Not even Chris Judd’s first match in the navy blue could stop a hard-working Richmond from taking the four points and starting their 2008 season in style at the MCG on Thursday night.

 

Despite looking down the barrel in patches, the Tigers held firm to register a gritty 30-point win over Carlton, 17.7 (109) to 11.13 (79) in front of 72,552 fans.

 

It took until the final term for Terry Wallace’s side to get on top of a tiring Blues outfit, which had earlier threatened to take control of the match when it led by four goals mid-way through the second quarter and had all the momentum.

 

But the Tigers, led by tough defender Jake King and star forward Matthew Richardson (five goals), wrestled back the ascendancy in the second half and showed Richmond’s 2008 model might be a far more steely unit than in previous years.

 

Judd, in his first AFL match for Carlton, was prominent throughout while Nick Stevens and Bret Thornton were others to shine for the Blues.

 

But the night belonged to the Tigers.

 

Leading by just two points at three-quarter time, Richmond booted the first four goals of the final quarter to put the game out of Carlton’s reach.

 

Daniel Jackson kicked a long, running goal two minutes in to put his team eight points up while Nathan Brown celebrated after a super snap from near the 50 metre arc.

 

The durable Richardson marked and goaled 12 minutes in to further stretch the lead and when Graham Polak drilled one home half-way through the term, the game was over.

 

Richardson’s fifth late in the game was icing on the cake and showed his form is far from wilting despite turning 33 earlier in the week.

 

Earlier in the night, the two sides traded goals with scores level at the first change, although Richmond might have enjoyed the lead had it not been for some wayward kicking in front of the sticks.

 

It was the usual suspects who were guilty, with 'Richo' spraying two kickable chances although conditions were difficult for forwards with a swirly breeze blowing throughout the season opener.

 

After Judd gained two touches inside the opening 10 seconds – to the roar of Carlton fans – it was his younger midfield teammate Marc Murphy who booted the first goal of season 2008 to get the ball rolling for the Blues.

 

Shane Tuck strolled away from Judd a minute later to get the Tigers on the board but neither side could break clear for the remainder of the term, although Richardson always loomed large for his side.

 

Carlton threatened the blow the game apart early in the second term, racing away to a four-goal lead and stamping its authority on the clash before Richmond fought back.

 

The Blues’ much-vaunted midfield clicked into overdrive as Stevens, Murphy and Kade Simpson gained possession at will.

 

Mid-way through the quarter Carlton fans, who had endured years of heartache, had found full voice as their side raced to 8.4 to 4.4 on the scoreboard.

 

Eddie Betts was at the bottom of every spillage in attack while the Tigers looked hopelessly undermanned around the stoppages.

 

But Richmond, perhaps sensing the game was getting away from it, hit back.

 

Vice-captain Nathan Foley continued to run his legs off and drive his team forward while King’s work rate was a constant.

 

Adam Pattison snapped truly, and when Brett Deledio and then Richardson goaled late in the term it was just a goal the difference at half-time.

 

It took until the 15th minute of the third quarter for the first major to be kicked, that coming via a long, straight bomb from Brendan Fevola.

 

Tempers flared when Cameron Howat was felled off the ball, but the Tigers kept their minds on the job and finished the term in style.

 

Richmond got to within four points when Brown booted his second from close range and then, somehow after seemingly being outplayed for much of the night, the Tigers hit the front.

 

Richardson found his range with a set shot from 40 metres to give the Yellow and Black army something to roar about, and at the final change it was 11.6 (72) to 10.10 (70).

 

The momentum was all yellow and black, and it carried right through to the final siren.

 

The Tigers meet the Kangaroos next week at the MCG, while Carlton takes on St Kilda at Telstra Dome.

Richmond       4.3   8.5   11.5    17.7  (109)
Carlton            4.3   9.6   10.10   11.13  (79)

GOALS
Richmond: Richardson 5, Brown 3, Deledio, 2, Pettifer, Foley, Tuck, Pattison, Polak, Tambling, Jackson.
Carlton: Betts 2, Fevola 2, Scotland 2, Stevens, Houlihan, Edwards, O'hAilpin, Murphy.

BEST
Richmond: Richardson, King, Foley, Johnson, Thursfield, Tuck, McMahon.
Carlton: Murphy, Thornton, Simpson, Stevens, Edwards, Judd.

Umpires: Margetts, Meredith, McBurney.
Official crowd: 72,552 at MCG.
 
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.