TonyK
CibbuanoTigers, Roos share points
July 19th 2009 07:52
RICHMOND and North Melbourne have played out the first draw of the season at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers led by seven goals at half-time but fell away badly in the second half and looked set to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory before a late goal from Mitch Morton levelled the scores at 12.13 (85) apiece.
The result means Kangaroos caretaker coach Darren Crocker is still looking for his first win in charge since taking over following the resignation of Dean Laidley last month while Richmond will be left ruing the one that got away.
Richard Tambling continued his recent run of good form with a team-high 27 possessions while skipper Chris Newman was a busy contributor with 26 touches and eight inside 50’s.
Shane Edwards generated plenty of run from defence while Jack Riewoldt booted three goals.
For the Kangaroos, captain Brent Harvey led from the front with a game-high 31 possessions and two goals while Sam Power (30) was also influential.
Hamish McIntosh was dominant in the ruck with 31 hit outs, 20 disposals and one goal while Leigh Harding kicked three second-half goals.
North got the first goal of the match through Lachlan Hansen after just four minutes of play but it was one-way traffic from that moment on.
The Tigers continually won the football at the stoppages and had 12 more entries inside their forward 50 than North in the first half as they slammed on 10 of the next 12 goals to open up a commanding 42-point lead at the main break.
Richmond was still well and truly in control in the midway through the third term with a 43-point advantage before the Kangaroos finally sparked into action.
Harvey was exerting his influence in the middle and Harding chimed in with two goals before a late major from Andrew Swallow saw the Roos reduce the deficit to just 16 points at three-quarter time.
Two goals from Harvey in the final stanza saw North get to within a kick before Riewoldt had a chance to give his side some breathing space but he dropped an easy mark just 30m out at the 21-minute mark.
The Tigers paid the ultimate price with David Hale kicking truly moments later to put the Roos in front by a point with just four minutes left on the clock.
Tambling then had a chance to give his side back the lead but his set shot from an acute angle hit the post.
North was allowed to sweep the ball from one end of the ground to the other and appeared to have secured the four premiership points when Harding ran into an open goal to give his side a six-point buffer with just over a minute remaining.
But Richmond refused to give in and won the next centre clearance and pumped the football inside 50 where Morton dribbled one home from close range.
North was denied one last opportunity to snap a six-game losing streak with the umpire paying a doubtful free kick against Hale who marked inside 50 in the dying seconds.
RICHMOND: 4.5, 10.6, 11.9, 12.13 (85)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 1.3, 3.6, 8.11, 12.13 (85)
GOALS: Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Nahas 2, Morton 2, Edwards, Polo, Coughlan, Hislop, White
North Melbourne: Harding 3, Harvey 2, Hale 2, McIntosh, Hansen, Swallow, Jones, Greenwood
BEST: Richmond: Tambling, Newman, Edwards, Tuck, McMahon, Thursfield
North Melbourne: Harvey, Power, McIntosh, Harding, Thompson, Swallow, Rawlings
INJURIES: Richmond: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
UMPIRES: James, Margett, Sully
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Richmond Cousins and Cotchin (both ill) replaced in selected side by McMahon and Coughlan
CROWD: 30,604 at MCG
The Tigers led by seven goals at half-time but fell away badly in the second half and looked set to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory before a late goal from Mitch Morton levelled the scores at 12.13 (85) apiece.
The result means Kangaroos caretaker coach Darren Crocker is still looking for his first win in charge since taking over following the resignation of Dean Laidley last month while Richmond will be left ruing the one that got away.
Richard Tambling continued his recent run of good form with a team-high 27 possessions while skipper Chris Newman was a busy contributor with 26 touches and eight inside 50’s.
Shane Edwards generated plenty of run from defence while Jack Riewoldt booted three goals.
For the Kangaroos, captain Brent Harvey led from the front with a game-high 31 possessions and two goals while Sam Power (30) was also influential.
Hamish McIntosh was dominant in the ruck with 31 hit outs, 20 disposals and one goal while Leigh Harding kicked three second-half goals.
North got the first goal of the match through Lachlan Hansen after just four minutes of play but it was one-way traffic from that moment on.
The Tigers continually won the football at the stoppages and had 12 more entries inside their forward 50 than North in the first half as they slammed on 10 of the next 12 goals to open up a commanding 42-point lead at the main break.
Richmond was still well and truly in control in the midway through the third term with a 43-point advantage before the Kangaroos finally sparked into action.
Harvey was exerting his influence in the middle and Harding chimed in with two goals before a late major from Andrew Swallow saw the Roos reduce the deficit to just 16 points at three-quarter time.
Two goals from Harvey in the final stanza saw North get to within a kick before Riewoldt had a chance to give his side some breathing space but he dropped an easy mark just 30m out at the 21-minute mark.
The Tigers paid the ultimate price with David Hale kicking truly moments later to put the Roos in front by a point with just four minutes left on the clock.
Tambling then had a chance to give his side back the lead but his set shot from an acute angle hit the post.
North was allowed to sweep the ball from one end of the ground to the other and appeared to have secured the four premiership points when Harding ran into an open goal to give his side a six-point buffer with just over a minute remaining.
But Richmond refused to give in and won the next centre clearance and pumped the football inside 50 where Morton dribbled one home from close range.
North was denied one last opportunity to snap a six-game losing streak with the umpire paying a doubtful free kick against Hale who marked inside 50 in the dying seconds.
RICHMOND: 4.5, 10.6, 11.9, 12.13 (85)
NORTH MELBOURNE: 1.3, 3.6, 8.11, 12.13 (85)
GOALS: Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Nahas 2, Morton 2, Edwards, Polo, Coughlan, Hislop, White
North Melbourne: Harding 3, Harvey 2, Hale 2, McIntosh, Hansen, Swallow, Jones, Greenwood
BEST: Richmond: Tambling, Newman, Edwards, Tuck, McMahon, Thursfield
North Melbourne: Harvey, Power, McIntosh, Harding, Thompson, Swallow, Rawlings
INJURIES: Richmond: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
UMPIRES: James, Margett, Sully
REPORTS: Nil
CHANGES: Richmond Cousins and Cotchin (both ill) replaced in selected side by McMahon and Coughlan
CROWD: 30,604 at MCG
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