Dyer's death raises stakes, but not skills
25 August 2003 Herald Sun
By SCOTT GULLAN
OBVIOUSLY we were a week early. Looking for the fairytale win against the odds. The emotionally charged atmosphere, the win at all costs mentality.
That was rightfully the expectation of many about Richmond yesterday. For a team that has plodded around without anything to play for over the past couple of months, surely the passing of club legend Jack Dyer would stir some emotions.
Sadly, it didn't happen. In the end this was just another boring Sunday afternoon at Telstra Dome between a struggling Victorian club and a visiting interstate powerhouse.
The first problem was the lack of atmosphere in the stadium. Only 15,920 fans turned out which, despite the terrible weather outside, was still ordinary given the significance Dyer's death had brought to the game.
The second was the depth the Tigers have sunk in terms of confidence and sheer ability. While playing for Jack probably made a few of the players run a bit harder and walk a bit taller, that emotion didn't translate over to the skill side and the ability to actually kick the ball to a teammate.
There is no doubt the Tigers fumbled and clangered their way out of a golden opportunity. Port was ripe for the taking, clearly in experimental and self-preservation mode with the finals just two weeks away.
Even when Richmond got its act together and drew level late in the third quarter, still you could hear a pin drop under the Dome's roof.
Maybe the crowd knew what lay ahead. A couple of bad turnovers, two quick goals to Port and goodbye fairytale.
Warren Tredrea then put on a clinic at the start of the final quarter – three goals in 13 minutes – to ensure this emotionless contest fizzled out.
Acting captain Matthew Richardson was sure there had been some Jack factor in the way his side played.
"I don't think you can question we had a crack," he said.
"Obviously, we made some bad skill errors which cost us goals and I don't reckon he (Dyer) would have been too happy with that.
"We needed to make sure we had a big effort because he is basically the Richmond Football Club. We did talk about that a little bit before the game.
"I met him once, he came and opened the Jack Dyer Grandstand, a few years ago.
"About a dozen of us had a photo taken with him that day and we actually got it signed by Jack. I've certainly kept that at home and it is a good piece of memorabilia that I have got forever now."
Joel Bowden, whose father Michael was a premiership player with the Tigers, said despite the generation gap all the players understood the significance of Jack Dyer at Punt Rd.
"He's been the one who has embodied Richmond because he came from Richmond area, went to school there, played all his footy there for years and years and was a great champion," Bowden said.
"Even though I didn't see (him), you learn being down at Richmond, and having my father played here, you learn a little bit about the history.
"For him to pass away, it is going to be felt by all Richmond people and most football people, like what happened with Teddy Whitten .
"I think it had little bit (of impact) for sure, whenever something like that happens, a great legend of the club passes away, you keep it in the back of your mind and try and make a concerted effort."
The Tigers have been on the wrong end of a few emotion-charged games this season. They played the Kangaroos in Jason McCartney's last game and then St Kilda in Nathan Burke's swansong.
It was clear afterwards that the Tigers will crank up the emotion meter this week in the build-up to Sunday's clash with Hawthorn at the MCG. As one official said: "Jack would never have set foot in Telstra Dome."
Good point. Next week has a lot to offer. Last game of the year, the final chance to salvage an embarrassing season, the last time the old Richmond rooms at the MCG will be used.
Hopefully, the players can jump on board and remember to kick it to someone in a black and gold jumper because Jack deserves a better send-off than what he got yesterday.
25 August 2003 Herald Sun
By SCOTT GULLAN
OBVIOUSLY we were a week early. Looking for the fairytale win against the odds. The emotionally charged atmosphere, the win at all costs mentality.
That was rightfully the expectation of many about Richmond yesterday. For a team that has plodded around without anything to play for over the past couple of months, surely the passing of club legend Jack Dyer would stir some emotions.
Sadly, it didn't happen. In the end this was just another boring Sunday afternoon at Telstra Dome between a struggling Victorian club and a visiting interstate powerhouse.
The first problem was the lack of atmosphere in the stadium. Only 15,920 fans turned out which, despite the terrible weather outside, was still ordinary given the significance Dyer's death had brought to the game.
The second was the depth the Tigers have sunk in terms of confidence and sheer ability. While playing for Jack probably made a few of the players run a bit harder and walk a bit taller, that emotion didn't translate over to the skill side and the ability to actually kick the ball to a teammate.
There is no doubt the Tigers fumbled and clangered their way out of a golden opportunity. Port was ripe for the taking, clearly in experimental and self-preservation mode with the finals just two weeks away.
Even when Richmond got its act together and drew level late in the third quarter, still you could hear a pin drop under the Dome's roof.
Maybe the crowd knew what lay ahead. A couple of bad turnovers, two quick goals to Port and goodbye fairytale.
Warren Tredrea then put on a clinic at the start of the final quarter – three goals in 13 minutes – to ensure this emotionless contest fizzled out.
Acting captain Matthew Richardson was sure there had been some Jack factor in the way his side played.
"I don't think you can question we had a crack," he said.
"Obviously, we made some bad skill errors which cost us goals and I don't reckon he (Dyer) would have been too happy with that.
"We needed to make sure we had a big effort because he is basically the Richmond Football Club. We did talk about that a little bit before the game.
"I met him once, he came and opened the Jack Dyer Grandstand, a few years ago.
"About a dozen of us had a photo taken with him that day and we actually got it signed by Jack. I've certainly kept that at home and it is a good piece of memorabilia that I have got forever now."
Joel Bowden, whose father Michael was a premiership player with the Tigers, said despite the generation gap all the players understood the significance of Jack Dyer at Punt Rd.
"He's been the one who has embodied Richmond because he came from Richmond area, went to school there, played all his footy there for years and years and was a great champion," Bowden said.
"Even though I didn't see (him), you learn being down at Richmond, and having my father played here, you learn a little bit about the history.
"For him to pass away, it is going to be felt by all Richmond people and most football people, like what happened with Teddy Whitten .
"I think it had little bit (of impact) for sure, whenever something like that happens, a great legend of the club passes away, you keep it in the back of your mind and try and make a concerted effort."
The Tigers have been on the wrong end of a few emotion-charged games this season. They played the Kangaroos in Jason McCartney's last game and then St Kilda in Nathan Burke's swansong.
It was clear afterwards that the Tigers will crank up the emotion meter this week in the build-up to Sunday's clash with Hawthorn at the MCG. As one official said: "Jack would never have set foot in Telstra Dome."
Good point. Next week has a lot to offer. Last game of the year, the final chance to salvage an embarrassing season, the last time the old Richmond rooms at the MCG will be used.
Hopefully, the players can jump on board and remember to kick it to someone in a black and gold jumper because Jack deserves a better send-off than what he got yesterday.
