As fantastic a win as it was, I could just see all the hype from our supporters and the media was getting a bit high, even though there is no doubt at all anymore that this footy club is headed in an upwards direction.
However, after being at last Friday’s match in person it’s hard not to break the seal of that lid!
What a fantastic display of football it was from both teams, so to walk away with the four points is an even greater testament to how far Richmond has come over the past few years and what may lie ahead in the future.
The roar of the crowd when Jack kicked his eighth major of the night was extraordinary as the sound reverberated right around the ground up to my seat in the top deck at St.Kilda’s end of Etihad Stadium.
The Saints have been a major hurdle for the boys since 2003 so it was fantastic to see the boys break the hoodoo in such enthralling fashion. I cannot speak highly enough of our defensive line, who smothered their opponents on Friday night. Alex Rance continued to show just how courageous and dour he is, copping a big hit but coming back in fine form late in the match to help the boys get over the line.
The small defenders also played their jobs remarkably well. St. Kilda have arguably the most dangerous line-up of small forwards going around at the moment, but the constant pressure from the likes of Steven Morris, Jake Batchelor and Bachar Houli meant that their goal kicking opportunities were few and far between.
It’s easy to get carried away with two consecutive wins such as the ones we have had, but as Brett Deledio mentioned during the week, we are still only 5-5 and sitting outside the eight. There is still much work to do to become a finals side this season, and getting the job done on Saturday against an up and down Fremantle must be the number one priority on the agenda.
It would be disheartening to say the least to do all of the hard work up until this point, only to drop a game which we probably should win given the recent results from both clubs. The added fact that the match will be played at the MCG is another reason why we will enter the arena as favourites.
Complacency has stopped teams such as Carlton and Essendon in their tracks in recent weeks and even a lacklustre Geelong couldn’t shake Greater Western Sydney until the fourth quarter. The players should be proud of their achievements so far this year, but now is no time to rest on their laurels with a finals position being a distinct possibility in 2012.
What I’ll be looking for on Saturday is a sustained effort right across the 22 that play and hope that they take the style of football they have been playing and really crush the Dockers around the ground with their attack and pressure.
Make no mistake, Saturday is a danger game and important test for where we are at. We’ve done the job or gone close against the top sides, now it’s time to throw our weight around against the lower teams.
Go Tiges!
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