Tigers claw a victoryAndrew Stafford, Brisbane
June 19, 2011RICHMOND 2.5 7.9 12.13 18.17 (125)
BRISBANE LIONS 4.2 7.6 10.9 14.10 (94)
GOALS
Richmond: Martin 5, Vickery 4, Miller 2, Riewoldt 2, Deledio, Foley, Nahas, Grigg, Cotchin.
Brisbane: Brown 2, Redden 2, Clark 2, Karnezis 2, Banfield 2, Polkinghorne, Hanley, Bewick, Harwood.
BEST
Richmond: Cotchin, Martin, Houli, Vickery, Foley, Riewoldt.
Brisbane Lions: Leuenberger, Redden, Rockliff, Black, Banfield.
INJURIES Brisbane Lions: Clark (ankle), Banfield (hamstring).
UMPIRES Schmitt, McBurney, Hay.
CROWD 21,510 at Gabba.
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EARLY on in this game, it was fair to say Richmond looked like it had fallen under a bus. Four goals down within 18 minutes, the Tigers were struggling to get their hands on the ball, let alone do anything constructive with it. Who knows whether a heavy travel schedule had anything to do with it, but they certainly looked in need of a jolt.
Two rare forward forays summed up a general lack of composure: first, Jake King bombed blindly from outside 50, earning a bake from a hard-leading Jack Riewoldt as the ball rolled through for a behind. Minutes later, Riewoldt had all the time in the world to find King on his own 15 metres out, only to snap the ball across the face of goals. The "Push-Up King" held his arms wide beseechingly.
The Brisbane Lions, for their part, looked like they were out to atone for some miserable recent performances at home, none worse than the first-half drubbing they suffered at the hands of Sydney two weeks ago.
The player most obviously on song was Mitch Clark, whose delight at threading a set shot from the boundary signalled his intentions.
By late in the first quarter, though, the Tigers were beginning to claw their way back, and seven of the following eight goals before half-time established a short lead. The catalyst was Tyrone Vickery, who was again proving an extremely effective alternative to Riewoldt.
Vickery's kicking is reminiscent of an old Collingwood stager, James Manson, but his fourth goal from a super mark halfway through the last quarter just about iced the game. In a scrappy, see-sawing and often willing affair, the Tigers prevailed in the end simply because they had a bit more class at crucial times.
No player exemplified this more than Dustin Martin, who was explosive with five goals.
Trent Cotchin was the smoothest mover on the field, and while Riewoldt didn't hit the scoreboard hard, he ran a fading Matt Maguire into the ground. In defence, Bachar Houli rebounded well all night, while special mention must go to Alex Rance, who held Jonathan Brown to two goals.
The Lions, again, were left to count the cost.
Clark was subbed off after injuring an ankle, while the energetic Todd Banfield ended the game nursing an iced hamstring.
Too much was left to too few: while Matthew Leuenberger was probably best afield over four quarters and did more than anyone to keep the home side in the contest. Mostly, though, they were able to hold the Tigers on a short leash.
The visitors helped keep the home side in the contest by making a truckload of unforced errors and playing in bursts, but two goals to Martin and another to Cotchin late in the third term opened up a 17-point lead that was always going to be hard for the Lions to retrieve.
They're still a work in progress, the Tigers, but increasingly, their versatility and forward options is winning them games.
After the match, Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss said the injuries to Clark and Banfield could keep them out next week.
''They're always assessed on Monday to be able to see the damage, but categorically they'll be out next week,'' Voss said.
VOSS'S CURSE CONTINUES Poor Michael Voss must be feeling cursed for the number of key position players to have gone down with injuries this year. Mitch Clark was close to his side's best player in the first half, until he went down clutching an ankle and was immediately substituted out of the game. Todd Banfield joined him in the last quarter; they now join Daniel Merrett and Jed Adcock on the sidelines.
THE NEW KIDPlenty of players over the years have scored a goal from their first kick in senior football; not quite so many have made it two from two. Tall forward Patrick Karnezis did it last night for the Lions after being brought on in Clark's absence, and the efforts showed him to be both adept below his knees and above his head.
100 UP FOR FOLEYAfter a couple of seasons ruined by injury, Nathan Foley's hard-earned 100th game was typically full of merit, winning plenty of hard ball in the middle, laying six tackles and capping it with a goal. His return to fitness is a huge part of the Tigers' climb up the ladder.
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