AFL Round 20: My shoulder pain is nothing like the pain the Tigers should feel

By Josh Barnstable

Needing to wake up at 8:15 on a Saturday, which is absolutely crazy, just to get to the local footy ground of Rennie, the opposition today. It’s the last game of the year, and I’m quietly hoping to kick a few goals and hit the lead in the goalkicking for Waaia. I’m also hoping aloud for a win, our first for the year. After what I thought was a reasonable time to leave home (9:15), Mum and I still find a way to be late to the game. Walking into the rooms, the rest of the team are doing stretches and warming up. I never like to miss a warm up or having a stretch. Luckily I get ready in time, I get my shoulder taped up which has been sore for a few days. That is gonna hurt taking it off! After a couple of quarters, I feel we can win this. We are down by 4 goals but have the momentum. Rennie is down a couple of players, with one of them being stretchered off with a dislocated kneecap. After getting within 20 points in last quarter, Rennie run away with the win, eventually blowing the margin out to 54 points. I grimace as I rip the tape off my shoulder, but I can’t imagine what sort of pain the player with the hurt knee is feeling. After stopping and getting Maccas in Cobram, we arrive home with half an hour to spare before the AFL starts on TV.

The first quarter begins and the Pies get the first through Jack Anthony before Jack Riewoldt and Mitch Morton goal to give Richmond an early lead. The Pies go on a goalkicking spree though, with Paul Medhurst, Heath Shaw, Tarkyn Lockyer, Travis Cloke, Leon Davis and Dane Swan kicking goals to give the Pies a massive 37 point lead at quarter time, 7.8 to 2.1. Ben Cousins racked up 9 touches for the Tigers while Shane O’Bree is on 8 possessions for the Pies.

The second quarter begins, and goals to Cloke and Brad Dick take the margin out to 49 points. Robin Nahas goals for the Tigers but after Jake King takes things to far on Alan Didak, a huge melee breaks out across the ground with every Magpie player targeting King who gets his jumper ripped off, something that is becoming a regular in every game. The Pies blitz the Tigers again, with goals to Ben Johnson, Dayne Beams, Swan and Didak, taking the half time margin out to 70 points, 13.13 to 3.3. It could have easily been over 100 though, with inaccurate kicking seeing the Pies have 26 shots on goal compared to 6, complete domination.

The third quarter starts with a goal from Didak; he gives it to King as well. Brett Deledio goals on the run before Tom Hislop goals from out of midair. He has been a handy goalkicker for the Tigers. The Pies go on yet another rampage mission, with goals coming from Davis, Anthony (2) and Harry O’Brien from long range on the run, taking the margin out to 90 points. Nahas kicks his second before Dick snaps a ripper. After a kick-in goes wrong for the Tigers, the Pies get a goal right on the siren through Davis after snapping from near the boundary line, giving the Pies a 97 point lead at three quarter time, their biggest lead at the last change since 1979. O’Bree is up to 26 possessions while Deledio has 21.

The final quarter begins and I wonder how big the margin can get. 160 points? Davis kicks his fourth after almost messing up an open goal, and Scott Pendlebury goals from 50m to take the margin out to 107 points. The Tigers reply with goals through Richard Tambling and Hislop, and the final margin lands at 93 points, 22.20.152 to 8.11.59. A positive for the Tigers, winning the final quarter.

After today’s performance, my thoughts of a Collingwood/St Kilda Grand Final come stronger. The Pies are the team to challenge St Kilda. The first week of the finals will see them defeat Geelong, and it remains to be seen if the Pies can avenge their Monday night thrashing at the hands of the Saints. The Pies can count one thing in their favour: September 26 is not Danielle’s birthday.

Richmond 2.1—3.3—6.5—8.11.59
Collingwood 7.8—13.13—20.18—22.20.152

Goalkickers:

Richmond-Hislop 2, Nahas 2, Riewoldt, Morton, Deledio, Tambling

Collingwood-Davis 4, Anthony 3, Cloke 2, Swan 2, Didak 2, Dick 2, Shaw, Medhurst, Lockyer, Johnson, Beams, O’Brien, Pendlebury

Best:

Richmond-Deledio, Nahas

Collingwood-Davis, Beams, O’Bree, Swan, Cloke, Anthony, Didak

Crowd:

63,366 at the MCG

Votes:

3: Leon Davis (COLL)
2: Dayne Beams (COLL)
1: Shane O’Bree (COLL)

Comments

  1. Damn right Josh!
    goodwork my friend! :)

  2. Josh Barnstable says

    lol yay im your friend :) Had to squeeze you in their somewhere Danni! haha

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