Media articles & stats: Pickett the hero as Tigers deny Giants in a thriller

[one-eyed]

Pickett the hero as Tigers deny Giants in a thriller

Richmond has snatched victory from Greater Western Sydney in the final minute

By Riley Beveridge
afl.com.au
4 June 2023

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY     2.4     6.9      8.12       15.14 (104)
RICHMOND                              6.4     9.4     11.10      16.14 (110)

GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Greene 3, Briggs 2, Riccardi, Brown, Hogan, O'Halloran, Callaghan, Daniels, Ward, Bedford, Cadman, Fahey
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Clarke 2, Pickett 2, Taranto, Mansell, Bolton, Graham, McIntosh, Ryan, Prestia

BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Green, Ward, Callaghan, Ash, Whitfield, Bedford
Richmond: Riewoldt, Taranto, Bolton, Prestia, Short, Martin

INJURIES
Greater Western Sydney: Daniels (hamstring)
Richmond: Grimes (shoulder)

SUBSTITUTES
Greater Western Sydney: Fahey (replaced Daniels in the third quarter)
Richmond: Cumberland (replaced Mansell in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: TBC at Giants Stadium

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RICHMOND has experienced a moment of Marlion magic against the Giants before.

Having already witnessed his special Grand Final debut back in 2019, the Tigers faithful perhaps could have foreseen what would eventuate when Marlion Pickett was bearing down on goal with the ball in his possession amid a dramatic clash that was all square with 24 seconds remaining on Sunday.

Of course, Pickett kicked truly and in doing so snatched a thrilling 16.14 (110) to 15.14 (104) victory from the hands of Greater Western Sydney to notch Andrew McQualter's first triumph as an AFL coach and keep Richmond's slim finals hopes alive. The Giants, as was the case four years ago, were left stunned.

Tigers veteran Jack Riewoldt was sensational in the remarkable win. He also wound back the years, kicking five goals from 15 disposals and eight marks to spearhead the upset. Tim Taranto, playing against his old side for the first time, was also a commanding presence and finished with 35 disposals, nine clearances and a goal.

The Giants had taken the lead with just three minutes left to play. Led by Tom Green (35 disposals, eight clearances) and Callan Ward (32 disposals, one goal), the young side had battled hard and thought they had secured a second successive win when Kieren Briggs just managed to squeeze his shot home in the dying stages.

But, this time, it proved not to be. Dion Prestia levelled the scores almost instantly, before Pickett somehow stepped through traffic, steadied on his left foot, and slotted home calmly to the delirium of the travelling fans. Although still two games from the top-eight, it ensured Richmond's season is not done yet.

The game had initially appeared as though it would be a battle of efficiency. Where the Giants had been profligate early, managing three of the first four scoring shots but registering only three behinds, the Tigers made the most of their chances. They kicked 10 scores from 12 entries to quarter-time, taking a 24-point lead at the first change.

Riewoldt was at the centre of the side's early surge. Having kicked two goals from strong marks himself in the first quarter, the 34-year-old then unselfishly put one on a plate for Jack Graham to start the second term as the visitors' advantage grew even further. They were ominous signs for the hosts.

The Giants needed a circuit-breaker, and some luck. Three of their next four scoring shots would hit the post – adding to the frustrating sense of wastefulness – before hope started to arrive in droves. Four straight goals, topped off by Finn Callaghan's long-range bomb, eventually reduced the deficit to single digits just before half time.

In a match full of momentum swings, some parity eventually broke out in the third term as both sides battled for control and any sort of edge. The result, for the most part, was an ugly stalemate as Richmond retained a handy 16-point buffer while also squandering a host of chances to build on its advantage.

The Giants needed their leaders to stand up and, in a timely fashion, they did. Toby Greene produced two unique finishes around goal, Ward kicked truly on the run, while exciting recruit Toby Bedford streamed through the middle and converted his own work to whittle the deficit away to a solitary point.

A dramatic clash was screaming out for heroes and found two unlikely ones. Giants substitute Josh Fahey first put the hosts in front, belting home from beyond 50m for his first AFL goal, before Richmond youngster Judson Clarke responded with an equally impressive strike just moments later to regain the lead for the Tigers.

With the scores level, Briggs dump-kicked out of a stoppage to seemingly give the hosts a win to savour. But a response from Prestia, and the match-winner from Pickett, stunned the home crowd and ensured Richmond's slim hopes of a September return still burn.

https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/4891#match-report

[one-eyed]

A massive day for ‘Mini’: McQualter’s first victory clinched from a Pickett sealer

Marc McGowan
The Age
June 4, 2023

Only four days after this year’s mid-season draft, the fairytale story out of the 2019 equivalent delivered two clutch moments on his left boot to deliver Richmond a stunning six-point victory over Greater Western Sydney on Sunday.

Pickett, who made his AFL debut in the Tigers’ grand final demolition of the Giants in 2019, set up Dion Prestia for a goal inside the last three minutes before slotting the match-winner himself on the run in the final 30 seconds.

It was a remarkable finish to a thrilling contest in which the teams combined for 31 goals, after substitute Josh Fahey then ruckman Kieren Briggs twice gave GWS the lead with brilliant goals in the final quarter.

The result handed caretaker coach Andrew “Mini” McQualter his first triumph in his second game in charge since replacing triple-premiership coach Damien Hardwick, while ex-Giant Tim Taranto (36 disposals) was superb in his first match against his old side.

Prestia was Richmond’s other standout midfielder and combined with Taranto to win 15 clearances, while Shai Bolton’s relentless running was important and defenders Dylan Grimes and Noah Balta did sterling jobs on Toby Greene and Jesse Hogan, respectively.

They had lost their past two games by a combined 11 points and the victory keeps their finals hopes alive.

The Tigers were a game-high 29 points clear early in the second quarter thanks to a six-goals-to-two opening term, including veteran forward Jack Riewoldt kicking two of his five goals in a throwback performance.

But they largely spent the afternoon hanging on for dear life as GWS dominated territory, then had to twice snatch back the advantage after conceding a barrage of inside-50s.

Grimes blanketed Greene for most of the day, but the Giants’ star captain intervened with three goals either side of three-quarter time – plus a key goal assist – to spark his side’s comeback.

Adam Kingsley’s men will rue not only their poor start but also their inability to capitalise on having 23 more inside-50s than Richmond, while not defending the Tigers’ entries well enough. They have lost seven games by 21 points or fewer this year.

“It’s disappointing [because] I felt like we had plenty of chances. The game was played the way we wanted it to play,” Kingsley said.

“There were some things we needed to do better, clearly, but, all in all, I was pretty happy with the game – just not the result. I thought we allowed them to score too easily, and they capitalised really well.”

Tom Green, whose grandfather Michael played in four premierships for the Tigers, was excellent for GWS with 35 disposals, 15 contested possessions, eight clearances, eight inside-50s, and 10 score involvements.

Lachie Ash, Lachie Whitfield and Callan Ward also had 30-plus touches, and rising star Finn Callaghan and Toby Bedford were critical contributors as well.

Roaring out of the blocks
Richmond entered the game as the competition’s least-efficient team in scoring from inside-50s, but reversed that trend in spectacular fashion in the opening term.

Riewoldt kick-started the Tigers’ onslaught with the game’s first goal, then another soon after, as the visitors piled on six goals – all from stoppages – and 10 scoring shots from only 12 inside-50s.

They went to quarter-time with a 24-point edge as a result, and were still 13 points up at half-time despite having 10 fewer inside-50s than the Giants but the same number of scoring shots.

It also helped that Richmond kicked 10 goals from their first 11 set shots (before a pair of Riewoldt misses).

Another soft-tissue setback
A despondent Brent Daniels hobbled from the field not long before the main break, and the Giants confirmed they were subbing the small forward out with a right hamstring strain.

Daniels sat out the entire 2022 season with persistent hamstring issues before heading to the United States in September to find some answers at the School of Medicine and Public Health at the University of Wisconsin.

The 24-year-old had played all bar one game this season, including being managed in round five, so this latest setback – even while considered on the minor end – would be bitterly disappointing.

Daniels started the game well, too, with seven disposals, a goal, two tackles, and five score involvements.

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GWS           2.4  6.9   8.12   15.14 (104)
RICHMOND  6.4  9.4  11.10  16.14 (110)

GOALS
Giants: Greene 3, Briggs 2, Riccardi, Brown, Hogan, O’Halloran, Callaghan, Daniels, Ward, Bedford, Cadman, Fahey.
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Clarke 2, Pickett 2, Taranto, Mansell, Bolton, Graham, McIntosh, Ryan, Prestia.

BEST
Giants: Green, Ash, Ward, Whitfield, Briggs, Bedford, Callaghan.
Richmond: Taranto, Riewoldt, Grimes, Prestia, Bolton, Balta.

INJURIES
Giants: Daniels (hamstring).
Richmond: Grimes (shoulder).

UMPIRES: Stevic, Gavine, Hosking, Meredith.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/pickett-kicks-match-winner-as-tigers-nab-thrilling-win-over-giants-20230604-p5ddss.html