Blue night for Tigers
Carlton vs Richmond...
EVERY year, on this day it hits you. The season has started.
I hopped off the bus in Ashburton and thought about the footy season.
Another six months of happiness, frustration and pure joy awaited me. I rushed home with a spring in my step. I saw a Richmond supporter on the footpath and he gave me a look of self belief. He was ready for the season. I’m not entirely sure that I was.
It wasn’t until 7:40 when I was finally ready. I had my older brothers’ room to myself, with computer in reach and score sheet on the desk. Lemon chicken had been eaten and a good hour was spent listening to Triple M’s pre-match coverage, the main talk obviously being Ben Cousins. The umpire signalled the bounce and the game was underway, with nearly 87,000 fans looking on. I had tipped the Tigers in the end, thinking that they could beat the Blues on this perfect Thursday night. Cousins got a possession in the centre in the opening couple of seconds, circa Judd 2008. Richmond started well enough. Richo marked the ball inside 50 and lined up at goal. It hit the post. That poster had begun a night of horror for the yellow and black. Jarrad Waite, Richo’s opponent for the night, would kick the first goal for the year. Debutant Mitch Robinson followed up with another one, which seemed to set the tone for the game. It wasn’t to be, however, due to some gallant efforts by Tiger forward Mitch Morton. He kicked Richmond’s first two goals and put them in front at the 11-minute mark. Eddie Betts kicked a ripper and Richard Hadley converted, the Blues were back in control. Richo made amends with a good set shot goal, but that would be their only goal for the next half hour.
Carlton showed dominance for the rest of the quarter, not giving Richmond a hope. Ineffective possession from Richmond didn’t help, nor did dropped marks. Another one of four players debuting for Carlton, Jeffery Gartlett, kicked a goal with his first kick. Brendan Fevola kicked a textbook goal. He played a solid game but never asserted much dominance, allowed other Carlton forwards to have a go. The margin was out to five goals at quarter time, and you felt that it would only get more. Richmond’s midfielders were having no influence, but Chris Judd, Heath Scotland and Marc Murphy were bringing run through the middle. Cousins had started fairly quietly, but still looked tidy with his disposal.
The second quarter started with a brilliant passage of play. Judd was running into goal from a tight angle, and he kicked it right to the line. Fevola wasn’t too sure if he could let it go through, instead, he stuck his foot out and kicked it through sweetly. Carlton were showing extreme levels of confidence and soon the margin was out to seven goals. After this Richmond found their way back into the game but only for a short time, before goals from Simon Wiggins and Judd saw the margin 40 points at the half. It still didn’t seem like Richmond had a hope. It was finalised in the second half when Wiggins started to show a presence in the forward line, and he flew over a few Richmond players for (probably) mark of the round. He couldn’t convert, but Carlton was well on top, looking to blow the margin out to extreme lengths. Morton was the only highlight for the Tigers, as he kicked his fourth. After this Eddie Betts kicked two in quick succession, followed by a third just before the three quarter time siren.
Carlton won the game easily. Murphy kicked a ripper from the boundary and Betts kicked his fifth. The margin could have blown out to 100, but a few Carlton misses left the final margin at 83 points. To add to the Tiger misery Cousins came off with a left hamstring injury, to put him on the sidelines for a month. Andrew Raines came off as well.
It was a brilliant start to the season for Carlton players and fans and a dismal start for Richmond. Robinson started his career brilliantly with three goals. Nathan Brown, Brett Deledio, Joel Bowden and Jordan McMahon – all big names for Richmond, had little to no influence.
Richmond 3.4 6.7 8.10 9.13 (67)
Carlton 8.4 13.5 18.9 23.12(150)
GOALS Richmond: Morton 4, Richardson, Riewoldt, Schulz, Simmonds, Tambling.
Carlton: Betts 5, Robinson 3, Waite 3, Judd 2, Wiggins 2, Murphy 2, Fevola 2, Kreuzer, Hadley, Gartlett, Russell.
BEST Richmond: Foley, Morton, Raines, Tuck, Richardson, Newman.
Carlton: Judd, Murphy, Waite, Gibbs, Simpson, Houlihan, Betts, Hadley, Scotland, Wiggins.
Umpires: Donlon, Vozzo, McLaren.
Crowd: 86,972 at the MCG.
•Mitch Robinson of Carlton celebrates during the AFL round one match between Richmond and Carlton at the MCG. Photo by Michael Willson. The Slattery Media Group
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