Richmond leaders Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt stand up when it counts against Brisbane LionsHerald-Sun
April 18, 2014 IT TOOK 16 seconds for Richmond’s mauled and maligned matchwinners to make a statement at the Gabba.
And they needed to lift again in the third quarter when Brisbane mounted a serious challenge in Jonathan Brown’s 250th game for the Lions.
Tigers captain Trent Cotchin and star forward Jack Riewoldt have been the faces of the club’s miserable start to 2014 but they stamped some long-awaited authority on the Lions in the first passage of play.
Cotchin won the ball in the middle of the ground after the first bounce and the Sherrin quickly wound up in Riewoldt’s hands for the first goal of the match.
With no Ty Vickery in the Richmond forward line, Riewoldt was the sole focal point for the Tigers and he seemed to revel in the responsibility.
He took three marks in the first five minutes including a spectacular hanger over Sam Mayes.
With Dustin Martin making a point of delivering the ball to Riewoldt, the dual Coleman medallist had eight touched by the first break.
He kicked the first goal of the second term after being one-out with Joel Patfull as the only two players inside Richmond’s attacking 50.
His strong mark and goal handed the Tigers a commanding lead that was slowly but surely whittled away by Brisbane.
The calamity that comes with Riewoldt was also on show when he should have kicked for goal in the third term but decided to pass to an invisible teammate. It caused a turnover which led directly to a Brisbane goal that handed the Lions the lead for the first time of the night.
He responded in style with a mark and goal late in the term after Cotchin did the important lead-up work.
Riewoldt’s fourth goal of the match soon after put the Tigers seven points in front.
Cotchin kicked the next goal with a fighting effort in the goalsquare that completed the swing of momentum back to the visitors.
Cotchin had a far easier night compared to last Friday’s bitter battle with Magpie tagger Brent Macaffer.
His direct opponent was second-gamer Nick Robertson who was able to run with Cotchin but lacked the footy nous to shut the Tigers skipper out of the game.
Cotchin had eight touches in the first term against Robertson and Brisbane quickly swung vice-captain Tom Rockliff into the match-up.
With the Lions surging in the second term, Cotchin became the loose man in defence and had 15 touches up until the main break.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-leaders-trent-cotchin-jack-riewoldt-stand-up-when-it-counts-against-brisbane-lions/story-fnelctok-1226888720560
