Eagles Record W.A. First As Victorian Paranoia Sweeps In
It took until their fourth season in the AFL, but the Eagles finally broke their MCG duck when they recorded a 35 point win over the Tigers on the Friday night opener in round six.
The Eagles had failed to win on their previous six visits to the Home of Football, but a quick start and steamrolling finish ensured their first successful outing.
Karl Langdon was responsible for the early spark, booting four first half goals, while Peter Sumich kicked six for the match to take his tally for the season to 28. Sumich could have had a day out, if not for poor kicking on goal, kicking 6.5 from his 14 kicks and seven marks.
The win was also a milestone for West Australian football, with West Coast becoming the first representative team from WA to win at the ground.
Coach Mick Malthouse showed rare emotion after the game, applauding his players as they ventured off the field. The gravity of the result was not lost on Malthouse, who believed his side had overcome a significant hurdle, having long been criticised over their lack of success in Victoria.
“It was media pressure that said we couldn’t win in Melbourne, particularly at the MCG,” Malthouse said.
“We reversed that by telling ourselves that we could, and we did.”
Both teams made two changes for the game, welcoming back important players from injury.
Chris Lewis returned at the Eagles after gaining much need match fitness at Claremont. Lewis had been dogged by hamstring issues through the pre-season and first couple of rounds, but after a fortnight in the WAFL, resumed his place in the Eagles side.
Lewis was joined by Andrew Lockyer who replaced David O’Connell who had struggled to have an influence in the win over Sydney. Scott Watters was the other omission to the team that entered the clash on a three game winning streak.
Richmond rushed back captain Dale Weightman and forward Michael Pickering at the expense of Sean Bowden and ruckman Mark Lee, who had a hamstring strain. Weightman had managed less than a quarter in two months of football with an ongoing achilles problem, but with the Tigers sitting second last, selectors were keen to get to their captain into the league side.
The Eagles got the early break, with a six goal opening quarter establishing a 19 point quarter time lead.
Langdon had been under the microscope after a poor showing against the Swans, where he was well beaten by Neil Cordy. However, the blond-haired enigma responded superbly, providing a strong target up forward and combining well with fellow big man Stevan Jackson.
Both players tallied eight disposals and three marks in the first term, with Peter Sumich also hitting the scoreboard early.
The game then became a dour struggle over the next two quarters as Richmond did their best to hang tight with West Coast. Four goals to each side had the margin dangling at 17 points at the final change and Malthouse admitted he was concerned for his team, who were backing up from playing the previous Sunday.
“At three-quarter time I was worried because we’d only had a five day break from the (Sydney) game.”
Malthouse, though, would not have been concerned for long. The Eagles piled on the first five goals of the final quarter in a finish that Malthouse described as ‘terrific’.
“The win could not have been any better,” Malthouse raved, “and I got a better idea of my players tonight than from any other game this season.”
“It was a combination of fitness and mental toughness.”
If the history-making win wasn’t enough to celebrate, the weekend only got better for West Coast, who found themselves at the top of the ladder, after Melbourne suffered an upset loss to Sydney.
The Demons had been undefeated after five rounds, and were expected to make little work of the Swans, how hadn’t won since the opening week and had a number of key players on the sidelines.
However Melbourne were made to pay for poor kicking in front of goal (12.21) as the Swans came from behind to sneak home by five points.
With Hawthorn and Collingwood also dropping their matches, the Eagles and Demons were both a game clear in the top two. But with West Coast now occupying top spot, predictions of an Eagle premiership heightened as Victorian paranoia set in.
Many scribes suggested that the Eagles already had the 1990 flag in their keeping and were set to dominate the competition for many years. Malthouse, though, downplayed the call and was more keen to focus on the Eagles fifth win of the season.
Eagles captain Steve Malaxos led the way with 25 disposals and had plenty of support through the middle from Dwayne Lamb (21 disposals) and Peter Wilson (20), who was playing his first game against his former club.
Phil Scott took advantage of the absent Mark Lee, having the better of the ageing David Cloke in the ruck and around the ground. Scott often dropped behind the play, particularly through the middle part of the game as Richmond worked their way into the contest. The ruckman finished the game with 19 possessions and nine marks.
Dean Laidley provided the run off half back and Stevan Jackson complimented Langdon’s performance to collect 17 disposals, six marks and a goal.
Tony Free and Michael Pickering finished as the leading ball winners for Richmond with 24 each, with Craig Lambert the next best with 21 disposals. Full forward Jeff Hogg booted three goals, despite struggling with a hamstring injury that had lingered from the previous match against Fitzroy.
The barnstorming final quarter was even more impressive by the Eagles, who had lost Chris Mainwaring and Murray Rance by early in the final term. Mainwaring had been one of the key midfielders early in the game as West Coast set up their advantage, and then stood up again either side of three-quarter time as Richmond threatened to take the lead.
The Tigers had closed to within 11 points late in the third term before Mainwaring stepped up to kick a vital goal before three-quarter time to stretch the Eagles advantage back to 17. Mainwaring then repeated the dose at the start of the final quarter to kickstart the five-goal run that ultimately decided the contest.
The Tigers fightback coincided with a heightened physicality in the game, which saw umpires struggle to contain several spotfires during the third quarter. A number of players were also involved in a melee following a late hit on Dean Kemp from Tony Free. Free would later cop a two game ban for striking Kemp in the head.
AFL Investigator Max Croxford was also called in to review an incident at quarter time that saw Richmond defender Brian Leys run 80m to confront Eagle Chris Lewis who was huddled with teammates. Croxford ruled no further action on the incident.
With a 5-1 record after six games, the Eagles toughest test loomed – a Friday night top-of-the-table clash against the Demons.
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