By Peter Ryan
Richmond won their third premiership in four years in a golden period between 2017-2020 but few of the wins in that period would have caused as much joy for Tiger fans as their epic triumph over Carlton, 13.4 (82) to 9.15 (69).
They were 41 points down and outsiders to win a game this season, let alone beat Carlton in round one. But they kicked 11 of the last 13 goals of the game to conjure an upset for the ages – 20-year-old Seth Campbell doing a cartwheel and a backflip after kicking the sealer with less than a minute remaining.
Richmond were leaping for joy after causing a boilover in round one, and no one leapt higher than Seth Campbell.Credit: Getty Images
The pure expression of joy from the speedster was replicated in the stands among the Tiger faithful.
Midfielder Tim Taranto was not part of any of those three flags but arrived at the club from the Giants at the start of 2023 hoping to become a premiership player in Richmond colours.
Things haven’t panned out exactly as he hoped.
Campbell celebrates in style.Credit: Channel Seven
Just 10 games into his time at the Tigers, the club was turned upside down with the sudden departure of premiership coach Damien Hardwick.
Although Taranto became the first player since Norm Smith medallist Maurice Rioli snr in 1982 to win Richmond’s best and fairest in their first season at the club, he had only played in nine wins in the 28 games he’d played after Hardwick left.
No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor kicked two goals on debutCredit: AFL Photos
But his outlook was bright after he enjoyed his 10th win as Tiger with a brilliant display in the middle as he gathered 30 touches to help his team to an unlikely victory.
“I had a good feeling going into tonight,” Taranto said. “That’s the best three quarters we have played in a long time. The pressure was outstanding.”
He refused to countenance any talk that he was less than thrilled to find himself at a club everyone was tipping to finish on the bottom as the first ball of the season was bounced.
Lalor and Tim Taranto celebrate the unlikeliest of victories.Credit: AFL Photos
“I am just trying to look at what I have, and it is a great footy club. Yeah, we didn’t win many games last year, but you have got to start somewhere, so hopefully we can keep climbing up the mountain, and I just get to lead the young boys, which I enjoy,” Taranto said.
“Who knows? I don’t know. It’s only one game, and we are not going to get ahead of ourselves, but we are going to enjoy this one.”
His coach, Adem Yze, was entitled to enjoy the win too, having faced external questions about his suitability for the job after the club won just two matches in his first season and many former premiership players departed for other clubs.
“We’re starting a journey with a young list and we are going to have fluctuations in form, whether in-game or week-to-week,” Yze said.
“The part of our game that can’t waver is our spirit and our energy.”
Patrick Cripps battled hard but his Blues played poorly.Credit: Getty Images
Yze said the win was “right up there” in terms of his most enjoyable because he loved the joy it gave the players.
He said, apart from the skills, the team had worked hard on what he termed “mental mastery” to stay in the game when momentum was against them.
“That’s not letting that scoreboard impact the way we wanted to play,” Yze added.
The contrast in emotions was obvious when Michael Voss spoke after a loss that was both embarrassing and unexpected. The Blues made basic, unforced errors and appeared not to handle the pressure that came with expectation.
Mitch McGovern’s kick off the ground and Lachlan Cowan’s kick and hope with seconds left in the third quarter would have been embarrassing in the under-12s. Both resulted in Richmond goals.
Voss desperately hoped, against all odds, that the shock loss would be put into context.
“The context is [that] we are in round one,” Voss said.
He dismissed the possibility that his players took the Tigers lightly, saying “I’d really hope not”.
“We will spend time addressing [the game] because it’s the only way I know how to actually get better. If this is a bad reminder about what is important to us then we take the reminder, but we have got to do something about it,” Voss said. “It’s about accepting what happened.”
Hawthorn awaits to see what that is next Thursday night as Carlton immediately drift into a week of scrutiny, hoping the return of Charlie Curnow can be the difference, while the Tigers were grinning from ear to ear – from the skipper Toby Nankervis, to No.1 draft pick Sam Lalor who kicked two goals on debut.
Lalor also finished with eight score involvements (second on the ground only to Patrick Cripps) and 18 disposals.
He’d already drawn comparisons to Dustin Martin prior to this game, and his similarly unnerved approach to his first game would only add to that.
“I didn’t really expect to kick any [goals] today – I was just hoping to get out here and get a win,” he told Seven straight after the victory.
“To be honest, when I came out here for a kick on the ground before the game, it settled my nerves straight away.
“All the boys were really good – I think it’s just another game of footy.
“I didn’t think I’d be here for round one – coming off the jaw [injury].
“[But] I just loved playing out there, it was electric, and what a way to win.”
The only dampener for Richmond was the prospect of losing key forward Tom Lynch for their match against Port Adelaide after his shoulder made contact with Blues ruckman Tom De Koning’s head in the second quarter.
With Russell Bennett
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