Media articles & stats: Tigers take care of Bombers in Dreamtime dismantling

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Tigers take care of fired-up Bombers in Dreamtime dismantling

An under-the-pump Essendon takes the fight up to Richmond but ultimately falls short

By Josh Gabelich
afl.com.au
21 May 2022 10:30pm

RICHMOND    2.3    7.5    9.12   11.14 (80)
ESSENDON     1.2    3.3    6.3     7.6 (48)

GOALS 
Richmond:  Riewoldt 4, M. Rioli 2, Bolton 2, Castagna, Edwards, Soldo
Essendon:  Hobbs2, Francis, Bryan, Shiel, Waterman, Perkins

BEST   
Richmond: Prestia, Baker, Riewoldt, Short, Nankervis, D.Rioli, Tarrant, Vlastuin
Essendon:  Parish, Redman, Merrett, Laverde, Heppell, Reid

INJURIES 
Richmond:  Lambert (hip), Lynch (hamstring)
Essendon: Perkins, Shiel (calf), Guelfi

SUBSTITUTES 
Richmond:   Jake Aarts replaced Kane Lambert in the third quarter
Essendon:  Tex Wanganeen replaced Matt Guelfi in the fourth quarter

Reports: Mason Redman (Essendon) reported for striking Dion Prestia (Richmond) in the second quarter

Crowd: 70,226

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DREAMTIME is back at the MCG and Richmond is almost daring to dream again.

The centrepiece game of Sir Doug Nicholls Round returned to the home of football for the first time since the show was taken on the road amid the coronavirus pandemic, travelling to TIO Stadium in Darwin in 2020 before stopping in Perth's Optus Stadium last year.

The Tigers banked a fourth consecutive win and ensured Essendon’s week from hell ended with another loss.

But it could come at a cost for Richmond, with two premiership stars – Tom Lynch and Kane Lambert – both sitting out the final quarter with injury concerns as the Tigers strolled to a 32-point win in front of 70,226 people.

TIGERS V BOMBERS Full match details and stats

After a week of forensic analysis of the Essendon Football Club, from the big names to the board and everything in between, Ben Rutten's side played with a renewed level of spirit and energy from the opening bounce that was typified by a brilliant chase-down tackle by Mason Redman on Shai Bolton in the opening quarter.

But it was never enough to trouble Damien Hardwick's men.

Essendon laid only 30 tackles against Sydney last weekend – its lowest tackle count since round 14, 2005 – but had 20 on the board at the first break on Saturday night, nine more than Richmond. It continued this theme throughout the match, but couldn’t execute a gameplan that could break down the workmanlike Tigers, who are starting to build into a premiership threat again.

The Bombers finished with 63 tackles – 12 more than their opposition – and won clearances and centre clearances by two each to remain within touching distance for much of the contest, but they couldn’t pierce the Tigers back six, with returning veteran Robbie Tarrant shutting out Peter Wright.

Just when it looked like Richmond almost had a clean bill of health – only missing Noah Balta and Jack Graham – Lambert was substituted out of the game just before three-quarter time due to hip soreness, while Lynch sat out the final quarter due to a hamstring issue that could hurt his Coleman Medal chances.

The All-Australian started the round at the top of the goalkicking leader board, before Carlton star Charlie Curnow leapfrogged him by kicking a bag of six on Friday night.

With Lynch having an off night in front of goal, kicking 0.4 before he exited the game late in the third quarter, triple Coleman Medallist Jack Riewoldt was the star of the show inside 50, finishing with 4.2 and dishing off a couple of others in a superb performance by the veteran Tiger.

Star midfielder Dion Prestia dominated from the opening bounce to win the Yiooken Award for best on ground, finishing with 36 disposals and six clearances in a dominant display, while Liam Baker (30 disposals and six tackles) and Jayden Short (29 disposals and nine marks) were both enormous for the Tigers.

Maurice Rioli Jnr. ensured his first Dreamtime appearance was a memorable one, producing two magic moments in the second quarter in a performance that would have made his famous father – 1982 Norm Smith Medal winner Maurice Rioli snr – incredibly proud. Rioli's nephew, Daniel Rioli, also starred for the Tigers amassing a personal best 26 disposals to continue to shine off half-back.

Essendon recovered from a 2-6 start to roar home and reach September in 2021, but that won't happen this year. The Bombers are now 2-8, a world away from the excitement that built en route to that elimination final appearance in Launceston last year.

REDMAN IN MRO TROUBLE?
Essendon defender Mason Redman will come under scrutiny from the MRO after elbowing Dion Prestia in the throat in the second quarter. Redman was reported on the spot by the umpire for the off-the-ball incident. Richmond players made their feelings known in the closing stages of the quarter. Jack Riewoldt might also get a please explain for a tripping incident in the last quarter.

MORE HIP CONCERNS FOR LAMBERT
Just when it looked like Kane Lambert was back in business after overcoming a hip injury that threatened to end his career at the start of this year, the triple premiership star was substituted out of the game with hip soreness. It has been a week-to-week proposition for Lambert, with Damien Hardwick recently revealing that most other players wouldn’t still be playing under this duress.

ROBBIE TARRANT RETURNS
When Richmond’s list managers coaxed Robbie Tarrant from North Melbourne during last October's trade period, it signalled the Tigers' intentions in 2022. Not many expected Tarrant to spend a fortnight in the VFL in the opening half of the season, but after earning another opportunity for the Dreamtime game, the 33-year-old proved he can still play a big role for this side in 2022.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/764184/tigers-take-care-of-fired-up-bombers-in-dreamtime-dismantling

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Push and shove match: Tigers show their class over battling Bombers

Peter Ryan
The Age
May 21, 2022 — 10.32pm

Richmond stretched their winning streak over Essendon to 12 as they recorded their eighth consecutive Dreamtime win against a determined but ill-equipped opposition, who remain anchored near the bottom of the ladder after losing by 32 points.

The win, however, did not come for free, with Tom Lynch suffering a left hamstring injury and Kane Lambert subbed out with a sore hip, having battled a problem in that area all season.

The Bombers came out with intent, laying 20 tackles in the first quarter, an indication that the warranted criticism they received for their insipid performance against Sydney had stung.

But they were simply not good enough to match the Tigers once they settled into their game, with Richmond reeling off five unanswered goals after Essendon’s Mason Redman missed a set shot that resulted from a brilliant tackle on Shai Bolton and a subsequent 50-metre penalty.

Jack Riewoldt kick-started Richmond, handing Shane Edwards the first goal of the game after taking a mark inside 50 before he kicked his own from another mark close to goal. The veteran is having an outstanding season as he pushes his way past some of the game’s greats inside the top 20 goalkickers of all time.

With Lynch alongside him, the Tigers had targets whereas Essendon had none. Everything went wrong for Peter Wright, who was unable to mark the football as he has on other occasions this season. By three-quarter time Richmond had taken eight contested marks in their forward half and Essendon had kicked none.

If Riewoldt or Lynch didn’t mark, then ground level players Jason Castagna, Dustin Martin and Maurice Rioli Jr were dangerous.

Rioli Jr kicked his first and second Dreamtime goals in the second quarter, with his presence around the ball lifting the crowd in the way retired small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti did during his 126-game career with Essendon.

Rioli Jr is skilful enough to sneak through small gaps when he has the ball. When opposition defenders win ground balls, they know he is lurking which forces them to rush their disposal. He will improve Richmond which is a worry for the rest of the competition as the Tigers have now strung four wins on the trot.

Essendon won’t worry too many opponents this season as they aren’t good enough.

Essendon, on the other hand, won’t worry too many opponents this season as they aren’t good enough.

Opponents can too easily run the ball from deep into defence into their attack while the Bombers only looked like generating scores when they took the game on at half-back and moved the ball quickly. Their midfield group still gather disposals that don’t hurt the opposition much although with young players on every line they have not enough talent around them.

At least they responded to the criticism with Andy McGrath taking the opportunity to fly the flag and confront Lynch when he cannoned into the back of his teammate Matt Guelfi.

It was genuine from McGrath but the lack of Essendon players with a physical presence is obvious, particularly in colours once renowned for ruthlessness. Even when Redman tried to remind his opponent he was around, he was reported for elbowing Dion Prestia.

The game descended into a push and shove match about as productive as an argument on the Jerry Springer show.

The Bombers stayed in touch with the first two goals of the third quarter as the game descended into a push and shove match about as productive as an argument on the Jerry Springer show.

They hung in there as the Tigers blew chances to push the lead beyond reach with Lynch the main culprit kicking four behinds before three quarter-time. It was up to Riewoldt, in his 313th game - now second to Kevin Bartlett on the Tigers’ games list after passing Jack Dyer - to steady the ship when the Bombers drew within three goals.

His poise was handy as the Tigers were down to three men on the bench, but Robbie Tarrant stood tall when the Bombers challenged with two key defensive marks. Eventually, the Tigers ran the ball down the outer wing for Bolton to seal the match with his second goal. Liam Baker, Daniel Rioli and Prestia were outstanding.

Richmond’s 50-metre habit
The Tigers’ lack of discipline has bitten them before, but they keep on conceding more 50m penalties than any other team. Admittedly, it’s not hard to give away a 50m penalty nowadays, but there were few excuses for the six Richmond conceded against Essendon. At one stage, Bolton just placed the ball at his feet rather than giving it back to his opponent. That’s easy to fix if they are prepared to do so.

Goals
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Bolton 2, Maurice Rioli Jr 2, Edwards, Castagna, Soldo.
Essendon: Hobbs 2, Francis, Perkins, Shiel, Bryan, Waterman.

Best
Richmond: Bolton, Baker, Daniel Rioli, Prestia, Vlastuin, Nankervis, Riewoldt.
Essendon: Parish, Redman, McGrath.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/push-and-shove-match-lynch-injured-as-tigers-overcome-battling-bombers-20220521-p5anba.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true