Author Topic: Media articles and stats: Rising Tigers at the double after win over GWS  (Read 896 times)

Offline one-eyed

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Match report: Tigers at the double after Giant slog

afl.com.au
23 July 2017



RICHMOND has emphatically reclaimed a top-four spot, overcoming a slow start on Sunday to out-muscle a disappointing Greater Western Sydney by 19 points in dismal conditions at the MCG on Sunday.

The Giants opened Sunday's clash in sparkling form, dominating the first quarter to lead by 20 points at the opening break.

But when steady rain began to fall at the start of the second term – it became torrential at patches in the second half – the contest was turned on its head.

With Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin leading the way, the Tigers wrested control of the midfield battle, kicking six consecutive goals in less than a quarter and a half to set up their 9.10 (64) to 6.9 (45) victory.

Martin (31 disposals, 11 clearances and one goal) and Cotchin (27 disposals and seven tackles) were outstanding for Richmond, while Nick Vlastuin (21 disposals, 11 marks and eight rebound 50s) and Brandon Ellis (23 disposals and six rebound 50s) were creative playmakers from half-back and Alex Rance was impassable deep in defence.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was pleased with his team's ability to turn the game around, saying his leaders had led the stuff.

"It was certainly not a game we'll go and get back out of the archives, but from an intensity and effort [point of view] I thought it was terrific," Hardwick said.

"The first quarter we looked a little bit off the pace, they probably didn't capitalise as much as they should have, but I thought the second and third quarters we really controlled proceedings.

"I was really impressed with Trent and Dustin and Alex and Jack. Those guys responded really well in the second quarter. which got us going."

As impressive as Richmond's revival was, the Giants' fadeout after quarter-time was concerning.

After kicking the game's opening three goals, they were held scoreless from the 22-minute mark of the first quarter until the 17-minute mark of the third term, when Nick Haynes finally broke their drought.

The Giants scored two goals in the final term to Richmond's one to reduce the Tigers' 26-point three-quarter time lead, but never seriously threatened to snatch the game.

The Giants' loss could be further soured, too, with star forward Toby Greene reported for a first-quarter jumper punch that appeared to catch Rance on the chin. Midfielder Dylan Shiel also left the ground late in the game nursing his right arm and took no further part in the game.

GWS coach Leon Cameron said his team's fadeout had little to do with Melbourne's fickle weather, attributing it to largely to the players' mindset.

"You've got to adapt to all conditions. Our last quarter was probably the wettest for the game and we actually knuckled down in the last quarter, so it was a mindset thing in the second and the third," he said.

"The first and last (quarters) were fine, it didn't matter if it was raining or sunny or windy. We found a way then, but the second and third were really ordinary.

"We've got to find our mojo because clearly it's only spasmodically coming out for patches of the game.

"But Richmond's ability to tackle us really well in the second and third quarters stifled our ball movement and we didn't adapt."

Richmond's win was its 11th for the season and helped the Tigers climb to fourth on the ladder, level with the third-placed Giants (10 wins and two draws) on 44 premiership points and just five percentage points behind.

The Giants have won just one of their past six games – but have had two draws – and, in a season where they have admittedly been hard hit by injury, need to rediscover their best form if they want to have a serious impact in the finals.

Callan Ward (a game-high 37 possessions) never stopped trying to hold off the Richmond tide in the second half despite a lack of support from his teammates.

Ward's co-captain Phil Davis took the points against Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt (two goals) – although Sunday's conditions favoured him – while Dylan Shiel (22 disposals and nine clearances) and half-backs Nathan Wilson (22 possessions and seven inside 50s) and Zac Williams (28 possessions) were the Giants' next best.

It was the Giants' first game at the MCG since round one last season, when they lost to Melbourne by two points, and the expansion team has won just one of 11 games at the home of the Grand Final (against Melbourne, in round 21, 2014).

More to come

MEDICAL ROOM

Richmond: Dan Butler copped a knee in his right forearm late in first quarter, but after a short stint on the bench played out the rest of the match without any apparent restriction.

Greater Western Sydney: Lachie Whitfield copped an accidental knee in the left hip in a marking contest with Trent Cotchin early in the second term that forced him from the ground. Whitfield appeared very sore but was quickly back on the ground. Dylan Shiel also limped off in the opening minutes of the second quarter and appeared to be favouring his right knee. After a brief stint on an exercise bike near the interchange bench, the midfielder returned, but he appeared to be more seriously injured late in the match when he left the ground nursing his right arm.

NEXT UP

Richmond plays Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium next Saturday night in just the teams' second clash at the Gold Coast venue. The Suns won the first clash, in round one, 2014, by 18 points. The Giants host Fremantle at Spotless Stadium next Saturday.

RICHMOND    0.2   4.6   8.8   9.10 (64)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY    3.4   3.5   4.5   6.9 (45)

GOALS

Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Martin, McIntosh, Lambert, Castagna, Rioli, Caddy, Nankervis
Greater Western Sydney: Haynes, Patton, Greene, Whitfield, Kelly, Ward

BEST

Richmond: Martin, Cotchin, Vlastuin, B.Ellis, Rance, Lambert
Greater Western Sydney: Ward, Davis, Shiel, Wilson, Williams

INJURIES

Richmond: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Shiel (right arm)

Reports: Toby Greene (GWS) reported for striking Alex Rance in the first quarter 

Umpires: Rosebury, Mitchell, Mollison

Official crowd: 33,467 at the MCG

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-23/match-report-richmond-v-greater-western-sydney

Offline one-eyed

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Richmond back in the top four as GWS Giants' form slump continues (Age)
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2017, 03:37:03 AM »
Richmond Tigers back in the top four as GWS Giants' form slump continues

Andrew Wu
The Age
24 July 2017


RICHMOND                          0.2  4.6  8.8  9.10 (64)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 3.4  3.5  4.5  6.9 (45)

Goals:
Richmond: J Riewoldt 2 D Martin D Rioli J Caddy J Castagna K Lambert K McIntosh T Nankervis.
Greater Western Sydney: C Ward J Kelly J Patton L Whitfield N Haynes T Greene.

Umpires: Jacob Mollison, Brett Rosebury, Andrew Mitchell.
Official Crowd: 33,467 at MCG.

---------------------------------------------------------

Greater Western Sydney coach Leon Cameron threatened to wield the axe after Richmond gave the one-time flag favourites a lesson on how to play blue-collar football.

The Giants' premiership bid is unravelling before their eyes, while the Tigers have boosted their claims after a stirring 19-point victory at the MCG on Sunday.

The Giants arrived at the home of football with a statement to make. They yelled it from the rooftops in the first quarter but by the end of the game cries of "yellow and black" were reverberating around the stadium.

Brilliant early, the Giants gave little after being challenged by the Tigers, who were harder and stronger for longer and duly rewarded by a return to the top four.

GWS are third but not for much longer unless they can snap an alarming run that has yielded just one win from their past six games.

There were encouraging signs last week against Sydney but that was shown to be a derby-inspired spike rather than the start of something more substantial.

Here, they kicked the first three goals of the game then gave up eight of the next nine.

While the Giants are confident star on-baller Stephen Coniglio will return next week, Cameron has forecast making drastic changes unless he sees a major change in attitude.

"I'm really disappointed because I thought we made some serious ground against the best side in the competition [last week]," Cameron said.

"We delivered for half a game this week so you could look at it as a backward step. We're not going to shy away from it.

"We have to stare it down in the review and those players who don't do it for longer are not going to survive.

"With some better form at the lower level and some players starting to get back I'm really hoping pressure really starts coming from below.

"If the pressure comes from below you find out about your players you want to play in your starting 22."

For Richmond, this was the type of win in torrid conditions from which real belief is built. Not only did they have to overcome a horrible start to change the game, they found plenty when the Giants mounted a final assault.

And it was their stars, Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin, who rolled their sleeves up and lifted their side.

Smacked early, their ball was stilted in contrast to the Giants, who were whizzing the Sherrin from end to end with purpose and finding holes in the Tigers' zone.

The Tigers did not score until almost time on and their first goal did not come until early in the second term. The Giants led at quarter-time by 20 points but they had done enough for it to be double that.

Sensing the danger, Martin and Cotchin imposed themselves on the game with 11 possessions each in the second quarter.

The Giants buckled under Richmond's immense pressure. Straightforward marks were being spilt, simple kicks were missing their mark. The greasy conditions did not suit their run and gun style either.

The groans that had bellowed from the yellow and black faithful in the first term turned into roars in the second, and their heroes fed on the energy. The match was being played entirely on the Tigers' terms in the second and third quarters.

"It was certainly not a game we'll go and get back out of the archives, but from an intensity and effort [point of view] I thought it was terrific," Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said.

"[The] first quarter we looked a little bit off the pace, they probably didn't capitalise as much as they should have. But I thought the second and third quarters we really controlled proceedings."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/richmond-tigers-back-in-the-top-four-as-gws-giants-form-slump-continues-20170723-gxguf5.html

Offline one-eyed

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Tigers produce a win for the ages (Age)
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2017, 03:39:14 AM »
Tigers produce a win for the ages

Michael Gleeson
The Age
24 July 2017


Richmond are in the top four. They will play finals. Jeepers the way they are playing they might even win one ... or more.

Greater Western Sydney are not in the top four. Soon they might not even be in the top eight. This was that type of eight-point game where the consequence of victory and loss was doubled. Both sides confronted the same fate – a win and it's top four, a loss and the eight is in doubt. Richmond won.

What was more remarkable was that Richmond came from four goals down. In the wet. Richmond are playing with the sort of self-belief borne of unquestioning trust that teammates will always do certain things and play certain roles. Richmond won because they worked harder, they fought more aggressively and in the critical moments they wanted to win.

"I think we showed heart the way we played today," Trent Cotchin said afterwards. He was right.

"That is the way we want to be seen – standing up in games of value". He tried to correct himself and remember that all games are of value and no opponent is easy, blah, blah, but you know what he meant – this was no ordinary game.

Cotchin was again in a quinella with Dustin Martin for best on ground. Martin was, as he has been this year, just slightly better. Cotchin and Martin have formed a partnership that has become even better this year and is lacking only a snappy moniker from being every bit as damaging as 'Dangerwood'. Dusty Cotch sounds like something you need ointment for.

Cotchin had 27 disposals and seven tackles. Martin 31 touches, 11 clearances and a goal. With Nick Vlastuin they outplayed the highly rated Giants midfield.

Like Dangerfield going forward last week – and again on Friday – to showcase how he can play full forward too and be dangerous when isolated deep, Martin has long done the same thing.

Martin's regular rotation forward actually means the idea that Richmond plays a 1-5 forward line is slightly disingenuous. They play with Jack Riewoldt as the key target and smalls, but Martin regularly presses forward and plays every bit as a key target.

The game nominally pitted the two best out of contract players – two of the best players contracted or not – against one another in Martin and Josh Kelly. Martin looked the millionaire and Kelly the promising kid. Kelly was good, Martin was better.

Richmond has made a handsome offer to Martin, bigger than they had anticipated making about eight months ago, but he is worth it. The way he works with Cotchin, the intuitive understanding and the yin-yang style of inside outside game, run and carry, and rotation forward means it is a partnership that should not lightly be underestimated by Martin when thinking of the chemistry of his game with whichever side he plays for next year. Expect it to be Richmond but your guess is as good as anyone's until he says what he is doing.

Kelly will be worth the dollars to whichever team he decides to go to but right now Martin is having as much impact on games as any footballer in the country. Patrick Dangerfield and Lance Franklin included.

The way Richmond is playing helps Martin, but the way Martin plays helps Richmond. He was good last year when Richmond was not playing well so his form is not about being good in a good team. His form this year in a good team is changing them from being a side that hopes to make the eight to now being a side in the top four.

The Tigers' ability to hang onto that place will be difficult. They should win at least another three games (Gold Coast next week away, Fremantle and St Kilda). They also have Hawthorn – a team they match up well with and have had success against when others didn't – and most difficult of all Geelong in Geelong. The AFL has continued to reassure that the game will remain at Kardinia Park so it will be worth trying to scrounge a ticket for it if for no other reason than it will be good to see Dusty Cotch and Dangerwood go head to head. With or without ointment.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/four-points-tigers-produce-a-win-for-the-ages-20170723-gxh3v2.html

Offline Chuck17

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Re: Tigers produce a win for the ages (Age)
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2017, 08:53:53 AM »

Greater Western Sydney are not in the top four. Soon they might not even be in the top eight. This was that type of eight-point game where the consequence of victory and loss was doubled. Both sides confronted the same fate – a win and it's top four, a loss and the eight is in doubt. Richmond won.

Does this guy have a different AFL ladder than mine?


Offline Chuck17

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Re: Tigers produce a win for the ages (Age)
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2017, 08:55:59 AM »
Cotchin had 27 disposals and seven tackles. Martin 31 touches, 11 clearances and a goal. With Nick Vlastuin they outplayed the highly rated Giants midfield.


Why was Vlas brought into this conversation, was there another RFC v GWS game that I didnt watch?