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Interesting Football Expected Tomorrow
Remarkable Games Recalled
RICHMOND A POPULAR TEAM
BY "KICKERO"
One stage of the journey has been
completed. Each club has met the
other, and tomorrow they set out on
the second lap.
On the whole the competition so
far has been interesting, although for
the greater part it has not been up
in the standard of the days before
the war. There have been exciting
battles, and the first set of the home-
and-home engagements was concluded
in a remarkable burst of excitement,
the like of which has not been seen
for many years. It may be many
more years before similar ending
is again wltnessed. One effect of the
match at Richmond has been to
strengthen the opinion of supporters
of that club that Richmond will be
the team that will have to be beaten
when the final match has to be played
by the team that will win the pre-
miership—one way of forecasting
Richmond as the premiers for the
season.
Richmond May Lose
After the exciting game last Satur-
day, and in the expectation of a
sturdy contest, there should be one
of the largest crowds ever seen at
Richmond tomorrow, when Fitzroy
take the field against the all-conquer-
ing "Tigers." Richmond demonstrated
their flnishlng power against Essen-
don in a most convincing manner.
Essendon's pace was superior, and
they showed the way for three-quar-
ters of the game. They had played
themselves out. Richmond will find
Fitzroy a different proposition, and
one whose form has improved beyond
comparison with what it was when
Richmond beat them on the first day
of the season. Richmond will win in
the ruck, the fight across the centre
will he fairly even.
Fitzroy are weakened on the half-
back line by the inability of their star
performer in that part of the field
to take part in the game, but the
Fitzroy forward lines are strong,
clever and certain, and should put
their side in the winning place, and
so gain the additional honors in being
the first to beat Richmond. Given
a fine day, it should be a hard-fought
game.
Close Game Expected
Essendon began the campaign by a
game which created a fine impression.
There was speed and all-round smart-
ness, and when the day was over Col-
lingwood were left a surprised and
well beaten team. Since that match
Essendon have had their ups and
downs, but they have shown fine, fast
and clever work in their last three en-
gagements. Collingwood have im-
proved as the weeks have gone by
and they are going strong. They rat-
tle along right up to the last bell and
I tip them to win.
Teams Without System
Melbourne are not fulfilling expec-
tations. They showed out well some
weeks back, but last Saturday's play
was without system, and suggested
that the old team was floundering for
want of concerted effort. South Mel-
bourne should have little difficulty in
avenging the defeat on the last occa-
sion of their meeting. The same may
be said of Carlton for St. Kilda are
in process of rebuilding. Geelong
have the bye.
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