Blog log from R23 of 2023: Richmond vs North Melbourne

Martin clears from the opening bounce, Cotchin is caught high by Taylor 45m out in front but chooses a short pass to Prestia that doesn’t work, anticlimactically! (Q1 1:14)
Dow is involved twice on a rebound around outer wing, including the kick inside 50 to Martin who centres for Riewoldt 40m on the flank. Riewoldt shanks for no score. (Q1 7:44)
Corr dives on the line but can’t get to a running snap by Martin from 45m on a slight angle, that is belatedly the first goal of the game after some turgid defensive play. (Q1 9:54)
Thomas receives from Simpkin and misses from the HFF. (Q1 13:13)
Phillips sharks Dow’s handball in heavy traffic on members wing, switch on the counter with Greenwood hitting the fat side lead of Thomas 30m out on a slight angle, he goals. (Q1 15:25)
Balta did a Darcy Moore there, playing zone in front of Thomas not back shoulder as they were one out deep in attack for North. Too much leg rope. (Q1 16:54)
Phillips receives from Goater and turns to shoot 40m out on the flank and he’s tackled, but the kick flies wide left. (Q1 19:29)
Soldo marks a long Bolton pass from the centre on the lead in front of Corr 40m out on the flank. He trots in and shoots across the face. (Q1 21:21)
Both sides are playing tandem rucks in this game, leaving their forward structures rather bare as none of the four are genuine targets in attack. (Q1 22:27)
Curtis and Broad have a ground battle on the HFF after a rebound via Thomas around outer wing, Curtis eventually wins and sets up Larkey to snap the goal from 20m. (Q1 23:54)
Soldo marks a Prestia pass on a slow play to a small hole 35m out in front, he kicks truly. (Q1 25:25)
Ziebell takes a specky on the wing over Baker but immediately turns the kick over going inboard, Bolton bounces through the goal on the counter from 45m on a slight angle. (Q1 27:59)
Daniel Rioli marks on the boundary 40m out and misses the lot. (Q1 29:59)
Thomas runs from the next bounce and bombs long from 55m on a slight angle, ball clears Larkey and rolls for a behind. (Half Time)
Repeat inside 50 kick by Thomas to the corridor 20m out where Larkey clunks this one, much more accurate. He kicks truly. (Q2 1:07)
Larkey was allowed to mark untouched because Balta is inexperienced at playing plus-one and stuffed up a handover with Young. (Q2 1:42)
Greenwood snaps quickly on the turn after roving 15m out but it’s wide right. (Q2 2:53)
Pickett receives from Riewoldt on the HFF, baulks clear and passes to Graham to mark in front of Phillips in the pocket 20m out but miss. (Q2 3:37)
Balta’s handball in a pack at defensive hotspot turns over to Thomas, handball chain ends with Turner to Taylor for the goal from 20m in front. (Q2 7:43)
Thomas plays on to advantage from a Balta contact free on Larkey to waltz into the open goal. (Q2 10:07)
Howe inexplicably kicks from half back to the back pocket straight to Martin who gathers and centres for Prestia 40m out, he converts. (Q2 12:17)
Nankervis marks on the lead 40m out on the flank and clunks a lovely set shot for his first goal. (Q2 14:18)
Martin tries a torpedo off a step from members wing, wobbles into the arms of Soldo 45m out on the flank who slots his second goal! (Q2 16:53)
Ford marks just inside 50m on a slight angle in front of Dow, but misses. (Q2 18:43)
Bolton threads a quality snap from the boundary 45m out just inside the near right goalpost after a stoppage. (Q2 20:13)
Martin roves and delivers a checkside from the hotspot for another one for the Tigers, with McDonald flat out injured in back play. (Q2 21:09)
Bolton’s snap from 40m wobbles towards the behind line, two Roos fly to spoil but the crumb sits up for Riewoldt to snap a very popular goal from the square! (Q2 23:23)
Hopper from the centre, Balta mark untouched 35m out but tries a pass that misses, no score. (Q2 24:29)
Larkey marks at the top of the square for his third goal. (Q2 25:08)
Bolton plays on to advantage from a holding free to Soldo on Ziebell in the square for another one. (Q2 27:09)
Nankervis marks 15m out in the pocket but misses off the left. (Q2 28:30)
Larkey juggles a mark in front of Young 30m out on the flank but misses, Tiger fans were booing as they thought Greenwood had hands on it as well. Footy gods chunter. (Q2 31:59)
Thomas marks over Vlastuin in the pocket 20m out but his set shot off the left is shanked OOTF across the face. (Q2 32:33)
Curtis sets up Larkey with a Joe the Goose special for his fourth goal after Young’s spoil falls to the pocket. (Q3 4:08)
Young is pinged for a rather obvious push in the back on Larkey 20m out in the pocket, Tiger fans whinge about it being soft but Larkey boots his fifth. (Q3 5:39)
Xerri passes from outer wing to Powell just inside 50m in the corridor, his set shot is wide right and short for no direct score. (Q3 8:58)
Martin takes a contested grab in the square over Scott for his third goal. (Q3 11:04)
Soldo curls a snap wide from a stoppage on the HFF. (Q3 19:23)
Curtis is getting in some good spots, he sits under a long ball and wears contact from Vlastuin coming back to mark 20m out for the goal. (Q3 19:59)
Ford starts some argy-bargy after that goal, McIntosh is pinged for high contact on Larkey 20m out for a charity goal, his sixth! Bit red hot, but dumb by Kamdyn. (Q3 20:51)
Soldo wins a wrestle with Ziebell to mark a Young pass just inside 50m on a slight angle. His set shot is high and long but wide right. (Q3 25:19)
Bolton pops through another snap for a goal from 30m on a slight angle, his fourth. He looks tired after a long season. (Q4 1:43)
Balta juggles a mark on the lead with Corr on his ginger, he shoots from near the hotspot for his first goal. (Q4 3:36)
Balta marks a Cotchin pass 35m out on the flank for another one. This might turn into a Tiger party for its retiring stars. (Q4 6:51)
Curtis’ pressure forces a Grimes turnover by foot in defence, Thomas picks him off 45m out on a slight angle… but the kick is reversed for contact off the ball by Drury! (Q4 8:47)
That Drury reversal was the softest decision you will ever see. (Q4 10:59)
Ford marks on the lead near the hotspot but misses. (Q4 10:59)
Drury roves 15m out and snaps on the turn… miss, with a teammate waiting for an easy give in the square. (Q4 15:18)
Martin marks on the HFF, gesticulates then passes to Riewoldt 45m out on a slight angle. The old stager lines up in the late afternoon sunshine but misses left. (Q4 15:18)
Riewoldt marks on the lead 40m out on the flank and miss. (Q4 20:22)
Bolton marks over the back of Corr but misses from next to the goalsquare, mystifyingly. (Q4 22:09)
Intercept on the wing and repeat inside 50 long ball by Young, Riewoldt has the sit on Corr and takes a specky 40m out on the flank… but misses again! (Q4 23:06)
North gets a rebound up members wing from the kick in, Ford goes over Vlastuin to Ziebell 40m out on the flank who also misses. (Q4 23:50)