Media articles & stats: Dominant Eagles savage out-of-form Tigers

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Match report: Dominant Eagles savage out-of-form Tigers

Alex Malcolm
afl.com.au
April 15, 2016 10:41 PM


WEST COAST      6.8   10.13   13.16   18.17   (125)                 
RICHMOND         2.0     3.1       6.3        9.3      (57)           

GOALS
West Coast: Darling 4, Hutchings 2, Kennedy 2, Shuey 2, LeCras 2, Yeo 2, Hill, Jetta, Lycett, Redden
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Lloyd 2, Rioli 2, Lambert

BEST
West Coast: Shuey, Yeo, Gaff, McGovern, Darling, Naitanui
Richmond: Rance, Riewoldt, Cotchin, Martin, Lloyd

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Richmond: Hampson (left thigh), Astbury (left ankle)

Reports: Scott Lycett for striking Ty Vickery in the second quarter.

Umpires: Stevic, Hosking, Fleer

Official crowd: 38,860 at the Domain Stadium

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A BLISTERING opening half from West Coast set up a crushing 68-point win over Richmond, a result certain to send the Tigers into further turmoil.

The Eagles celebrated the 30th anniversary of their first VFL game on Friday night in style, winning 18.17 (125) to 9.3 (57) at Domain Stadium. 

The game was played almost exclusively in the Eagles' forward half in the opening term, as their pressure and precision ball use punished the Tigers time and time again as the visitors failed to run it out of defence by either hand or foot.

Richmond managed just eight inside 50s in the opening half. It was only the fourth time a team had been kept to single figures for inside 50s in an opening half since 2000.

By contrast, West Coast had 36 inside 50s and 23 scoring shots, and only the Eagles’ inaccuracy kept the half-time margin to 54 points.

The home side lost star midfielder Matt Priddis pre-game due to a groin strain, but his absence was hardly noticed.

Andrew Gaff (33 disposals and four score assists) and Luke Shuey (22 disposals and two goals) ran riot in the midfield. Jack Darling kicked four goals and Elliot Yeo had a night out with 25 touches, nine marks and 2.4.

Alex Rance fought bravely in defence against Josh Kennedy, winning the majority of the one-on-one battles and collecting 26 disposals and 11 marks himself. Jack Riewoldt played a lone hand up forward kicking four goals from limited opportunities.

The Tigers struggles were compounded with an injury to Shaun Hampson. He came into the game as the main ruckman for the Tigers after Ivan Maric needed more game-time in the VFL. Hampson copped a heavy cork to his left thigh and struggled to move in the second term before sitting out the second half.

Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett dominated the ruck all night as a result and it allowed the Eagles to play the game on their terms.

Lycett will face a nervous wait this week after being reported for striking Ty Vickery. The Eagles’ big man engaged in some push and shove, but landed a left jab on Vickery's chin that is certain to be heavily scrutinised by the Match Review Panel.

MEDICAL ROOM
West Coast: Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis was withdrawn pre-game due to a groin strain. They escaped without any other concerns.   

Richmond: Hampson suffered a heavy cork to his left thigh in the first half and spent the entire second half on the bench with ice strapped to his thigh. David Astbury rolled his left ankle in the last quarter and had to be helped from the ground.

NEXT UP
The Eagles travel to Sydney for a blockbuster with the Swans next Saturday afternoon at the SCG. The Tigers face Melbourne in a must-win match at the MCG on Sunday night.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-15/match-report-dominant-eagles-savage-outofform-tigers

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Five talking points: West Coast v Richmond

AFL.com.au
16 April 2016


1. Eagles put the game to bed early
It was a barnstorming start from a team that only fell at the final hurdle in 2015. In the first half they strangled Richmond, restricting the visitors to just eight inside 50s – a feat only achieved in the first half of an AFL game three times this millennium (and all three of them by Ross Lyon’s Fremantle team). Richmond made the most of their limited opportunities to kick three goals. Up the other end, West Coast went inside their 50m arc on 36 occasions, but kicked a wayward 10.13 for the half. If not for the poor kicking on goal, it would have been a perfect start for the home side. While the Eagles simply traded goals with Richmond in the second half, it was clear they had put their collective cue in their rack. The home supporters might have expected more against a team that was missing both its main ruckman (Ivan Maric) and its talismanic midfielder (Brett Delidio), not to mention the injuries suffered by backup ruckman Shaun Hampson and David Astbury, but West Coast finally signalled its intentions for 2016 with a dominant performance. Tests against the Sydney Swans and Geelong await them in the next three weeks.


2. No Deledio, no Richmond. No Priddis, no problems
Much has been made of Richmond’s record when Brett Deledio has been out of the side. Since 2008, the star midfielder has missed 15 games through injury and Richmond has won just three of those – twice against Brisbane and once against Carlton, the latter victory coming in the club’s first game of 2016. It’s an unenviable record and Tigers fans will be desperate for him to come back into the side for next week’s game against Melbourne. Likewise, Eagles supporters will be eager to see ball magnet Matt Priddis return for next Saturday’s game against the Sydney Swans at the SCG. But West Coast has not fared badly in games Priddis hasn't played in. Since 2012, he has missed four games and West Coast have now won all of them, including last year’s qualifying final against eventual premiers Hawthorn.


3. Should Ivan Maric have played?
Damien Hardwick decided not to risk Ivan Maric for the match against West Coast despite his ruckman having played about three-quarters of a VFL game in his comeback from injury last week. It was a decision he must have regretted. Going into the match, he would have been hoping Shaun Hampson could compete with Nic Naitanui and his understudy Scott Lycett, at least enough to blunt their influence. But an injury to Hampson’s left thigh made it almost impossible for him to even contest in the ruck, his limp becoming more noticeable as the first half wore on. Hampson didn’t take the field after half-time, leaving Ty Vickery as the lone Richmond ruckman. Needless to say, West Coast dominated in the ruck.

4. Lycett's moment of madness
Perhaps someone should tell the West Coast big man that throwing a jumper punch requires you to hit your target using the hand holding the jumper. Instead, Lycett had a handful of Vickery’s jumper with one hand and punched him with the other in the second quarter. The umpire was all of two metres away and had no hesitation in awarding a 50-metre penalty and reporting Lycett. It’s not often these days that a player blatantly punches another during a push-and-shove. And while coach Adam Simpson would likely be upset with his big charge, he might have to take some of the blame for this one. During the week, Simpson urged the West Coast crowd to get stuck into Vickery over an incident in 2014 in which he knocked Dean Cox unconscious. Still, that comment was aimed at the pro-Eagles crowd, not Lycett.

5. Rioli the main link to history
It was West Coast’s big 30-year celebration and the fixture against Richmond was designed to honour the home side’s first ever VFL/AFL game back in 1987. But there were sadly no obvious familial connections between the side West Coast fielded in their first ever game and the side that took the field this weekend. Sure, Jamie Cripps is a cousin of Eagles original Chris Mainwaring, but Mainwaring didn’t play in the first game of 1987. The closest, and most obvious, connection was actually between players who wore yellow and black. Maurice Rioli had 27 possessions for Richmond in the 1987 game and his great nephew Daniel showed excellent poise around goals to kick a couple of majors from limited opportunities in the 30th anniversary game.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-04-15/five-talking-points-west-coast-v-richmond

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Electric Eagles thump deplorable Tigers

Herald-Sun
16 April 2016


CROWD villain Ty Vickery copped a punch to the face, but it was the whole Richmond team left with figurative blood noses as the Tigers’ season plunged new depths with a crushing loss to West Coast.

The Eagles continued to steady their season with the 68-point belting of a hapless Richmond at Subiaco Oval last night, setting the Tigers on course for a season-defining Anzac eve meeting with Melbourne at the MCG next Sunday night.

The game might have been a mismatch but it exploded to life late in the second term when Eagles ruckman Scott Lycett was reported for striking Vickery with his left fist.

Lycett, who might have forgot a jumper punch needs to be performed with the same hand, had the big Tiger’s guernsey with his right hand and let fly with his left directly in front of the umpire.

It wasn’t delivered with anywhere near the force that Vickery used to knock out Dean Cox at the same ground two years ago, but the incident still spells trouble for West Coast’s second ruckman.

Lycett faces at least one week on the sidelines and is set to miss next week’s meeting with former teammate Callum Sinclair when the Eagles hit the road to face Sydney.

The Eagles did the damage in the first half, despite not taking their chances in front of goal.

Having left out Matt Priddis, there was a host of willing workers ready to pick up the slack.

West Coast’s 54-point lead at the major break came after its on-ball brigade, led superbly by Luke Shuey, Andrew Gaff and Elliot Yeo, feasted on the dominance of Nic Naitanui over an incapacitated Shaun Hampson.

The numbers were ugly for the Tigers, who were restricted to a paltry eight inside 50 entries for the first half.

The home side piled on 23 scoring shots to four across the first two quarters, with the ledger ending up at 35-12 for the night.

The West Coast midfielders feasted on the dominance of Nic Naitanui over an incapacitated Shaun Hampson to assume control.

Hampson, who dragged his left leg around the field and could barely manage a slow jog, was little more than a step ladder for Naitanui as the Eagles dominated the first-half clearance (22-11) and contested ball (68-46) counts.

Hampson sat out the second half, with ice on his left thigh, but the visitors enjoyed a better period to start the third term with Vickery taking over in the ruck.

Jack Riewoldt fought on and finished with four goals, but all came in the second half when the game was done.

Ivan Maric is on track to return for Richmond against the Demons, but at 1-3 the Tigers are already in a hole that will take some climbing out of.

An ankle injury to David Astbury in the final term added to Damien Hardwick’s worries.

If Richmond fans are already tempted to give up on this season, Daniel Rioli at least gave them something to look forward to in the future.

Rioli’s second goal midway through the third term came after he shrugged tackles from Sam Butler and Chris Masten, bounced back to his feet and snapped truly over his shoulder.

It was a rare good moment for the Tigers.

WEST COAST 6.8 10.13 13.16 18.17 (125)

RICHMOND 2.0 3.1 6.3 9.3 (57)

GOALS

West Coast: Darling 4, Yeo 2, Kennedy 2, Shuey 2, Hutchings 2, LeCras 2, Hill, Redden, Jetta, Lycett

Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Rioli 2, Lloyd 2, K Lambert

BEST

West Coast: Shuey, Gaff, Yeo, McGovern, Darling, Naitanui, Lycett.

Richmond: Rance, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Martin, McIntosh.

VOTES

3. Luke Shuey (WCE)

2. Andrew Gaff (WCE)

1. Elliot Yeo (WCE)

Umpires: Matt Stevic, Brendan Hosking, Craig Fleer.

Official Crowd: 38,860 at Subiaco Oval

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/west-coast-eagles-defeat-richmond-by-68-points-round-4-2016-at-subiaco-oval/news-story/de3a52436592575a9857a931510b15e3

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Tigers fail to step up again as Eagles soar

Brad Elborough
The Age
16 April 2016

WEST COAST 6.8 10.13 13.16 18.17 (125)
RICHMOND    2.0    3.1    6.3     9.3 (57)

Goals:
West Coast: J Darling 4, E Yeo 2, J Kennedy 2, L Shuey 2, M Hutchings 2, M LeCras 2, J Hill, J Redden, L Jetta, S Lycett.
Richmond: J Riewoldt 4, D Rioli 2, S Lloyd 2, K Lambert.

BEST
West Coast: E Yeo, L Shuey, A Gaff, S Lycett, J Darling, B Sheppard.
Richmond: J Riewoldt, T Cotchin, A Rance, S Grigg, D Martin, K McIntosh.

Umpires: Matt Stevic, Brendan Hosking, Craig Fleer.
Official Crowd: 38,860 at Domain Stadium.

After watching West Coast beat Richmond by 68 points on Friday night, Eagle fans will again be beginning to believe their side is on the way to another grand final appearance.

Tigers fans, however, will be questioning just how far away they really are from tasting glory.

It's going to be a tough week for Damien Hardwick and his club. Hardwick, who said this week the Tigers might need to take a step back before they could take two step forwards, would have struggled to identify any progress. Indeed, the visitors struggled to get into their attacking 50.

After losses to Collingwood and Adelaide in the previous two weeks, Richmond was demolished by last year's runners-up at Domain Stadium.

And injuries to David Astbury (leg) and Shaun Hampson (calf and thigh) provide more headaches for Hardwick going into their round-five clash with Melbourne.

The final margin was even flattering for the Tigers.

Richmond had been inside their attacking 50 only eight times in the first half to the Eagles' 36 and the home side was inaccurate in the front of goal, with 10.13 to 3.1 on the board.

Two of those Richmond goals were kicked only because West Coast defenders – Josh Hill and Jackson Nelson – fumbled deep in defence, and Lambert and Daniel Rioli were in the right place at the right time.

The Eagles were without Brownlow medallist Matthew Priddis, who pulled out before the game because of a thigh  injury. Richmond should surely have made the same call on Hampson. The ruckman has carried a calf injury in the early rounds and by early in the second quarter against the Eagles he could barely walk – his thigh also was heavily bandaged. West Coast face a tough task next week, with a trip to the SCG to meet Sydney. But they'll go with confidence.

Elliot Yeo made the most of Priddis being out, with 25 possessions, seven clearances and 2.4, while Luke Shuey (eight clearances) and Andrew Gaff (33 touches) also had plenty of the ball.

The big find for the Eagles though was ruckman Scott Lycett, who finished with one goals and had 14 touches.

He may not be available to play the Swans, though, as he was reported for striking Ty Vickery in the head in the second quarter – and it will be difficult for him to argue a way out of. Vickery had just gone into the ruck to relieve Hampson and got under the skin of the Eagles players. He was already drawing the attention of Eagles fans, who clearly remember his strike on Dean Cox in the same clash two seasons ago.

With the Eagles celebrating their 30th anniversary on Friday night, Cox may have bought Lycett a cheeky beer at the after-match function.

At that celebrations would also have been Murray Rance, the second of the club's captains. His son Alex was pretty good against his old side, playing on the Coleman medallist Josh Kennedy and keeping him to 2.3.

Trent Cotchin was also pretty good for the Tigers, with 29 possessions, while Jack Riewoldt finally got some reward for his effort in the second half, with four goals.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/afl-season-2016-tigers-fail-to-step-up-again-as-eagles-soar-20160415-go7tc6.html