Media articles & stats: Suns spoil Tiger MCG farewells

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Suns spoil Tiger MCG farewells

By Gemma Bastiani
AFL Media
24 Aug 2024

RICHMOND     3.4   5.4   8.5     10.6 (66)
GOLD COAST  4.1  10.6  11.8   14.10 (94)

GOALS
Richmond: D.Rioli 2, Bauer 2, M.Rioli, Pickett, Mansell, Graham, Bolton, Baker
Gold Coast: Long 3, Lukosius 2, Graham 2, Flanders 2, Witts, King, Ballard, Andrew, Anderson

BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Hopper, Vlastuin, Baker, D.Rioli
Gold Coast: Flanders, Uwland, Witts, Rowell, Anderson, Miller

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Marlion Pickett (replaced Sam Banks in the third quarter)
Gold Coast: Jake Rogers (replaced Alex Davies in the third quarter)

Crowd: 34,557 at the MCG

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Gold Coast has spoiled the farewell of several Richmond retirees and guaranteed the Tigers the wooden spoon with a 28-point win on Saturday.

A six-goal second quarter set up the Suns' 14.10 (94) to 10.6 (66) victory at the MCG.

It means the Tigers finished the 2024 season with just two wins and on the bottom of the ladder, while the Suns end up with an 11-12 record.

It spoiled the Tigers' farewell for Marlion Pickett, who came on as the substitute, and Dustin Martin and Dylan Grimes, who were also to be honoured after the game.

An eerie feeling floated around the sun-drenched MCG, with the Tigers-heavy crowd utterly silent in the face of any Gold Coast success, but deafening when celebrating their own side.

It was a relatively uncontested start to the game, with a focus on uncontested marks and outside run. Such style was partly driven by Richmond's powerful opening quarter clearance work in which it broke free of congestion at speed, and partly a result of some misguided kicking by both sides, opening the door for intercept marking and rebound play.

Richmond's midfield duo of Jacob Hopper (24 disposals, 13 clearances) and Tim Taranto (30 disposals, 14 tackles) were immense, getting the home side off to a hot start around the contest.

In opposition, Sam Flanders was Gold Coast's engine room and goalkicker, with his workrate unmatched across the ground, helping him to 29 disposals and two goals for the game. The breakthrough Sun set a new club record for disposals across a home and away season in the process, moving past Gary Ablett jnr's record set back in 2012.

Meanwhile, after slow starts, Matt Rowell (29 disposals, eight clearances) and Noah Anderson (30 disposals, one goal) had an impact.

Once the Suns started to find some control around stoppage, however, fortunes shifted, and they found several avenues to goal. This included Jack Lukosius (two goals), returning after a fortnight out, and Ben Long (12 disposals, three goals), who looks at home in attack.

A third quarter press from Richmond, spurred on by the crowd and the injection of retiring premiership player Marlion Pickett, kept the game in the balance. The Tigers kicked three goals to the Suns' one, narrowing the margin to 21 points at the final break.

But Suns co-captain Jarrod Witts wasn't willing to end 2024 on a loss, inspiring a last quarter lift from the visitors, and finishing with 46 hitouts, 19 disposals, and a goal.

Maurice Rioli jnr's return to Richmond's forward line was a welcome one, as he added some speed and endeavour on the deck inside 50, while nephew Daniel Rioli added a genuine highlight in the second term with an impressive running goal.

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1637949/suns-spoil-tiger-mcg-farewells

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‘TAKEN TO TASK’: TIGERS PLAGUED BY FAMILIAR FAILINGS

Foxsports
24 Aug 2024

On an afternoon earmarked for celebrating triple Norm Smith champion Dustin Martin, Richmond wasn’t able to honour its heralded superstar with a win, instead going down to Gold Coast by 28 points.

Issues that have spanned the length of the season again plagued Adem Yze’s brigade; particularly a lack of cleanliness with the ball, inconsistent pressure and inability to stick tackles, and a disconnect going forward.

Richmond recorded five more inside-50s than Gold Coast in the opening quarter but trailed by three points at the first change — in a familiar story, the Tigers were unable to capitalise on their territory advantage, and instead allowed their opposition to blitz them off turnover.

Midfielder Tim Taranto accrued 12 disposals in the first stanza but went at an efficiency rate of just 42 per cent. As a side, Richmond was -13 per cent in the disposal efficiency battle.

“It was a slow start by the Tiges, they worked their way into that quarter and ended up having more inside-50s than the Suns did,” St Kilda great Nick Dal Santo told Fox Footy at quarter-time.

The Tigers and their continued turnovers led to the Suns being able to separate in the second term, and it started at the coalface.

“I think it starts in the midfield, no doubt about that,” King said.

“Taranto and (Dion) Prestia have to get things rolling; two clearances apiece for those guys. They’ve been taken to task in that second term at clearance; they were smashed.

“I want to see a response, because if they can’t get it done on the inside, those guys, they’re not getting it done on the outside.

“Taranto has had 19 disposals (for) two score involvements; Prestia with 12 disposals, one score involvement … I want to see a response from the Tigers midfield.”

The Tigers did issue something of a response in the third quarter, kicking the first two goals to narrow their deficit to 20 points halfway through the period.

Gold Coast held its nerve deep into the final term, though, and it wouldn’t be a fairytale farewell for Richmond’s potential departing contingent.

‘BEST FANS IN THE WORLD’ SAY GOODBYE TO RETIREES, POTENTIAL LEAVERS

Richmond’s loss ended up being an extremely emotional one, with Fox Footy’s post-game interviews with the retiring Dustin Martin, Dylan Grimes and Marlion Pickett bringing the former and latter to tears.

Speaking to former teammate Jack Riewoldt, Martin was extremely thankful tot he Tiger faithful after him and Grimes shared 15 years together at the top level.

“It’s pretty surreal, it feels a little bit weird. I think after today it’ll probably really sink in,” Martin revealed when asked about how he felt.

“As everyone knows, I love the club so much, I love you all so much. I’m going to miss the place so much, I’m just so grateful to be a Tiger.”

The three-time Norm Smith medallist was later seen shedding tears as he walked down the MCG race one final time with teammates.

Grimes retired under different circumstances after a nasty back surgery - but speaking to Riewoldt directly after Martin, the 234-gamer looked at the experience holistically.

“In one hand I’m really sad to say goodbye to all of this, the best fans in the world. On the other hand, I’ve been blessed with so many great moments throughout my career, and I can’t be anything but content with what’s happened.” - Grimes

“Thanks to everyone for the support, it’s been a great week and I really appreciate it.”

Pickett was the only of the four retiring players to actually play this evening, with Sam Naismith unsighted alongside the trio post-game.

Subbed on halfway through the third term in place of Sam Banks, Pickett was running loose at the sporting colosseum, gathering 10 disposals, 321 metres gained and a magical goal from just 32 per cent game time.

And while they haven’t officially put in a trade request, Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton and Liam Baker all had their own individual moments for potentially the last time in Richmond colours.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/live-afl-scores-2024-richmond-tigers-vs-gold-coast-suns-round-24-updates-stats-blog-start-time-time-change-teams-wooden-spoon-dusty-retirement-celebration-latest-news/news-story/36c54a85a6b318e43d8648439a1aa97e