Richmond’s VFL squad has failed to secure a win in its last game of the 2015 season, despite a final quarter surge which brought it within a goal in the dying stages.
The Tigers kicked just one goal in the first half of its final round clash against Essendon at Windy Hill, before a five goal to two final term brought them within striking distance.
VFL coach Tim Clarke said he was pleased with his players’ endeavour, despite their inability to close out the game.
“They played some really good football early in the game, but Essendon’s structure behind the ball was really strong so they were able to stop a lot of our forward entries,” he said.
“But for the boys to fight back with the attitude and effort they had in that last quarter was fantastic. It showed them what they can do when they put their mind to it.”
Richmond’s intensity around the contest was notable in the early stages of the game, a trend which continued throughout.
Despite Essendon kicking the first goal, Richmond controlled possession from then on, entering their forward 50 a handful of times.
But the Tigers wasted their opportunities, and struggled to find an avenue to goal.
Richmond midfielder Matt Arnot tries to break free of his Essendon opponent in the VFL. Photo: Matt Johnson
Essendon’s intensity lifted in the second quarter and, as in the first, they didn’t take long to score. They went on to kick another three goals in a term when the Tigers managed just one.
Although Richmond again managed to match Essendon around the ball in the third, skill errors and poor forward transition made scoring difficult, while Essendon managed to kick another four goals for the quarter.
But the tide began to turn approaching three quarter time, with two quick goals from Anthony Scott and Liam McBean.
The momentum continued in Richmond’s favour in the final quarter, with seven unanswered Tiger goals bringing the visitors to within a kick. But Essendon pushed back, scoring two quick goals to put the result beyond doubt.
Clarke said while the game marked the end of the VFL program for 2015, the game demonstrated that there are several players whose seasons are still well and truly alive.
“The season is over and it’s been a fun year for the VFL program, even though we haven’t had the wins that we’ve wanted,” he said.
“However, there are five or six guys here that are a chance to play next week if the position opens up. So it’s really important they recover well and they continue moving forward.
“Our footy club hopefully will play for a number of weeks yet and those boys need to make sure they are ready when they’re needed.”
Of the players pushing for senior selection, Matt Dea and David Astbury were standouts. Dea collected 31 touches and took nine marks, cutting off a lot of Essendon’s forward transitions, while Astbury’s 23 touches and 10 marks demonstrated his ability to impact critical contests around the ground.
Midfielders Matt McDonough (27 disposals), Matt Arnot (30 disposals), and Chris Knights (29 disposals) all played pivotal roles throughout, particularly in their side’s rebirth in the final quarter, clearing the ball at stoppages and linking up to provide much-needed forward movement.
The results sees the Tigers finish the year in thirteenth position on the VFL ladder, with five wins and 12 losses.
FINAL SCORES
Essendon 1.1 5.3 10.7 12.8.80
Richmond 0.5 1.8 4.8 9.9.63
BEST - Dea, Arnot, Castagna, Knights, McDonough, McQualter, Astbury
GOALS - McDonough 2, McBean 2, Knights 1, Mellington 1, Scott 1, L. Conca 1, Soldo 1
