West Coast subdue Richmond for win on the road Jake Niall
The Age
June 20, 2015 WEST COAST 4.3 7.6 12.8 13.12 (90)
RICHMOND 4.2 8.3 10.6 10.10 (70)
Goals:
West Coast: J Kennedy 3, J Cripps 2, J Darling 2, M LeCras 2, N Naitanui 2, D Sheed, E Yeo.
Richmond: D Martin 3, T Vickery 2, A Miles, B Deledio, B Griffiths, J Riewoldt, T Cotchin.
BEST:
West Coast: Naitanui, McGovern, Gaff, Priddis, Masten, Yeo, Kennedy.
Richmond: Martin, Ellis, Deledio, Miles, Grimes.
Injuries:
West Coast: C Sinclair (thigh), J Cripps (quad), W Schofield (glute).
Richmond: C Ellis (groin).
Umpires: Shaun Ryan, Ben Ryan, Jeff Dalgleish.
Official Crowd: 45,178 at MCG.
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In a season in which there are a trio of standout teams, Richmond and West Coast have both lately laid claim to being the fourth team, or the side most likely to challenge the top three.
Thus, this shaped as a potentially season-defining contest between teams with serious finals aspirations, and one that also pitted teams of similar capacity, albeit the Eagles had been more consistent and convincing.
So, in one of the season's more revealing matches, an impressive West Coast prevailed and made a compelling case that they are indeed the fourth team, and a genuine bother to the 'Three Amigos' of Fremantle, Hawthorn and Sydney.
The Tigers weren't terrible, and had fits of excellence. They clung tenaciously to the Eagles' tail throughout. But they did not execute their skills well enough to beat a side that deserves its 9-3 record and lofty position.
The difference between the sides was seen most dramatically in West Coast's ability to take intercept marks – not simply in defence. This was due in equal measure to West Coast's intercepting abilities – headed by Jeremy McGovern – and Richmond's miscued kicks.
The match followed a distinct pattern. The Eagles would own the opening periods of quarters and build leads, then the Tigers would respond. Richmond even headed the Eagles at half-time after an impressive flurry in time-on.
But, in this game of spurts, West Coast always answered the Tiger retort. The Eagles literally had the answers. The decisive period was the early part of the third term, when the Eagles booted four goals without reply to build a 23-point lead.
Games such as these are often determined by the influence of each side's better players. On this score, West Coast held an edge. The Tigers' prime movers – Trent Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Jack Riewoldt – were only moderate. Cotchin was quiet.
Only Dustin Martin, who booted three first-half goals, had the kind of impact that the Tigers would have budgeted for from their stars. Brandon Ellis ran hard and collected his usual swag of uncontested balls, but there wasn't enough support.
Conversely, West Coast's astonishing ruckman Nic Naitanui, defender McGovern, running machine Andrew Gaff, the prolific Matt Priddis and talented flanker Elliott Yeo were highly influential and Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling did enough as key forwards.
That Naitanui did not take a single mark did not stop him from being the most influential player afield. His impact at ground-level was also profound. Twice in the match, the Tigers had been on the brink of being overwhelmed and responded emphatically.
But in the third quarter, the Eagles went up another notch – finding fluency and efficiency, and piled on those four consecutive goals – a pair to the redoubtable Kennedy, who had been engaged in an enthralling contest with Alex Rance.
Richmond's greatest failing in this decisive period – and even earlier – was a nasty habit of kicking to the Eagles. McGovern, as ever, was the expert interceptor in the air.
In the opening half, the Eagles seemed to hold a decisive edge in play – in contests, on the spread and in defensive pressure. On occasion, they appeared on the verge of pulling away – leading by more than two goals at the mid-point of the second quarter. Cotchin was unseen, Riewoldt goalless. The Eagles were intercepting Richmond's misdirected attacks too often.
Above all, Ivan Maric looked like a relic of the '70s alongside Naitanui, who treated the Tiger like a ruck bag.
Yet, at half-time – despite seeming to be mainly on the back foot, and hanging on in the first hour – the Tigers had fought and fought and found themselves in front.
The Tigers had made their forward forays count and lifted just when the game appeared to be creeping away. And while Riewoldt was largely subdued, they had a potent forward force in Martin, who booted three goals – all on the run. Dusty's third goal – a banana on the run, from directly in front, after evading Chris Masten – was perhaps the most rapturous moment for the Tiger faithful, and it brought their team to within a kick.
With a minute and half left, a hitherto invisible Cotchin received a fortunate free and put Richmond ahead. The Tigers had regained composure, had become competitive in the stoppages, and had developed a potency in attack. The fightback repeated the pattern of the first term, when the Tigers trailed 2.2 to nil and ended the term nearly square.
But at the end, the Eagles were better in nearly all facets – with the ball, in the air. Their victory, like their ladder position, was well earned.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/west-coast-subdue-richmond-for-win-on-the-road-20150619-ghsuie.html
