Media articles & stats: Tigers bare their teeth with a strong win over Swans

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Tigers bare their teeth with a strong win over Swans

Marc McGowan,
AFL Media
Apr 20, 2019 9:59PM

RICHMOND   3.3   9.5  11.9  13.11 (89)
SYDNEY        2.1   4.2   6.3     10.7 (67)

GOALS
Richmond: Martin 3, Caddy 2, Lambert 2, Balta 2, Rioli, Ellis, Baker, Castagna
Sydney: Franklin 4, Heeney 2, Papley, Kennedy, Parker, Reid

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Prestia, Edwards, Stack, Astbury
Sydney: Parker, Kennedy, Lloyd, Jones, Franklin

INJURIES
Richmond: TBC
Sydney: TBC

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Donlon, Foot, Mitchell

Crowd: 40,053 at Marvel Stadium

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RICHMOND made forcing turnovers an artform in its premiership campaign two years ago.

The Tigers of 2017 harassed opponents into submission and transformed into an unexpected juggernaut in the process.

That manic effort resurfaced at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, with Richmond opening an early gap on Sydney and hanging on despite never quite delivering a killer blow.

The undermanned Tigers have now won back-to-back matches after consecutive defeats to Collingwood and Greater Western Sydney, the latest by 13.11 (89) to 10.7 (67) scoreline.

The win over Sydney was set-up before half-time, after a very competitive start to the contest, with all bar one behind of the Tigers' 9.5 (59) score to that stage coming off Swans turnovers.

Sound familiar?

Hardwick tried to tell us on season eve that it was still a turnover game despite the AFL's introduction of the new '6-6-6' starting positions.

In fact, it wasn't until Noah Balta kicked his second goal – and Richmond's 13th – from a close-range kick around the body, that the Yellow and Black scored maximum points from a centre clearance.

The Tigers went to the final break 37 points up, but wobbled slightly.

Lance Franklin, who kicked four goals to move past Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd into seventh place on the all-time list, and Tom Papley booted majors to help slash the difference to 23 points.

It never got closer than that and, fittingly, a Swans turnover led to Castagna's match-sealer as the clock ticked towards 20 minutes in the fourth quarter.

Dustin Martin (three goals, 25 disposals) was back – in more ways than one – and so was Bachar Houli, while Dion Prestia and Shane Edwards were also outstanding with 32 and 28 touches, respectively.

But Richmond couldn't have won without its latest unheralded crew.

Jack Ross, who couldn't get a game for Vic Metro last year, woneight of his 17 disposals to quarter-time in just his second AFL match.

Sydney Stack, who was overlooked in both drafts, wore some bumps and bruises, including coming off second-best in a collision with Swan Ollie Florent, but impressed again.

Shai Bolton, a high draft pick who has had to bide his time, shone with his kicking inside 50 and he ended the night with seven score involvements.

None was better than when he burst inside 50 in the second term, drew three Sydney defenders, then deftly kicked an inside-out pass to an unattended Kane Lambert for a simple goal.

The rugged Liam Baker collected a career-high 21 touches in his fifth senior appearance.

The aforementioned Balta not only hit the scoreboard, but continues to spell Toby Nankervis in the ruck and ensure Lynch doesn't have to.

Brandon Ellis, no longer an automatic selection these days, was another excellent contributor off half-back with 21 possessions.

As for Sydney, it will head back to the Harbour City off a fourth loss in five rounds.

Jake Lloyd's 38 possessions led six Swans with at least 30, along with Zak Jones, Jordan Dawson, Florent, Luke Parker and Harry Cunningham.

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2019-04-20/round-5-match-report

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Relentless Richmond roll struggling Swans

Peter Ryan
The Age
21 April 2019

There is no need to worry about Richmond in 2019 after they returned to the Tigers of old in a scintillating first half at Marvel Stadium, applying relentless pressure on the uncertain Sydney Swans to force turnovers and create scores.

The Tigers would not allow the Swans to move the ball out of their back half and took a 33-point lead into half-time, which was enough to control the game in the second half even as the Swans threatened to fight back early in the final quarter, eventually winning by 22 points.

In the end despite key forward Tom Lynch being held goalless, the Tigers were comfortable winners 13.11 (89) to 10.7 (67) with their first dozen goals coming through turnovers.

RELENTLESS PRESSURE RETURNS
At half-time the Tigers had laid 44 tackles and had 10 fewer disposals than the Swans. They swarmed on Sydney's runners to ensure they couldn't step them and create any overlap run, laying an extraordinary 18 forward-50 tackles in the first half. Once the ball was in their possession, Richmond just forced it forward, happy to get dirty entries as long as they had numbers running on to the ball. It was a one-in, all-in approach led by stand-in skipper Shane Edwards who was outstanding off half-back.

POUNCING ON SYDNEY ERRORS
The Swans lacked ball control in the first half in their back half and it proved costly. It was Jake Lloyd that set them off on the wrong foot when a short kick from the back pocket landed in Daniel Rioli's hands. From then on it seemed an epidemic with Isaac Heeney, Luke Parker, Callum Mills and Jackson Thurlow all guilty of coughing the ball up too easily. Richmond's fleet foot of runners made them pay, knocking the ball forward until a shot for goal was set up.

TAGGED TIGER GOES FORWARD
Having missed a match through suspension after reacting to Greater Western Sydney tagger Matt De Boer in round three, all eyes were on Dustin Martin to see how he would respond to the pressure applied by Swans stopper George Hewett. After a good battle in the first term, Martin pushed deep forward for the second and was dangerous. Twice he was left unopposed after staying deep while the ball was at half-back and became the target as soon as the Tigers won the turnover. It's a reminder to any team wanting to tag Martin. He might move forward and cause even more pain than he would as a midfielder.

LITTLE HELP?
Franklin looked threatening when he was given an even-money chance of winning the footy inside 50 but too often the ball came in slowly or to the defender's advantage. Franklin has never been a great high mark and often the delivery to him was too lofty, allowing the Tigers defenders, led by Dylan Grimes, to spoil the ball and bring it to ground where crumbers such as Ben Ronke were ineffective. Their inability to see anyone but Franklin was evident in the second quarter when Sydney midfielder Dylan Clarke decided to kick to a guarded Franklin deep in the pocket rather than centre the ball to ruckman Callum Sinclair who had more space inside 50 than Neil Armstrong experienced during the moon landing. Sam Reid is struggling to mark and Tom McCartin remains a work in progress but the team's midfield group, who look a class below the best, need to trust their teammates.

LANCE ADVANCES
Franklin moved to seventh on the list of most goals, passing Essendon great Matthew Lloyd who sits on 926 goals in 270 games. The champion Swan finished the game with 928 goals in 295 games and with at least three more seasons to come on his contact, with any luck he will push well past 1000.

RICHMOND 3.3 9.5 11.9 13.11 (89)
SYDNEY 2.1 4.2 6.3 10.7 (67)

Goals: Richmond: Martin 3, Caddy 2, Lambert 2, Balta 2, Rioli, Ellis, Baker, Castagna.
Sydney: Franklin 4, Heeney 2, Papley, Kennedy, Parker, Reid.

Best: Richmond: Edwards, Martin, Stack, Prestia, Vlastuin, Caddy.
Sydney Swans: Kennedy, Rampe, Franklin, Parker, Florent, Dawson.

Crowd: 40,053 at Marvel Stadium.

Votes:
Shane Edwards (Richmond) 8
Dustin Martin (Richmond) 7
Dion Prestia (Richmond) 7
Dane Rampe (Sydney Swans) 7
Josh Kennedy (Sydney Swans) 6

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/relentless-richmond-rolls-struggling-swans-20190420-p51fvq.html

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Swans lose again as Tigers ruin Jack's milestone match

Andrew Wu
The Age
21 April 2019

They still have a way to go, but the Tigers' form line is trending towards their lofty 2017-18. For John Longmire's men, the hole is getting deeper. They recovered from a worse position two years ago, but that is not an apples for apples comparison, as Jude Bolton noted during the week.

Season 2017 looks increasingly like a last hurrah for the older breed of Swans. The club's future now lies with Generation Next but, if the first five rounds are any guide, they are not ready.

On paper anyway, this was a game the Swans should have been a red-hot chance in. The Tigers did not have Alex Rance, which should have been good news for Lance Franklin. Jack Riewoldt, who polled the three Brownlow votes when they last met, was also out. So too Trent Cotchin, while Dustin Martin's form has been scratchy, mirroring that of his team.

Dylan Grimes, though beaten, was a worthy adversary. Martin played one of his better games for the year and Richmond played with the ferocity that has made them one of the best teams of the past two seasons.

The Swans still have their share of stars but, on the whole, they are not the players they were. How many times have Swans fans seen Josh Kennedy drag his team with him, Dane Rampe defy the odds on the last line or Franklin win games off his own boot? The will is still there, but they are being asked to do too much.

Franklin looked on song, kicking four goals from limited opportunities and playing a hand in a few others. The Swans had only 42 entries inside 50, so their best player was for much of the night out of the play. At one point he pushed all the way down to half-back just so he could stick a couple of tackles and feel some flesh.

"We just need to give him a hand," Longmire said.

Rampe probably won't feature prominently in All Australian discussions, but he should. There are few defenders in the game as hard to beat as him. Even when he looks beaten, he has the knack of getting in a fist on the ball from nowhere. Tom Lynch was held goalless.

There have been many factors as to why the Swans have struggled. They were again on show here. They lost the contested possession count, which was their bread and butter, though it was hard to question their effort.

They attempted to move the ball with speed but their kicking lacked polish. Occasionally, their intent was rewarded – Kennedy's goal in the second term was one example – though their mistakes were severely punished.

Twelve of Richmond's 13 goals came from Sydney's turnovers, which was reflective of the Tigers' pressure and the Swans' poor composure and skill.

"They were able to rebound straight down too many times, especially the second term," Longmire said.

The connectivity between each zone is an issue. At times in the second term they bombed long to Jack when a bigger option should have presented.

Richmond won not in small part because they were cleaner under pressure and held their shape better when defending. One play in the second term, the Tigers surged the ball from half-back to goal with hardly a clean possession, resorting to knock ons and rushed handballs forward.

The Tigers' pressure was fierce when the game was on the line. Even slow plays by the Swans ended in panic. Ask Ollie Florent, who in the second term with no one to kick long to inside 50 was lured into a handball to Callum Mills.

Mills was dumped in a tackle, which allowed the Tigers to pick a path to goal on the counter.

The Tigers had less of the ball, but were more efficient with it, as seen by their extra 22 entries inside 50.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/swans-lose-again-as-tigers-ruin-jack-s-milestone-match-20190420-p51fv9.html

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Dash of Dusty, sprinkle of system has Tigers humming

Chris Cavanagh and Lauren Wood,
Herald Sun
21 April 2019

System has long been one of the buzz words at Richmond and has been bandied around a lot over the past month.

Coach Damien Hardwick and his players have constantly used it since the club’s injury crisis hit.

It was what gave them hope in the wake of Alex Rance’s season-ending knee injury, which was followed by Jack Riewoldt’s wrist injury, Trent Cotchin’s hamstring strain, Jayden Short’s elbow dislocation and Dustin Martin’s suspension.

Sometimes words are just that.

In Richmond’s case over the past two weeks, they have been actioned and the system has stood up regardless of the personnel.

Hardwick said he felt like a “proud dad” after the club’s Round 4 win over Port Adelaide in Adelaide and would have had a similar brim on his face during the 22-point win over Sydney at Marvel Stadium, particularly during the first half.

While the Tigers got back Martin — who returned from suspension in style — the other four above mentioned names were still on the sidelines and it was the system, the lesser-names and the enthusiastic young players who again got the job done.

They say the bottom-six can often make the biggest difference, and in the likes of Sydney Stack, Jack Ross, Liam Baker, Jason Catagna, Shai Bolton and Noah Balta the Tigers are well stocked there.

Richmond’s pressure and tackling game that took it to premiership glory in 2017 was also back to its best in the opening half and the Swans simply could not handle it.

The Tigers won the tackle count 44-25 in the opening half as they hunted the ball in numbers at every opportunity and made Sydney pay when the inevitable turnovers came.

Entering Round 5, Richmond had averaged 52.5 points a game from opposition turnovers.

At halftime they had 59 points on the board — 58 from Swans turnovers.

In the end, 12 of the Tigers’ 13 goals came from turnovers, seven of those goals coming from forward-half turnovers.

This was very much a win about attitude, system and raw speed.

Hardwick described the way his team returned to its trademark style of pressure and speed as “incredible”, as he eyes a meeting with Melbourne in just four days.

DUSTY’S RETURN

There was a brief pause from Damien Hardwick when asked at a press conference following Dustin Martin’s suspension whether the 2017 Brownlow Meal winner could do with a week off.

Martin did not look quite right in the opening three rounds, averaging 21 disposals, three clearances and failing to kick a goal before being suspended for striking Greater Western Sydney’s Adam Kennedy.

Until that Round 3 clash with the Giants, he had also failed to lay a tackle.

Last night, the Martin we have come to expect was back as the star proved damaging in the midfield and, more often, as a lead-up full-forward.

Martin had two goals by halftime and finished with three for the match to go with 25 disposals, five clearances and two tackles.

The week’s rest might have been the best thing for him.

Hardwick sat back in amazement of star, who returned from a one-match suspension in the best way possible.

“He was the first one to put up his hand that he was disappointed with his game, and disappointed with what happened after that,” Hardwick said.

“That’s what great players do. They respond.

“We’re very quick as a society to hang people — he’s an incredible player. He’s a guy people love to come and watch and pay to watch. I’m very privileged that I get to sit there and watch him on the bench, which is fantastic.”

The Swans had sent George Hewett to Martin, who is given licence by Hardwick to determine where he can best gain advantage.

Last night, that was forward.

“Dustin, when he controls what he can do, is the player we know he can be,” Hardwick said.

THE KEY FORWARDS

At one end, it looked to be Buddy Franklin or bust in terms of avenues to goal for Sydney, as has long been a problem.

At the other end, Richmond showed itself as quite the opposite, no one-man band in the slightest.

Tom Lynch was pivotal as he booted six goals against Port Adelaide last weekend, but had little scoreboard impact against the Swans.

At halftime, by which point Richmond had established a 33-point lead, Lynch had not scored and he finished with just two behinds for the night.

The Tigers had seven individual goalkickers boot their nine majors in the first half and finished with eight goalkickers for the night, including Noah Balta and Kane Lambert who each kicked two.


SCOREBOARD

RICHMOND 3.3 9.5 11.9 13.11 (89)
d
SYDNEY 2.1 4.2 6.3 10.7 (67)

GOALS
Richmond: Martin 3, Caddy 2, Lambert 2, Balta 2, Rioli, Ellis, Baker, Castagna
Sydney: Franklin 4, Heeney 2, Papley, Kennedy, Parker, Reid

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S BEST
Richmond: Martin, Prestia, Edwards, Stack, Vlastuin, Houli, Castagna, Ellis
Sydney: Parker, Lloyd, Franklin, Kennedy, Jones, Heeney, Papley

CHRIS CAVANAGH’S VOTES

3 — Dustin Martin (Rich)

2 — Dion Prestia (Rich)

1 — Luke Parker (Syd)

INJURIES

Richmond: TBC

Sydney: TBC

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Donlon, Foot, Mitchell

Crowd: 40,053 at Marvel Stadium

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/dustin-martin-dominates-in-return-as-richmonds-system-holds-up-against-sydney/news-story/1f1cf1bae5cfca2f2f1db50b593fbeda