Media articles & stats: Tigers send warning to competition with big win over GWS

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Tigers send warning to competition with big win over Giants

AFL.com.au
Callum Twomey
Jul 14, 2019 3:40PM

RICHMOND                                4.4      6.7    10.13    13.16 (94)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY       0.2      4.5     6.7        9.13 (67)

GOALS
Richmond: Lambert 3, Lynch 3, Castagna 2, Stack, Riewoldt, Bolton, Chol, Edwards
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron 3, Hill 3, Greene 2, Daniels

BEST
Richmond: Lambert, Houli, Bolton, Ellis, Prestia, Castagna
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron, Greene, Whitfield, Taranto, Haynes, Hill

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio (knee)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Foot, Rosebury, Gavine

Official crowd: 38,986 at the MCG

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THERE are two sides to every story. And this story is about one side's premiership hopes taking shape as the other's start to fade.

Richmond, at near full strength, was too good for a gutsy Greater Western Sydney at the MCG on Sunday, winning 13.16 (94) to 9.13 (67).

The Tigers regained spearhead Jack Riewoldt for his first game since round six and pieced together their third win in a row. The 2017 premiers are gathering steam when it matters, with ruckman Toby Nankervis due back from injury in coming weeks.

But as a yellow and black force awakens, the boys in orange are spluttering.

The Giants' tilt at the flag is teetering after a fourth defeat in five games and another injury blow.

Leon Cameron's men lost star midfielder Stephen Coniglio to a knee injury just four minutes into the first quarter.

Coniglio, who started in the forward line and had his left knee heavily strapped, was helped from the field after an innocuous twist.

The implications of the injury could be huge – and felt around the competition.

If it's significant, it will be a massive setback to the Giants' premiership ambitions, and could also be a factor in the restricted free agent's contract negotiations as he's chased by a host of suitors.   

It was an injury that GWS couldn't recover from against the Tigers, who have now leapt ahead of the Giants on the ladder as they eye a top-four berth.

Shai Bolton was exciting for the Tigers, collecting a career-best 29 disposals and a goal, Brandon Ellis (29 disposals) gave plenty of run, Kane Lambert chipped in with three goals, and Dion Prestia got things going with 12 disposals and five clearances in the first quarter (he finished with 23 touches).

Jeremy Cameron and Toby Greene were the Giants' best. Cameron presented all day and finished with 3.4, while Greene kicked two goals from 34 disposals. Lachie Whitfield (34 disposals) and Tim Taranto (35) were also strong. Debutant Ian Hill was a highlight, booting three goals from 15 disposals in an eye-catching effort.

The Giants didn't give up, but the writing was on the wall early. After Coniglio hobbled from the field in the opening moments, the Tigers took control of the contest.

Their ball movement was better in the wet and slippery conditions, as Riewoldt marked his return to the senior side with a goal from close range.

They booted four for the first term – the last came with comical ease as Tom Lynch grabbed the ball in the goalsquare and booted it through – and kept the Giants goalless.

Greater Western Sydney hit back in the second term, after being sparked by a running goal from Hill.

His major was followed by two to Cameron – one a difficult snap from the pocket after a high mark and the other a long-range bomb from outside 50. The Giants booted four goals to two for the quarter and cut the deficit back to 14 points at the main change.

Without Coniglio, Josh Kelly (ankle) and Callan Ward (knee), the Giants were missing a starting midfield.

They began the third term with more confidence, and cut the lead to nine points, starting to gain ascendancy in the stoppages despite their best player sitting on the interchange bench in full tracksuit.

But four late goals to the Tigers, including two to Lambert, a clever snap from Jason Castagna, and then another to Lynch, gave Richmond a 30-point lead at the last change.

It was more than enough. The Giants, through a Cameron goal early in the final term, kept their flickering hopes alive, before a Lambert checkside from the pocket sealed the Tigers win at the 'G.

You get the sense they've got plenty of those left up their sleeve for the rest of this year.

MEDICAL ROOM

Richmond: The Tigers appeared to get through the contest unscathed.

Greater Western Sydney: The big blow came early, when Stephen Coniglio hobbled from the field with a knee injury. They are yet to confirm the seriousness. Lachie Whitfield was crunched in the third term and needed some time on the bench to have his ribs checked, but he returned to the contest.

NEXT UP
The Giants host Collingwood next week at Giants Stadium in what will be a pivotal game for their top-four hopes. Richmond plays Port Adelaide at the MCG, also on Saturday.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-07-14/match-report-richmond-v-greater-western-sydney

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Richmond show their credentials with strong win over GWS

Ronny Lerner
The Age
14 July 2019 4:30pm

A withering Richmond burst at the start of the game ultimately proved decisive as the Tigers defeated Greater Western Sydney by 27 points at a rain-soaked MCG on Sunday.

The Tigers burst out of the blocks, booting six of the first seven goals to open up a 31-point lead midway through the second quarter. While the Giants fought back well to cut the deficit to nine points early in the third term, Richmond kicked clear again to restore their five-goal lead at three-quarter time and didn’t look back.

The 13.16 (94) to 9.13 (67) result was soured further for the Giants by the loss of superstar midfielder Stephen Coniglio in the opening minutes due to a left knee injury.

Worryingly, it wasn’t a contact injury and instead it occurred as he innocuously changed direction.

As soon as it happened Coniglio put his hand to his head, indicating he knew he had done something significant.

Coniglio headed into the game with a heavily strapped left knee and had to be helped from the ground in the arms of the trainers, unable to put any weight on his left leg.

Richmond, with three wins in a row, have roared back into premiership contention. Their latest victory moved them up to fifth on the ladder, continuing their charge back towards the top four.

With Toby Nankervis and Alex Rance the only members of their best team on the injury list, and the rest of their home-and-away games at the MCG, it all seems to be coming together for Richmond at the right time of the year.

Meanwhile, the Giants are in freefall, having lost their last three games and might retain their top eight spot on percentage alone if the Power beat Brisbane. Their hopes of a double-chance have taken a big hit and they have a massive clash against a resurgent Collingwood next week.

They’ve now won just three of 18 games at the MCG and their latest loss at the ground puts the spotlight back on their capacity to challenge for the premiership in September.

The Giants began the game in shocking fashion, with their lack of organisation and pressure allowing the Tigers to do as they pleased. Richmond got first hands on the ball and the Giants’ inability to spread prevented them from keeping up with the Tigers on the outside.

However, the GWS midfield, led by Lachie Whitfield and Tim Taranto, got them back into the game and the Giants’ increased pressure curtailed Richmond’s running game in the second term.

The visitors proceeded to boot four goals in a row, including a brilliant pair to Jeremy Cameron, to cut the deficit to just nine points early in the third stanza.

But that’s as close as they would get as the yellow-and-black machine started to look more like the 2017 version of themselves as the day went on.

RICHMOND                          4.4 6.7 10.13 13.16 (94)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 0.2 4.5   6.7   9.13 (67)

Goals:
Richmond: K Lambert 3 T Lynch 3 J Castagna 2 J Riewoldt M Chol S Bolton S Edwards S Stack.
Greater Western Sydney: I Hill 3 J Cameron 3 T Greene 2 B Daniels.

Best:
Richmond: Lynch, Lambert, Bolton, Houli, Ellis, Prestia, Castagna.
GWS: Cameron, Greene, Whitfield, Taranto, Hill, Hopper, Taylor.

Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Nicholas Foot, Hayden Gavine
Official Crowd: 38,986 at MCG

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-show-their-credentials-with-strong-win-over-gws-20190714-p5273t.html

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Are Tigers the sleeping giant?

Gilbert Gardiner, Chris Cavanagh,
Herald Sun
14 July 2019 4:30pm

West Coast, Geelong and, not all that long ago, Collingwood were the teams to beat in September but is Richmond the sleepy giant?

The Tigers roared back into contention for top-billing with a clinical dismantling of GWS Giants at the MCG.

The method? Known. Explosive ball movement coupled with frenetic but considered pressure made the Giants look largely second-rate for prolonged periods.

After consecutive wins over inferior opposition (St Kilda and Gold Coast) the Tigers needed a scalp and got one in emphatic fashion, running out 27-point winners.

Dion Prestia and Shai Bolton sparked the onslaught, the latter putting in his best ever performance in yellow and black.

Sydney Stack and Mabior Chol looked irresistible in patches, while usual suspects Trent Cotchin, Bachar Houli, Dustin Martin and Brandon Ellis got plenty of the football.

PATHETIC ... IN PATCHES

Remember when the baby Giants were likened to orange witches hats during the formative years?

Well, white flags sprung to mind as the listless Giants’ premiership prospects punctured at the MCG.

In coaching vernacular, the Giants lacked system and structure. In layman terms, the Giants were pathetic in patches.

Save for Lachie Whitfield, playing his first game in six weeks after a broken collarbone, Jeremy Cameron, Tim Taranto and Nick Haynes, it could so easily have been so much worse.

Giants debutant Ian ‘Bobby’ Hill, the cousin of Fremantle’s brothers Stephen and Brad Hill, slotted three goals in an encouraging display.

The rest? Spectators, if not passengers despite the Giants, who sported their predominantly white clash guernsey, to their credit surged in the middle quarters, with Cameron booting three goals including two in under a minute close to halftime, but the damage was done as the Tigers cut the visitors to ribbons despite the slick conditions.

RICHMOND 4.4 6.7 10.13 13.16 (94) def GWS 0.2 4.5 6.7 9.13 (67)

Goals: Richmond: K Lambert 3 T Lynch 3 J Castagna 2 J Riewoldt M Chol S Bolton S Edwards S Stack

GWS: I Hill 3 J Cameron 3 T Greene 2 B Daniels

Gilbert Gardiner’s Best: Richmond: Bolton, Prestia, Houli, Lynch, Cotchin

GWS: Whitfield, Cameron, Haynes, Taranto, Greene

Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Nicholas Foot, Hayden Gavine

Official Crowd: 38,986 at MCG.

GILBERT GARDINER’S VOTES:

3 — Lachie Whitfield

2 — Shai Bolton

1 — Dion Prestia

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/gws/richmond-v-gws-knee-injury-fears-for-giant-stephen-coniglio/news-story/19d1015641ace23c775870e3cdda0a77