Media articles & stats: Tigers stun Swans in thriller to give Yze first win

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Tigers stun Swans in thriller to give Yze first win

By Gemma Bastiani
afl.com.au
31 March 2024 7:30pm

RICHMOND          4.3     5.9     10.13     11.16 (82)
SYDNEY               2.1     7.5       8.9       11.11 (77)

GOALS
Richmond: Lynch 3, Lefau 2, Bolton 2, Baker 2, Taranto, Mansell
Sydney: McDonald 3, Heeney 2, Amartey 2, Papley, Gulden, Fox, Blakey

BEST
Richmond: D.Rioli, Taranto, Vlastuin, Lynch, Bolton
Sydney: Rowbottom, Heeney, Lloyd, Fox, Grundy

INJURIES
Richmond: Lynch (hamstring)
Sydney: Rampe (hamstring tightness)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Sam Banks (replaced Mykelti Lefau in the fourth quarter)
Sydney: Corey Warner (replaced Dane Rampe at half-time)

Crowd: 45,112 at the MCG

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RICHMOND has landed its first win under Adem Yze in style, upsetting Sydney in an Easter Sunday thriller.

A five-goal third term set up the upset win for the Tigers, who ran out 11.16 (82) to 11.11 (77) victors in front of a vocal MCG crowd.

Tom Lynch (three goals, six marks) wreaked havoc on the Swans' defence in the third quarter, with Dane Rampe subbed out of the game with hamstring tightness. The Tiger took advantage of moments of poor organisation to take control inside 50.

The only blemish on the Tigers' day was a hamstring injury to Lynch, who left the field during the final term.

Tim Taranto (35 disposals, eight clearances) was huge around the footy and Nick Vlastuin (29 disposals, 15 intercept possessions) was a brick wall in defence, intercepting the ball at will.

In a game many expected them to struggle in, the Tigers stood strong, bringing dangerous movement on ground level, while regularly side stepping their Swans opponents. They identified ground balls as key to keeping the Swans on the back foot and went to work at the contest to maintain a stronghold.

It took some time for Sydney's elite skills to show up. Impacted by Richmond's oppressive style of play, the visitors were prone to fumbling regulation marks and missing targets by foot that they would typically hit with ease.

James Rowbottom was simply immense for Sydney, with 19 disposals and 13 tackles for the day as the side's most consistent performer across the course of the game, while Brodie Grundy (23 disposals, 21 hitouts) and Errol Gulden (25 disposals and a goal) recovered from a poor start to have a say in the Swans' final-quarter press.

Under the afternoon sun, Sydney's forward line struggled to read the ball in attack early, and Richmond capitalised on that lack of connection, often triple-teaming the Swans' deepest forward in the air and rebounding back out.

Although without Dylan Grimes, Richmond's backline – bolstered by Nathan Broad and Tylar Young – played smart footy, at times simply showing its experience over young Sydney tall forwards Logan McDonald and Joel Amartey. The latter pair were also not helped by some uncharacteristically wayward kicking into attack from their teammates.

It wasn't until the 17-minute mark of the second quarter that the Swans offered their signature line-breaking end-to-end transition run, resulting in McDonald's second goal for the game. From there, it was the Sydney side fans have come to expect this year, running in waves, hitting targets in the corridor, and exposing the Tigers' defence.

Richmond has now won its last two against the Swans, and will look to take the momentum into next week's Gather Round match against St Kilda.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/1098605/richmond-tigers-stun-sydney-swans-in-thriller-to-give-adem-yze-first-win

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The 3-2-1 (with Will Faulkner) ...

Foxsports
1 April 2024

3. TIGERS CLINCH ‘WIN FOR THE AGES’, BREAK YZE DROUGHT

Up against an undefeated flag contender and without several stars, the new-look Tigers clinched a “win for the ages” – new coach Adam Yze’s first in charge – on Easter Sunday.

In an epic see-sawing affair at the MCG, Yze’s men edged out the Swans in a shock upset not many could’ve seen comin.

With the likes of Dustin Martin, Dylan Grimes, Jacob Hopper, Dion Prestia and Josh Gibcus on the sidelines due to injury, the Tigers overcame the odds and then some.

Noting in the second half Richmond looked “tougher than Sydney”, three-time All-Australian Garry Lyon declared it was the sort of win that would remembered for a long time.

“Richmond has won some big premierships, but I tell you what, there’s some excited fans,” he said on Fox Footy.

“All wins are different, this one will be remembered for a long, long time.

“We’re celebrating a win for the ages ... you don’t get to dwell on wins for too long. Right now, it’s about as good as footy gets.”

Three-time premiership player Jack Riewoldt was stoked for his old club post-game, highlighting the significance of the win for Yze.

“One you’ll never forget, the first win for your new coach - we can see the scenes in the box, how much it means to him to get the monkey off the back,” Riewoldt beamed.

“It’s a great win for Richmond today.”

Lyon applauded the way the Tigers’ young brigade including Seth Campbell, Thomson Dow, Maurice Rioli and Rhyan Mansell stood up in the absence of their senior stalwarts.

“These young Richmond players are growing before our eyes; there’s no greater pressure they’ve ever confronted than this right now - trying to open their account against the league leaders,” he said.

“It’s big from the Richmond youngsters - this is worth 20 games of experience if they can get away with this.”

Next up? A showdown with St Kilda in Gather Round.

2. ... BUT LYNCH INJURY CONCERN DAMPENS RESULT

A potential hamstring injury to Richmond star forward Tom Lynch has somewhat dampened the spirits at Punt Road.

After missing the majority of 2023 with a foot injury, the two-time premiership player got back to some of his best form with an equal game three goals.

However, Lynch left the ground in discomfort with six and a half minutes to go in the last quarter in worrying scenes for the Tigers faithful.

“The Tigers have just made their sub, but it’s Tom Lynch that’s limping from the ground from that previous incident ... he’s not in a good way,” Fox Footy’s Nick Dal Santo initially said on commentary.

Speaking to Fox Footy post-match, Lynch suggested he’d suffered a hamstring injury.

“I think I’ve done a hammy, I’m not sure though - it’s pretty low (on the leg) … fingers crossed I was just carrying on a little bit,” Lynch said.

Given his importance to the Tigers, the club will be sweating on scans to determine the severity of the setback.

Despite the niggle, the 31-year-old was positive when asked about his form.

“I felt like I was moving like Jack (Riewoldt) today… to get the third game under my belt, and the boys played really well - the all movement was great,” he added.

Former teammate Jack Riewoldt was full of praise for Lynch at the start of the second half, speaking highly of him after kicking his third goal.

“This big fella is the pivotal forward; the man that can kick multiple goals and keep a side in a game,” Riewoldt exclaimed.

Former Melbourne Demons captain Garry Lyon was also complimentary of the Richmond star, highlighting his rise back to form in today’s match against Sydney.

“(There’s) been some fantastic signs that he’s been getting back to his very best, big Tommy Lynch,” Lyon exclaimed.

“He’s missed that year (2023), he’s had a couple games under his belt where he’s probably had to blow the cobwebs out.

“But when he’s marked as well as he has today and then you’re banging them from outside 50, it suggests you’re not too far away,” Lyon added.

Lynch will have just seven days to recover for his side’s Gather Round clash with St Kilda at Norwood Oval, with both sides looking to find their second win of the 2024 season.

1. SWANS’ MCG ‘HOODOO’ QUESTIONED

While it was joyous scenes for the yellow and black, there’s suddenly an important question to ask of the Swans: Can they be trusted at the MCG?

The loss to Richmond saw John Longmire’s side fall to 1-6 in its last seven games at the venue, dating back to that disaster 81-point grand final defeat to Geelong.

That bleak run at the MCG also includes a loss to Carlton in last year’s finals series in the Swans’ two most recent post-season games at the ‘home of football.’

And sure, while Sydney arguably exorcised its demons by smashing Collingwood at the ‘G in Round 1, it’s simply a ground the club doesn’t have a great recent track record in a legitimate query around its premiership prospects.

“There is a question to ask on the other side of this. We spoke about the Sydney hoodoo (at the MCG) ... this is a game most of us thought Sydney would win – and comfortably. They go away now and they’re 1-6,” Tigers champion Jack Riewoldt told Fox Footy.

“That demon of expectation starts to build on this particular ground for the Sydney Football Club.”

The Swans will return to the MCG only one more time in the home and away when they face Hawthorn in Round 7.

“We all suspect they are going to go really deep. It points to the sort of season we’re having, no one can get too comfortable,” ex-Demons skipper Garry Lyon added.

“Because you can get one popped right on your nose and they popped one on Sydney’s nose today.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/live-afl-scores-2024-richmond-tigers-vs-sydney-swans-round-3-updates-stats-how-to-stream-teams-latest-news/news-story/5cb1f94141055be8223b0ff480bc1bf8

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Haze lifts on Tigers’ AFL season as Swans win delivers more than just a victory

Richmond got many reminders that they’re on the right track at the MCG and that it should not be all doom and gloom at the club

Jonathan Horn
The Guardian
Mon 1 Apr 2024

You can stick your honourable losses, most Richmond fans would have been thinking as they trudged to the MCG on Sunday. No more talk of brave, plucky performances. That was the old Richmond narrative, a narrative that disappeared, article by article, as they became a force again, a narrative that has crept back in recent times. Their Tigers were winless, their opponents undefeated, their timeslot curious, their city blanketed in a smoky haze, and their champion pensioned off by Kane Cornes. They needed something to hang their hats on, a reason to keep fronting up, some sort of indication that they’re not destined for bottom four dross.

They got the win against a very good Sydney side, but they got more than that. They got so many little reminders that they’re on the right track, that it’s not all doom and gloom, that there’s genuine talent and endeavour in the next generation of Tigers coming through. Ten of them had played less than 50 games but all played significant roles. It was Maurice Rioli’s repeat efforts, Seth Campbell’s clean hands, Rhyan Mansell’s vice-like tackles and the substitute Sam Banks, in just his seventh game, halving a crucial contest with 50 seconds to go.

It was the older hands too. Shai Bolton hardly qualifies as such, but he excels in red ball games at the MCG. Ace photographer Michael Willson, who nominates hazy, late autumn afternoons at the MCG as his optimal shooting conditions, says Bolton is his favourite footballer to snap. His camera was also presumably focussed on Nick Vlastuin, whose two-fisted spoils and intercept marks repelled Sydney all afternoon. Football has perhaps never been so replete with players of his ilk – resolute, rebounding defenders so adept at reading the ball off the boot further afield.

The first half of the Gold Coast game aside, no-one would have questioned Richmond’s endeavour heading into Sunday’s game. But it was scant consolation. It’s a frustrating place to be in – as a club, as a team and as a supporter base – when the memories of those glory years are still vivid, and when many of the stars who provided those memories are still present, but it’s just not working. You’re given the run-around by teams who, just a few years ago, weren’t fit to polish your boots. You’re playing in front of your former coach, a bunch of expats, kids and lifeguards. They have all the hype. You’re just…well you don’t quite know what you are, or what your place in the competition is. Not totally rebuilding. Not contending. Just remembering, and occasionally reminding. People say “oh, brave effort”. But it’s hollow.

There was plenty of that against Carlton in round two. They were gallant but what use is gallantry when the Blues are cock-a hoop? And the injury to Josh Gibcus was just wretched. He’d worked so hard to get his body right. He was looking right at home, in front of a big crowd and against some of the best forwards in the game. He was so important to this current iteration of Richmond. As a fan, he was a player you could pin your hopes on. He was a future leader. And crunch, his knee went. He knew straight away. He slammed his head into the turf, and most Richmond supporters did the same to the nearest wall.

Even last week against Port, they loomed at times, but some interesting umpiring, the weight of numbers and sheer talent of the visitors got them in the end. The next few years loomed as the occasional greatest hits show, some off-Broadway abominations, the gradual and respectful pensioning off of the premiership stars and hopefully the beginning of a distinct and viable style of play.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer but there were signs on Sunday for long-term optimism. Adem Yze spent the first few months in the job saying how he wants them to be a very different team to the Hardwick-era Tigers. In recent years, he says, they’ve been slaughtered at the contest and leaky down back. He doesn’t want them to be stuck in the past. But you don’t get a lot of time with your players over summer these days. You get bugger all time to implement a new style, and to get the kids up to speed. Adam Kingsley found that at GWS. They had to develop on the run, in season. What really fast-tracks development are wins like Sunday’s. Brave losses quickly wear thin. Wins against the odds, against genuine premiership contenders, are worth their weight in gold.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2024/apr/01/afl-2024-richmond-tigers-win-defeat-sydney-swans-mcg