The 2007 season reviews through PREnders eyes [Merged]

[Rosy]

Each week we'll be featuring a game review written from a PREnder prespective. (volunteers still needed)

Thanks heaps to tigertim for being first cab off the rank. Not easy after a disappointing loss. :clapping


April Fool's Game
tigertim

When the new fixture comes out for each new season I eagerly look to see who the Tigers play in Rd 1 and when. So I was somewhat surprised when I looked up for 2007 and we were scheduled to play on April the 1st...at 5.10pm! Was this a joke?

Q1: So here we are the Tigers are taking on the Blues. Bounce down, Tigers clear it out of the centre via Kane Johnson and he kicks it 40m...the wrong way! Yeah good April Fools "Sugar". That one got me laughing. The rest of the first quarter went: free kick to Carlton, free kick to Carlton, free kick to Carlton..ouch baby! All in a row. The Tigers were looking rusty during the first quarter. Carlton were throwing everything at us and we were slowly absorbing the pressure. Gaspar was actually doing well down back and Pettifer did well kicking 2 for the quarter. At the end of the quarter we were looking a lot slicker.

Q2: Krak was playing well and set up Tiv right in front of goal. We get a 50m penalty and the umpire tide has turned in our favour after the first quarter display. Tiv can't get on his left enough (Danny Frawley says he has no right foot...really Danny?). Fevola has 3 shots at goal for a tally of 1 point! Way to go Fev. Again Krak sets up Hydey well. Polak misses an easy shot (memo coaching staff, he gets far too close to the man on the mark and gets under his kicks). Fev isnt paid a mark, Thornton gives away a free and then does O'Hailpin...and the Blues fans don't like it. Neither did we in the first quarter.
Fev, the AFLs biggest bogan, is frustrated at 1/2 time and runs into Krak which sets of the Tigers hit man Patrick Bowden. Look out Blues!

Q3: Within 19 secs we score a goal through Pettifer. Excellent. He gets another through a soft, but technical free and we are 27 points up. After this goal we seem to change our tack and try and slow down play and just control the ball. I don't think this will work. We now aren't playing with the same intensity, we are playing slow static football. Our kicking in fron a point is woeful. Carlton lift their intensity and start to come back and at 3/4 time we are only 8 points up.

Q4: Again, our kicking out is woeful! Joel Bowden, what's going on??? No need to drag this out. Carlton kick away to a 115 to 98 victory.

Fifth quarter: We had last years wooden spooner 27 points down 10 minutes in the 3rd quarter and playing good footy...and lost! Was Terry outcoached by Pagan? It looked like it. If he wasn't then we have 22 guys who have a strange mindset when they are playing good footy. We went from a nice fast free flowing game to a stop-start static game that caused us defeat. If Carlton did change the game through tactics what was Terrys answer when the game was slowed down? Carlton had 40 shots at goal and we had 23 so they clearly deserved to win.

It was yet another sad start to the season...and it definitely was an April Fools joke!

Roll on Rd2!

 

[skiptomystu]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Haha as soon as I saw Johnson bomb it into Carlton's forward line, I thought "I may as well go home now".

 

[pahoffm]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Haha as soon as I saw Johnson bomb it into Carlton's forward line, I thought "I may as well go home now".

I remember the game against Collingwood where Sheedy did the same and put it directly onto Phil Carman's chest.

 

[meltiger]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Each week we'll be featuring a game review written from a PREnder prespective. (volunteers still needed)

I'll do one

 

[Tigers of Old]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Haha as soon as I saw Johnson bomb it into Carlton's forward line, I thought "I may as well go home now".

Sugar now shares that great honour with Michael Gale from our halcyon days.

 

[meltiger]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

At least Kane didn't do it in a prelim lol

 

[Hayfever]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Same here. My first reaction was "Oh *smile*, what an bad omen for the whole season".

It was what I've been fearing for several months now. I've always regarded myself as an optimist about the Tigers chances but this year there is none(yet). I'm not sure if it is a true gut instinct or simply a reaction to dashed hopes in previous seasons. Things like losing a young Richo when he had kicked 27.3(he's never ever been that accurate since ), or Nathan Brown in 2005 straight after he destroyed Collingwood in the final quarter. Bad news like Simmo, Coughlan and Brown so early this season has also been a real dampener.

In retrospect the opening game was weird. Experienced players from both sides did dumb things while much-maligned players(Polak, Krakouer and Tivendale for us and Cloke for them) performed better than expected.

Our season is very much in the lap of the gods. If we get a reasonable share of luck then we can be in the mix for a spot anywhere between 5-10. Many other teams are fragile like us. One big advantage is plenty of MCG games early. We need to be in front of the ledger(wins > losses) by end May and have most of our key players playing. If not it will be a tough season.

Let's forget Round 1 and accept Carlton were more match-hardened than us. We have no Board/management crises, no player scandals and are financially stable again. On that score alone we are already in the 8. At least it is a good starting point. The hard part is now ahead of us.

 

[itsintheblood]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Each week we'll be featuring a game review written from a PREnder prespective. (volunteers still needed)

I'll do one

I'll do one too. Do we get allocated a match?

 

[rensman]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

sugar's first up kick brings back memories of England's ashes campaign last season here when the big fella sent one ridiculously wide, first ball and they never recovered. let's hope RFC does better than the poms

 

[Rosy]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

I'll do one too. Do we get allocated a match?

You can PM me to choose one if you have a preference its or I'll pm you when we have a spare week. Thanks for the offer.

 

[Phar Ace]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Nice report TimmyTiger - fun read :clap

 

[AstroboyUK]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Was it 1980 or 1981 that the first 'baby bombers' lost 9 or 10 on the trott and Sheedy threatened to pull on the boots if they didnt start winning.... but then by the second half of the year, they turned it around and started to become the power side that they were to remain for the better part of 10 years.

I see us in similar frame: young, inconsistent, precocious, prodigiously talented, just waiting to click. We are going to have a great year. I'd rather start slow and finish strong than repeat the gutting of collapsing in the second half of every season.

A few early losses are on the cards.. so what? Its a season not a long weekend. Keep the faith folks

 

[smasha]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Same old same old wisspeak Richmond.


Aah but we have money in the bank.


LOL!

 

[tigertim]

Re: The 2007 season through PREnders eyes-Rd 1 vs Blues

Nice report TimmyTiger - fun read :clap

No worries Pharace. It was tough to write, there were script problems from day 1!

 

[Rosy]

Thanks to Caged who has kindly written this week's great game review for us. Still room for more volunteers. The reviews can take any format, be serious, factual, funny, whatever. A great way to look back on the season that was from a PREnders perspective rather than a journo's one.


‘Rising Tiger, Soaring Swan’,
By Caged Tiger - A Mimicry.

Tiger Tiger, Burning Bright
In the Swan’s Glaring Light,
What Immortal Hand or Eye
Could Frame a Tiger Victory?

Not this Time in Distant Deeps or Skies
Could the Tiger Outplay the Swan’s Clinical Guise?
On the Swan Wing, Dare the Tiger Aspire?
What the Hand Dare Seize the Youthful Tiger Fire?

And What Shoulders and What Art
Could Twist the Sinews of the Swan’s Heart?
And when thy Tiger Heart began to Beat,
The Dreaded Swans, the Masters, did Defeat.

Win the Game! Win the Ball!
Swans Rise from an injured Barry Hall.
Tiger’s though Hard, unable to escape the Swan’s Dreaded Grasp.
Once again Tiger Supporters let out a Gasp.

When the Swans threw their Final Spears,
The Tiger Supporters Water’d Heaven with their Tears,
Did Roos Smile his Work to See?
Did Wallace Satisfy at his Youthful Team?

Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright
Into the Future of their Plight,
What Immortal Wallace Scribe
Dare Frame thy Fearless Tiger Tribe?


Round 2
Richmond Tigers 1.1 5.2 10.3 11.6 72
Sydney Swans 4.0 6.6 10.7 13.10 88

Special Thanks to William Blake (1757 – 1827) and his poem “The Tiger”

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

Re: The season through PREnders eyes. Rd 2 vs Swans by caged tiger

:clap

Nice work, composition and literary reference BOG, but the coach's flooding tactics with the use of capitals could possibly benefit from a rethink.

 

[cagedtiger]

Re: The season through PREnders eyes. Rd 2 vs Swans by caged tiger

:clap

Nice work, composition and literary reference BOG, but the coach's flooding tactics with the use of capitals could possibly benefit from a rethink.

:hihi Good feedback on the capitals - they just overwhelmed me and I didn't know which way to turn.

 

[Rosy]

The season through PREnders eyes. Rd 3 vs Pies-Judge Smailes

Thanks to Judge for this week's review. Writing after a loss to Collingwood must be the hardest gig a Tiger fan could get. Well done.

Tigers V Pies, Round 3:

Friday 13th. A date filled with fear for many, but this evening at the MCG, there is a feeling of hope that after two close losses the Tigers could get their season back on track with a win. Collingwood were not at full strength, and coming back from a gruelling Perth road trip would surely leave the gate ajar for the young Tigers to bolt through. The return of Troy Simmonds is a welcome sight for the Tiger faithful, and when stalwart and in form Magpie backman James Clement pulled out of the game before the first bounce due to a bout of vomiting from chowing down on a rancid falafel, this Friday 13th was looking particularly good.

The coin toss featured somebody named Dean who appeared to be dressed by Gary Player – or maybe his all-black attire was the real omen for what was to come………

The early returns were positive, as Richo and the Sarge were getting their mitts on everything in sight. The midfield had some drive, Kayne Pettifer bombed a beauty from outside 50 and the Tiges were rolling. “This is more like it” I exclaimed as I reclined in my bean bag with Cascade premium in hand. Our boys seemed hard at it, Tambling was showing some of the stuff we have been waiting for and the height of the Tiger forward line appeared to have the depleted Collingwood backlines number. The early four goal lead was just what the doctor ordered, and as the game progressed it seemed to be in the Tigers keeping, albeit without applying enough of Terry’s favourite “scoreboard pressure”. Iv’e often wondered whether Terry sits at home with his Playstation II Singstar blaring the old David Bowie/Queen standard “Under pressure”and singing along with his own karaoke version “Scoreboard Pre-ssure” , much to his own amusement. Anyway, our boys pretty much controlled the footy in the first half, but it must be said that the 22 point lead at half time should have been much greater. Of the 17 shots for goal, not too many would be considered difficult, but repeat offender Matty Richardson had a few mates and what could have been a match winning lead was limited to one of those “we are going OK but I have this sick feeling that we may regret missing those goals later on” type of leads. Of course at the other end Leon Davis was seen casually slotting a sausage roll from the front bar on level three. As I reached for another beer I was sure I heard Commetti quoting Borat, unexpected but as always, refreshing, just like my next beer. The enduring highlight of the first half was Richie Tambling carving through the seagulls in the centre to make a lace out pass to the big man at full forward, you just can’t ever get enough of that stuff.

I spent the half time break convincing myself that with Collingwood to run out of legs after their trip to Perth, plus playing three debutants including a *smile* in their team, no doubt our boys could bring this one home, even if we did kick five consecutive points in that quarter. I mean, teams miss all the time, and it doesn’t always cost in the end, does it?

The third quarter got underway with Troy Simmonds on the bench, and if ever there was any doubt how important the big guy is, in the blink of an eye that 22 point lead was reduced to a couple. Fraser was dominating the ruck, and the lift it gave to the Magpie midfield was visible. All of a sudden I was understanding how James Clement must feel, as the all too familiar sick feeling started to grow in the pit of my stomach – why are the boys second to the footy? Why are we making those same old mistakes again? Why didn’t I let my mates talk me into becoming a Crows supporter when they joined the AFL? Oh please, make it stop! I spare a thought for my Victorian Tiger brothers at the game, I know from experience that the feeling is so much more intense when you are surrounded by a sea of opposition fans who lift as one when momentum shifts in such a cruel, horrible way. Friday the 13th is becoming dark, very dark………

It happened. Collingwood took the lead and as I prepared for the worst, Jay Schulz took a grab and delivered a beautiful, straight, gorgeous, kick through the sticks to once again give me hope. Why can’t all of our players kick like that? In fact, why can’t more than ONE of our players kick like that? As the siren approaches, a rubbish Collingwood free leads to a Captain Neanderthal shot on goal, right on the siren. As he lines it up with his massive, ape like cranium, I will the ball to go through for a point. Unbelievably, it misses everything, and there is still hope. Cruel, cruel hope.

As I replaced my pen for taking notes in the last quarter (my other pen was snapped in half when Kane Johnson coughed the ball up in the third quarter resulting in a Dane (“what’s that suffa? It’s a) Swan goal. (Apologies for the Hilltop Hoods reference it’s 2 a.m. and I am still in shock…)

The final cruel blow came quickly in the last quarter. Medhurst put one through and all of a sudden Rocca began to dominate – I wondered how Joel Bowden had held him at all for the first three quarters, because right now he is treating him like a high school backman who has downed a dozen four-and-twentys at half time. What started out as a night with so much promise has ended in the worst Friday 13th of all. Man, Jason Vorhees had nothing on this debacle. (Look it up). I sit through the rest of the game because that’s what I do. Never leave before the siren, even when it’s on TV. I see Patto get absolutely smashed in a ruck contest by Guy Richards, resulting in another Medhurst goal. Guy Richards. Oh man, this is bad. I look to the program to see what’s in store, even though I actually know. Maybe I am hoping that the program miraculously will morph into one that tells me we are playing the Brisbane Bears at Carrara next week. Alas, no. Bulldogs. Yech. West Coast, eek. Geelong, blah. Then Port and Adelaide, back to back. Great, I get to experience those in the flesh. Better load up on Eno or Mylanta or Buscopan or whatever it is that can stop that awful feeling like my guts is gonna explode.

Sorry, I digress. To sum up, bloody awful. I feel as low as I have for a long time in regard to my beloved Tigers. Three weeks we lead late in the game, three losses. This one is by far the worst. Is it fitness? Is it endeavour? Is it skill? Maybe it’s a bit of each. I normally love Fridays, but this Friday 13th is one to forget. The Tiges were on trial and the Judge finds them GUILTY of impersonating an AFL football team.
I want to end on a positive, because hey, it’s footy, its round 3 and I don’t want to go through life dragging my feet. Oh, and I still have a lot of beer left. So here we go:

Richie Tambling – his best game so far. Jay Schulz – he really looked the goods. Simmo is back. Oh, the best part of the game – half time - a montage of Kevin Bartlett carving up the Pies back in the glory days of the Richmond footy Club. Oh how I miss those days……There, I did it. Now, to try and think happy thoughts for a whole week. Where’s that beer again?? Pffffffffffffffttttttttttt….

Judge Smailes 13/04/07


I'm not sure if anyone has volunteered to write the Rd 4 review of oue win against the Dogs yet so any offers would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Rosy]

Dyer has kindly offered to write our review this week. It will be good to read about a win. ;D

Any volunteers to write about next week's Weagles game for us?

 

[chislop]

Great read there Judge Smailes. Bravo!