Media articles & stats: Tigers show true mettle to down Eagles in the wet

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Match report: Tigers show true mettle to down Eagles in the wet

AFL.com.au
8 April 2017

RICHMOND          2.2     5.6     9.8     11.10 (76)
WEST COAST       2.6     5.13    7.14     8.17 (65)

GOALS
Richmond: Martin 2, Butler 2, Rioli 2, Lambert, Houli, Castagna, Grigg, Riewoldt
West Coast: LeCras 3, Kennedy 2, Hutchings, Darling, Cripps

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Cotchin, Conca, Butler, Castagna, Riewoldt
West Coast: Gaff, Shuey, LeCras, Priddis, Masten, Nelson

INJURIES
Richmond: Vlastuin (broken nose)
West Coast: Darling (left ankle), LeCras (head knock)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Rosebury, Stephens, Chamberlain

Official crowd: 42,523 at the MCG

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RICHMOND remains undefeated after taking everything West Coast and Melbourne's weather could throw at it at the MCG on Saturday to emerge 11-point winners in a thrilling slugfest.

Saturday's game started in brilliant sunshine but most of the second half was played in torrential rain and occasional lightning and thunder, with the home team taking control once the afternoon turned foul.

After trailing by seven points at half-time, Richmond set up their win with a four-goal-to-two third term and then hung on in a rain-soaked final quarter to hand West Coast its first loss of the season, eventually running out 11.10 (76) to 8.17 (65) victors.

The Tigers' 3-0 start to 2017 is their best opening to a season since 2013 and, if they can defeat the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba next round, they will make their best start since 1995, when they opened the year with seven consecutive wins.

Dustin Martin was the hero for Richmond, defying a fractured cheekbone to continue his brilliant start to the season. The midfield bull had a remarkable 15 clearances – including 11 in the first half – and finished with a game-high 40 possessions and two goals in a performance that should see him bank another three Brownlow Medal votes.

The Eagles were within a goal of Richmond for most of the last term and it was only when Jack Riewoldt kicked the quarter's first major at the 23-minute mark that the Tigers had some breathing room with an 11-point lead.

A goal to Daniel Rioli four minutes later made the result a certainty before Mark LeCras kicked a late consolation goal for the visitors.

Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin was Martin's right-hand man through the midfield with 33 possessions and helped turned the game his team's way with an inspired third term.

Reece Conca (26 possessions) enjoyed one of his best games for Richmond, Dan Butler (two goals) and Jason Castagna (one goal) were livewires in attack, David Astbury restricted two-time Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy to two goals and Kane Lambert limited Sam Mitchell to 13 possessions in the final three terms after the former Hawk racked up 12 touches in the opening quarter.

Second-year Tiger Rioli also gave glimpses of his prodigious talent and sent the Richmond faithful into a frenzy when he conjured a freakish goal early in the second half. Taking the ball just inside the boundary line, he shimmied past Brad Sheppard, handballed to Dion Prestia and kept running to complete the 'one-two' before threading the ball through with a high banana from 40m.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said his team had been "a little bit untidy (and) looked a little bit flat" in the first half, but had responded well after the main break.

"Credit where credit's due, I thought we challenged our boys a little bit at half-time and I thought all our leaders stood tall – Trent (Cotchin), Jack (Riewoldt), Alex (Rance), then Dusty (Martin) came to the fore as well. It was really pleasing," Hardwick said.

"A lot of the numbers indicated our dominance after half-time. We probably just couldn't quite get the scoreboard reward we were looking for, but I thought it was a really solid win from our lads today."

Andrew Gaff (33 possessions and seven clearances) was the Eagles' best player and was ably supported in the midfield by Luke Shuey (30 and 10).

Mark LeCras (3.4) was the most dangerous player in the Eagles' attack, while Matt Priddis (23 possessions) was his usual bullocking self through the midfield.

West Coast coach Adam Simpson said his team's "poor intent" around the contest in the third quarter had proved costly.

"It was a game of momentum. I thought we probably missed a few opportunities in the first quarter, but our poor intent in the third really cost us," Simpson said.

"We probably should have been hurt a bit more in that third quarter. Hard-ball gets, the ability to stick your head over the ball when it really mattered, went away from us in that third quarter in particular.

"Having said that, the game was still right on the line up until the last five minutes.

"I sort of get that you can't win every game, and you can have ups and downs with momentum, but it was just too big a gap with our consistency in that area."

Richmond speedster Butler provided the highlight of the opening term when he gathered a loose ball on the wing and headed for goal, burning Jeremy McGovern off with a blistering three-bounce run to convert from point-blank range.

The rest of the term was a relatively scrappy affair, played in swirling conditions at the MCG.

The Eagles kicked the opening goal through LeCras at the eight-minute mark, but the Tigers hit back with the next two majors, through Lambert and Butler, to take a five-point lead at the 21-minute mark.

The Tiger army celebrates after Daniel Rioli's amazing third-quarter goal. Picture: Michael Willson

West Coast controlled play for the rest of the quarter, but after a clever Mitchell kick set up an easy Mark Hutchings goal the Eagles kicked three straight behinds to go into quarter-time just four points up.

The Eagles' inaccuracy continued in the second term, when they opened with behinds from Josh Hill and LeCras.

Martin showed them how it was done when he converted with a brilliant swinging snap at the six-minute mark to level the scores.

Kennedy got the Eagles back on track with a straight set shot from 40m at the 10-minute mark that put them six points up.

West Coast kicked two of the next three goals – the first gifted to Jack Darling when Tiger Todd Elton flew third man-up at a ball-up deep in the Eagles' forward line – which put the visitors 13 points up at the 22-minute mark.

But a late goal to Castagna helped reduce Richmond's deficit to seven points at the main break.

MEDICAL ROOM

Richmond: Nick Vlastuin came from the ground after receiving an accidental elbow to the head from Brad Sheppard late in the third term. The defender was bleeding profusely from the nose and went into the rooms for treatment. Vlastuin did not return and suffered a broken nose. Coach Damien Hardwick said after the game he expected Vlastuin would be fit to take on the Lions next Sunday

West Coast: Jack Darling hurt his left ankle after landing awkwardly in a marking contest in the opening minute of the game. He limped from the ground but returned five minutes later and played out the game. Eagles coach Adam Simpson said Darling had "pulled up fine" after the game. Mark LeCras came from the ground late in the game after copping an accidental knee to the back of the head in a marking contest. Simpson said LeCras had escaped with nothing more than a cut to his head.

NEXT UP
The Tigers travel to the Gabba to take on the Brisbane Lions next Sunday, when they will be hoping to extend a nine-game winning streak against the Lions. The Eagles face a five-day break before hosting the Sydney Swans at Domain Stadium in an Easter Thursday blockbuster.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-04-08/match-report-richmond-v-west-coast

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Richmond Tigers v West Coast Eagles: Tigers stamp themselves as finals contenders

Jon Pierik
The Age
8 April 2017

RICHMOND  2.2 5.6 9.8 11.10 (76)

WEST COAST   2.6 5.13 7.14 8.17 (65)

GOALS

Richmond: D Butler 2 D Martin 2 D Rioli 2 B Houli J Castagna J Riewoldt K Lambert S Grigg.

West Coast: M LeCras 3 J Kennedy 2 J Cripps J Darling M Hutchings.

UMPIRES Ray Chamberlain, Brett Rosebury, Andrew Stephens.

CROWD 42,523 at MCG.

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What started as a free flowing game in the sunshine ended in an arm wrestle in the rain as the Richmond Tigers sneaked past the West Coast Eagles.

While the Tigers had made an unbeaten start to the new season, they still faced questions about the quality of their opponents – Carlton and Collingwood. That's why the home clash on Saturday against the West Coast Eagles, tipped to be a serious top-four contender, was seen as an early litmus test.

And judging on the results of an 11-point win at the MCG, the Tigers must be considered a serious finals contender.

This was a contest where the pressure was intense through four quarters amid a stunning reversal in conditions.

As the weather morphed from a sunny, balmy afternoon of 28 degrees into something more akin to an Arctic front after half-time, so the momentum changed in the Tigers' favour.

They would win two decisive battles. Where Eagles' general Sam Mitchell was able to roam free in the first term with 12 disposals, he was held to 13 for the rest of the game. Trent Cotchin, enjoying another dominant day, often manned him at stoppages after the first break, while Kane Lambert regularly followed him around the field.

They were also able to largely nullify intercept kings Jeremy McGovern and Elliot Yeo, who have been so important in counter-attacking for the Eagles. Once again, they stuck to Damien Hardwick's game-plan – a sign of maturity and confidence.

That Dustin Martin would almost certainly have pocketed another three Brownlow Medal votes for his 40 disposals was also pivotal. Playing with a fractured cheekbone, but without a helmet, Martin's kicking efficiency wasn't what he would have liked – but it did not matter. He would have a personal-best 15 clearances – 10 more than next-best Cotchin. Whenever he was near the ball, danger lurked for the Eagles.

"It was a great team effort," Martin said, underplaying his efforts.

The Tigers led by a goal at three quarter-time – and there would be only three majors in the final term as rain sheeted across the ground. The first – and most important – came from Jack Riewoldt, who had, for the most part, a dirty afternoon, turning the ball over eight times and being nominated as the worst player afield by Wayne Carey on Triple M. But come the pivotal moment, Riewoldt hauled in a quick kick by Brandon Ellis and, with a heavy, slippery ball, converted a set shot from 20 metres out to stretch the lead to two goals. It would be enough.

"We challenged our boys at half-time and I thought our leaders stood tall - Trent, Jack, Alex, then Dusty came to the fore as well. It was really pleasing," Hardwick said.

"A lot of the numbers indicated our dominance after half-time. We probably couldn't quite get the scoreboard reward we were looking for."

Daniel Rioli, boasting the verve of his famous uncle Cyril, would also hit the scoreboard. While Eagles would find one late, their modest recent record at the home of football would continue.

Alex Rance was another crucial cog. His season patchy to this point, the All-Australian marshalled the defence, whether that be in a pure defensive mode on Jack Darling or Josh Kennedy, or counter-attacking.

The Tigers have taken great pride in their team defence this season, and that was again on show, highlighted by out-tackling their opponents 77-61.

This was largely a scrappy affair in the first term, although the Eagles should have been further ahead going on their 19-11 advantage in the inside-50 count.

Cotchin, as he has done so far this season, wanted to take the game on, and this would result in the Tigers' opening goal. While he was caught by the Eagles on the boundary near the forward pocket, the ball would ultimately find its way into Kane Lambert's hands, who snapped successfully.

This gave the Tigers momentum. So, too, did Dan Butler's burst from a stoppage on the wing, his three bounces leading to an open goal – and a standing ovation from the Tigers' faithful. The emerging Butler would have a busy afternoon.

The Tigers would quell Mitchell's influence in the second term – he would have two touches – but the Eagles lifted their pressure acts and briefly emerged the stronger side with an eight-point lead.

The contest opened up with six combined goals. Martin would provide a moment to remember when he pounced on Riewoldt's slightly wayward pass, turned and converted from the forward pocket. It was Dusty at his best.

He would have a game-high 20 disposals before half-time but his kicking efficiency of 38 per cent would hurt.

Jason Castagna, Rioli and Butler would impact the contest but the Tigers were unable to capitalise on their 20-12 clearance dominance.

Efficiency would be the key in the wet after half-time, and it was the Tigers who would lift, dominating the hard-ball contests in the third term.

Mitchell continued to be well held, Martin remained a clearance king, while Rioli supplied a goal-of-the-week nomination when he won a two-on-one contest on the half-forward boundary, shrugged off a tackle, and capitalised on a give and go, leading to a successful "banana" shot.

The Tigers would lose Nick Vlastuin to a suspected broken nose and concussion but their drive remained strong.

Their dominance was shown in that 87 per cent of the play in the opening 15 minutes was inside their attacking 50, but the Eagles hit back quickly, through successive goals to Mark LeCras and Kennedy. The Tigers would respond with two of their own, through Shaun Grigg and Butler, and have the lead heading into what was an entertaining final term.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/richmond-tigers-v-west-coast-eagles-tigers-stamp-themselves-as-finals-contenders-20170408-gvgmzt.html

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Grit and glamour keep Tigers undefeated

Leo Schlink,
Herald Sun
8 April 2017

WINNING ugly has rarely been so fashionable at Punt Road.

Long mocked for defensive frailty and collectively soft mentality, Richmond has replaced extravagance with a blue collar grit.

Reviving the club’s famed “eat ‘em alive” rallying cry famed by distant success, the Tigers are no longer consumed with faux glamour.

Grunt is the new gold.

Recalibrated, Richmond still possess plenty of flair but, as influential as Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Trent Cotchin, Daniel Rioli and Dan Butler were in a gritty 11-point win over West Coast, Richmond’s unbeaten start to the season is all about application.

Unconquered after three rounds for the first time since 1995, when it won its opening seven matches before losing to Geelong in the preliminary final, the Tigers’ accountability is suddenly an impressive calling card.

Faced with the time and motion masters from the west, Richmond didn’t panic when it might as the strangely inaccurate Eagles built a 13-point lead in the second term.

Attitude saw to that. Just as desperate mindset drove the Tigers to critical edges in the most important metrics of all - notably tackling (75-60) and contested ball (161-135)

What those numbers do not illustrate is the gut running and willing to support that propelled the remarkable Martin into time and space for 40 disposals.

Not does it account for Rance’s preparedness to sacrifice and stifle as the conditions turned from balmy to arctic.

His tally of 16 one-percenters was a match-high, while Jason Castagna’s eight tackles represented a career-high.

Pressure - in defence and attack - has become Richmond’s signature. And it deservedly reaped the rewards against a quality opponent.

In sunshine or rain, the Tigers were prepared to suffer in order to succeed - a quality not always obvious in recent years at Punt Road.

And while no player was as dominant as Martin, who managed to excel despite a cheekbone fracture, he was again the talisman.

With 33 kicks, seven handpasses, five tackles and 2.1, Martin was pivotal in ensuring the Tigers didn’t lose before he was critical to making sure they succeeded.

And when the match hovered in an uneasy balance in teeming rain, Richmond’s pace and relentless tackling delivered an invaluable victory.
The Richmond cheersquad celebrates a goal with Dan Butler.

Inefficiency and wastefulness dogged both sides in a lamentable opening-half as the Eagles repeatedly burnt chances with poor finishing - a symptom of Tiger intensity - as Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Mark Lecras and Josh Hill botched precious opportunities.

With a 35-25 inside-50 edge in perfect conditions, West Coast failed to deliver a terminal blow as Richmond smothered Mitchell out of the contest.

Prominent with a match-high 12 touches in the first quarter, the former Hawk was allowed just 13 more for the rest of the match.

The shutting down of Mitchell and the ability to turn the contest evidenced a steely mindset.

After wins over Carlton, Collingwood and now the Eagles, the Tigers are in unfamiliar territory.

For Damien Hardwick, winning ugly has rarely been so appealing - a joy shared by the elated Tiger faithful.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/richmond-holds-on-to-beat-west-coast-in-wet-and-wild-conditions-at-the-mcg-on-saturday/news-story/bb019008390d64efa3006fb08610d17e