Media articles & stats: Familiar story - Tigers light up the 'G beating Adelaide

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Match report: Richmond v Adelaide

Callum Twomey
afl.com.au
Jul 6, 2018 11:11PM

RICHMOND    2.3       7.8       9.10     15.13 (103)
ADELAIDE      1.3       4.4       7.6       8.8 (56)

GOALS
Richmond: Edwards 2, Martin 2, Caddy 2, Moore 2, Riewoldt 2, Rioli 2, Short, Butler, Prestia
Adelaide: Jenkins 3, Seedsman, Gallucci, Walker, Fogarty, Greenwood

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Astbury, Grimes, Lambert, Edwards, Grigg
Adelaide: Sloane, M.Crouch, Doedee, Laird, Jenkins

INJURIES
Richmond: Graham (shoulder), Butler (ankle), Broad (cheekbone), Rioli (groin soreness)
Adelaide: Talia (foot), Douglas (ankle)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Margetts, Williamson, Fleer

Official crowd: 54,934 at the MCG

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THE TIGERS are football's hard-working Harlem Globetrotters and on Friday night they again proved why they are clearly ahead of the rest in the flag race.

Richmond wasn't even at its best against Adelaide at the MCG but disposed of the Crows by 47 points to remain at least a game clear on top of the ladder.

Like always the Tigers' win was underpinned by fierce tackling, surging ball movement and an even contribution no longer reliant on the performance of their top-liners.

But Richmond, like the Globetrotters basketball side, also produce a fair highlight reel, which was on show in the 15.13 (103) to 8.8 (56) win over the Crows.

There was Jack Riewoldt's phenomenal leap and near grab in the second term, when he dropped the mark, landed on his feet and got up to snap a brilliant (if wobbly) goal.

There was the sidestep, shimmy and left-foot goal from Shane Edwards, and the strong high mark from David Astbury across half-back. There were the handballs bounced deliberately along the ground to teammates, two fantastic goals to Daniel Rioli in the same week his cousin announced his retirement, and the long bomb goal banged home from Dustin Martin in the third term that had the crowd on its feet.

Richmond is not only the best team in the competition, it is probably also the best to watch.

The gap between the Tigers and Adelaide has grown since last year's Grand Final belting, and the defeat leaves the Crows in strife for their bid to make the top-eight.

After a Grand Final shocker, Crows skipper Taylor Walker was again quiet with only 11 disposals and a goal, but they would have been buoyed by the game of Rory Sloane, who picked up 31 disposals in his second game back from injury.

The Tigers' win was their 17th straight at the MCG, which equalled Melbourne's all-time record from 1955-56.

Kane Lambert (33 disposals), Dion Prestia (28) and Shaun Grigg (28) were excellent in the midfield, while Martin was one of six Tigers to kick two goals to go with his 30 disposals.

Defender Tom Doedee was one of Adelaide's best, furthering his claims as one of the favourites for the NAB AFL Rising Star after 27 disposals and eight marks. Matt Crouch also had a game-high 38 disposals, but Adelaide's winners were few and far between.

Richmond led by only six points at the first change but looked the better side in the opening quarter after a slow start. It took a Jack Riewoldt high mark and converted shot 20 minutes into the term for the Tigers to nail their first goal in a tight beginning.

The Tigers looked the more dangerous side when pushing forward and were getting plenty of rebound from loose defender Nathan Broad, who collected 10 disposals in the opening term and created some forward forays.

They put their foot down in the second term, booting five goals to lead by 22 points at the main change. The run of goals included Riewoldt's big leap and snap, a smart shot from Callum Moore on the run and also a long goal from Jayden Short.

Short's error in the final moments of the half – when he was pinged in Adelaide's goalsquare for running too far and Josh Jenkins kicked his second goal of the term – was the only downside for the Tigers. But it didn't seem like it would be too costly, with Richmond controlling the contest.

Adelaide hung around, though. Led by their midfield, they won the third term and dragged the deficit back to 16 points at the final change.

But Richmond rose to the challenge, with early goals to Josh Caddy and then Rioli sealing the win.

MEDICAL ROOM

Richmond: Premiership hero Jack Graham suffered what looked to be a serious shoulder injury in the third quarter in an attempted tackle. He watched the rest of the game with his arm in a sling.   

Adelaide: Key back Daniel Talia headed to the Crows' rooms at the quarter time break for further assessment on a foot injury. He spent periods of the game thereafter on the bench testing the injury, but played out the game. Richard Douglas limped from the field in the final term with a right ankle injury.

NEXT UP
The Crows host Geelong next Thursday night at Adelaide Oval in what shapes as a huge game in the context of their finals hopes. Richmond travels to Spotless Stadium to take on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday night.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-06/match-report-richmond-v-adelaide

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’G whizzes: Tigers match MCG record, back-to-back flags beckon

Peter Ryan
The Age
7 July 2018

There are now two certainties in Australian sport: Winx and Richmond at the MCG.

The Tigers dismantled Adelaide to move within one of claiming the most consecutive wins at the MCG on Friday night.

It brought the tormenting Tigers’ streak of consecutive wins at the venue to 17, matching Melbourne’s run at the MCG in 1955-56, the start of the Demons’ golden era.

Richmond will have to beat Collingwood in round 19 when they next play at the MCG to set the record in what shapes as an epic blockbuster.

Again it was the sum of their parts that combined to overwhelm the Crows, who battled hard to stay in the contest but conceded six goals to one in the final quarter to lose by 47 points.

The Crows’ total of 56 points was their lowest score against Richmond.

But it was more style than statistics as, when the ball was in dispute, Richmond fought like wild dogs to win it back and when they did gain possession they used overlap handball to create space for each other.

When the Tigers won the turnover, it was as though the ground tilted in the direction of their goals and everything just tumbled down a hill with Richmond players leading the charge.

Their handballs were slick, too, as they shared the ball at times like basketballers flying down a court in formation before the showy slam dunk.

Adelaide had some reasons to capitulate with the Richmond faithful in full voice and their key defender Daniel Talia battling to stay in the game after hurting his leg near the end of the first quarter.

That they didn’t break was a credit to the Crows as they found goals hard to score, having to rely on bouncing balls and a Richmond player running too far to kick two of the three goals they scored in the second quarter.

At times the Tigers’ play threatened to spill into party time but they were good enough to make speculative leaps turn into goal-scoring opportunities. One effort from key forward Jack Riewoldt in the second quarter encapsulated everything that has made this version of Richmond so captivating as he dropped a mark after sitting on Kyle Hartigan’s shoulder, only to recover and snap a goal.

At the end of the third quarter Adelaide even rallied, enough to threaten the Tigers with two late goals drawing the margin at the last break to 16 points.

Josh Jenkins had kicked three goals and Adelaide’s midfielders Matt Crouch, Rory Sloane and Bryce Gibbs were testing the Tigers.

But drawing near to Richmond just before three-quarter-time is like stoking a fire as consecutive goals to Josh Caddy and Daniel Rioli put the margin back to a comfort level for the Tigers at 28 points and all that was left was the call of correct weight.

Of course, with the way the season is unfolding the premiership looks headed back to Punt Road but the Tigers know better than most how quickly things can change.

Only 363 days had passed since Richmond trailed St Kilda by 90 points at Etihad Stadium, the mystery game that will remain a head-scratching result.

And they don’t have to look much further than their opponents to see that injuries can quickly disrupt any defence as the Crows’ finals hope look forlorn with just seven wins in their first 15 games.

The only hiccup for the Tigers was Jack Graham injuring his shoulder and Nathan Broad copping a heavy knock in the last quarter after marking that sidelined him for the rest of the game.

RICHMOND 2.3 7.8 9.10 15.13 (103)
ADELAIDE 1.3 4.4  7.6   8.8 (56)

GOALS:
Richmond: Moore 2, Martin 2, Rioli 2, Caddy 2, Riewoldt 2, Edwards 2, Butler, Prestia, Short.
Adelaide: Jenkins 3, Fogarty, Greenwood, Gallucci, Seedsman, Walker.

BEST:
Richmond: Edwards, Lambert, Martin, Prestia, Astbury, Grimes, Cotchin.
Adelaide: Crouch, Sloane, Laird, Doedee, Jenkins, Gibbs.

INJURIES: Richmond: Graham (shoulder).

UMPIRES: Margetts, Fleer, Williamson.

CROWD: 54,934 at the MCG.

VOTES
Shane Edwards (Richmond) 8
Kane Lambert (Richmond) 8
Dustin Martin (Richmond) 7
Trent Cotchin (Richmond) 7
Dion Prestia (Richmond) 7

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/g-whizzes-tigers-match-mcg-record-back-to-back-flags-beckon-20180706-p4zq20.html

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The gap between Richmond and next best team is widening after 47-point win over Adelaide

Lauren Wood
Herald Sun
7 July 2018

RICHMOND, then daylight.

These Tigers have charged away.

And the gap between them and the next is lengthening, fast.

The Tiger Train has become a bullet train towards late September, leaving opposition teams — many battling injury concerns — simply blurs in its wake.

Can any team beat Richmond at the MCG this season? At this stage, it would have to be a no.

That’s 17 wins on the trot on their home deck — 10 this year — with Friday night’s 47-point victory just a point shy of their premiership triumph over the Crows.

And they are scary.

If the pain of last year’s Grand Final defeat still burned, Adelaide wasted no time in turning the heat onto Richmond and had things their way early, dictating proceedings as they eased their way in at the scene of their September heartbreak 279 days before.

But there’s more than one way to get the job done, and Damien Hardwick’s men again showed they’re more than capable of the dirty work as well as the dazzle.

If you don’t capitalise when you have an opportunity, these Tigers will just grind, grind and grind some more before then wrench momentum back their way and pile on the pain.

And while bringing that late in quarters has been their modus operandi, on Friday night they didn’t wait until junk time to remind the Crows — whose four first-half goals all came from turnovers — just who is boss.

Their handy work with handballs simply must be noted, with commentators likening the premier’s fast and fanciful delivery to the Harlem Globetrotters.

But this team isn’t just for show.

And as Collingwood fights to cover the losses of Adam Treloar and Lynden Dunn, Sydney battles injuries to Jarrad McVeigh, Dan Hannebery and Kieren Jack, Geelong just clung on to a spot in the top eight and West Coast faces the eternal question of playing at the MCG, the Tigers stand firmly at the top of the competition.

It might pay to get the road closure plans in place for Swan Street.

Dustin Martin spent more time forward — as has been forecast by Hardwick for the final third of the season — but was caught out more than usual. His influence on the game swung like a pendulum. He doesn’t have to carry as big a load as in years gone by — they can do it without him firing fullbore but gee, you can count on him when it matters.

It was a scrappy night, there’s no doubt, a bit wet at times but that didn’t dampen the influence of star forward Jack Riewoldt who continued to build what is arguably becoming the best vein of marking form of his career.
Daniel Rioli was at his pressuring best and booted two goals in the win.

Dylan Grimes remained relentless in defence, laying the foundations for much of the glory work, while Callum Moore’s fourth game of the year was a solid one with two goals.

Crows star Rory Sloane’s return last week couldn’t have come soon enough, with the blonde battering ram doing plenty of the heavy lifting, while Josh Jenkins exorcised a few MCG demons with three goals as fellow forward Taylor Walker had a tough night thanks to David Astbury.

For but a swing back its way before three-quarter time, Adelaide — which now sits two games outside the eight — could only watch on as that sustained team pressure claimed another victim. It won’t be the last.

BEST

RICHMOND: Edwards, Martin, Grimes, Astbury, Nankervis, Lambert, Moore

ADELAIDE: Sloane, M.Crouch, Doedee, Gibbs, Greenwood, Laird

VOTES: 3 Shane Edwards, 2 Dustin Martin, 1 Dylan Grimes.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/the-gap-between-richmond-and-next-best-team-is-widening-after-47point-win-over-adelaide/news-story/7f38aa04cf0afadd77f2ede737650bf6