By Tyler Lewis
Juddy doesn’t miss!
Berwick Football Club and Dandenong Stingrays product Judson Clarke showed nerves of steel in the dying stages of Richmond’s VFL encounter with Frankston on Saturday.
The Tigers trailed by three points with 29 and a half minutes gone in the final term and needed a moment of brilliance to keep their season alive.
The ball spilled out to Clarke – who had already kicked two – on the wrong side for a left footer, gifting the teenager a chance to seal the game.
He gathered, steadied, and flushed the left-foot check side at full tilt – guiding the Tigers to the front and the live top eight.
Clarke’s third goal of the afternoon sent the Swinburne Centre into a frenzy, as he steered the Tigers home to a 9.18 (72) to 10.9 (69) triumph.
His three goals were accompanied by 19 disposals, while Beaconsfield product Jake Aarts – who was involved in the handball chain that ended with Clarke – had 35 possessions.
The kick from Clarke placed the Tigers inside the live top eight, but with Carlton defeating Collingwood on Sunday; Richmond’s position inside the eight was short lived.
Casey, meanwhile, tasted defeat for the first time in 2022.
The formerly 17-0 Demons were outclassed by a slick Brisbane outfit, 10.11 (71) to 8.9 (57).
Mitch Robinson was a stone in the Demons shoe, collecting 42 disposals, while Deven Robertson stuffed the stat sheet with 30 touches and three goals.
Local product Mitch Cox had 18 disposals and 1.1.
The win for Brisbane (second) was incredibly important, as it saved the Lions from losing a home final to Southport (third).
Casey will now host Sydney to kick off its finals campaign.
