Media articles & stats: Tigers make it 3 straight as dull Demons fail to fire

[one-eyed]

Tigers make it three straight as dull Demons fail to fire again

Ben Guthrie
afl.com.au
Apr 24, 2019 10:22PM

RICHMOND        3.1     5.4     7.9     12.13     (85)
MELBOURNE     4.1     4.2     5.5       6.6       (42)

GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Ellis 2, Castagna 2, Baker 2, Lynch, Ellis, Martin, McIntosh
Melbourne: Smith, Lockhart, Gawn, Hunt, Neal-Bullen, Fritsch

BEST
Richmond: Vlastuin, Houli, Prestia, Lambert, Baker, Riewoldt
Melbourne: Gawn, Melksham, Hibberd, T.McDonald, Brayshaw, Viney

INJURIES
Richmond: Astbury (ankle), Riewoldt (knee)
Melbourne: Neal-Bullen (hamstring), Viney (shoulder)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Williamson, Fleer

Official crowd: 72,704 at the MCG

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RICHMOND has continued to generate important momentum after a sluggish start to 2019, downing Melbourne by 43 points in what became a statement win at the MCG on Wednesday night.

After beginning the year in shaky fashion and losing a number of important players to injury, the Tigers are now four wins and two losses from six games following the 12.13 (85) to 6.6 (42) victory over Melbourne on Anzac Day Eve.

Despite providing a much better account of themselves compared to previous weeks, and in particular against St Kilda on Saturday, the Demons have slumped to 1-5 and stunningly appear unlikely to feature in September in 2019.

The Tigers kept Melbourne to just two goals after quarter-time as their defence, already missing Alex Rance and seeing David Astbury (right ankle) hobbled throughout the game, stood tall.

Nick Vlastuin made intercepting an art-form (14 intercepts), putting himself in the right position consistently and attacking off the back of his strong defensive work.

Vlastuin had 28 disposals at 82.1 per cent efficiency, while Bachar Houli also chimed in with 29 touches and eight rebound 50s as the pair continually thwarted Melbourne's attacking forays.

With Dustin Martin being tagged by Michael Hibberd, Dion Prestia (30 touches and 10 clearances) and Kane Lambert (29, eight inside 50s and two goal assists) were the Tigers' best midfielders.

The Tigers took some time to wrest control of the game after trailing by six points at quarter-time, but they made their bold move at the end of the third term and carried that drive and energy into the last as Melbourne dropped away.

Returning Tiger Jack Riewoldt's pair of goals within three minutes in the latter stages of the third term gave the Tigers the separation they needed, before Damien Hardwick's side took command of the game in the last which saw the margin blow out considerably.

Riewoldt may be looked at by the Match Review Officer for a possible 'chicken-wing' tackle on Bayley Fritsch, but the action did not appear to be too malicious.

The tale was a familiar one for Melbourne following a bright start which saw Simon Goodwin flip the magnets and produce a number of positional moves to try to light a fire under his team.

Tom McDonald was moved to defence to play on Tom Lynch; Hibberd was the man in charge of running with Martin; Jake Melksham started in the middle and Clayton Oliver started at full-forward.

But although the moves had the desired effect early in the game, Richmond's domination of the territory battle, 71 inside 50s to Melbourne's 42, became too much for the Demons to overcome.

Ruckman Max Gawn fought as hard as any Demon, playing his best game for the season with 48 hitouts, eight clearances and 17 disposals (13 contested). Melksham was the other Demons player of note, with the forward-turned-midfielder finishing with 25 touches (16 contested) and 10 inside 50s.

MEDICAL ROOM
Richmond: David Astbury was helped from the field with a left ankle injury in the second quarter after Jake Melksham stood on his foot. Astbury returned after half-time and played out the match. Jack Riewoldt suffered a knock to his right knee after colliding with Max Gawn in the last quarter and did not return.

Melbourne: Alex Neal-Bullen struggled to run out the game with a corkie in his right quad. Jack Viney (right shoulder) went straight down the race after a heavy hit from Tiger Sydney Stack and did not return.


NEXT UP
Melbourne will return to the MCG next Saturday to face the Hawks. Richmond will do battle with the Western Bulldogs at Marvel Stadium next Saturday night.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-04-24/match-report-richmond-v-melbourne

[one-eyed]

Tigers bump Demons to brink of oblivion

Daniel Cherny
The Age
25 April 2019

Melbourne’s year is in tatters.

A season which the red and blue faithful entered with high hopes is broken, perhaps irreparably. The Demons were ground down by a blue-collar Richmond outfit who outworked the Dees at the MCG on Wednesday night. Melbourne grimly hung in the game for much of the night, but the Tigers’ forward pressure was outstanding, providing Richmond the type of territorial dominance from which victory usually ensues.

The most symbolic moment of the night came early in the final term, when fourth-game Tiger Sydney Stack applied a ferocious but fair hip-and-shoulder to Dees co-captain Jack Viney. The Melbourne leader was hurt from the bump, and headed down to the rooms. He returned, but while not quite a knockout blow, Stack, and Richmond, had clearly won on points.

The out-of-form Tom McDonald was shifted back into defence for Melbourne. Along with Marty Hore, McDonald battled manfully against the relentless waves of ball heading into Richmond’s forward 50, but realistically they never stood a chance.

Melbourne had started brightly, but went goalless in the second quarter. Still, they came back full of vigour after half time, cutting the margin back to a point midway through the quarter.

Enter Jack Riewoldt. The three-time Coleman medallist kicked two goals in the space of three minutes to provide Richmond a handy buffer in a low-scoring game.

It turned out to be a busy night for the returning forward, who could also find himself in the match review spotlight over a third-quarter incident with Bayley Fritsch. Riewoldt also spent an extended period off the ground in the final term with a suspected knee complaint.

But whatever trouble Riewoldt is in, Melbourne’s is much deeper. With just one win from six rounds, they will need a mighty comeback even to scrape into the finals, let alone contend for the premiership.


Breaking backs

With Alex Rance out for the season after tearing his ACL in round one, there was perhaps no player Richmond could afford to lose less than key defender David Astbury. So Tiger hearts were sinking when Astbury hurt himself in the second quarter.

It appeared as though his left ankle was the issue, with Astbury unable to put any weight on his left leg, needing to be carried off by trainers and taken straight down the race. Astbury didn’t emerge with the rest of the Tigers at half time, but much to the relief of Richmond fans he eventually made his way from the rooms, and was soon jogging laps on the boundary, back on the field inside 15 minutes of the third term.

Stack in the pack

After an under-18 campaign marked by ill-discipline, Stack went undrafted last year. The talented West Australian had to do things the hard way, doing the preseason with Richmond and staying with Tigers coach Damien Hardwick before being taken in the supplemental selection period.

Stack is already making a serious impression. Although starved of possession in the first half he provided a moment for the highlights reel, taking a spectacular grab at the back of the pack after rising onto the back of Demon Tim Smith at half forward. Then in the last quarter Stack applied his telling bump.

RICHMOND
3.1 5.4 7.9 12.13 (85)
MELBOURNE
4.1 4.2 5.5 6.6 (42)

GOALS –
Richmond: Castagna 3, Ellis 2, Riewoldt 2, Baker 2, Martin, McIntosh, Lynch.
Melbourne: Neal-Bullen, Fritsch, Hunt, Lockhart, Gawn, Smith.

BEST –
Richmond: Vlastuin, Prestia, Riewoldt, Houli, Lambert, Ellis, Castagna.
Melbourne: Gawn, Melksham, Oliver, Brayshaw, McDonald, Stretch.

INJURIES –
Richmond: Astbury (ankle), Riewoldt (knee).
Melbourne: Viney (shoulder).

CROWD: 72,774 at MCG.

VOTES
N. Vlastuin (Richmond) 7
D. Prestia (Richmond) 7
J. Riewoldt (Richmond) 7
B. Houli (Richmond) 6
M. Gawn (Melbourne) 6

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-bump-demons-to-brink-of-oblivion-20190424-p51gzq.html

[one-eyed]

Tigers are back but put a line through Dees

Sam Landsberger,
Herald Sun
25 April 2019

You can put a line through Melbourne.

A summer bursting with hope has faded before the weather even turned cold, and that would’ve left Demons fans exiting the MCG with an all-too-familiar chill.

Passionate members of the club’s cheer squad might only be reaching for the pencil, but at 1-5 even they must concede it is hard to see how the game’s longest premiership drought can be broken in 2019.

After their 43-point to Richmond, the Demons sit 17th on the ladder with a percentage of just 69.2.

They would need to win 12 of the remaining 16 games to even reach September.

While Sydney converted a 0-6 start into a home final in 2017, coach John Longmire conceded his team spent far too many petrol tickets getting to September to make a serious premiership play.

That’s not to say Melbourne didn’t begin with a red-hot crack. Coach Simon Goodwin spun the magnets and his team’s first quarter was impressive.

Struggling goalkicker Tom McDonald returned to full-back on Tom Lynch, Michael Hibberd stalked Dustin Martin like a jilted ex-lover, Jake Melksham provided five sharp entries and Clayton Oliver started at full-forward.

Melbourne’s new-look midfield was on top. The only problem was, that dominance was absorbed by Richmond’s trademark pressure.

And with McDonald in the defensive goalsquare the Demons’ scoring power dried up.

In fact, they managed just two goals after quarter-time and logged their lowest score in 62 games.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick lamented after Round 2 that his team put in an “un-Richmond-like” performance.

Well, by halftime it was evident the Tigers of old were back.

Nick Vlastuin had nine intercept possessions (four marks) and the Tigers had created 24 forward-half turnovers.

The league average for an entire match is about 25.

At times it appeared Alex Rance had made a miraculous return and died his hair red, such was Vlastuin’s aerial prowess.

The Demons simply couldn’t penetrate their half-forward line with so many of their kicks dropped to the boot in hope rather than with conviction.

Melbourne’s second quarter was its fourth goalless term for the season and they also lost their fifth third quarter for the season.

The Dees have been outscored by 82 points in third quarters this year while James Harmes laid just two tackles after previously averaging seven against Richmond.

Chief executive Gary Pert pointed out pre-game the club had 14 post-season operations and once again they ran out of puff as a 36-35 score line quickly morphed into 71-35 amid a five-goal burst by the Tigers.

JACK ATTACK STRAIGHT BACK

They call Jack Riewoldt ‘Jumping Jack’. Perhaps they should call him “Reading Riewoldt”.

Is there a player in the AFL that reads the ball in the air as well as the three-time Coleman medallist?

Jack knows when to drift to the front or back and leaps with the timing of Big Ben. Riewoldt’s kicking in the first half was amiss, but back-to-back goals in the third quarter proved telling.

SAM NOT YET THE MAN

Sam Weideman has reportedly asked Melbourne for $650,000 a year from next season.

But after six rounds the club’s list management might be wondering if he is worth half of that.

Weideman hasn’t kicked a goal since Round 4 and took just three marks, struggling to even provide much of a contest.

Weideman at one end was in his 26th game while at the other end stood Riewoldt — a three-time All-Australian — and Tom Lynch — a former captain. Weideman’s three-goal and 24-disposal elimination final feels like it was a long time ago.

RICHMOND 3.1 5.4 7.9 12.13 (85)

MELBOURNE 4.1 4.2 5.5 6.6 (42)

GOALS

Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Ellis 2, Castagna 2, Baker 2, Lynch, Ellis, Martin, McIntosh

Melbourne: Smith, Lockhart, Gawn, Hunt, Neal-Bullen, Fritsch

BEST

Richmond: Vlastuin, Houli, Lambert, Riewoldt, Ellis, Prestia, Baker, Ross

Melbourne: Gawn, McDonald, Hibberd, Stretch, Oliver, Melksham

INJURIES

Richmond: Astbury (ankle), Riewoldt (knee)

Melbourne: Neal-Bullen (hamstring), Viney (shoulder)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Williamson, Fleer

Official crowd: 72,704 at the MCG

SAM LANDSBERGER’S VOTES

3. Nick Vlastuin (Rich)

2. Bachar Houli (Rich)

1. Kane Lambert (Rich)

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/richmond-tears-melbourne-apart-to-finalquarter-burst/news-story/ecb8497ff741a791336bf7b96442a614