Round 4 – Richmond v Western Bulldogs: Just when you least expect it

 

 

 

 

 

by John Green

 

 

“What do you think our chances are tonight?” ventures my young associate.

 

“Nil.”

 

Resignation. My son agrees. We won’t be able to deal with the Dogs tonight. This is the week following our appalling fade-out against St. Kilda in which we conceded ten straight goals and folded like a new sheet of A4. Fire another metaphor. The carnival is over for us and the gate is locked and barred. We can only gaze through the chain link fence and observe the fans in foreign colours riding the roller coasters and exulting in the prospect of premiership glory with all the fun of the fair. Call me a defeatist, but I’m not complaining. It’s been an exhilarating ride and I’ll keep turning up. I sense the same mood in the members section. There’s no buzz, no sense of anticipation of the kind that we’ve experienced throughout recent campaigns.

 

There’s the Bulldogs’ midfield contingent practising their moves in the square before the bounce.
Bontempelli, Liberatore, Macrae and Smith. Dunkley and Hunter to come. They’re like a gang of
toughs hanging out on your corner under the streetlights. How can our undersized midfield
contingent match it with these blokes? The Dogs were pretty good when they dispatched the Swans
at Marvel Stadium last week to open their account for 2022.

 

In the first quarter all the usual culprits are racking up possessions. The Bulldogs are winning all the
key stats. Richmond keep pressing back and crowding the Tri-colours’ attacking zone, but they keep
advancing up the field with a series of pinpoint passes. And yet the hounds of the Bulldog Breed are
criminally wasteful in front of goal. We’re only five points down at the first break despite the Dogs
threatening to bust the game open. What happens once they find their range?

 

Richmond looks far more imposing when Prestia is on the park. Assured ball handling, incisive
handballs and perfect dart passes to the waiting chests of teammates. In the first three rounds the
Tigers were the worst team in the competition for conceding 50-metre penalties. Now it goes our
way with walk-in majors to Prestia and Castagna. Richmond tackle with murderous intent, winning
or at least neutralising key contests. Macrae, Hunter and Weightman, fine players in their own right,
are experts at shrugging, ducking and diving to milk free kicks. We roll with the tackles and eliminate
the freebies. Short, Broad and Ralphsmith sweep the ball out of defence. Thomson Dow is finding his
feet in the big time. Lynch is aided by the absence of key stoppers in Keath and Cordy and he hauls in
a series of contested marks, reviving memories of his dominant performance in the 2019 preliminary
final against Geelong.

 

The home crowd is coming to life. In the third term Bolton intercepts a Bailey Smith handball, evades
Liberatore and Butler, flits to the boundary line and lets fly with his left foot. The ball curves through
the big sticks and the Richmond horde is elevated to a state of divine rapture. Goal of the Year, no
need for further adjudication!

 

Riewoldt scores after the three-quarter time bell with a wobbling torpedo from outside the 50-
metre arc. Players and fans are ecstatic with the lead now out to 24 points. But I’m filled with a
sense of dread as we’ve now entered the four-goal twilight zone. The margins that were eliminated
in such devastating fashion by Carlton and St. Kilda in recent weeks. I can’t help it. Momentum shift.
I can hear the drone of the dam busters in the night sky. They’re coming in low with bouncing bombs
and the dam wall is about to be breached.

 

But not this time. The Tigers score three goals to one in the final term and we keep extending our
lead to eventually win by 38 points. Richmond nail their opportunities in front of goal while the
Western Bulldogs compile a diabolical 7-19. What do they say about bad kicking? Their numerical
advantage in scoring shots, clearances and inside 50s is rendered utterly meaningless.

 

Victories are sweet when they’re unexpected. My emotions are bouncing up and down like I’m stuck
on a back yard trampoline. The dynasty is over; wait – no it’s not! You never know in this game. You
think you have it all worked out and that you can confidently predict wins and losses. Then it all
changes again and hope is renewed for the upcoming clashes with leading contenders.

 

 

 

RICHMOND                     2.2    7.3    12.5    15.9 (99)
WESTERN BULLDOGS     2.7    4.10   6.17    7.19 (61)

 

GOALS  
Richmond: Lynch 4, Bolton 2, Riewoldt 2, Castagna, Dow, Nankervis, Parker, Pickett, Prestia, Short
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 2, Bontempelli, English, Macrae, Treloar, Vandermeer

 

BEST  
Richmond: Short, Lynch, Prestia, Rioli, Bolton, Pickett
Western Bulldogs: Smith, Macrae, Dale, Bontempelli, Dunkley, Naughton 

 

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Vandermeer (hamstring tightness), Anthony Scott (head)

 

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Jack Ross (unused)
Western Bulldogs: Mitch Wallis (replaced Vandermeer in the third quarter)

 

 

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