Gutted. Absolutely gutted.

I’m Gutted.

 gutted– sensation of shock, amazement, normally unwanted, tingling stomach on the verge of crying, Normally happens when horrible news is delivered to you quickly. It can also mean ‘to remove the intestines or entrails.’ Either way, it’s unpleasant.

Absolutely gutted.

It’s a great phrase, isn’t it. All the profanities in the world fail to convey the feeling of disappointment so accurately. As West Coast’s Jack Darling put the game beyond Richmond’s reach with just seconds remaining, I hissed through clenched teeth the word “Darling!” with all the venom I could summon. Now there’s a word I never thought would come to me as my Tigers lost a close one.

It had been an enthralling and bruising contest. Most games involving West Coast tough man Beau Waters are. Players’ bodies were put on the line, the Eagles kept pulling away and the Tigers kept coming back at them. The Docklands crowd, disappointingly just a touch under 30,000, at times sounded two-fold.

Richmond began the match in frenetic fashion. Ruckman Maric appeared to be relishing the challenge of single handedly taking on arguably the game’s best ruck duo of Naitanui and Dean Cox. Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin were influential as the West Coast crowd was taken out of the equation early. Joke, of course. 

West Coast however, had different ideas, quickly snatching the lead and holding the Tiges at arms length in a game of cat and mouse for the remainder of the match. Richmond kept coming back when it seemed that the game was getting away, even taking the lead at times, but for the second week in succession, it came down to poise. Last week, with a rare chance to defeat Geelong in Geelong, it had been some costly errors that had cost the Tigers at the death, and it played that way again.

Set shots to Riewoldt and Deledio, both very gettable, missed narrowly. It had been a mixed bag for Jack. He’d regained some touch with a lovely mark and a couple of goals, yet unfortunately his missed set shot along with an errant inside 50 which cost a goal will be what keeps him from sleeping too well this week.

The Blue and Golds had poise. Matt ‘Harpo’ Priddis twice fed the ball out to set up goals in the dying minutes and under immense pressure, while the Eagles’ inside 50’s were directed to what I’d call the hot spot, 15 metres directly in front of goal. Three crumbing goals.

Yet Richmond was still a massive chance of causing a huge upset inside the final minute. What the Tiges lacked in class and polish, they more than made up for with endeavour. As tired legs propelled the footy inside the Tigers’ 50 metre arc, there was a minute left on the clock and a goal would win it. With the ball directed to the pocket, West Coast intercepted it and swept it down the ground via a Beau Waters hanger and sealed the game, as mentioned before. “Darling!!!

Lack of poise had beaten us again. The competitive spirit was on display from the Punt Road boys and West Coast will never have had so many bruises post a match against Richmond. But the Eagles sit atop the AFL ladder unbeaten for a reason. They have class, and they know how to win. But boy did the Tiges get close.

As I said….gutted. Thankfully the players were too.

 

Richmond 14.13.97

West Coast 16.11.107

Crowd: 28,448 

 

About John Carr

First and foremost, I'm a Richmondite- 5th generation and dyed in the wool. I love the club, but also have a love for the game itself, and love to explore the cultural and social aspects of Australian Rules football. I am married with 4 kids, and also have a love of music, and run a small recording studio http://theholybootsfootballemporium.wordpress.com/

Comments

  1. No need to be gutted John. Don’t forget the words of our famous song, “If we’re behind, then never mind”. There’s always next week/year/decade. Actually they really had a RHG didn’t they? (Davo)

  2. Haje Halabi says

    we will overcome one day sweet lord we will overcome….it is jus that we are getting older now and my dream of the tigers in a grand final one day see remote

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