Congrats Jack and Marc! 👏#AFLBluesTigers pic.twitter.com/MFdlTU4b47
— AFL (@AFL) March 21, 2019
Full time: Richmond win 14.13.97 – Carlton 9.10.64
The Tigers open 2019 with a win, helped greatly by getting off to a fast start with the first five goals. But they didn’t have it all their own way, as Carlton rallied through the second and third quarters to make the game more of a scrap, and find a way to outscore Richmond through until three-quarter time. Encouraging signs, but eventually the gap in class showed, and Carlton’s players in general didn’t look to be working as hard through the final stages of the game.
The eventual margin is 33 points, which is almost the same as it was at quarter time. Carlton narrowed it to 13 at the lowest. So, far from a disaster, though plenty of Blues had a case of the fumbles or made bad calls under pressure.
Alex Rance gives in interview to the TV broadcaster while on crutches with his knee strapped with ice. He says it doesn’t look good, which is footballer code for saying that he’s done his ACL. They’ll have a scan to confirm that, but he’ll be almost certain after the doctors have already done their check in the rooms.
There’s a guard of honour from both teams as Jack Riewoldt and Marc Murphy, who both played their 250th match tonight. They’re both chaired off, and they shake hands on the sideline once they come back to ground.
Richmond shared the goals around tonight: three each for Higgins, Lynch and Nankervis. Higgins was busy and creative, Lynch will be delighted to contribute in his first Tiger match, while Nankervis lurked in classic big-guy style. Singles to Balta, Butler, Weller, Riewoldt and McIntosh.
McKay was the only multiple scorer for Carlton with two, while the solos went to Curnow, McGovern, Fisher, Fasolo, Thomas, Newman and Murphy.
32 stats for Cripps, 29 for Murphy, 27 for Simpson and Thomas, while Ed Curnow took 12 marks (and Charlie Curnow took one).
For Richmond, there were 32 disposals for Cotchin, and 3o for Martin and Lambert, with seven tackles for Dan Butler.
The men’s AFL season is officially underway. Richmond are at the top of the ladder. The more things change...
That’s it for us. Goodnight.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 14.13.97 – Carlton 9.10.64
27 minutes, 4th quarter: A sequence comes downfield from Carlton: Thomas, Murphy, Phillips, Setterfield, each with some short handballs into space, finishing with a long kick inside 50 and McKay marks running back and takes it while watching over his shoulder. Good mark, and he slots the set shot.
Goal! Richmond 14.12.96 – Carlton 8.9.57
20 minutes, 4th quarter: The big ruckman Nankervis adds his third as the dam breaks, in another case of just loitering about the right place at the right time for a crumb.
Goal! Richmond 13.12.90 – Carlton 8.8.56
18 minutes, 4th quarter: The Carlton resistance is over. Some smart work from Higgins creates the chance to provide for Weller, who scores in his first game for his new club.
Goal! Richmond 12.12.84 – Carlton 8.8.56
17 minutes, 4th quarter: That should seal it for the Tigers. They have the numbers running forward after Carlton cough up the ball thanks to a forward-line smother. McIntosh kicks a banana while streaming forward on the run for Graham to mark outside 50. He looks for Edwards but overcooks it, and Petrevski-Seton should be able to run onto it and dish a handball but he freezes in the face of the Edwards tackle, and the ball dribbles to no one. And then to Butler, who sails it home.
12 minutes, 4th quarter: McKay has been impressive tonight and takes another strong mark, but pumps the ball into the seats while looking for distance. Back it comes the Tigers’ way, but some more desperate last-line defending from the Blues stifles the move. Charlie Curnow marks back on the wing, finds McGovern at half forward, but his final kick into the 50 is intercepted.
10 minutes, 4th quarter. A good running sequence from Rioli, then Short, then Lambert. Inside 50 and Martin marks it 48 out on the sprinting lead. His shot goes across the face, but during the contest in the forward pocket Lynch is struck in the head. His set shot misses from the pocket, for his first error of the night.
Goal! Richmond 11.10.76 – Carlton 8.8.55
6 minutes, 4th quarter: Finally Richmond scrag one of their own! That was as messy as any Carlton goal tonight, the result of Martin bullocking away in the forward pocket in several contests, then managing to smack the ball out to Lynch who is in the right place. He kicks as he’s tackled, and has to be dug out from under a pile of footballer to celebrate after it wobbles through.
Updated
4 minutes, 4th quarter: We’re away. McIntosh, Edwards, Weller, then a kick into the pocket to Lambert. But he misses. The Blues clear, then lose it and see the ball back inside 50. McGovern tries to handball from right on the behind line in too much traffic, is partially smothered, Riewoldt tries a rushed snap and again misses the lot. From about three metres out this time, though with bodies all around him.
Three-quarter time: Richmond 10.9.69 – Carlton 8.8.56
They’ve narrowed the margin at each break, Carlton, getting it back to 13 points at the break. Richmond have lost their drive and spark since quarter time, one moment from Jack Riewoldt aside, and Carlton have looked the more enthusiastic team and had the better chances, but have lacked the polish to make the most of some of them. If they can get that last aspect to click then they could run over Richmond, but the Tigers have the quality to push things the other way. What impact will the loss of their full-back have? Injured in his 200th game no less, Alex Rance.
Three goals for Higgins, two for Nankervis and Lynch for Richmond. Carlton have all single goal-kickers.
Updated
28 minutes, 3rd quarter: A couple of muffed chances for Carlton. Dow misses a shot at goal, then Ed Curnow marks a bullet pass 48 metres out but his kick to his brother Charlie has too much on it, and Charlie can’t fingertip it above his head while leading at full speed into the pocket. It’s 69-56.
Alex Rance is down with a knee injury
25 minutes, 3rd quarter: This looks bad. He went up in a marking contest and landed badly, his knee twisting under him. He’s Richmond’s linchpin at full-back. He’s in serious pain as he’s helped from the ground. Here’s hoping that appearances are deceiving.
24 minutes, 3rd quarter. Ed Curnow can’t make the distance on a set shot from 50. Martin tries to surge through the middle but is smashed off the ball on his second bounce, and is holding the ball. Back it goes into the pocket, then McKay nails a huge tackle but doesn’t get holding the ball because apparently a skerrick of a handball squeaked out of the tangle of limbs. Out of bounds.
Goal! Richmond 10.8.68 – Carlton 8.7.55
18 minutes, 3rd quarter: What a finish from Newman! He marks a lateral ball across the fifty looking to set him up for a goal, but juggles the mark and only holds it 55 metres out. Too far to score. So he lowers his sights and tries a flat kick to McGovern outside a crowded goalsquare. The forward can only spoil, and Richmond rush the clearance outside 50 but Newman is there again. This time he can pick up and run inside 50, and from right up against the paint he kicks a gorgeous left-footed goal! Wrong side for the kick but he lasers it through.
Goal! Richmond 10.8.68 – Carlton 7.7.49
16 minutes, 3rd quarter: A goal for Marc Murphy in his 250th! He’s done a lot of hard slog at this club, and that’s a nice moment for him. A chain of short possessions ends in a short stab kick to Murphy in the pocket, and he has the composure to spin and snap the goal in one movement before he’s tackled. Carlton stay in touch...
Goal! Richmond 10.8.68 – Carlton 6.6.42
11 minutes, 3rd quarter: A costly miss from Harry McKay, who backed into traffic to mark bravely but hits the post from 40 metres out. As the ball swings down the other end from the kick-in, Higgins runs back and makes space for himself to mark in the pocket. Thinks about playing on but eventually takes the set shot for his third goal.
Goal! Richmond 9.8.62 – Carlton 6.5.41
8 minutes, 3rd quarter: What a game this has turned into! Riewoldt has a nightmare one moment, roving a ball and trying to snap but hitting the belly of the ball and skewing it way into the night sky. Out on the full. But when a good delivery comes in a minute later, Riewoldt flies and pulls down a screamer. He was one on one and used his opponent as a stepladder. Finishes it off with his 608th goal, taking him past Michael Roach as Richmond’s fourth-highest scorer.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 8.8.56 – Carlton 6.5.41
5 minutes, 3rd quarter: Two inside a minute for Carlton. They’re up and running now. Cripps wins the clearance with some bullocking work after Martin went to ground. Cripps finds Fisher, who thumps a kick forward, and Charlie Curnow can run onto a ball that’s flipped over the back and kick a close-range goal.
Goal! Richmond 8.8.56 – Carlton 5.5.35
4 minutes, 3rd quarter: Carlton hit back immediately, with McKay leading hard and wide into the pocket to mark on the boundary line. He nails an excellent set shot from near the paint in both directions! Fine kick.
Goal! Richmond 8.8.56 – Carlton 4.5.29
2 minutes, 3rd quarter: Richmond hurt the Blues on the return journey! Long in towards Riewoldt, who can’t do the job himself but is able to knock the ball towards Nankervis, and the ruckman is in the right place at the right time.
1 minute, 3rd quarter: Carlton get the forward run from the first bounce of the half, but Curnow tries an underground dribble kick from the pocket and it’s slapped through for a point before reaching goal or McGovern in the goal square. There’s plenty of room in the air, you know...
Updated
Half time: Richmond 7.8.50 – Carlton 4.4.28
Much improved display from Carlton, who’ve closed up a 33-point gap to 22 points at the half. Four goals in the quarter after only a point in the first. And they didn’t do it by playing their best football. They just scrapped and persisted and ran hard, and wrestled those goals out of Richmond. That said, Richmond also let is happen by mucking up a few opportunities around goal. Game still on, though it won’t be for long if Richmond start kicking straight.
Goal! Richmond 7.8.50 – Carlton 4.4.28
29 minutes, 2nd quarter: After a scrappy couple of minutes where their disposal keeps coming undone, Carlton finally get somewhere after losing the ball out of bounds in the forward pocket. Setterfield has been impressive in his first Carlton match, and finds a handpass to Fisher, who floats a kick through from the pocket.
26 minutes, 2nd quarter. Another good-looking entry for Carlton but Cunningham spills the mark with a teammate nearly spoiling him. Richmond rebound through Broad, Higgins, Lambert, to Rioli, and with Martin waiting in the goalsquare the long kick goes wide of him and through for another point. Richmond haven’t killed off this match yet though they’ve had every opportunity. It’s 50-22.
Updated
24 minutes, 2nd quarter: Riewoldt is up but sucking in air. Looks like he was whacked in the stomach. Hmm.
23 minutes, 2nd quarter: Lambert wins a free kick outside 50 and hands off to the running Short for a long bomb, which missed. And Riewoldt is down at centre half forward and has been for a long while.
20 minutes, 2nd quarter: Cotchin is pinged for a throw at the interchange gate, but Cripps tries to go down the line and kicks it straight out on the full. Richmond find a path back through the middle to the forward pocket where another out on the full hands Rioli a shot for Richmond, which he proceeds to miss. Scrappy sequence. It’s 48-20.
Goal! Richmond 7.5.47 – Carlton 3.2.20
16 minutes, 2nd quarter: Ok, that’s enough excitement about Carlton. The Tigers go the other way, trap the ball inside their 50, Dan Butler wins a free kick deep in the pocket for holding the ball, and Higgins picks up the loose ball from the deck before anyone can think about it and snaps an absurd goal. Not sure if that was the percentage play but it worked.
Goal! Richmond 6.5.41 – Carlton 3.2.20
14 minutes, 2nd quarter: Three for the quarter for Carlton! A quick ball inside 50 and that always puts pressure on the defenders, they say. McGovern and his amazing moustache try to run at the ball but Alex Rance is doing too much hanging on and interfering. The free kick makes for an easy goal.
Goal! Richmond 6.5.41 – Carlton 2.2.14
12 minutes, 2nd quarter: Will Setterfield gets nailed by Cotchin but bounces straight back up. Paddy Dow gets possession, on to Cunningham, who finds Thomas with enough space to kick for goal. The provider turns consumer. There was also a rushed behind before that goal.
Updated
10 minutes, 2nd quarter: Nearly another chance for Carlton as Harry McKay presents strongly on centre wing and draws a free kick for having his arms chopped. He has good vision inboard to Cunningham, who doesn’t share that vision to spot a runner on his left and instead fakes right before thumping deep to Fasolo one-on-one in a forward-line paddock. The forward is outpointed on height and can’t get possession.
Goal! Richmond 6.5.41 – Carlton 1.1.7
8 minutes, 2nd quarter: The Blues are on the board! So is Alex Fasolo at his new club. A scrappy scramble in the forward pocket, but Daisy Thomas has a little flash of years past, finding space on the boundary line and slotting a lateral pass to the top of the square. Fasolo snares it, then hears the call for play on as the ball was touched, but has the composure to run around and kick the goal.
4 minutes, 2nd quarter: Carlton’s two Curnows combine after Cripps sends a long ball forward, but Ed couldn’t mark and Charlie didn’t have the space to do much with the crumb slapped his way. Richmond get it back and surge down the other end. Carlton try desperately to clear from the back pocket, and Cotchin takes a hanger over Cripps! The class kick-to-kick job with the knee in the back and the big ride. Except Cotchin’s kick from 50 misses to the right. The score is 41-1.
Goal! Richmond 6.4.40 – Carlton 0.1.1
1 minute, 2nd quarter: “Unfortunately both teams picking up where they left off in 2018,” says Corbin Middlemass on ABC radio. Within a minute of play the ball is inside Richmond’s 50 again. Cotchin has a standing start from 40 out so his neat little attempted kick doesn’t make it, but Riewoldt forces the contest and Kamdyn McIntosh is waiting down to grab the ball and dribble it through from a metre away.
Quarter time: Richmond 5.4.34 – Carlton 0.1.1
Carlton can be very grateful that Richmond’s early burst faded later in the quarter. The goals all came in a rush, then the behinds.
31 minutes, 1st quarter: Another reprieve for Carlton, as Jack Riewoldt has a set shot from the pocket at about 40 metres out and misses. It’s 34-1.
Updated
29 minutes, 1st quarter: Jack Graham has a long-range shot to the teeth of goal, but the TV replays show it was just touched on the line. Desperate defence from Carlton to stop this match from completely blowing out in the first quarter. It’s almost blown out though. A rushed behind follows, then nearly another goal, but this time Ploughman is being held in the goal square, and the free kick spares Carlton. It’s 33-1.
Goal! Richmond 5.1.31 – Carlton 0.1.1
23 minutes, 1st quarter: Carlton had their chance, now Richmond make them pay. A surge back up-field from the kick-in, running to make space and receive handballs, and the chain of possession ends up with Lynch receiving deep in the forward line. He plays on, turns around, and dobs goal number two.
22 minutes, first quarter: Cripps is prominent again, this time doing some fine fancy work at the boundary line in the back pocket to keep the ball in, dish it off, then run on to receive. The Blues slog their way upfield thanks to a free kick and then a couple of tough marks. McGovern puts it inside 50, but eventually they let the ball escape out of bounds. The ball comes back inside 50, Thomas nearly kicks a goal but is repelled, then eventually McGovern gets another shot from the pocket. Across the face of goal from a tricky shot and Carlton are on the board, just. It’s 25-1.
18 minutes, 1st quarter: Cripps gets pinged for deliberate out of bounds this time. There’s a lovely chain of possession from the Tigers: Houli, Rioli, Graham, but Maverick Weller running into space bends his kick ever so slightly past the right goal post. The first miss of the night. It’s 25-0 to Richmond.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 4.0.24 – Carlton 0.0.0
12 minutes, 1st quarter: And another! It’s Bolta again winning the free kick out of the middle. This time he drives the ball deep inside 50, and another big man happens to be in the right place to play rover, as Nankervis waits down at the back of the pack, gets a ball bouncing to a nice height for him to grab it, and slots through the little kick from 10 metres out.
Updated
Goal! Richmond 3.0.18 – Carlton 0.0.0
11 minutes, 1st quarter: Three in a row to the Tiges, and ominous signs early. That one seemed a bit stiff. The kick was coming out from the backline to new boy Noah Bolta. Dale Thomas came over the back to spoil and hit him fairly hard, but seemed to get some of the ball. The umpire thinks otherwise and pays the penalty, taking Bolta inside the 50. His first kick in AFL footy is a goal.
Goal! Richmond 2.0.12 – Carlton 0.0.0
9 minutes, 1st quarter: Higgins does the job for Richmond! Gets possession on the wing to start a chain pushing forward. There’s a contest at half-forward. Bachar Houli picks up the ball and snaps it inside 50. Higgins has run on and takes the mark 30 out in front. He kicks it.
8 minutes, 1st quarter: Patrick Cripps already showing a bit of what has got Blues fans so excited, breaking through a couple of tackles and then running on to receive a handball back in a one-two. Doesn’t get them anywhere but it looks nice. Here’s hoping that’s not the summary of his career.
Goal! Richmond 1.0.6 – Carlton 0.0.0
3 minutes, 1st quarter: Tom Lynch starts his Richmond career in the best possible fashion! Controversial though. After a couple of minutes of arm-wrestle between half-back and half-back, the Tigers break free with a long ball inside 50. Riewoldt comes floating across with the sit but can’t take the hanger. Surely in doing so he interfered with his opponent? Knocked him out of the contest, and Lynch at the back takes a simple mark 20 metres out. Nails his first set shot.
Updated
The Tigers win the toss. I love that they still have a toss in Aussie Rules. The most pointless toss in all of sport. Trent Cotchin wins. Richmond will kick towards... one of the ends.
Richmond line-up
Back line
- Alex Rance,
- David Astbury
- Dylan Grimes
Half-back
- Nick Vlastuin
- Bachar Houli
- Jayden Short
Centre
- Shane Edwards
- Trent Cotchin
- Kamdyn McIntosh
Half-forward
- Daniel Rioli
- Dan Butler
- Jack Higgins
Forward
- Jack Riewoldt
- Dustin Martin
- Tom J. Lynch
Followers
- Toby Nankervis
- Dion Prestia
- Kane Lambert
Interchange
- Maverick Weller
- Jack Graham
- Nathan Broad
- Noah Balta
Carlton line-up
Back line
- Jarrod Garlett
- Liam Jones
- Lachie Plowman
Half-back
- Kade Simpson
- Jacob Weitering
- Dale Thomas
Centre
- Marc Murphy
- Patrick Cripps
- Zac Fisher
Half-forward
- David Cuningham
- Charlie Curnow
- Sam Walsh
Forward
- Ed Curnow
- Mitch McGovern
- Alex Fasolo
Followers
- Andrew Phillips
- Paddy Dow
- Sam Petrevski-Seton
Interchange
- Harry McKay
- Nic Newman
- Michael Gibbons
- Will Setterfield
Updated
No changes to the listed teams. Sam Walsh and Michael Gibbons will make their AFL debuts, while there are Carlton debuts for Mitch McGovern, Alex Fasolo, Nic Newman and Will Setterfield.
Tom Lynch, Noah Balta and Maverick Weller will debut for Richmond.
So we have Carlton versus Richmond. What a lark. The mighty Tigers, the yellow and black, with their tribes of supporters, and their heartache at botching the preliminary final last season after being clearly the best team of the year and winning the year before. So many have had a similar tale.
Then we have Carlton, the formerly mighty but now fallen, with their depleted bands of supporters who will no doubt rise again if Carlton ever manage to do the same, ladder-wise. Things have not been the same since the IXL days, and the shadow of John Elliott falls long and deep now over this club. But a new season always brings new optimism, at least for a few rounds. Like new-car smaell, let’s huff its sweet scent while it lasts.
Preamble
Cue a million falling streamers declaring that football is back. Except it was already back when the AFL Women’s competition started in February. And it was back with the men’s pre-season competition. And football was back when the rugby league started. And it didn’t stop because the A-League was on this whole time. In fact, football has never gone away. Football has always been there, looking over your shoulder, standing uncomfortably close as you brush your teeth, leaning over to look into the bathroom sink and inspect your spit for signs of gingivitis. Go away, football! Leave me alone. Stop collecting my health data.
That aside, it’s almost time for Carlton to take on Richmond in the AFLM season opener. Until then, here’s an opener to catch you up on everything that’s been happening in all the footballs. I did write it, but I didn’t write the headline.
