Match Reports: Tiger's Dominate as Red Hot Dusty Blows Dogs Away

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Tigers dominate as red-hot Dust blows Dogs away

By Callum Twomey

THE TIGERS of old are back – this time with a few new faces.

Richmond made a statement on Wednesday night as it demolished a flat Western Bulldogs line-up by 41 points at Metricon Stadium. The 2017 and 2019 premiers flexed their muscle against a side viewed as one of its challengers, being dominant throughout the 13.12 (90) to 7.7 (49).

The game was set up in the first half, as Richmond jumped to a 20-point lead at the opening change and extended it to 40 points by half-time. The Bulldogs were more competitive after the main break but the damage had been, as Richmond rolled on to its highest score since round one.

In the opening night of the 20-day, 33-game 'Festival of Footy', it was a Richmond's older generation who stepped up to dent the Dogs.

Dustin Martin (three goals) was best afield in a commanding display, key forwards Tom Lynch and Jack Riewoldt combined for three goals to find some of their form, while captain Trent Cotchin returned from his hamstring injury to gather 17 disposals.

But the fresh breed of Tigers also stepped up. Richmond had 10 players in the clash with 30 or less games experience, and among them Noah Balta controlling things in defence, Mabior Chol exciting in attack and Derek Eggmolesse-Smith providing good dash.

Richmond was missing nine of last year's premiership stars, including half-back Bachar Houli, midfielders Dion Prestia and Shane Edwards and defensive pair Nick Vlastuin and David Astbury, but its blend of youth and experience added up to an emphatic result. 

Jack Macrae, in his 150th game, was one of few Bulldogs to step up to the Tigers, gathering 37 disposals, while Caleb Daniel (22 disposals) and Mitch Wallis (three goals) were also solid. But the defeat will likely leave the Dogs outside of the top eight at the end of the round and facing some questions on their credentials.

Vintage Dusty
The smirk gave it away that Martin was ready for a quintessential Martin night. After taking a grab deep inside 50 in the first term, the Tigers superstar lined up for goal, gave a grin to his opponent and quickly swivelled around the corner to boot his first major of the night. His second was even better, with Martin shredding past a couple of Bulldogs, taking a bounce and calmly snapping another goal that curled through. And then his third … well that was just pure class. Tied up against the boundary line in the forward pocket, Martin slotted the long shot late in the last term, capping his brilliant night. His scoreboard impact (he has now kicked 10 for the year) complemented his 26 disposals in one of his best games of 2020.

Aarts and craft
The replenishment of Richmond's side this year has included some new faces, with Jake Aarts continuing to look and play in the now stereotypical Tiger way. Aarts, who was drafted from the club's VFL side, made his debut earlier this season as a tough, hard-working 25-year-old who does everything to get the ball going his side's way and then to keep it in attack. He has also shown a penchant for hitting the scoreboard, and kicked a career-best three goals on Wednesday night. Aarts isn't fancy but fits the Tiger style and is another example of the club's extreme depth.

Dog of a night
The Bulldogs were outplayed and outsmarted by the Tigers, who held onto the ball more, had a controlled game plan and made the Dogs pay. Luke Beveridge's men bounced back well after their disappointing round six thrashing at the hands of Carlton with back-to-back wins, but the Dogs were on the end of another belting from the reigning premiers. Inconsistency has been a feature of this season but the Dogs have been regular culprits, with the loss to the Tigers coming at a time when their form appeared on the rise. Recruit Josh Bruce's struggles continue in attack, with the former Saint kicking two goals but battling as an inside-50 target. 

ALL THE HIGHLIGHTS
WESTERN BULLDOGS                         1.1           3.5         4.7          7.7 (49)
RICHMOND                                          4.3        10.4      11.10    13.12 (90)

GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Wallis 3, Bruce 2, Vandermeer 2
Richmond: Aarts 3, Martin 3, Castagna 2, Lynch 2, Chol, Pickett, Riewoldt

BEST
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Daniel, Wallis, Smith, Williams
Richmond: Martin, Grimes, Balta, Short, Bolton, Cotchin

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Suckling (hamstring)
Richmond: Nil

https://www.afl.com.au/news/477238/tigers-dominate-as-red-hot-dust-blows-dogs-away

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Richmond rediscover those Tigers of old

By Michael Gleeson
July 29, 2020 — 10.00pm

In Wednesday night's opening minutes Jack Riewoldt shoved the pack under the ball, took a mark and kicked a goal. Soon after Tom Lynch outmarked his opponent and kicked one of his own. Dustin Martin was clearly the best player on the ground.

In ordinary times this is not remarkable. These are not ordinary times.

Where West Coast provided an ominous sign in their Sunday night belting of Collingwood, this was a Richmond victory of similar significance. This was the Tigers still without some of their best players, away from home, playing a side that it normally loses to. To then win comprehensively by 41 points was an emphatic statement. To do so with their key forwards contributing was just as important.

Richmond had been a side trying to find itself this year. They had spluttered along without being persuasive. On the Gold Coast they began by abandoning their regular style of game and in so doing counter-intuitively found themselves.

The Tigers, normally a territory-at-all-costs, high-energy side, played a more patient possession game and it had the effect of settling them and unsettling the Dogs who would have assumed they would meet a different Richmond.

What they had been doing this year had not worked well and what they had done previously against the Bulldogs had not worked – the Dogs had beaten in five of their last six games – so embracing change was a smart call.

By quarter-time they had more of the play, their two big forwards had kicked goals, their captain was back in the middle of the ground (although a bit rusty) and their diligence to change style proved valuable.

Martin was superb early on, especially when he decided the pattern of previous encounters would change – they would not lose again and Marcus Bontempelli would not get the Brownlow votes.

Enough has been written of Martin but a period just on half-time when he twice slapped the ball – no stat there – to dispossess the Dogs and force turnovers require a mention. Oh, and his goal in the last quarter. My word, on the run, right foot, on the boundary paint, wrong side for a right-footer, no gap visible between the posts and of course it goes through.

Noah Balta looks more assertive attacking the ball and not as worried about having it in his hands as each week passes. Derek Eggmolesse-Smith also used the ball as sharply as Bachar Houli might have while Shai Bolton and Sydney Stack teamed in runs through the corridor that opened up the game.

Mabior Chol had a period in the second quarter when he marked and goaled then galloped onto another ball to chip pass to Jason Castagna for a goal that was another glimpse through the window of the player he can or will become.

The Bulldogs had a good early period to start the second half but they were coming from 41 points down at the main break and for all the good work of Jack Macrae and Mitch Wallis they failed to make any headway on the scoreboard.

Richmond will be happy they found their game. Jack Riewoldt is not back, but his early goal was a comfort and Tom Lynch clunked a few marks that said his hand might be fractured but, like his side, it is not broken.

RICHMOND 4.3 10.4 11.10 13.12 (90)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.1 3.5 4.7 7.7 (49)

GOALS
Richmond: Martin 3, Aarts 3, Lynch 2, Castagna 2, Riewoldt, Pickett, Chol.
Western Bulldogs: Wallis 3, Vandermeer 2, Bruce 2.

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Balta, Bolton, Broad, Grimes, Short, Pickett.
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Wallis, Daniel, Liberatore, Williams, Smith.

INJURIES
Western Bulldogs: Suckling (hamstring).

CROWD
2824 at Metricon Stadium.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-rediscover-those-tigers-of-old-20200729-p55gr3.html