RICHMOND vs FITZROY 3

Fitzroy’s game this week was against the in-form second on the ladder Richmond, one of the three teams that had lost just one game for the year. Their players are big, some of them very tall. It was a game sure to test Fitzroy.

From the first bounce Fitzroy moved the ball into its forward line. It was plain last week’s last quarter effort was not a flash in the pan. Several times there were forays into attack that would normally lead to a Fitzroy goal. Richmond’s defence showed why the team has performed so well through the year. When Richmond went forward their players took marks, leading to shots on goal. They scored a goal, then a second right on quarter time.

At fourteen points down the margin was respectable and one that could be bridged. However the second quarter was almost a replay of the first. Fitzroy played well and delivered the ball into the forward line time and time again only to be repelled by the strong Richmond backs. Twice the ball was held up on Fitzroy’s goal line. When Richmond went forward the Fitzroy backs answered the challenge. Through good team play Richmond scored two goals, against Fitzroy’s solitary behind, before the siren sounded for half time.

In the third quarter Richmond got first use of the ball after a centre square infringement. It seemed like Richmond would draw away until Noah picked the ball up at centre half back, ran through the middle of the ground, bouncing the ball three times as he dodged this way then that, before putting a long kick to the goal square. Himi emerged from the pack and kicked the opening goal of the second half and Fitzroy’s first for the match. Himi added a second later in the quarter and Richmond scored one goal five. At three quarter time the difference between the teams was 30 points.

Unfortunately Fitzroy was unable to continue with the same momentum in the last quarter. Once again Fitzroy’s attacks were stopped on or near the goal line by the tall defenders. The Fitzroy players did not give up. They all ran hard, including several penetrating runs out of defence by Martin. Richmond scored three goals in the last quarter to finish with 8-14-62 against Fitzroy’s 2-3-15.

The scoreline does not reflect the closeness of the competition. The main difference was Richmond’s ability to make more of its opportunities. Himi and Hudson marked strongly all day, stopping certain Richmond goals. The mid-field ran all day. The forwards and the backs never stopped trying. Players tackled strongly, one by Mick in particular, harassed and chased their opponents wherever the ball went. By the end of the all Fitzroy players were spent.

Final score: