Media articles and Stats: Tigers go down to Swans in dour struggle

[one-eyed]

Nine straight for Swans after dour struggle with Tigers
Adam McNicol 
afl.com.au
June 20, 2014 10:14 PM


RICHMOND          4.2   6.4   7.6   7.9 (51)
SYDNEY SWANS  1.2   4.2   7.5   9.8 (62)

GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 2, Miles 2, Edwards, Hampson, Deledio
Sydney Swans: Franklin 4, K. Jack 2, Reid 2, McVeigh

BEST
Richmond: Martin, Ellis, Cotchin, Houli, Miles, Maric
Sydney Swans: Franklin, Kennedy, Cunningham, Parker, Jetta, Malceski, K.Jack 

INJURIES
Richmond: Shaun Hampson (ankle)
Sydney Swans: Rhyce Shaw (left ankle)   

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Matt Dea replaced by Matt Thomas in the third quarter
Sydney Swans: Rhyce Shaw replaced by Zak Jones at half time

Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Donlon, Dalgleish, Leppard

Official crowd: 34,633 at the MCG

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THE SYDNEY Swans have won their ninth game in succession, fighting back from a 26-point deficit midway through the second quarter to defeat Richmond by 11 points at the MCG on Friday night.

The premiership favourites looked listless during the first 50 minutes of the match, but two goals just prior to half time dragged them back into the contest.

Having hit the front in the third term, the Swans fell a point down by three-quarter time, but they lifted again when it mattered most, winning 9.8 (62) to 7.9 (51) and improving their 2014 record to 10-3.

The clash was full of statistical anomalies. Richmond finished with 401 disposals to 332, yet the Swans ended with 46 inside 50s to 37.

Star forward Lance Franklin, who had an entertaining duel with Tigers defender Alex Rance, was among the heroes for the red and whites, booting four vital goals in what was a low-scoring scrap.

Franklin kicked two in the second quarter, one from long range in the right pocket and another from 45m out in the left pocket.

He then handed the Swans the lead early in the final quarter with a clever snap from close range.

Franklin then finished things off with an accurate set shot after receiving a holding free kick against Rance with six minutes remaining, sealing a match that always looked Sydney's to lose after half time.

Kieren Jack and Sam Reid, who both kicked two majors, were the other multiple goal-kickers for the winners.

Having been quiet in the first half, midfielders Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Jarrad McVeigh came to life after the long break, and all played a crucial role in the Swans' victory.

Debutant onballer Zak Jones picked up nine touches and laid six tackles after being subbed into the game early in the third quarter when Rhyce Shaw suffered a left ankle injury.

Richmond was left to rue yet another case of what might have been.

The Tigers flew out of the blocks, snaring an 18-point quarter-time lead.

At that point, they led the disposal count 115 to 58. Trent Cotchin had 14 touches to his name and Dustin Martin nine.

It was more of the same early in the second term, and Richmond led six goals to two when Brett Deledio dribbled one though at the 17-minute mark.

However, the Tigers only kicked one more goal, which came when Anthony Miles dobbed his second from 50m out after the three-quarter time siren.

Damien Hardwick's men refused to give in during a rugged final term, but they just didn't have the class to drag themselves over the line.

Coleman Medal leader Jack Riewoldt finished with 2.2, while Miles also finished with two goals.

After setting a career-best with 22 possessions at half time, Cotchin's influence waned, but he still finished with 33 touches to be one of four Tigers with 30-plus possessions along with Dustin Martin (a game-high 36), Brandon Ellis (35) and Bachar Houli (33).

By contrast, no Swans player had 30 possessions, but the side did enough collectively to grab four points on a night when they were a long way off their best.

With their fifth loss in the past six games, the Tigers have slumped to 3-10 and will spend another week in the bottom four. They play St Kilda at Etihad Stadium next weekend.

The Swans will be out to avenge their round one loss to Greater Western Sydney when they host the Giants at the SCG.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-06-20/tigers-v-swans-match-report-r14

[one-eyed]

Sydney Swans forced to work hard by Richmond but prevail in low-scoring contest
Jay Clark
Herald-Sun
June 21, 2014


IT was a torturous reminder of what could have been for Richmond.

For almost the entirety of last night’s contest against Sydney Swans, the raging premiership favourite, the Tigers wound back the clock to last year when it looked as if they had all the parts to be a contender.

There was composed ball movement. Tenacity inside the contest. And quality bookends.

But as the two clubs locked horns in what seemed like a continual cycle of midfield stoppages in the last term it was always going down to a single act.

In the end, Lance Franklin produced two of them inside 50m to ice the goals that put a gallant Richmond away by 11 points last night at the MCG.

When Richmond fans look past the disappointment of throwing away another commanding lead, after leading by 26 points in the second term, the clouds will part on what was probably their most encouraging performance of the season.

For a team that has only won three games and had all confidence beaten from it from such an exasperating start to the season, they took it up to the Swans, held sway in the midfield clinches and maintained some dash and dare with the ball late in the game when Sydney tried everything to make the Tigers crumble.

Richmond had nine more clearances, 69 more disposals and 14 more contested possessions and their leaders stood up. Trent Cotchin ran himself to exhaustion in the end, Dustin Martin exhibited a work-rate that helps fill out the A-Grade talent and Troy Chaplin and Alex Rance played their hearts out against the Swans’ artillery down back.

Anthony Miles, who kicked the 50m goal on the three quarter time siren to give Richmond a one-point lead heading into the last break, again proved himself to be a wonderful find, adding another hard edge to the midfield.

The Swans were poor in the first half and will be happy with the way they responded, pocketing another four points that keeps them in the top two. Despite the slow start, there is a good reason why the combination of Josh Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh, Luke Parker and Kieran Jack is regarded as the No. 1 midfield in the game and the superstar combination worked their way back into the contest either side of the half-time break through sheer work-rate.

McVeigh in particular helped turn the contest moving into the centre square and Craig Bird helped quieten Cotchin late after a brilliant start. Likewise, Kennedy began to assert himself over a tag from Ricky Petterd that started favourably for the recycled Richmond utility.

But as soon as the Sydney comeback began, it seemed inevitable that the Tigers, as encouraging as they had been, were always going to get overwhelmed in the finish.

Regardless, it shows that a total rebuild is not required at Tigerland. Things are better than that.

As good as Rance had been on Franklin in the one on ones early, the Swans’ spearhead delivered again, living up to the big pay packet that some thought would bring down the club this year, not help it rise above.

The first half took Tiger fans back to last year and the premium brand of footy that rubber-stamped the club as a genuine challenger in the preseason.

It has been a mystery why the Tigers have been so hesitant and constipated moving the ball from half back this season but last night they were swift and instinctive.

The quick and short gives through the midfield helped pick apart the Swans defensive pressure, but to be fair, the premiership favourite’s intensity was lacking in a way that had Swans coach John Longmire screaming in the coaches’ box out of frustration from the get go.

Still, the Tigers were able to deny the Swans ball-carriers the ball, starving the ‘Bondi Billionaire’ forward line, which misfired early save for a couple of curling long-range set shots from Franklin.

Longmire must have been wondering who was on Tigers’ skipper Cotchin as he made the biggest statement of his season with 14 touches to quarter time and 22 at the half.

He has faced stern criticism of his leadership, Cotchin, but he was everywhere last night, helping give the Tigers the edge in the contested ball battle against the most lauded midfield brigade in the game.

Triple M commentator Garry Lyon was scathing of the Swans’ attack early.

“They are embarrassing Sydney on the inside (of the contest) and embarrassing Sydney with their ability to find blokes on the outside,” Lyon said.

Martin was always threatening, too, playing behind the ball and in attack, Jack Riewoldt asserted himself on the contest taking a screamer in between three Swans defenders.

When Deledio pushed hard forward minutes later the Tigers had built a 26-point lead midway through the second term before two late Sydney goals kept them in close range.

BEST

TIGERS: Martin, Cotchin, Miles, Rance, Houli, Chaplin

SWANS: Franklin, Kennedy, Parker, Malceski, Cunningham, McVeigh

VOTES

3 Franklin

2 Martin

1 Kennedy

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/sydney-swans-forced-to-work-hard-by-richmond-but-prevail-in-lowscoring-contest/story-fnelctok-1226961714958

[one-eyed]

Lance Franklin fires late as Swans notch up ninth straight win
Jake Niall
    The Age
    June 21, 2014

SYDNEY    1.2 4.2 7.5 9.8 (62)
RICHMOND 4.2 6.4 7.6 7.9 (51)

Goals:
Sydney: L Franklin 4 K Jack 2 S Reid 2 J McVeigh.
Richmond: A Miles 2 J Riewoldt 2 A Edwards B Deledio S Hampson.

BEST
Sydney: Franklin, Kennedy, Malceski, McVeigh, Parker, Jack.
Richmond: Martin, Cotchin, Miles, Ellis, Chaplin, Rance.

Injuries: Sydney: R Shaw (ankle). Richmond: S Hampson (ankle).
Umpires: Chris Donlon, Jeff Dalgleish, Matthew Leppard.
Official Crowd: 34,633 at MCG.

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Midway through the second quarter, following a Brett Deledio running goal, Richmond, the competition’s most disappointing team this year, led the premiership favourites by 26 points.

If this was surprising, there were some circumstances that favoured the Tigers, such as the fact that they had selected one of their better sides of this season, while the Swans were without Dan Hannebery and Kurt Tippett.

Further, the conditions were slippery – and experienced Swan watchers would know that all three Sydney defeats this year – to the Giants, Pies and Kangaroos – had been on damp days or evenings, and when they were down a player or two. In Alex Rance, the Tigers had a player who had worried Lance Franklin in their most recent duels.

Richmond’s start posed plenty of questions. The first was whether this was sustainable (uncertain), the second was if the Swans lacked intensity (definitely). The over-arching question was where this particular Richmond – the one that won the ball and kept it in Tiger hands – had been throughout the dismal 2014.

The Swans’ early unwillingness to apply their vaunted pressure  was personified in the one-way duel between opposing skippers Trent Cotchin and Kieren Jack. At half-time, Cotchin had touched the ball 22 times, Brandon Ellis 21 times and Dustin Martin 18. Jack had not played tight.

It couldn’t happen, could it? The Dogs had snipped the Pies, the Dees could beat Essendon, but the notion that the 2014 version of Richmond would undo the super Swans was still hard to believe.

At the close of play, we had the outcome we expected – a Sydney victory, its ninth in a row. But the journey to that win had been more difficult than everyone envisaged. The margin of 11 points was about right.

And Lance Franklin, again, was a major reason for Sydney prevailing in a tight one. He booted four goals from a modest aggregate of nine. It mattered not that Rance bested him in many contests. Franklin produced goals when they were desperately required, including two in the final term.

The Swans didn’t have Hannebery or Tippett, but they did have plenty of others who raised an effort when they were down by 26 points. Josh Kennedy, Jarrad McVeigh, Jack, Nick Malceski, Luke Parker and Adam Goodes aren’t the kind of players who meekly succumb. And Franklin, even on a good player, can find the necessary goal.

The Swans closed to within 14 points at half-time, following Franklin’s second goal. First, they crept back into the contest. Then, in the third quarter, came the stronger Sydney putsch.

An easy snap to Jack closed the gap, then the scores were levelled when Sam Reid plucked a Royce Hart-style mark and – uncharacteristically – converted his second consecutive set shot. McVeigh and company were lifting around the ball, the Swans were swarming. The inside 50 count was ludicrously one-sided in this period – Sydney had at least the first dozen of the quarter. John Longmire had managed to quell Cotchin by sending Craig Bird to him after the main break.

Yet, Richmond’s defensive pluck prevented the Swans from converting those numerous attacks, and Sydney’s lead didn’t exceed a kick. The Tigers found some ball and, remarkably, on the three-quarter-time siren, regained the lead when Anthony Miles sank a long one from 50 metres.

If Richmond had been holding the finger in the dyke in the third term, it was the Swans’ – and Franklin’s – ability to nail the shots that mattered that counted at the end. Franklin regained the lead for the Swans from a snap, and put through what was the retrospective sealer from a holding free against Rance. The Tigers had some opportunities, and just couldn’t finish, as Riewoldt and Martin missed.

The Tigers owned the ball for the first 10-12 minutes, booted the game’s opening two goals through Riewoldt and Aaron Edwards. Sydney was disinterested at this point.

Cotchin had 14 disposals to Jack’s four in the opening quarter, the Richmond playmaker relishing the absence of Brent Macaffer-like handcuffs. Reece Conca, absent last week, brought significant ball-winning capacity to the Tiger running brigade.

Martin had continued his productive season, and the Tigers excelled in defence, conceding only one first-quarter goal from Sydney’s 10 forward entries.

Sydney’s attack did not seem nearly as potent without Tippett. But it had the other ‘‘Bondi billionaire’’ and, in a 16-goal game, his four was enough.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/lance-franklin-fires-late-as-swans-notch-up-ninth-straight-win-20140620-zsh2g.html#ixzz35CgS3U1n

[one-eyed]

Lance Franklin and Alex Rance battle a classic but the Swans superstar finishes on top
Glenn McFarlane
Herald-Sun
June 21, 2014

LANCE Franklin must have had Alex Rance’s fingerprints all over him as he walked off the MCG on Friday night, having kicked four goals in the most intriguing duel of last night’s clash.

But the Swans superstar would have figured all the attention was worth it as almost single-handedly he lifted Sydney to an 11-point win over a persistent Richmond.

For a fair slice of the night, Rance probably held the points, but this morning he must be asking himself how all of his hard work ended with Franklin being the most influential player on the ground.

Franklin kicked 4.0 of the Swans’ nine goals and for the second week in a row, he dragged his team from the precipice back to safety, pushing their streak to nine straight wins.

The thing about Franklin is that if he is allowed minimum opportunities, he can – and so often will – make you pay.

That’s what happened last night with the spearhead’s two last quarter goals – the only ones Sydney kicked in that term – enough to lift his team over the line yet again.

It is fair to say the Swans wouldn’t be 10-3 on the AFL ladder without having the services of the man they are prepared to pay $10 million over nine seasons.

“I’m finding a little bit of form ... I’m just looking forward to the next part of the season,” Franklin said on Channel Seven last night.

As the Tigers took the game on, and used the ball better than they have in weeks, Rance did his best to keep his opponent to the bare minimum of opportunities in the first half-hour.

Franklin had only one touch in the opening term. But two errors in the space of a few seconds resulted in Franklin’s first real chance early in the second term - and must have frustrated the hell out of the Tigers’ defender.

The first came when Brandon Ellis soccered off the ground deep in defence, giving a free kick that saw Kieren Jack chip to a loose Franklin.

Rance was upset that none of his teammates had covered for him when he was marginally out of position.

Franklin slotted it through at the seven-minute-mark, and did the same 16 minutes, when he dragged in a juggling mark.

Before Franklin’s kick, the Swans trailed by 26 points, and his 50m pin-point ‘left to right’ kick was the catalyst for the resurgent Swans.

Sydney had most of the play in the third term, yet Rance did his best to keep Franklin out of the play as much as he could.

Buddy ended up gathering a few of his possessions further up the field, but his one chance deep in attack ended up in a free kick against him.

It came midway through the third term when Rance looked set to pounce on a loose ball before Franklin charged in and tried to boot the ball off the ground, resulting in a kicking-in-danger free kick against.

But all Franklin needs is an opening, and he can hurt you.

That’s precisely what happened three minutes into the last stanza when Nick Vlaustin made the mistake of tapping the ball back into play, which ended in Franklin slotting his third to put the Swans in front again.

And 20 minutes into the final time a free kick against Rance to Franklin gave the Swans some breathing space.

Franklin’s next assignment at the ‘G will come up in Round 18 – against his old side Hawthorn - and it promises to be a cracker.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/lance-franklin-and-alex-rance-battle-a-classic-but-the-swans-superstar-finishes-on-top/story-fndv8ujy-1226961891507