Richmond buck poor opening round trend to beat Carlton.
Tiger Luke McGuane latches onto Blues youngster Josh Bootsma for a game-saving tackle in the dying seconds of play. Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun
THEY'RE not called long-suffering Tigers fans for nothing.
For five years they've been waiting to get one over their bitter enemy Carlton.
For 12 months they've watched as their team has found any number of ways to lose close matches.
For 12 years they've fronted up in Round 1 full of hope and optimism only to watch it gradually evaporate at various stages before September.
All of those ghosts from seasons past looked to have been banished midway through the third quarter when the Tigers were dominating, full of energy and run as Brett Deledio kicked consecutive goals to stretch the lead to a seemingly insurmountable 42 points.
Tigers snap hoodoo
Particularly when their coach Damien Hardwick had spoken in the pre-season about how their primary focus over summer was the defensive structure and the defensive aspects of the players all over the ground.
Yet the Tiger nerves started jangling when Chris Judd produced a two-minute purple patch late in the third quarter, managing three shots -- two of them goals -- to reduce the margin to 21 points.
Those same nerves were soothed, though, when new skipper Trent Cotchin stamped his authority on the match.
Chris Judd breaks through the tacklers during third quarter. Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun
Cotchin, who had never experienced victory in his previous seven matches against the Blues, looked determined to break his duck.
In one particularyl brilliant passage of play, he gathered a floating ball, produced a Robert Harvey-like body swerve to wrong foot an approaching Blues defender, and drilled a precise pass to Luke McGuane for a goal.
Blues charge falls short
By the final change the margin had been restored to 36 points and all looked well in the yellow-and-black camp.
But the Tiger nerves were fraying again when Carlton kicked the first three goals of the final quarter to reduce the difference to 19 points.
They were numb as they watched their boys simply stop running, tighten up and make poor decisions, leaving the door ajar for the unthinkable.
Tigers fans were contemplating a whole new brand of suffering when Jeff Garlett slotted home two goals to get the Blues to within seven points 23 minutes into the final term.
Ivan Maric and Shaun Hampson battle at the boundary throw. Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun
They couldn't watch when Matthew Kreuzer pulled in a mark moments later, when Chris Yarran first snapped and then streamed into an open goal.
But thankfully for them all of these shots missed. With a minute to play and just four points the difference, it was anyone's game.
Surely a moment of class or luck or umpiring would decide this match now.
As it turned out, it may actually have been that long-suffering yoke that made the difference.
Only five of Richmond's starting 22 had ever played in a Tigers win over Carlton: Chris Newman, Brett Deledio, Shane Tuck, Jake King and Daniel Jackson.
Mitch Robinson in the hands of club medicos after colliding with Ty Vickery during the 2nd qtr of the Carlton v Richmond match at the MCG. March 28, 2013. Picture: Klein Michael Source: Herald Sun
In fact, going into last night's match, the Tigers team had played a combined 131 matches for Richmond against Carlton, for a grand total of 13 wins.
One of the 17 was Luke McGuane, who had trudged from the field on the previous six occasions to the tune of ''We are the Navy Blues''.
With about 35 seconds remaining, and the ball in the hands of Carlton defender Josh Bootsma, a desperate McGuane launched himself into a fierce tackle that earned him a free-kick and bought enough time to ensure victory.
His point sealed the five-point win.
In truth it had been set up over the first three terms.
Cotchin was superb, with 16 of his 33 possessions contested.
He also influenced the play numerous times when he didn't have the ball, most notably in the second quarter when he chased down and tackled Andrew Carazzo to set up a Tyrone Vickery goal.
Brett Deledio was the architect early, with clean hands and crisp skills when the ball was hot in the first half.
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Ivan Maric produced a typically bullocking display in the ruck, while Alex Rance and Steve Morris stuck at their roles of quelling Carlton's main goal threats.
Judd and Bryce Gibbs tried hard throughout, and Michael Jamison kept Jack Riewoldt out of the match.
In the end, though, the difference was that more Richmond players seemed to want it more.
Tigers survive Blues rampage
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Tigers survive Blues rampage
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