Media articles and stats: Tigers quelled by Swans

[one-eyed]

Classy Swans quell Tigers' challenge with ease
afl.com.au
7:21pm AEST Sunday, July 28, 2013

SYDNEY SWANS    5.3    8.7   13.10    16.14 (110)
RICHMOND            5.3    6.4    8.7         9.9 (63)

GOALS
Sydney Swans: White 4, Tippett 3, Mitchell, K. Jack 2, Lamb, B. Jack, Pyke, Smith, Bolton
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Martin 2, Conca, Jackson, Vickery, White

BEST
Sydney Swans: O'Keefe, Hannebery, White, Bird, Richards, Tippett, McVeigh
Richmond: Tuck, Cotchin, Martin, Riewoldt, Grigg, Jackson

INJURIES
Sydney Swans: TBC
Richmond: Vickery (concussion), Petterd (groin)

SUBSTITUTES
Sydney Swans: Brandon Jack replaced by Harry Cunningham at three-quarter time
Richmond: Shane Tuck replaced by Matthew Arnot at three-quarter time

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stevic, Stewart, Meredith

Official crowd: 29,738 at SCG

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The Swans celebrate a goal from Kieren Jack during their 47-point win over Richmond
THE SYDNEY Swans' class has proved too much for Richmond to counter as the Tigers suffered a 47-point loss to the reigning premiers at the SCG.

After an free-flowing first quarter, Jesse White and Kurt Tippett shared seven goals as the Swans piled on 11 goals to the Tigers' four en route to a 16.14 (110) to 9.9 (63) victory.

Kieren Jack, Ryan O'Keefe and Tom Mitchell were also among the Swans' best as they moved closer to shoring up a top-four berth.

Dustin Martin was outstanding early for Richmond with two excellent first-quarter goals and Jack Riewoldt clearly won his contest with Ted Richards, but only managed three goals from at least twice as many shots at goal.

Scores were level at the end of an entertaining opening stanza but the Swans were dominant from that point on. The hosts' superior ability to run both ways in the midfield was increasingly apparent as Jack, O'Keefe and Mitchell constantly found themselves with time and space that the Tigers rarely found.

For all the Swans' ascendancy, the gap was still only 15 points at half-time but it blew open in the third quarter as White began to dominate the Swans' forward half.

He booted two goals and could easily have had three for the quarter, and was a constant threat in attack. With Pyke and Tippett also bobbing up, Richmond's defence was simply unable to cope with the onslaught despite the best efforts of Alex Rance and Troy Chaplin.

The Swans led by 33 points at the last change and when Mitchell booted the first goal of the final term, before spinning out of a pack and feeding O'Keefe who in turn found Jed Lamb for another major, the game was effectively over.

The Tigers' pain in defeat was compounded in the final term when Tyrone Vickery was carried from the field with concussion and Ricky Petterd suffered a suspected groin injury.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-28/swans-in-cruise-control

[one-eyed]

Sydney hands Richmond a lesson in finals-style footy with 47-point win at the SCG

    Neil Cordy
    From: The Daily Telegraph
    July 28, 2013 7:42PM

SYDNEY'S premiership defence marches on with sixth-placed Richmond on the receiving end of a 47-point lesson in pressure football.

The Tigers will play finals football for the first time since 2001 and were given a master class on how to play them by Sydney.

It was a powerful display and a reminder to flag favourites Hawthorn and Geelong the Swans will be very much part of the equation in 2013.

The usual suspects again came to the fore when the game was in the balance in the third quarter.

The Swans' local boys and co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack led the way.

Two goals in quick succession from the recently re-signed Jack Riewoldt ignited the thousands of Tigers fans who had made the trip north and moved Richmond within 10 points and into a threatening position.

But that was as close as the Tigers got, with goals to Mike Pyke and a beauty on the run from Jack in quick succession extending the lead.

McVeigh gathered nine possessions for the term as he generalled the Swans defence and Jack eight as he continued to drive Sydney forward from the clearances.

The pair must be near certainties to be named in the All-Australian team.

Also to the fore again were Norm Smith medallist Ryan O’Keefe and Dan Hannebery, who dominated the contested ball with almost 30 between them.

Tom Mitchell again produced a display that looked more like a 150-game player than someone who has yet to play 10. Two goals to complement his 26 disposals was another effort of the highest quality.

In a game billed as a midfield battle, Richmond’s Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Shaun Grigg played well without having the same effect on the outcome.

As the skippers lead the way through defence and the midfield the new look Swans forward line with Jesse White and Kurt Tippett looked threatening throughout as the pair kicked four and three goals respectively.

It was the quality of the opposition which made the win as convincing as it was.

With three wins from their past two games against the Swans the Tigers came to the SCG with high hopes of staking a claim for a top-four finish.

They left in the knowledge of just how much more work is required to challenge the top four teams.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/stuff-1226687015381

[one-eyed]

New names but Swans power on

   Andrew Wu
    The Age
    July 28, 2013 - 10:02PM

SYDNEY     5.3   8.7   13.10   16.14 (110)
RICHMOND  5.3  6.4     8.7      9.9 (63)

GOALS
Sydney: White 4, Tippett 3, K Jack 2, Mitchell 2, B Jack, Bolton, Lamb, Pyke, Smith.
Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Martin 2, Jackson, White, Conca, Vickery.

BEST
Sydney: O'Keefe, K.Jack, Mitchell, Hannebery, White, Mumford, Bird.
Richmond: Martin, Cotchin, Riewoldt, Grigg.

UMPIRES Stevic, Meredith, Stewart.
CROWD 29,738 at SCG.

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There comes a time in each season when injuries finally get the better of a side, and on Sunday it seemed Sydney had reached that point.

The Swans began the game without eight premiership stars and seconds later looked set to be without a ninth when Nick Malceski was creamed by Ty Vickery.

As far as statements go few come more emphatic than Vickery's – a crunching but perfectly legal shirtfront delivered with enough force to leave the victim clutching his shoulder. Richmond meant business, and importantly its trade was more than heavy hits.

The Tigers had a goal on the board within the opening 60 seconds and a second four minutes later. The trend of the game was also suggesting the Tigers had good reason to believe a six-game losing streak at the venue was about to be over.

In recent years, clubs have come to the SCG and been choked by a Sydney outfit committed to a certain style of play.

But the Tigers were dictating terms to John Longmire's men. The Swans might be ugly ducklings no more but that does not mean they prefer high-voltage, end-to-end football.

This suited the likes of Dustin Martin, who had nine possessions and two goals by quarter-time, Ricky Petterd and Chris Newman – the latter two generating plenty of run out of defence.

The Swans were by no means being run off their legs. In fact, they were in front before time-on, thanks to a goal from the most unlikely of providers, Nick Smith, and would have held on to the lead had Ryan O'Keefe's turnover deep in attack not resulted in a goal at the other end to Jack Riewoldt.

For Richmond, the first quarter was as good as it got and it now faces another week of having its finals credentials scrutinised.

The Swans gained control of the game in the second term, though it could have been better reflected on the scoreboard, they upped the ante in the third and applied the blowtorch in the last.

All the more impressively for the Swans, they received key contributions from players such as Tom Mitchell and Jesse White, who did not feature last September. Mitchell showed why he deserves consideration by the Rising Star Award judges with another performance beyond his slender years, while White turned in one of the best matches of his career.

The Swans big man bagged two goals in the third term after marking strongly. If he continues in this rich vein of form he will make it hard for Sam Reid to break back into the 22.

Having battled gamely to stay within reach of the Swans in the second quarter, the Tigers were washed away by wave after wave of red and white pressure after half-time.

So polished in the first quarter, the Tigers were reduced to a bumbling mess by the final term.

Brett Deledio was again unable to shake off a tag, this time from Craig Bird, while Newman struggled after quarter-time.

At the end it seemed hard to believe that only two hours earlier both sides had been hunting for the same position in the top four.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/new-names-but-swans-power-on-20130728-2qso4.html#ixzz2aMMeqsXb

[one-eyed]

The Tackle: Richmond and Essendon fail quality examination

    Mark Robinson
    From: Herald Sun
    July 28, 2013 8:44PM

The red sash was bamboozled by the Hawks, and the yellow sash wasn't tough enough or strong enough for long enough against the best midfield and the best defensive team in the competition in Sydney, which happens to have a multitude of pillars in its forward line.

While the Bombers were made to look dysfunctional by Hawthorn's quick ball movement around Etihad, Richmond's quick ball movement was eventually thwarted by the Swans at the SCG.

The Tigers were staunch, much like the Englishmen holding fort against the Zulus.

But however much the Tigers threatened, the Swans were able to send wave after wave of pressure and the Tigers were overwhelmed.

Unlike the Englishmen, Richmond didn't escape with a miracle victory.

By midway through the final quarter, Sydney's fierce pressure and hard-running football had put the Tigers in their place: bottom half of the eight.

The Swans midfield was again incredible.

Every one of them - Kieren Jack, Josh Kennedy, Ryan O'Keefe, Daniel Hannebery - has "star" beside his name, Tom Mitchell will be a star, and Luke Parker has well and truly established himself.

And they had a ruckman, Shane Mumford, who had a team-high seven clearances, and Jarrad McVeigh, who plays half-back/midfield, which has become one of the most important positions in the team.

The tackle count was 58-50 Sydney's way, but it looked as though it was 78-50, such was the defensive pressure.

If Round 18 told us anything it was that with only five rounds to play, it's Hawthorn, Geelong, Sydney then daylight, then Fremantle, then a host of teams presenting a combination of stuttering, progressing, stalling and surging football.

There is a beacon of light above the kennel [Bulldogs]. It's the same for the Tigers despite the defeat. Being 15 points behind at halftime was not a bad result on the scoreboard.

Two of their best three midfielders - Brett Deledio and Trent Cotchin - barely sighted the ball in the first two quarters.

Deledio had nine possessions and Cotchin 13, although the trend of Cotchin receiving most of his possessions under fierce pressure continued. He ran at just 46 per cent efficiency.

They would finish 21 (Deledio) and 30 (Cotchin).

Resolute against the Dockers last week, Alex Rance and Troy Chaplin weren't up to the challenge of Jesse White, Kurt Tippett and Mike Pyke, but let's be honest, they won't be the only defensive group who struggle with that trio.

The standout for the Tigers was Dustin Martin, who finished with 30 possessions at 80 per cent.

He kicked two goals in the first quarter, one of which exemplified his level of commitment to being an elite AFL player. He started a score chain in the back pocket, kicked it short, got it back, kicked it lateral, kept running, demanded the handball receive and goalled from the boundary line.

A new contract for him is a matter of urgency.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/the-tackle-richmond-and-essendon-fail-quality-examination/story-fndv8t7m-1226687162964