutten and Blake Caracella.
“They understand how we operate and what we’re thinking, but we probably had to be careful not to overthink what they knew and how we’d respond,” he said.
Epic ceremony sends footy fans into meltdown
Lauren Wood
An epic Welcome to Country in Darwin has sparked the question of whether the Dreamtime game belongs in the Top End for good.
Proud Larrakia man Richard Fejo had the honours of opening the first ever Dreamtime clash between Essendon at Richmond TIO Stadium and brought the house down with a rousing address in front of more than 5000 fans.
“We, the Larrakia, are traditional owners and custodians of Darwin and its surrounding regions, and since the time of the Dreamtime, our people have been the first to walk across this land,” he said.
“But as I see tonight, people from all over the world have joined us this evening, and I see you in the crowd and I see you on the football field. It is my honour to welcome you to Darwin and Larrakia land.
An incredible pre-match ceremony to open Dreamtime in Darwin. #AFLDeadly #AFLDonsTigers pic.twitter.com/94jso6XBgh
— AFL (@AFL) August 22, 2020
“I have a special welcome tonight, because tonight I want to acknowledge all Larrakia in attendance. I want to welcome the Tiwi people. I want to welcome the Galiwin people.
“I want to welcome the Anindilyakwa people. I want to welcome the Murinbata people. I want to welcome the Walpiri and the Warumungu people … because we’re all countrymen.
“I want to welcome the Yamatji, I want to welcome the Noongars, I want to welcome the Kooris, the Marras, the Nangahs, I want to welcome the brothers and sisters from Tasmania and I want to welcome our Torres Strait Island brothers and sisters and indigenous people from all around the world.
What a powerful Welcome that will stay in my heart forever. We felt welcomed Uncle, all of us, thank you for sharing your passion and love with us all. 🖤💛â¤ï¸ Darwin you made us all proud, a beautiful display of pride and culture 🖤💛â¤ï¸#dreamtimeindarwin https://t.co/mF1VXNHNXg
— Shelley Ware (@ShelleyWare) August 22, 2020
Special to be here for tonight's #dreamtimeindarwin match. Big build-up, great atmosphere and both teams clearly embracing the significance of the occasion. #AFL #AFLDonsTigers #AFLDeadly @AFLNT pic.twitter.com/QJaH1AL6DY
— Matt Turner (@mattturner1986) August 22, 2020
It was real deadly Bala.
— Andrew McLeod (@bunji_XXIII) August 22, 2020
“I want to welcome our non-indigenous people to Darwin and Larrakia country.
“Welcome to the Dreamtime in Darwin. Look after each other, look after yourselves. You have come by way of Larrakia land. You will hear the voices of our ancestors, and when you leave, you will take the messages of the Larrakia with you.”
The brilliant message was lauded by many on social media.
“What a powerful Welcome that will stay in my heart forever,” indigenous broadcaster Shelley Ware tweeted.
“We felt welcomed Uncle, all of us. Thanks for sharing your passion and love with us all.
“Darwin you made us all proud, a beautiful display of pride and culture.”
A number of Aboriginal flags are visible around the ground along with several “Free the Flag” T-shirts in protest against commercial arrangements surrounding its use.
Richmond players warmed up in black T-shirts bearing the number 10 in honour of indigenous teammate Shane Edwards, who will join the team in September following the birth of his first child last week.
Bombers debutant Irving Mosquito made his presence felt early, booting his first AFL goal to a huge reception.
The temperature hovered around 30 degrees at the start of the game, with humidity sitting above 50 per cent, as players find relief in coolrooms situated behind each team bench.
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