Dogs put dagger through Tigers’ finals hopes as Pickett clashes with patronDamien Ractliffe
The Age
August 4, 2023 — 11.47pmRichmond’s finals aspirations hang by a thread after the Western Bulldogs ambushed the Tigers at Marvel Stadium and shored up their run for the top eight with a 55-point win.
Nine of the first 10 goals went to the Bulldogs, who left the Tigers with too much to do to try and overcome a 44-point quarter-time deficit.
The equation for the Tigers to play finals is not so simple. Even if they win their last three matches - against the Saints, Kangaroos and Power - they’ll need some results to go their way to play finals.
The Dogs, however, can effectively guarantee their spot in the top eight with wins over Hawthorn and West Coast in the next fortnight, to take the pressure off a round 24 meeting with Geelong.
On Friday night, they won 19.12 (126) to 10.11 (71).
Across the park, the Dogs had more contributors en route to their biggest score and biggest winning margin of the year.
Adam Treloar arguably produced his best game of the season, with Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore continuing the form that will keep them in All-Australian discussions, while Jamarra Ugle-Hagan kicked four first-quarter goals to take his season tally into the 30s.
Richmond, already without Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin who were managed off the five-day break, copped a blow before the first bounce with Dylan Grimes a late omission with a neck injury.
But it was in the midfield where the Tigers were belted in the first 30 minutes, as the Dogs piled on 9.3 from 22 entries.
The Tigers lifted their pressure in the second quarter but remained 42 points in arrears at half-time, and when Bontempelli kicked the first of the second half midway through the third to open up a 50-point margin, the result was a fait accompli.
“It’s a really encouraging night,” Dogs coach Luke Beveridge said.
“Obviously in that first quarter there was some great overlap and some run out of our back end that we probably haven’t had for a chunk of the year.
“We had a lot of contributors, especially early. I loved the way our key forwards played, but in the second and third quarter when the game was reasonably static ... he [Bontempelli] went forward and caused them some concerns. He had another outstanding night.”
Concussion spotlightOn the same day Port Adelaide were fined $100,000 for breaching the AFL’s concussion protocols for not testing defender Aliir Aliir before sending him back on to the ground last week, Richmond took absolutely no risks with Jacob Hopper, who clashed heads with Treloar in the second quarter of Friday night’s match.
Hopper slowly got up and stayed on the ground, but after assessing the footage, Richmond’s interchange staff lit up their LCD board to urge the former Giant to come from the ground.
The doctor then ran out to Hopper at the next break in play to escort him off the field, and he was taken down the race to the rooms, before being subbed out of the contest before half-time.
Treloar came off best in the clash and had no issues playing out the match.
Anthony Scott was later involved in a heavy collision with teammate Bontempelli and came to the bench, and was subbed out for Arthur Jones just before three-quarter time.
Fan reaches over fenceThe AFL is certain to investigate an incident in the third quarter involving a spectator and Tigers midfielder Marlion Pickett.
Pickett found himself near the fence behind the goals, when a spectator stood up and reached over the fence and patted Pickett on the back while exchanging some words with the player.
Pickett appeared to note the incident to the Tigers’ football manager Tim Livingstone at three-quarter time.
Tigers coach Andrew McQualter said he hadn’t spoken to Pickett about the incident prior to his post-match press conference.
“It shouldn’t happen,” he said.
“We love fans in our game, and they’re so critical to our game, but our players should never ever be touched when they’re on the football field.
“It’s disappointing that happened.”
Another three votes?Three goals for Bontempelli, all in the third quarter, and likely another three Brownlow votes for the Bulldogs skipper.
The 27-year-old’s best finish in the Brownlow came in 2021 when he was runner-up in a thrilling count behind Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines.
If Nick Daicos hasn’t already wrapped up the Charlie, then Bontempelli appears one of the main challengers with a month to run in the home and away season.
McQualter said he tried a three players on Bontempelli, including Pickett, but the Dogs’ star was simply too good.
“He might just be the best player in the comp at the moment, I think. He’s just a special player,” McQualter said of Bontempelli, who had 32 disposals and 10 clearances.
“The way he’s able to hurt you in different ways is a challenge we had. We tried quite a few things but ultimately he was a bit too good for us tonight.”
Christian Petracca, Daicos and Bontempelli were the only players who had amassed more than 100 votes in The Age’s Footballer Of The Year count at the end of round 20.
VOTES:8 - Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
8 - Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs)
7 - Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs)
7 - Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (Western Bulldogs)
6 - Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/marcus-bontempelli-stars-again-as-dogs-put-dagger-through-tigers-finals-hopes-20230804-p5du3n.html
