Chris Greenway's Footy Commentary!

NAB Cup Review

I never really know how to approach pre season games. You're never sure if you should be excited about it or to take it easy and tell yourself it's a pre season game and counts for very little in the home and away season. Clubs all handle it differently, too. Some take it seriously and genuinely try to win the games, others treat them as a chance to experiment and use younger players that they wouldn't necessarily select if the game meant more to them. One thing about winning at least the 1st round is that you guarantee yourself a game against another side that is genuinely having a crack on a decent ground, rather than some meaningless practice match that no one really cares about played at some sub standard provinicial ground.

From a look at the two teams it appeared that the Tigers were treating this more seriously than the Dockers. Fremantle were playing a fairly young, inexperienced side electing to rest many of their big names like captain Matthew Pavlich and controversial forward Chris Tarrant. Richmond, too had decided not to play some big names, Ben Cousins being the obvious one, but were still going into the game with new captain Chris Newman and veterans Matthew Richardson and Nathan Brown.

There's been a lot of hype around the Tigers, they, along with Carlton, are expected to push into the 8 this year. This started before Ben Cousins arrived at the club, too. As a result and given the more experienced side Richmond had taken over to the west they were strongly favoured to win this game and do it easily. I wasn't so sure, the side never travel well, although they did win the 2 games they played at Subiaco in 2008, they also historically perform poorly in the pre season competition. I actually expected them to lose the game, I just didn't want it to be the same sort of humiliation that St Kilda had handed out in 2008.

Of the selected squad Richmond left out Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls and Adam Thomson. Fremantle were more switched on right from the start, they were quicker, harder at the ball, they played more direct and they wanted it more. Richmond seemed slow and undisciplined, the match ups were incorrect and as a result the Dockers established a good lead, despite the fact that the Tigers had only one less scoring shot they were well behind due to inaccuracy.

The second quarter wasn't much better, it was more of the same from both sides, although the Tigers became a bit more accurate. The two best players for Richmond were the ageless Matthew Richardson, Jack Riewoldt. Shane Edwards was also lively and Andrew Raines was working into the game. Undisciplined acts saw the Dockers get out to a 23 point lead at half time and things looked bad for the Tigers.

In the third quarter what everyone had been waiting for happened. The Tigers realised that they were playing a genuine game, not just an intra club and they switched on. Players started popping up all over the ground.

Richo continued to dominate, Riewoldt kept on taking marks in the forward line, Nathan Brown became dangerous, Mitch Morton started to make an impact. Raines and Newman were running the ball out of the backline. Before Fremantle really knew what was happening Richmond had levelled the scores. The game turned into an arm wrestle, but continuous forward pressure from the Tigers gave them a 5 point lead at 3 quarter time.

Richmond started the last term with a goal and when they got out to a 16 point lead it looked like it was all over bar the shouting. The Tigers switched off again and Fremantle hit back. Their 5th 9 pointer of the game saw them take a 3 point lead with little time left. Whoever kicked the last goal would win the game. Richardson got on the end of a coast to coast movement of the ball and kicked an easy goal.

There wasn't much time left and you could hear the fat lady tuning up in the background. The Dockers did make one last desperate attempt, but guess who was standing tall in defence? Yep, Richo. Game over, Richo the hero and the Tigers had won their first NAB Cup game under Terry Wallace and booked an encounter with Collingwood in a fortnight's time.

This is how I saw the players performances:

3) Brett Deledio: a little quiet early, but always classy. It was no coincidence that when his classy disposal came into the game the Tiger forward line became more effective. The guy is a Rolls Royce.

4) Andrew Raines: it was good to see him back. Early the match up against Antoni Grover was wrong, but after that was sorted out he started running lines again. Still has a tendency to try and do too much and make the wrong decision, but he looks like a decent shot at senior selection for Rd 1.

5)Troy Simmonds: Did well against Fremantle's man mountain Aaron Sandilands. Used his greater athleticism to nullify any impact Sandilands may have had around the ground.

7) Nathan Brown: the consummate opportunist. Kicked 3 goals and created at least that many with clever play.

8) Jack Riewoldt: Richmond's most effective forward. Will hold down a key forward position nicely this season. Brave and unselfish.

10) Shane Edwards: lively and dangerous from the start. The experiment of playing him as a running half back should be shelved, the man is a foward.

11) Joel Bowden: I hope he was blowing out the cobwebs. Made a woeful error that resulted in a goal to Fremantle. Forgettable game.

12) Matthew Richardson: best on ground. You can't speak highly enough of him. He is 34 years old! There's only 2 explanations for what Richo can do at his age. One is that his birth certificate is wrong and he's only 26, he started with Richmond as a tall, well developed 10 year old, the other is that he's aging backwards ala Benjamin Button.

14) Dean Polo: was playing relatively well until he copped a whack in the eye that forced him off the ground with blood streaming from a cut. Came back, but was less effective.

16) Luke McGuane: played hard on his opponent, but was rarely sighted and didn't do a lot. v17) Chris Newman: took a while to work into the game, but did so and led the club running from the backline.

20) Mitch Morton: if he was on the ground in the first half I didn't see him. Came alive in the 2nd half and was a worry for Fremantle every time the ball went into Richmond's forward line.

21) Shane Tuck: busy in the middle and on the bottom of every pack. In for another year of doing the hard inside work in the middle.

23) Daniel Jackson: worked very hard and can use his big body and pace, but tends to make too many silly mistakes.

25) Jay Schulz: looked lazy and disinterested and played that way, not sure why he was even taken across if that's his attitude.

27) Tom Hislop: very aggressive and could be good, but gives away too many free kicks with undisciplined play.

30) Richard Tambling: busy during the half he was on the ground, but was rested for the 2nd half.

34) Cleve Hughes: turned up with a shaven head (not a good look) and was willing, did kick one goal, but needed to impose himself more on the contest.

35) Matt White: terrierlike player, quick with a tendency to run too far, but hard to get the ball off and will never back down from a contest.

36) Jarrod Silvester: I said this in the corresponding game last year and I will say it again: completely out of his depth at this level. I have no idea why he's still on the rookie list.

37) Jayden Post: only had a brief time on the ground and like most first year draftees needs to put on some muscle. Didn't look bad.

38) Robyn Nahas: livewire little rookie, kicked a goal through heavy traffic. Should play some senior football this year.

40) Kelvin Moore: very rusty, got better as the game wore on, the only real option for Grover.

41) Nathan Foley: ran himself into the ground, dominated the middle of the ground.

42) Andrew Collins: another one who saw little game time, but in his 3rd season looks ready to play senior football both physically and mentally.

44) Angus Graham: held his own in the ruck and was useful as the 2nd ruck, but little else.