Post Match Wizzo v Bitchmond..Comments here thanks

[Dr Alf Andrews]

Way too early to form any conclusions one way or the other. I thought the game was pretty ordinary early on, but got better as it went on. Pretty exciting towards the end.

However the match was hopelessly over-umpired ... particularly, as Cam pointed out, all the 50 metre penalties. Particularly the ones for swearing.

There are so many umpires these days they almost outnumber the players ... and they're having WAY TOO MUCH influence over the game. I miss the days when players like Mark Jackson and Percy Jones would throw hilarious tantrums and get away with it. The game is just way too boring these days ... a player says a 4-letter word and next thing you know, it's an automatic goal to the opposition. That is CRAP.

The 50 metre penalty came in about 1988, I think, and it's the worst thing that ever happened to football. It used to be 15 metres, which was too short ... They should have made it a 25 metre penalty instead. Would have been a good compromise. But 50 metres is way too big a penalty for pissy little indiscretions like running across the mark or telling the umpire to go and get fornicated.

Last night's game was absolutely riddled with 50 metre penalties. And it gets quite complicated with the 9-point goals, too. If a player gets a free outside the 50, and then gets a 50 metre penalty, he gets to shoot for a 9-point goal ... but last night there was a case where we got a 50 metre penalty from a shot that would have otherwise been outside the 50. No Richmond player bothered to stand the mark, so our player played on into an open goal. We got the 9-points, but technically that was the wrong decision, because our bloke played on. Should have only been 6-points.

Too bloody complicated. The rules have become a complete mess. You need to be Einstein to follow the game these days.

[pants42]

Dr Alf .....Love your rewf to Percy ..kicked the goal post instead of the ball classic !!!! sticky fingers my son

[grims]

Richmonds best on ground was wearing orange and had the number 34. Hopefully this isn't an indication of the umpiring quality this year. Thought there were a lot of good signs of the younger players stepping up. It's only wizard cup so there's plenty of time for improvement before the real thing comes around.

[PiesFan]

Very happy that we won. I believe we can play alot better then we did, yet we still came out with a gutsy win. We were by far the better team, just seemed we lacked a bit of polish to blow the game out. Hopefully that can be attributed to rust.

Areas we need to improve:

- Overall disposal was still poor. Some of our turnovers were bad, thank god the tigers had even more shockers then we did.
- Goalkicking was once again terrible
- some of our decision making

As far as positives, our structure looked really good. We took something like 18 or so marks inside 50 which is a great result. Our good forward structure was almost undone with errant kicking. Watching Taz handball to Leon 40m out directly in front wasnt a good sight. He absolutely nailed the hardest set shot he had all night, and sprayed the others. Lets hope he regains some confidence. Anthony was outstanding and showed why he is our most important player.

It was encouraging to see the likes of Rowe, Cole, Lonie, Presti, Morrison and Williiams contribute. Our leaders in Clement, Rocca and Burnsy were also sensational. I was disappointed in Shaw and Lokan. Lets hope they can improve a bit. Was a bit of an up and down game for Fraser, Taz, Leon and Licca whos disposal let him down at times

[stoliboy]

Some further observations:

Wayne Campbell should be reported for deliberitly dropping his knees onto Woey in an altercation. Campbell's knees came into contact with Woey's chest and head whilst Woey had his back to the ground.

Also number 21 for Richmond should be reported for a flying elbow to one of our players... can't remember which Pies player it was.

On a Collingwood note:

I loved the intensity and second efforts of a number of our players. The intensity shown in this game was much much better than last year's season. In particular, Richard Cole, Paul Licuria, Ben Johnson (especially), Chad Morrison, and Andrew Williams to name a few.

Tarrant and Fraser definately needs to improve in the kicking for goal department.

But I am so releaved we came away with a win... just puts a smile on your face and helps ease slightly the pain from last year. Now lets see us improve for our match against West Coast (who are poor travellers).

[PiesFan]

Also number 21 for Richmond should be reported for a flying elbow to one of our players... can't remember which Pies player it was.

I think that was David King. Dont know the Richmond punk but

[Doc63]

I thought it was a great win, we showed a lot of ticker to come back like that. It sure beats the hell out of being thrashed by 105 points, like we did last year.
By the way, I always said Williams was a gun!!

[Women know more than MMF]

Willo will be a great pick up for us last win

[melissa]

Good games from Williams, Morrison, O'Bree (finally), and Taz, although someone needs to take him aside and teach him how to kick because he seems to have forgotten. What the hell's going on with the new ruck rules? Josh was confused and so was I. Good first game Chad. He looks promising. Lonie needs to go forward. Am I the only one who thinks this? He could have kicked a couple of niners.. he's capable of it. But not from half back!

[mizuno]

Since when was Wayne Campbell MR TOUGH?

Strutted around the park looking for youngsters to belt and nearly defecated in his pants when confronted with Rocca.

His attacks on Woey were craziness.

[blacknwhitechic]

I had to take mostly positives out of last nights game.

Firstly - the step up of some of the players who last year dragged their buts every game - ie. Neon, O'Bree.
Secondly - the improvement Shaw, Walker (he looks great down forward!), Cole.
Thirdly - The Chad Attack!! (Getting your head sat on by a Richmond player - oooh what nightmares that could give you!!)
Fourthly - Richardson spitting the dummy - spent the rest of the night laughing my head off!!
Fifthly - the fact that we were able to come from behind when last year we lost that ability!

And Lastly - The fact that my voice still hasn't recovered (It didn't happen last year!!) and that we beat Richmond is good at any time of the year

[Johnson#26]

[GreekLunatic]

great effort by the pies comming back from 25 points down also in the herald scum its all about tambling and how good he was ok he was good but talk about others not just him also another thing chad morrison did well good pick up but i think our best players was tarrant lonie and scotty burns

[Cam]

If Wayne Campbell is considered a midfielder by Wallace... then his AFL career is over. The only thing that will save him is a cushy, loose back-flank job like Bowden skirted to last year after he couldn't cut it with a tagger.

[STOKA35]

For a first up game it was a beauty both teams probably deserve to win.The 9 pointers definately make the game interesting if that was a normal season game when richmond got to a 30 point lead you could say they could have bottled that game up and win.
I don't see a problem with the swearing rule you don't see the umpires swear at the players if thats the rule dont do it simple maybe 25m penalty instead of 50.
Ruck rules are fine keep your eyes on the ball no free kick against you maybe the umpires should recall a bounce if it favours one side.
Is there any video review on reports in the wizard cup because campbells effort on woey on the boundry line could be looked at

positives
-to come back from that margin
-obree, williams,rowe morrison
-and rocca saying after the game that we want to win this comp.

negatives
-goalkicking