Richmond's VFL side went down to North Melbourne by 12 points in a practice match on Saturday morning at the Swinburne Centre.
The lineup for the Tigers' second pre-season clash exclusively featured VFL-listed players, with with the exception of AFL-listed Category B Rookie Oliver Hayes-Brown.
Déjà vu struck Punt Road, as the Tigers’ slow start in the first half would leave them with a mountain to climb in the second, like the previous practice match against the Magpies.
The Tigers surged in the second half to try and overcome a 39-point half-time deficit, but fell short, with the full-time score reading 51 to 63.
In a competitive first quarter, Harrison White and Sam Frangalas hit the scoreboard for the Tigers. But it was North Melbourne’s ball movement and pinpoint accuracy towards goal that would give them a 16-point lead going into quarter-time.
READ: FRANGALAS AND SCOTT JOIN BOWER AND BRODERICK AS FATHER-SON VFL TIGERS
This theme continued in the second quarter, with the Kangaroos’ accuracy resulting in four straight majors. Conversely, the lack of entries for the Tigers would see them score just the solitary point in the term.
It was the Kangaroo’s cleanliness of ball movement and ability to repel the Tigers’ inside 50s that separated the two sides in the second term.
A positive in the second quarter was the performance of Oliver Hayes-Brown. Strong in his ruck contests standing at 208cm, he was serviceable at VFL level and is one to look out for.
The Tigers would face an uphill battle as they entered the second half down 39 points, however, Will Bravo would try to light the spark with a goal early in the third quarter.
Displaying a willingness to take the game on and move the ball with speed, the Tigers had grown into the contest and were matching the Kangaroos.
Performances from Will Bravo, Sam Davidson and skipper Lachlan Street set the tone In the third term, as the Tigers lifted their intensity around the contest.
A lack of scoreboard pressure would be put on the Kangaroos, however, a bit of brilliance from Cam Olden to cleverly keep the ball alive on the boundary line assisted Sam Davidson on the stroke of three-quarter-time to soccer in the Tigers’ second goal of the quarter.
The Tigers had flipped the script, and it was now the Kangaroos who had only one point to show for their third quarter.
Cam Olden started right where he had left off in the third, kicking the first goal of the fourth quarter for the Tigers.
North’s final goal of the match – and their only for the second half - came at the mid-way point of the final quarter and extended the lead to 26 points.
A highlight for the Tigers’ was the outstanding effort from father-son player Tom Bower to intercept the football on centre wing and set up Cam Olden for the Tigers’ second goal of the quarter.
Olden would instantly make it back-to-back goals and complete his final-quarter hat trick on the breath of the final siren.
Cam Olden’s three-goal final term wasn’t enough to overcome the Tigers’ slow start, and despite a five-goal to-one second half, the Tigers finished twelve points behind the Kangaroos.
Richmond will return to the Swinburne Centre for their third practice match on Saturday, March 9 to face Box Hill from 11:00am.
Richmond 2.3 2.4 4.7 7.9 (51)
Collingwood 5.1 9.1 9.2 10.3 (63)
Goalkickers: Olden (3), White, Frangalas, Bravo, Davidson
