Round 7 – Richmond V Melbourne

We Won Again!

Liam Chambers

Demons in control, but last minute mistakes prove costly

After Round 6’s drought breaking performance, there were high hopes of back to back victories when we lined up against the Tigers for the Anzac Eve game. Richmond’s confidence was also given a boost in Round 6 with their unexpected win over potential finalists Gold Coast Suns.

It took ten minutes for the first goal to register on the scoreboard. Ed Langdon, the recipient an uncontested mark, was then tackled and dragged to the ground, resulting in a 50m penalty. Langdon’s set shot from 40m in front was cleanly taken and the Dees were away.

Both sides had chances to add to the goal tally, but it took almost another ten minutes for the second major. This time, an unguarded Bailey Fritsch was gifted the sherrin just to the left of the square. His quickly taken shot went through for a thirteen point advantage.  Then it was Kade Chandler’s turn, when he launched from the 50m arc to send the footy straight through the uprights.

Just before quarter time, Sam Lalor took an uncontested mark just inside the arc. He converted from 50m to give the Tigers their first goal, with a minute remaining in the term.
It looked like Melbourne would go in at the break leading by eleven points, but with literally one second left on the clock, Tim Taranto was fouled in front of goal. He went back and kicked the goal, reducing the margin to five.

Demons and Tigers play ping with the scoreboard

The Demons dodged a bullet very early in the second term, when Tom Lynched missed an easy 30m set shot.  Steely Green didn’t miss though, with his difficult set shot from deep in the pocket, giving his side the lead for the first time in the match.

Melbourne then had a bit of luck when a Richmond free kick was reversed after Jake Bowey was hit just outside the 50m. The shot was taken quickly in the goal square by Harrison Petty, giving the Dees back the lead.

Rhyan Mansell took it back again after he was deemed to have been held at the top of the goal square. Then the normally stingy Nick Vlastuin kicked the ball straight to Harrison Petty, who then made no mistakes with the 35m set shot.

Melbourne builds up an imposing buffer

Melbourne had the perfect start to the second half when Charlie Spargo’s long kick from the middle of the ground found Kysaiah Pickett, who leapt up to take the uncontested mark. After scoring five majors in Round 6, Kozzie had his first of the afternoon when he slotted the 30m set shot.

The Dees next goal was pure poetry in motion, as Christian Petracca managed to find some space by zig zagging around the Tigers’ defence, ably assisted by Chandler and Gawn, before snapping from 40m.

We didn’t have to wait too long for the next goal and it was classic Fritsch. After some frantic hand passing on the edge of the 50m arc, Bailey Fritsch found enough space to run and snap a banana shot that floated back beautifully through the uprights, extending the Demons lead out to twenty two points.

It wasn’t all one way traffic though, and when Tom Lynch’s attempt at a singled handed mark didn’t yield the desire result, he had enough time to turn and control the bouncing sherrin, before tapping it across the goal line.

Tom Sparrow redressed the balance almost immediately with his desperate tackle on Nick Vlastuin near the top of the goal square. Sparrow went back and made no mistake locating the space between the big sticks.

Surely Kolton Tholstrup must be up for the most complicated mark of the year with his incredible juggling feat 20m from goal. His was neat in his execution of the set shot, and it was a twenty nine advantage to the Dees.

Christian Petracca is back to his best and strongest; his pinpoint accurate 50m set shot was impressive.

Dees victorious but let guard down in latter half of final term

Going into the last quarter thirty five points up was a scoreline to gladden the hearts of the Demon faithful. Then, when Kade Chandler kicked the first goal to make it a forty one point advantage, it would be a brave punter to bet against a Melbourne win.

Kozzie Pickett should have had another goal, but his 40m snap was deemed touched before it landed in the square and bounced across the line. The review ruled against the goal Umpire, which is rare but them’s the breaks.

With seven minutes left on the clock, the Dees were forty four points in front. A win looked assured, but also the margin would also help boost to our percentage.

Then Tom Lynch ran out to take a contest mark 25m in front. He made sure with the set shot to claw one back for the Tigers. Lynch got another two minutes later when he kick an around the corner to claim his hat trick. Tim Taranto also got another when he snapped one from 15m to reduce the margin to twenty five points. Toby Nankervis made it four in a row when he slotted his 35m set shots.

Luckily, there was only just over one hundred seconds left on the clock, otherwise Demon fans would be getting extremely nervous. The fact that Richmond scored all their four goals for the quarter after Max Gawn was taken off is somewhat concerning, but overall back to back wins is encouraging.

We head to Perth for Round 8 to play the winless West Coast. The Eagles played well in their Round 2 game against Brisbane; mainly in the first half. The Lions recovered to win but we don’t want to have to play catch up if West Coast come out swinging hard early.

If we focus on what we’ve been doing well in the last couple of weeks, then my money’s on Melbourne.

Go the Mighty Dees!!!