An upset for the ages
The streak is over. Richmond won 22 games in a row, but lost when it counted. Like St Kilda in 2009, like Geelong in 2008, like Essendon in 2001, dominance through the home-and-away season can count for nothing, or can be far more bitter than sweet, when the eventual loss comes in a knockout game. Aussie Rules football is one of the cruellest sports in that sense: such long seasons, such hard work, all undone in a bad night.
Riewoldt never stopped trying, kicking five goals and taking nine marks. But Cotchin with 24 stats was the leading ball-winner, and I doubt you’d find many Richmond players with a very positive disposal efficiency.
It was a brilliant night for Collingwood, though. They outplayed Richmond thoroughly, smashed them in the first quarter, shellshocked them, then got far enough ahead that they were able to hold them off for the rest of the game. The Magpies controlled the game in the air, most importantly Mason Cox who took 11 marks. Pressure stopped the Tigers being able to dispose of the ball adequately, and Collingwood took advantage when it was turned over. Sidebottom picked up 41 touches, Taylor Adams 36, and Jack Crisp 30. De Goey’s four goals were big, but Cox’s three goals in a quarter were what broke Richmond.
“One of his better games,” says Nathan Buckley in understated fashion. He took over this team just after Mick Malthouse had coached them to a premiership. Had some bad years, but seven years later he’s coached them to a grand final, and has the chance to match Mick.
The Magpies will take on either West Coast or Melbourne, and would probably start favourites in either case given how they played tonight. Richmond have the bitterest of pills to swallow. It will be fascinating to see whether this near miss motivates them back to the top next year, as it did for Geelong in 2009 and 2011, and Hawthorn in 2013. Or whether it sees them fade out and finishes their time near the top.
That’s it from us. Goodnight.
Full time: Richmond 8.10 (58) lost to Collingwood 15.7 (97)
That’s it! The last few minutes of junk time run down even as the Collingwood coaches celebrate and the crowd chants the team’s name.
Goal! Richmond 8.10 (58) to Collingwood 15.7 (97)
4th quarter, 5:03 remaining: For Collingwood, they’ve been happy enough to play contested football and run down the clock the last few minutes. They know they’ve got there after they whittle the clock down to five minutes left. Buckley is smiling in the coaches box. Joffa has got the gold jacket on in the crowd. Eventually a tired Richmond side can’t keep up, and Jaidyn Stephenson can mark unopposed in plenty of space up forward. He kicks it. Of course he does.
Goal! Richmond 8.10 (58) to Collingwood 14.7 (91)
4th quarter, 12:10 remaining: Icing, meet cake. A throw-in next to the behind post. Brodie Grundy gets the tap, knocks it in front of himself, roves his own ball, and snaps the goal! Awesome skill from a ruckman to be so agile, and Collingwood are in the grand final.
Goal! Richmond 8.10 (58) to Collingwood 13.7 (85)
4th quarter, 13:30 remaining: And there it is! Adam Treloar, the boom recruit for the Magpies, snaps what must be the sealer. It began again with Mason Cox, clunking another huge mark on the forward flank, 70 out from goal. He lumped it forward for a throw-in. Nankervis and Grundy fought it out, the ball spilled free, and the Pies were able to pass it around until Treloar found space from 40. It’s 27 points the difference.
Goal! Richmond 8.10 (58) to Collingwood 12.7 (79)
4th quarter, 15:32 remaining: They can find a way now! All that time up forward pays off at last. Higgins wins a free kick 20 out after a strong tussle for the ball. He was held off the play I think. He wastes no time, and converts the goal for the Tigers. It’s 21 points now, and maybe the comeback is a possibility. But Collingwood really just need one more goal, or a few more scoreless minutes.
4th quarter, 16:30 remaining: Lots of forward action for Richmond but still lacking polish. Lambert drops a sitter as the ball came across the face of goal, 45 out. Later Collingwood nearly cough it up kicking across their defensive goal - Riewoldt spoils but can’t get the resulting loose ball to anyone. Then Lambert kicks into the pocket for Astbury, who juggles but can’t hold on. Can they find a way to goal?
Goal! Richmond 7.10 (52) to Collingwood 12.7 (79)
4th quarter, 19:10 remaining. Well. Riewoldt is keeping his team ever so slightly in this game, and doing it singlehandedly. Quickly away from the centre again, Richmond. The quick kick inside 50. He’s running back with the flight. Wrestling all the while. Pushes away. Lunges back. Takes the ball, and controls it just long enough while falling to ground. Lands heavily on his back and winds himself. Needs a few seconds to compose himself. Eventually goes back for his shot. Starts his shot clock. Comes in to kick, straight in front. Nails it. He’s got five. The margin is cut to 27.
Updated
Three-quarter time: Richmond 6.10 (46) to Collingwood 12.7 (79)
Well, they tried hard. But in the end Richmond could only cut the lead from 44 to 33. Teams can make up six goals in the last quarter, and Richmond have been good in last quarters this year. They’ve beaten Collingwood twice with last-quarter surges. But they just don’t look close enough to the level or intensity tonight. They’re tired and deflated and a bit sore. And Collingwood don’t look any of the above, so I can’t see them letting the Tigers back in. But the future is not written. Let’s see.
3rd quarter, 1:46 remaining: Quick out of the centre bounce for the Tigers, but Higgins can’t quite get the bouncing ball in the goalsquare onto his boot. He’s had one stunning goal on the line at the MCG this year, but he would have wanted that one so much more. Instead the score is ruled touched and one behind. It’s 46-79.
Goal! Richmond 6.9 (45) to Collingwood 12.7 (79)
3rd quarter, 2:00 remaining: Gorgeous kick from Martin, a 50-metre launch that clears Riewoldt and drops behind him as he’s running back into space. He marks it over his shoulder from 40 out, and slots the set shot beautifully. He’s been very good tonight, but had too few teammates. It’s 34 points the difference, and BT on the telly is still trying to convince us that a big comeback is in the works. Not the way these teams are playing, but fair play to Riewoldt.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 5.9 (39) to Collingwood 12.7 (79)
3rd quarter, 3:10 remaining: Richmond striving, straining, but it’s constipation stuff. They finally squeeze out one stubborn goal. Houli with the set shot from the 50, again having to clear Gigantor guarding the mark, but gets just enough on it. Someone could have touched it on the line but they all missed and it fell between hands.
3rd quarter, 6:03 remaining: Rioli is run down and done holding the ball trying to sprint a hundred metres. Riewoldt tries a speccy and can’t haul it in. Caddy kicks out on the full trying a miracle checkside from the pocket. All the Tiger stars think they have to produce something magic to get back in the contest. They can’t. They won’t. They’ve been swarmed tonight and the Pies aren’t going away.
Goal! Richmond 4.9 (33) to Collingwood 12.6 (78)
3rd quarter, 8:23 remaining: The TV commentators are still trying to pump up the Tiger comeback at 39 points adrift. It’s finally put to bed, surely, when Mihocek picks up a loose ball at the top of the goal square and slams a high snap home. There was a dropped mark that let him in. “What did Steve Waugh say? You’ve just dropped the Cup?” asks Bruce McAvaney. NO HE DIDN’T, BRUCE, IT’S A MYTH. Even Steve Waugh doesn’t claim that Steve Waugh said that. Actually he’s about the only person who acknowledges it isn’t true. The Pies have dropped the Tigers, that’s all the dropping that has been done tonight.
3rd quarter, 11:15 remaining: Collingwood fight out of defence twice in a row only to see the ball come back. Caddy does brilliantly at half forward to get a kick away to the goal square, where Martin marks... but he’s given away a push in the back and another goal goes begging. They’ve hurt themselves tonight, the Tigers. Caddy wins it again at half forward and gives it to Houli, who bombs another long point. They’ve kicked 4.9, and the score is 33 to 72. It’s 39 points the margin.
Goal! Richmond 4.8 (32) to Collingwood 11.6 (72)
3rd quarter, 15:17 remaining: Cox is monstering Astbury, this time just bodying him out of the marking contest before the ball arrives. Another grab at full-forward for the ‘merican monster, but for the first time tonight he misses his shot. Richmond take the ball coast to coast from the kick-in, and Riewoldt again finds space, this time very easily. He kicks the goal from 40, and that number is also the margin.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 3.8 (26) to Collingwood 11.5 (71)
3rd quarter, 17:23 remaining: Well, de Goey didn’t have to wait long. Cox again takes a strong mark, this time up on the wing. The long ball to full forward isn’t marked, but it comes over the back, and the Collingwood forward is in the right place to snatch it and roll it through. It’s back to 45 points.
3rd quarter, 18:24 remaining: De Goey almost cancels that goal out after marking in the pocket, but his attempt at his fourth goal fades late. It’s 26-65, a margin of 39.
Goal! Richmond 3.8 (26) to Collingwood 10.4 (64)
3rd quarter, 19:12 remaining: Did they ever need that! The Tigers start the second half right, Nankervis winning it out of the centre and Riewoldt marking on the lead-up. Simple football. Cox comes down to stand the mark at 45 metres out, but this time Riewoldt gets the distance and his kick swings left to right and sneaks in by the left post.
Peace, I pray you.
— William Shakespeare (@Wwm_Shakespeare) September 21, 2018
Can report that the temperature of the internet is: gobsmacked. De Goey and Cox with three goals apiece, while Adams and Sidebottom each have 20 possessions. The leader for Richmond is Cotchin with 14, and Richmond have a scant couple of goals between them. This is one of those bizarre, crushing results, where what looked like it would become a team’s era can be ended with only one premiership.
They’ve still got a half to try to mount a comeback. Poor old Matthew Richardson is down in the Richmond rooms for the TV broadcaster, but he’s surprisingly upbeat. He says the Tigers players are too. Apparently they came in saying that this is their chance to make history. That’s one way to look at it, but it’s a tough gig to set yourself.
Getting ready to load up again. I’m glad we had these few minutes to breathe.
Biggest comeback in a final is 47 points (Geelong beat Carlton 1931 Prelim) Richmond trailed by 53 in this game. Will take something extraordinary. #AFLTigersPies #AFLFinals
— Alister Nicholson (@AlisterNicho) September 21, 2018
If we’re talking the efficiency of influence, there’s this. Sections of the MCG crowd are chanting “USA.”
Mason Cox Q2: 3 kicks, 3 marks (3 inside 50, 2 contested), 3 goals. #AFLTigersPies
— Ethan (@ethan_meldrum) September 21, 2018
Big night in the Swan household.
OUR PETS HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!!
— Dane Swan (@swandane) September 21, 2018
Half time: Richmond 2.8 (20) to Collingwood 10.4 (64)
There’s always this.
Collingwood led by 44 points at half time of the 1970 grand final
— Daniel Cherny 📰 (@DanielCherny) September 21, 2018
Goal! Richmond 2.8 (20) to Collingwood 10.4 (64)
2nd quarter, 0:11 remaining: Richmond rattled. Rance received a handball in the centre square, and kicks the ball about two metres off the outside of his boot. The loose ball is returned to him and he unloads from 55 but it’s awry. Riewoldt almost taps the crumb onto his own boot cleverly before he crashed into the goal post, but can’t get it to land right. Then Lambert has two shots in a minute for Richmond on the run, and misses them post, including hitting the post. Finally, desperately, Nankervis helps win possession in the pocket, there’s a centring kick, and Higgins takes the mark. Kicks the goal with 11 seconds remaining to give Richmond the slightest comfort. You can’t really come back from 44 points at half time, but at least it has happened a handful of times before.
I’m lost for words. #AFLTigersPies
— Angela Pippos (@angelapippos) September 21, 2018
Goal! Richmond 1.5 (11) to Collingwood 10.4 (64)
2nd quarter, 4:09 remaining: De Goey misses a kick, but it doesn’t matter tonight. Those chances will just come around again. He marks a scrambled ball moments later, and kicks another from the pocket. The Pies have ten goals, and they’re nine in front.
Goal! Richmond 1.5 (11) to Collingwood 9.3 (57)
2nd quarter, 5:20 remaining: Gee. The Tigers fight hard for a few minutes, trying to lock the ball inside their 50. But they just can’t find there way through for a goal. And finally, when it comes down the other end, the sucker punch. The airbed puncture. Rance’s handball is poor, the contested ball goes through about five Pies, and Crisp on the arc slams through a monster snap to add another goal.
2nd quarter, 7:21 remaining: Vlastuin has a chance to try to claw Richmond back a step after a sweeping transition from defence sees him mark inside 50. But his roost from outside the arc fades to the near side. Richmond into double figures, 10-51, then Caddy snaps another point a moment later for 11-51. Just can’t afford to waste these, but it happens so often when a team is deflated.
2nd quarter, 10:43 remaining: And when the ball comes down the Richmond end at last, Cox goes down to stand the mark for Riewoldt on 50, the American using his height to add just a bit more distance to the Australian’s range. Smart football, and it works. Riewoldt’s kick falls short by a metre.
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 8.3 (51)
2nd quarter, 12:00 remaining: You heard it here. Richmond, reigning premiers, who have cruised through 2018 in complete control, have been beaten single-handedly by an American. The same formula. Cox at full-forward, steaming into the pocket, and clunking a long ball with a huge mark. His arms are longer than everyone else’s, so they can’t spoil him. And he pops through the resulting kick. With the margin at 42 it’s all but done.
If Hardwick wants to get Dusty into the game maybe he could trying getting him to put on a Collingwood guernsey. #AFLTigersPies
— Adam Liaw (@adamliaw) September 21, 2018
This game feels so much like the 2010 Magpies v Cats preliminary final. Collingwood blowing the reigning premiers off the park #AFLTigersPies
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottliebFOX) September 21, 2018
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 7.3 (45)
2nd quarter, 16:24 remaining: The Big Texan does it again! This mark was one for the highlight reels: a drop that gave him a clear run at the ball, the chance to leap, and then he plants a knee in the back of the opposition captain, bashes Trent Cotchin out of the way like a sack of spuds, and takes the grab. Kicks the set shot. The Pies are six goals in front and it’s only a few minutes into the second quarter.
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 6.3 (39)
2nd quarter, 18:11 remaining: The boilover is on! Richmond had a flicker of possession to start the second, but Collingwood gets it back from a fortuitous loose ball that falls their way at half-forward. The kick inside 50 is to the advantage of Mason Cox at six-foot-ten, and he marks in the pocket and stabs the kick through. It’s 29 points, and Richmond need answers. Treloar follows up with a behind for Collingwood...
An absolutely unbelievable atmosphere #AFLTigersPies pic.twitter.com/nFi2ERqcp9
— Alister Nicholson (@AlisterNicho) September 21, 2018
Quarter time: Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 5.2 (32)
The break can’t come soon enough for Richmond. Just the one goal in the first term, after they had the first shot of the game but missed it. Riewoldt was prominent early, but Dustin Martin looks hampered by injury. All that aside, they look a bit shellshocked by a Collingwood team that has hit them harder and run them off their feet. The Magpies have been electric. The reigning premiers have the quality to regather, but now is the time. We’ve got a game on our hands...
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 5.2 (32)
1st quarter, 1:20 remaining: Two in a matter of seconds! The ball into the forward pocket, thrown in, and the pack is roved perfectly, out to de Goey who snaps his second! The Tigers are stunned.
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 4.2 (26)
1st quarter, 1:47 remaining: Howe playing quarterback in the back pocket got the clearing kick. Grundy the ruckman on the wing punched it on. Travis Varcoe has been prominent early, and he reeled in that punch with a casual one-handed grab as he ran by. Puts the ball inside 50, where Mihocek is sandwiched between two defenders, but he cleverly smacks the spinning ball out of the air before grabbing the rebound. It’s a mark straight in front, and he kicks truly.
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 3.2 (20)
1st quarter, 4:40 remaining: Crisp kicks it, but put that one down to Greenwood! He contested on the wing, threw in some fancy footwork, a spin, dodged another, ran on, kicked high into the forward line like a rugby union fullback trying to set up a try, then ran forward himself and contested the fall of the ball. Sidebottom was the beneficiary, getting possession with a second of time to think, and he swept wide to Crisp who kicked the running goal from 40. Brilliant quarter from the Magpies.
1st quarter, 6:37 remaining: It is slippery out there. Seen several players lose their footing already. There are contests up and down the wing, but the Pies are in the ascendancy at the moment in terms of hitting targets and pressuring their opponents. Varcoe marks again 45 metres out, but doesn’t trust his foot and hands off to Goldsack running by, whose long shot misses. It’s 9-14 to the Pies.
Goal! Richmond 1.3 (9) to Collingwood 2.1 (13)
1st quarter, 10:00 remaining: And the Tigers are on the board! The quick reply from the centre bounce, with Dustin Martin prominent in fighting for possession. His kick forward was not a think of beauty, but Riewoldt makes space and marks. His shot nearly clips the back of the left goal post, but scrapes home.
Goal! Richmond 0.3 (3) to Collingwood 2.1 (13)
1st quarter, 10:50 remaining: Forward pressure from the Magpies does the trick. Richmond were scrambling on a couple of plays there just trying to get the ball clear. Eventually it comes to Chris Mayne just outside the 50. He stays calm, spots a target, and pops it into space for Varcoe leading up the ground. His set shot from 30 out is good.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 0.3 (3) to Collingwood 1.1 (7)
1st quarter, 12:52 remaining: Another behind as Maynard marks on the goal line but kicks out between the goal and point posts. He has to kick in. But it works out well for the Pies in the end. The scrubbing kick-in forces them to play on fast, and that works out too. Mason Cox marks at half back and thumps it forward. The ball finds Varcoe on the wing, running the boundary line. Into the forward line, the long kick finds Jordan de Goey just inside the boundary. He plays on from his set shot, runs around, and curls home the goal! The Pies get the next clearance too, and Mihocek runs the loose ball runs through for a behind.
Updated
1st quarter, 14:30 remaining: Greenwood marks one-handed at left half back in an early confidence booster. His forward foray is repelled, but Langdon for Collingwood takes another relieving mark at half-back. Collingwood switch play and get up to right half-forward before the ball goes out of bounds. Pendlebury wins a free for holding the ball on the wing. Collingwood turn it over going forward again thanks to Richmond pressure, Higgins prominent in that regard, but another promising Richmond foray is wasted when the kick can’t find Caddy on his own running into space. Eventually Riewoldt scraps the ball to Rioli, who misses a running shot from 45 out but kicks a point. It’s Richmond 2-0.
1st quarter, 18:30 remaining: The ball goes forward for Collingwood immediately from the bounce via Greenwood, but rebounds. Rioli plays the one-two with Cotchin on the wing and delivers inside 50 with a long ball. It’s Richmond with the chance for the perfect start, but Riewoldt misses his shot after marking 40 out. Collingwood come out of defence comfortably from the kick-in. It’s Richmond by a point, 1-0.
Teams unchanged from last week. We’re off.
Trent Cotchin wins the toss for Richmond, but it’s a still and dry night so that shouldn’t be a factor. When I say dry, I mean no rain, but it does look a bit damp and greasy out there on this cool September evening in Melbourne.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick is out there with his team, and Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley with his. Two fine players of the 1990s and 2000s who’ve turned into two fine coaches at the back end of the 2010s. People weren’t convinced about either of them a couple of years ago, but they’ve come good. The anthem is sung now, the crowd howls at its conclusion, the coaches shake hands with the umpires, and we’re about to get underway. Even over the radio, the pure animal sound from the crowd makes your skin tingle.
If you want to get involved in the blog, drop me a line. Stats, tips, razor-sharp quips, anything I’ve missed, all is welcome (aside from pointing out typoes in the score which I’ve already fixed but your screen hasn’t refreshed). Email geoff.lemon@theguardian.com or tweet me at @GeoffLemonSport.
Preamble
Here we go. The preliminaries are over and it’s time to begin... the preliminaries. Ah. Well. One of the curiosities of Australia’s own football code, and one that confused Collingwood’s USA import Mason Cox this last week. But the tall ruckman will be out there tonight, listed to start the game at full forward, as his team takes on Richmond for a place in the 2018 Grand Final. It’s all to play for, no more second chances, and it’s sure to be a fierce atmosphere between two of the game’s oldest and geographically closest rivals, taking one another on at the Melbourne Cricket Ground that lies directly between their two suburbs.
Despite their proximity, these two haven’t played a final against one another since 1980. This is largely due to Richmond being a many-decade embarrassment team that couldn’t make finals rather than any particular quirk of programming, but those days are well and truly behind Les Tigres. They’ve been ferocious all year, and unbeatable at the MCG with their home crowd at their backs. Reigning premiers, the Tigers have every right to be considered favourites.
The Magpies, on the other hand – well, hands up who was surprised to see them finish as high as they did? There is one hand raised in my house. They’ve got this far with a relatively unheralded lineup and despite a tough year with injuries. They’ve done it through consistency and an even spread of performances. In a sense, they’ve punched above their weight all year. Logic says their time in the ring should end tonight. But football is a game for upsets.
Things that there won’t be in the house include a spare seat, a dry eye, or a missed opportunity to scream ‘ball!’ when someone has clearly been tackled with no prior opportunity to dispose. Let’s do it.
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