It was a special night being Anzac Eve, and there was a special tribute to the soldiers before the game, with a torch being carried around the ground by an escort of light horsemen. Then former Melbourne champion, Ron Barrassi (whose father was a casualty of WW 2) lit the eternal flame at the ground to kick the round off.
I don't think it really stirred the players that much, although it was received respectfully by the crowd. I think it's a good initiative and I hope they keep doing it. There is talk of making the match a regular thing, similar to the way that Collingwood and Essendon square up on Anzac Day.
I'm not really going to talk much about the game. Richmond started off well with a goal to Ben Griffiths in fairly short order, but that was about as good as it got. The Demons led at every change and after the rain came early in the 3rd quarter the Richmond players seemed to give up. Admittedly they had 2 on the bench by that stage. Debutant Drummond had done his knee and was facing a year out. Ben Griffiths picked up an injury that meant he couldn't play on and Cameron Hunt was playing with a foot injury, which affected his game. Very disappointing.
I knew this post was coming. I hoped it wouldn't be this early in the season, but it has. Richmond do this on a regular basis. Lose games that they're expected to win. It wasn't a case of them turning up thinking they'd win. It was a case of them losing on every front. The bad players continued to play poorly, and even the good players, with the exception of Shane Edwards, didn't play well. Melbourne's good players stood up, and even some of their ordinary ones played above themselves. Damien Hardwick was completely outcoached by Paul Roos and that's happening far too often.
I can't say much more other than that I've got a feeling of deja vu.
Seeing too much of this.
And this.
I said it on the night and I'll say it again now. Not good enough Tigers.
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