Cotchin sets up Tigers' winChloe Saltau
The Age
August 13, 2012 RICHMOND 6.4 10.10 17.16 22.18 (150)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 2.3 6.4 12.5 12.8 (80)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Edwards 4, McGuane 3, Cotchin 3, King 2, Grigg 2, Newman, Martin, Nahas.
Western Bulldogs: Giansiracusa 3, Lake 2, Skinner 2, Hooper, Smith, Addison, Wallis, Dickson.
BEST
Richmond: Cotchin, Deledio, Martin, Edwards, Riewoldt, McGuane.
Western Bulldogs: Boyd, Wallis, Picken, Murphy, Dickson, Giansiracusa.
INJURIES
Richmond: Griffiths (knee).
Western Bulldogs: Griffen (back) replaced in the selected side by Roberts. Pearce (hamstring) replaced in the selected side by Hooper.
UMPIRES Ryan, Hay, Farmer.
CROWD 28,286 at MCG.
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FROM the moment Trent Cotchin shimmied away from the first centre bounce and set up a goal for Jack Riewoldt, via Jake King, the pattern of this game was set.
Cotchin had his prints all over it, not so much for the way he set the tone early, but for the way he raised his game to an even higher level when he needed to, when the Western Bulldogs were coming hard in the third quarter.
Richmond's 70-point win over a team it hadn't beaten since 2005 was built largely on the young midfielder's brilliance, although the Tigers were given the sort of scare they have become accustomed to in more harrowing games this season.
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Having kicked the first six goals of the game, and taken a 30-point lead to half-time, Richmond had to repel a spirited charge from the Bulldogs in the third quarter.
Dylan Addison started by outmarking two opponents and converting a goal, Brian Lake - who had spent some time as an extra man in defence - provided some presence when he was sent forward again, while Zeph Skinner looked lively and Daniel Giansiracusa added class and experience.
The Bulldogs kicked the first five goals of the half and reduced the margin to a goal when Giansiracusa snapped from a clearance, 10 minutes in.
Then Cotchin took control, and composed the most emphatic of Tiger responses.
It was not as if Cotchin had been quiet to that point. He'd kept his feet despite being under siege from an opponent to gather an imperfect kick forward and bang it onto his boot for an early goal, and had 16 touches to half time. But in the last 10 minutes of the third quarter he imposed himself whether he was winning the ball or tackling, and twice outmarked his opponent to kick important goals.
The Tigers were in front by 41 at the last change, and piled on five goals to none in the final term.
''A few of us lost crucial contests at pretty big times in the game and we've got to be better than that,'' Giansiracusa said later. ''The playing group has got to be better at hanging in. We're probably sick of talking about it but we'll go back to the drawing board.
''It wasn't just from our younger players. It was all of us, really. 'Macca' [coach Brendan McCartney] is trying to teach us to play the same way the whole time, not get away from it, and we probably did at times. They got a run on and they are pretty hard to stop when they're like that.''
Still, Tiger coach Damien Hardwick was not happy about the Bulldogs' third quarter burst.
''I am probably at the stage now where I don't think sides should do that to us. We've got to be better than that. We went through a brief period in the first three games of the year where those five to 10-minute spurts resulted in five goals and the same thing happened today. It's something we can't afford to have happen on a regular basis so we've got to improve in that area,'' he said.
''The one thing we can take away is that the Bulldogs have a crack. Brendan has got them playing some spirited footy and their contested ball is very good.''
Richmond boasted an even spread of goalkickers. Jack Riewoldt did not completely dominate Jordan Roughhead but still kicked five goals. The resilient Luke McGuane kicked his second bag of three in as many weeks and the much-improved Shane Edwards was consistently in dangerous spots at ground level, converting four of his eight scoring shots in a 22-possession game.
''I haven't been a part of too many 10-goal wins with the club,'' reflected Edwards. ''There was definitely some luck involved. Our key forwards brought it to the critical spot which helped guys like me and Robbie [Nahas] and Jake King.''
The Dogs could not boast the same options up forward despite the third-quarter revival. ''When our contest is right and we've got people applying a lot of force around the ball we don't have too many problems scoring but it has to come on a more consistent basis,'' McCartney said.
NEW DOGSInjuries to senior players paved the way for not one but two young Bulldogs to make their first senior appearances, bringing the debutant count to eight this season. Lin Jong was upgraded from the rookie list for Daniel Cross and ushered straight into the team. His first touch in the AFL was a clean kick forward from the centre. Fletcher Roberts' promotion was even less expected, but he was told to get ready quickly when Ryan Griffen's back seized up during the warm-up. He was subbed in and performed solidly in defence.
COLEMAN CONTENDERJack Riewoldt didn't dominate for Richmond but he remains in contention for a second Coleman Medal, kicking five goals to climb to 54 for the season, three behind Matthew Pavlich. The Richmond spearhead, who took nine marks and was a handful for Jordan Roughead, will go head-to-head with the Fremantle captain on Saturday in a game that will help shape the Dockers' finals hopes.
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