Media articles & stats: Tigers tear Eagles to shreds in 109-point shellacking

[one-eyed]

Tigers tear Eagles to shreds in 109-point shellacking

Richmond turned Optus Stadium into Tigerland, piling on goals to smash West Coast

By Ben Somerford
afl.com.au
30 April 2022

WEST COAST        1.2       2.4       4.7        8.8 (56)
RICHMOND           7.3      12.7     18.11     25.15 (165)

GOALS 
West Coast: Kennedy 4, Strnadica, Ryan, Darling, Kelly
Richmond: Lynch 7, Riewoldt 4, Bolton 3, M.Rioli 3, McIntosh 3, Castagna 2, Prestia, Soldo, Nankervis

BEST 
West Coast: Kennedy, Redden, Duggan, Clark
Richmond: Short, Lynch, Bolton, Lambert, Vlastuin, Nankervis

INJURIES 
West Coast: Rioli (hamstring)
Richmond: Prestia (ankle)

LATE CHANGES
West Coast: Tom Barrass (hamstring) replaced in selected by Hugh Dixon
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES 
West Coast: Andrew Gaff (replaced Willie Rioli at half-time)
Richmond: Jack Ross (replaced Dion Prestia in the third quarter)

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WEST Coast's nightmare season has gone from bad to worse after suffering its biggest-ever loss at Optus Stadium and heaviest defeat since 2008, going down by 109 points to Richmond on Friday night.

The Eagles have endured numerous injuries to key players and a raft of players entering health and safety protocols this season, compounding their challenges but their recent run is alarming, with the side sliding to 1-6.

The heavy loss – 25.15 (165) to 8.8 (56) - marks the latest thrashing for a West Coast side that is bordering on uncompetitive, having been beaten by 84 points by Port Adelaide and 63 points by Sydney over the previous fortnight.

For the Tigers, the win snaps their two-game losing run and improves their record to 3-4, even without rested veterans Trent Cotchin and Robbie Tarrant plus with Dustin Martin only returning to training earlier in the week.

Tom Lynch marked his 200th AFL game with a seven-goal haul and eight contested marks, while Jack Riewoldt helped himself to four majors.

Shai Bolton kicked three with 30 disposals and 15 score involvements, and Jason Castagna, Maurice Rioli jnr and Kamdyn McIntosh dined out with three majors each. Jayden Short was handed a rare run in the midfield in Cotchin's absence and was outstanding with 31 disposals.

Remarkably Richmond's first 11 goals all came from turnovers, with the Eagles' disconnected ball movement allowing the Tigers to toy with them at times. Richmond kicked 20.8 for the game from turnovers.

Two weeks ago, Sydney blew away the Eagles on Good Friday at the same venue, leading by 58 points at half-time after 20 scoring shots to two, and the Tigers dominated the first half in similar circumstances, opening up a 63-point lead.

West Coast conceded nine consecutive goals for the first time ever at Optus Stadium as the club hit another new low after second-gamer Luka Strnadica kicked his first AFL goal in the first term.

Veteran Josh Kennedy kicked four second-half goals in a rare bright point for the home side while debutant Greg Clark had 24 touches.

It was the Eagles' biggest loss since losing by 135 points to Geelong at Subiaco Oval in 2008. West Coast have now lost its past six games at Optus Stadium and only managed one win in its past nine at home since beating the Tigers at the same venue in June last year.

Spearhead milestones

Lynch reached another milestone in his 200th AFL game, with his second major bringing up his 400th career goal. The former Gold Coast forward had 12 shots on goal for the game, finishing with 7.5. Down the other end, Kennedy's four second-half goals took him to 700 career majors, celebrating in the final quarter despite the side trailing by triple figures. Kennedy becomes the 25th player to reach the 700-goal mark.

Riolis in numbers

Three Riolis appeared in the clash to contrasting fortunes, with West Coast's Willie Rioli subbed off at half-time with a hamstring injury with seven disposals and no goals until that point. Maurice Rioli jnr offered an insight into his potential in his third AFL game with three goals, taking his career tally to five including two in a minute in the third term, while he also had nine score involvements. Daniel Rioli accumulated 23 disposals off half-back.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/750419/tigers-tear-eagles-to-shreds-in-109-point-shellacking

[one-eyed]

Tigers hand West Coast their biggest loss for the season to inflict more pain

Damien Ractliffe
The Age
April 30, 2022

TALKING POINTS
* Richmond led by 63 points at half-time after kicking nine unanswered goals
* Tom Lynch starred for the Tigers, kicking 7.5
* Jayden Short played well in a new role in the midfield
* Willie Rioli (hamstring) and Dion Prestia (ankle) were subbed out of the game
* West Coast’s big loss follows defeats to Sydney (63 points) and Port Adelaide (84 points)

West Coast’s season appears in freefall after a thumping loss to Richmond on Friday night, their third successive loss exceeding 10 goals this season.

The Eagles had just as much football as the Tigers, matching their opponents at the clearances, but struggled to connect with their forward line, taking just two marks inside-50 in the first half.

It was a vastly different story at the other end.

The Tigers, who averaged nine marks a game inside-50 before Friday night, had 15 marks inside their arc to the main break and they led by 63 points. The first-half rout included nine unanswered goals, and had Tom Lynch (3.4) been more accurate, the Tigers could have been further ahead.

Lynch finished with 14 marks and 7.5, and was one of the most influential players on the ground.

Jayden Short’s injection into the Tigers midfield - which was missing Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin - was inspired. The running defender delivered the football on a platter to his forwards, collecting four clearances, five inside-50s and five score involvements in the first half. Shai Bolton was also among Richmond’s best.

The Eagles were a little more competitive in the second half, and took more care with their delivery by foot, racking up marks in a style a lot more resemblant of their 2018 premiership season. But the damage had already been done.

Their only highlight was a milestone goal to Josh Kennedy - his career 700th - midway through the final term which earned him a standing ovation.

The Eagles’ record now reads 1-6. Losses to Gold Coast and North Melbourne early in the season have been compounded by thumpings to Fremantle (55 points), Sydney (63 points), Port Adelaide (84 points) and now Richmond. Their sole win was a spirited victory over Collingwood in round four.

But it doesn’t get any easier in the next two weeks for the Eagles, with matches against Brisbane and Melbourne.

It was an important win for Richmond, however. They move to 3-4 and take a healthy percentage into next week’s blockbuster against Collingwood.

Sharp start

Efficiency was the name of the game in the first quarter for Richmond.

The Tigers have averaged nine marks a game inside-50 this season, but had eight in the first quarter which saw them post seven goals to one, at an efficiency inside-50 of 86.7 per cent. They finished with more than 20 marks inside their 50-metre arc.

What was also evident early was their clear intention to kick more and handball less. They only had 25 handballs in the first term, but had 66 kicks.

Short, in a midfield role, had eight kicks, four clearances, four inside-50s and four score involvements in the opening stanza.

Mixed night for Riolis

Maurice Rioli jnr enjoyed a one-minute patch he won’t forget, when he kicked two goals within 60 seconds in the third term.

It was just his third game at AFL level, but his first of 2022, and he looked sharp in limited time on ground as a genuine small forward.

His first goal was on the run, a lovely finish off a few steps, and his teammates came to him to celebrate, before he soccered a goal from the goal square to put his side further in front.

He then kicked the first goal of the final term.

His nephew Daniel Rioli was also influential for the Tigers. He had 486 metres gained and six score involvements to three-quarter-time.

But the Eagles’ Willie Rioli - cousin of Maurice jnr - had just seven touches before he was subbed out of the match at half-time with a hamstring issue.

Prestia sidelined

He has played just 23 games since the start of the 2020 season, but Dion Prestia’s injury concerns continued on Friday night.

The prolific midfielder was subbed out of the match at three-quarter time with an ankle injury.

It didn’t look too serious, however, with Prestia seemingly in good spirits in the tracksuit jacket.

BEST:
West Coast: J Redden, G Clark, L Shuey, J Kennedy.
Richmond: T Lynch, S Bolton, J Short, K McIntosh, D Rioli, N Vlastuin

VOTES:
8 - Tom Lynch (Richmond)
8 - Shai Bolton (Richmond)
8 - Jayden Short (Richmond)
7 - Kamdyn McIntosh (Richmond)
7 - Daniel Rioli (Richmond)

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-hand-west-coast-their-biggest-loss-for-the-season-to-inflict-more-pain-20220429-p5ah4j.html