Mission Failed in Terms of a Contest

After sleeping-in until 10:30, I felt very refreshed as I woke up to start a brand new day. Collingwood v Richmond on a Saturday afternoon at the MCG, can you get any more traditional than that?

The match started with Collingwood on top but unable to convert on the scoreboard. Finally, much maligned Brent Macaffer marked and kicked the first of the day. Richmond ventured inside 50 for one of the few times that quarter, and scored a point. From the kick-in, Tyson Goldsack angled the ball across his boot and thumped it long, long up to the centre square. Darren Jolly tapped it over his head, Dane Swan got a kick forward to Tarkyn Lockyer, who played on with a handball to Leigh Brown and he ran into an open goal. Easiest goal you will ever see. Macaffer bobbed up again, kicking a nice goal on the outside of his boot, then Swan neatly intercepted a Ben Cousins’ handball and put it through the middle. Chris Dawes marked and converted, and the margin was out to 30 points. Andy Collins snapped a good goal from the boundary line, before Jack Riewoldt roosted the ball long from outside 50, getting his 62^nd of the year. A late goal to Leon Davis after a mark in the goalsquare uncontested thanks to a block from Dayne Beams saw the Pies go to quarter time with a 23 point lead, 6.1 to 2.2.

The second quarter got underway with Macaffer kicking an equal-career high third goal, before Davis snapped his second on the goal-line. Darren Jolly drifted forward and showed why he’s one of the most valuable Ruckman in the game, taking a good mark and kicking his first, then Alan Didak landed his first from outside 50. Scott Pendlebury easily gathered the ball at a stoppage 15m from goal and slotted it, taking the margin out to 53 points. Richmond again replied with a couple of late goals, Cousins crumbing from the goalsquare and Angus Graham taking a questionable mark before putting it through. At half time, Collingwood led by 41 points, 11.3 to 4.4.

Jake King hadn’t come to any blows with the Collingwood players yet, and people were keeping a close eye out for him. Leigh Brown got the second half underway with a goal from a 50m penalty, followed by a classy goal on the run from Didak. Jolly kicked a goal from long range, then Didak produced the highlight of the day: receiving the ball inside 50, he ran forward, drew a Tiger player, dummied, kept running, dummied again, then slotted the goal, taking the lead out to 69 points. Once again, Richmond ended the quarter on a high with goals to Riewoldt from long range and Dustin Martin with a lucky snap that was untouched on the goal-line. As the players went into their huddles to finish off the last of the oranges, Collingwood led by 57 points, 15.10 to 6.7.

The final quarter started and Davis again showed that he was back to some sort of form with his third goal, then Beams got free and marked uncontested inside 50 after Lockyer gave the ball off instead of taking a shot. Jarryd Blair ran at the ball and copped a knock from the incoming Richmond player, but this allowed Steele Sidebottom to get a small kick out to Davis who ran into an open goal. Finally, to cap it all off, Brown marked uncontested after a long kick from Beams, played on and booted his third, perhaps putting the final nail in Josh Fraser’s career.

After an impressive month by the Richmond footy club, they have failed to fire over the past two games. Riewoldt’s kicked just five goals in those two games, Chris Newman hasn’t been as impressive, Shane Edwards and the other youngsters have been quiet, they would want to get another win before seasons end to lift that morale a bit more. Although, it may not happen with lucky charm Ben Griffiths out. As for Collingwood, they are still on top of the ladder. Mission failed, Tigers.

Collingwood 6.1—11.3—15.10—19.13.127

Richmond 2.2—4.4—6.7—6.9.45

Goalkickers:

Collingwood-Davis 4, Brown 3, Macaffer 3, Didak 3, Jolly 2, Beams, Pendlebury, Swan, Dawes

Richmond-Riewoldt 2, Martin, Graham, Cousins, Collins

Best:

Collingwood-Swan, Didak, Brown, Johnson, Jolly, Ball, Macaffer

Richmond-Morton, Cousins, Newman, Connors

Crowd: 66,727 at the MCG

Votes:

3: Dane Swan (C)

2: Alan Didak (C)

1: Leigh Brown (C)