Tigers' record comeback rolls Hawks
4:59:31 PM Sat 26 April, 2003
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
Richmond has produced one of the greatest wins in its long history – coming off not only a five day break but from a massive 51 points down in the second quarter to run all over Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.
The Tigers 18.7 (115) to 14.11 (95) victory was their fourth consecutive victory since their first round loss to Collingwood but easily their best.
In fact it was Richmond’s greatest ever comeback in any VFL/AFL match they have contested since joining the competition in 1908.
Their previous best was when they came back from 48 points down at quarter-time against Sydney at the SCG back in 1982.
But when Ben Dixon goaled at the 22 minute mark of the second term to extend the Hawks’ lead to 51 points – 12.6 (78) to 4.3 (27) – you could have got any odds on a Richmond victory.
At that stage it looked as though the fact the Tigers had only had five days to prepare for the game – after playing against St Kilda last Monday – had come back to haunt them, particularly as the Hawks had come off a full seven day break.
At that stage the Tigers had no run in their legs at all and had been embarrassed in a dreadful opening quarter, when the Hawks had slammed on eight goals to two.
But the turning point of the game came just before the Tigers launched their amazing comeback late in the second term.
At the 13 minute mark of the second quarter the Hawks lost their number one ruckman Peter Everitt with a suspected fractured cheekbone after a clash with Richmond’s Greg Stafford.
To that stage Everitt had been the dominant player on the field but as soon as he left the field, the Hawks simply fell apart in the most insipid manner imaginable.
The Tigers immediately kicked the last four goals of the second quarter to give themselves a chance and by half-time they had cut the margin to 27 points.
But surely Hawthorn would settle and regroup at half-time against a team that could have been expected to run out of legs after only a five day rest.
Wrong.
Instead the Tigers played some of their most exhilarating football imaginable in the third term as they slammed on seven goals to nil to take an unlikely 15 point lead into the final quarter.
And once they got a sniff of victory, the Tigers would not release their grip as they ultimately ran away with the game in the final term.
Such was Richmond’s incredible dominance that they kicked 14 unanswered goal between the 22 minute mark of the second term (when they trailed by the game-high 51 points) to the 12 minute mark of the last term when Kane Johnson sealed victory with a goal that extended the lead to 33 points.
Wherever you looked the Tigers had heroes.
Skipper Wayne Campbell lead the way with 29 possessions and two goals while former Adelaide premiership wingman Kane Johnson is really starting to revel in life at Punt Road, starring with 30 touches.
Young goalsneak Andrew Krakouer, in his first game for the year, kicked two vital goals after half-time while excitement machine David Rodan’s goal on the run late in the third term was the moment the fanatical “Tiger Army” sensed victory could be achieved.
Another of the Tigers’ young guns Mark Coughlan also added to his growing reputation with 19 touches and three goals while Matthew Richardson took several towering marks as he took full advantage of Jonathan Hay being a late withdrawal for the Hawks.
But unfortunately Richardson was forced to leave the field late in the third term with what looked a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury.
However not even the loss of their best player could dampen the spirits of one of the AFL’s largest and most passionate group of supporters as they celebrated a famous win.
As for Hawthorn – it promises to be a long week on the training track as under-pressure coach Peter Schwab deals with the inevitable questions that will now arise about Hawthorn’s lack of character after such a disastrous fade-out.
HAWTHORN: 8.3, 12.6, 12.8, 14.1 (95)
RICHMOND: 2.1, 8.3, 15.5, 18.7 (115)
GOALS: Hawthorn: Everitt, Tallis, Lekkas, Thompson 2, Harford, Dixon, Rawlings, Loats, Barlow, Graham.
Richmond: Stafford, Coughlan 3, Chaffey, Campbell, Richardson, Krakouer 2, Cameron, Rodan, Johnson, Houlihan.
BEST: Hawthorn: Crawford, Everitt, Lekkas, Tallis, Barlow. Richmond: Campbell, Stafford, Coughlan, Richardson, Chaffey, Krakouer.
INJURIES: Hawthorn: Everitt (cheekbone).
Richmond: Richardson (hamstring).
CHANGES: Hawthorn: Jonathan Hay (hand webbing) replaced by Nick Stone.
Richmond: Nil
UMPIRES: Humphery-Smith, Ryan, Nicholls.
CROWD: 45,140 at the MCG.
4:59:31 PM Sat 26 April, 2003
Paul Gough
afl.com.au
Richmond has produced one of the greatest wins in its long history – coming off not only a five day break but from a massive 51 points down in the second quarter to run all over Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.
The Tigers 18.7 (115) to 14.11 (95) victory was their fourth consecutive victory since their first round loss to Collingwood but easily their best.
In fact it was Richmond’s greatest ever comeback in any VFL/AFL match they have contested since joining the competition in 1908.
Their previous best was when they came back from 48 points down at quarter-time against Sydney at the SCG back in 1982.
But when Ben Dixon goaled at the 22 minute mark of the second term to extend the Hawks’ lead to 51 points – 12.6 (78) to 4.3 (27) – you could have got any odds on a Richmond victory.
At that stage it looked as though the fact the Tigers had only had five days to prepare for the game – after playing against St Kilda last Monday – had come back to haunt them, particularly as the Hawks had come off a full seven day break.
At that stage the Tigers had no run in their legs at all and had been embarrassed in a dreadful opening quarter, when the Hawks had slammed on eight goals to two.
But the turning point of the game came just before the Tigers launched their amazing comeback late in the second term.
At the 13 minute mark of the second quarter the Hawks lost their number one ruckman Peter Everitt with a suspected fractured cheekbone after a clash with Richmond’s Greg Stafford.
To that stage Everitt had been the dominant player on the field but as soon as he left the field, the Hawks simply fell apart in the most insipid manner imaginable.
The Tigers immediately kicked the last four goals of the second quarter to give themselves a chance and by half-time they had cut the margin to 27 points.
But surely Hawthorn would settle and regroup at half-time against a team that could have been expected to run out of legs after only a five day rest.
Wrong.
Instead the Tigers played some of their most exhilarating football imaginable in the third term as they slammed on seven goals to nil to take an unlikely 15 point lead into the final quarter.
And once they got a sniff of victory, the Tigers would not release their grip as they ultimately ran away with the game in the final term.
Such was Richmond’s incredible dominance that they kicked 14 unanswered goal between the 22 minute mark of the second term (when they trailed by the game-high 51 points) to the 12 minute mark of the last term when Kane Johnson sealed victory with a goal that extended the lead to 33 points.
Wherever you looked the Tigers had heroes.
Skipper Wayne Campbell lead the way with 29 possessions and two goals while former Adelaide premiership wingman Kane Johnson is really starting to revel in life at Punt Road, starring with 30 touches.
Young goalsneak Andrew Krakouer, in his first game for the year, kicked two vital goals after half-time while excitement machine David Rodan’s goal on the run late in the third term was the moment the fanatical “Tiger Army” sensed victory could be achieved.
Another of the Tigers’ young guns Mark Coughlan also added to his growing reputation with 19 touches and three goals while Matthew Richardson took several towering marks as he took full advantage of Jonathan Hay being a late withdrawal for the Hawks.
But unfortunately Richardson was forced to leave the field late in the third term with what looked a reoccurrence of a hamstring injury.
However not even the loss of their best player could dampen the spirits of one of the AFL’s largest and most passionate group of supporters as they celebrated a famous win.
As for Hawthorn – it promises to be a long week on the training track as under-pressure coach Peter Schwab deals with the inevitable questions that will now arise about Hawthorn’s lack of character after such a disastrous fade-out.
HAWTHORN: 8.3, 12.6, 12.8, 14.1 (95)
RICHMOND: 2.1, 8.3, 15.5, 18.7 (115)
GOALS: Hawthorn: Everitt, Tallis, Lekkas, Thompson 2, Harford, Dixon, Rawlings, Loats, Barlow, Graham.
Richmond: Stafford, Coughlan 3, Chaffey, Campbell, Richardson, Krakouer 2, Cameron, Rodan, Johnson, Houlihan.
BEST: Hawthorn: Crawford, Everitt, Lekkas, Tallis, Barlow. Richmond: Campbell, Stafford, Coughlan, Richardson, Chaffey, Krakouer.
INJURIES: Hawthorn: Everitt (cheekbone).
Richmond: Richardson (hamstring).
CHANGES: Hawthorn: Jonathan Hay (hand webbing) replaced by Nick Stone.
Richmond: Nil
UMPIRES: Humphery-Smith, Ryan, Nicholls.
CROWD: 45,140 at the MCG.
