Ricky Petterd's late super goal gives Richmond an eight-point win in their AFL pre-season match against Essendon in Wangaratta.
Brandon Ellis tackles Michael Hurley in Richmond's tight win over the Bombers. Picture: Salpigtidis George Source: Herald Sun
RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick says his side's ability to close out a tight contest against Essendon will do wonders for their psyche after last year's run of agonising losses.
The Tigers lost six games by 12 points or less last year, as well as last week's NAB Cup game against North Melbourne, and again trailed in the last term against the Bombers.
But after a run of eight behinds and just one goal in that last term, Ricky Petterd's supergoal for an eight-point victory sealed the Wangaratta contest.
Hardwick said after letting slip an earlier 20-point lead, then fighting back with a vastly inferior side, it was a big win for Richmond.
"It's been well documented last year we failed to finish those close games," Hardwick said.
"Today it didn't help our cause missing all those points, but we have worked on a couple of things to help us with closing out and it certainly came to fruition today, which was good.
"There were certain stages I thought we dominated the game and then let the Bombers come back in. We were really pleased with what we got out of the game so overall it was really positive for us."
Essendon had just David Zaharakis missing from its best side, while Richmond had rested Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric and Reece Conca, with Nathan Foley, Troy Chaplin and Dylan Grimes still to return.
The Tigers now play Hawthorn next week at Aurora Stadium and, like Essendon, escaped without any injuries or match review panel heat.
Bombers coach James Hird is now left with just one more NAB Cup encounter before the club's Round 1 clash with Adelaide, given they will not play on the weekend of the NAB Cup Grand Final.
He admitted his disappointment at Richmond's ability to run the ball at will from defence, and said his side had not handled the Tigers dropping several players behind the ball late in the game.
Joe Daniher kicked three goals in a half in the VFL yesterday and Tayte Pears was best afield, but Essendon still has work to do with little match time to rectify last night's issues.
The positives were Jake Carlisle - best afield against Jack Riewoldt - and captain Jobe Watson's successful return from a knee injury.
"The finish was disappointing. The game was a little bit disappointing the way we played the majority of the match. We had our good patches but it isn't what we wanted. But it gives us something to work on as we go into Adelaide in 20 days time," Hird said.
"I was disappointing we weren't able to keep Richmond to a lesser score. We let them score too much (with 30 scoring shots), we let them run it out of their backline too easily at certain times, and around the contest early in the game we weren't as good as we have been."
Michael Hurley corked his thigh and limped off after a collision with opponent David Astbury but Hird said he would be fine to play next week against Greater Western Sydney in Canberra.
Watson admitted this week that what Essendon said was just a knock on the knee was in fact a three to four-week injury, but his return was a success.
"He was a bit rusty in the first half and in the second half he was really good. He looks like he is back into his form," Hird said.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Tough Tigers learning to win
Dengan url
http://semangatboss.blogspot.com/2013/03/tough-tigers-learning-to-win.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Tough Tigers learning to win
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar