Media articles and Stats: Eighth straight win puts Tigers in the eight

[one-eyed]

Eighth straight win puts Tigers in the eight
Ben McKay
AAP 
August 24, 2014 7:13 PM


RICHMOND                6.0    8.3   13.5    15.8 (98)
ST KILDA                  2.2    4.7    5.9    10.12 (72)
 
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 6, Deledio 2, Griffiths 2, Batchelor, Maric, Foley, Petterd, Ellis
St Kilda: White 3, Riewoldt 2, Shenton, Fisher, Armitage, Newnes, Murdoch
 
BEST
Richmond: Riewoldt, Miles, Houli, Deledio, Rance, Maric, Newman
St Kilda: Armitage, Riewoldt, Dempster, Steven, Montagna
 
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
St Kilda: Nil
 
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Ben Lennon replaced Chris Newman in the third quarter
St Kilda: Brodie Murdoch replaced Rhys Stanley at three-quarter time
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Dalgleish, Burgess, Mollison
 
Official crowd: 47,188 at the MCG

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TWO MONTHS ago the idea was folly but with just one match left in the regular season, Richmond has entered the top eight with a 26-point win over St Kilda.

While next week's trip north to play Sydney Swans will determine whether the Tigers stay there, Richmond's best streak in 34 years was cause for celebration in itself.

Led by a six-goal haul from Jack Riewoldt, the Tigers made short work of St Kilda for their eighth straight victory, winning 15.8 (98) to 10.12 (72) at a wet MCG on Sunday.

Having restored parity in their win-loss record last weekend in Adelaide, Richmond improved to 11-10 with their demolition of the hapless Saints.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said his team's stunning turnaround in the second half of this season had come through his players having the confidence to take game on.
 
"I just wish we had it earlier in the year. It wasn't through lack of trying, we just couldn't quite get the belief and confidence back up to last year's level," Hardwick said.
 
"We certainly were taking the game on, which is when we play our best footy and most sides do. We made a couple of errors today which drove me a bit insane in the box there towards the last quarter, but the thing is you've got to dare to be bold.
 
"From our point of view, we'll continue to play that way. Sometimes it will come off, sometimes it won't, but that's when we play our best footy."

The rout was on early, with Riewoldt's first-minute conversion followed by Ben Griffiths' impressive running checkside in the second minute.

When Brett Deledio stole the ball in midfield soon after, shrugged a tackle and goaled from the top of the 50-metre arc, the roar of the Tiger faithful told the story.

Richmond had six goals before the Saints had their first, all but ending the contest.

Chris Newman and Bachar Houli powered Richmond from defence, with the re-signed Anthony Miles and Shaun Grigg doing the grunt work in midfield.

Up front, Riewoldt raised eyebrows by opting to kick around the corner instead of lining up traditional drop punts from the pocket.

But it didn't affect his output, with 6.2 his best return since an 11-goal bag against Greater Western Sydney in May.

After Richmond's electric start, St Kilda did rally with two unanswered goals either side of quarter-time.

Nick Riewoldt's fine goal started from a run-up on the MCG fence reduced the Tigers' lead to seven points but Richmond responded.

The Tigers kicked the next seven goals to open up a 50-point lead, taking their foot off the pedal late to leave St Kilda with a flattering scoreline.

Hardwick's side was full of winners, with Troy Chaplin prolific, Deledio busy, and Shane Edwards impressive in his 150th game, but the Tigers coach described his side's performance as inconsistent.
 
"We played two good quarters of footy and I think St Kilda probably showed us a little bit up at certain stages," Hardwick said.
 
"We've got a big challenge."

David Armitage and Riewoldt were St Kilda's best on another learning curve for the young side.

First-gamer Spencer White showed strong ability, kicking three goals in a promising debut.

St Kilda coach Alan Richardson said his team's ability to fight its way back into the game after its slow start had been encouraging.
 
"The first 15 minutes we were off the pace. Richmond were certainly dominating every facet of the game, marking it, scoring when they went forward," Richardson said.
 
"But at the end of the game we were five less on (inside 50) entries, we had one less scoring shot and won two quarters of footy.
 
"There's no doubt there were some positives, but there were periods where they were just a bit too good.
 
"It was really pleasing the last quarter. There have been times this year when we fought ourselves back into the contest and then dropped away.
 
"So to win some really important statistics, to lay 20 tackles late in the game, to score 5.3 to 2.3 in the last quarter was a positive."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-08-24/tigers-cruise-into-top-eight

[one-eyed]

Richmond's mission impossible still possible after victory over St Kilda

  Matt Murnane
     The Age
    August 24, 2014 - 9:06PM

RICHMOND  6.0   8.3   13.5   15.8 (98)
ST KILDA    2.2   4.7    5.9   10.12 (72)

Goals:
Richmond: J Riewoldt 6 B Deledio 2 B Griffiths 2 B Ellis I Maric J Batchelor N Foley R Petterd.
St Kilda: S White 3 N Riewoldt 2 B Murdoch C Shenton D Armitage J Newnes S Fisher.

BEST
Richmond: Riewoldt, Deledio, Miles, Chaplin, Houli, Maric, Foley.
St Kilda: Riewoldt, Armitage, White, Murdoch.

Injuries: Richmond: D Martin (hamstring tightness) replaced in selected side by R Conca.
Umpires: Jeff Dalgleish, Jacob Mollison, Tristan Burgess.
Venue: MCG.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Tigers' Mission Impossible might yet turn out to be exactly that – but they have  incredibly given themselves a chance of success following an eighth successive victory that puts them in the eight for the first time this season.

A date with flag favourite Sydney is the one thing now standing in Richmond's way following a 26-point  victory against St Kilda yesterday.

Only one team (Brisbane in 1995) has come from so far down the ladder so late in the season to steal a finals spot, since the top eight system was introduced. From third last in round 14, to eighth by round 23.

In fact, the Tigers have accomplished the mission one round early. They are currently eighth after dismissing St Kilda at the MCG. Now they've just got to stay there.

Damien Hardwick wasn't to know it on Sunday, but just down the road at Etihad Stadium, Sydney was proving just how difficult that challenge will be next week. Unless John Longmire changes his mind and decides Lance Franklin and a few other A-graders  need a rest, that is.

Two months ago, this statement would have seemed ludicrous: but if Richmond misses out on September, it will be unlucky to do so.

If you let Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley watch Richmond's first quarter against the Saints and then ask him which team he would least like to face in the first week of finals (should the Power stay in fifth), he would be hard-pressed going past the Tigers.

More importantly, they have beaten the two teams that might end up in eighth spot – West Coast and Adelaide – and the team that will finish seventh – Essendon – in the past month.

And if they make it, they will enter the finals on the back of a nine-game winning streak.

In short, they are playing nothing-to-lose football, a complete transformation from earlier in the season when they moved the ball slowly when they went forward.         

In the first quarter on Sunday they were lightning quick. They pulled the trigger on any kick that was going to break open the play, and then spread like crazy. They first hunted the Saints from behind and side-on, then as the pressure grew, it seemed like Alan Richardson's team was running into tackles themselves.

The Saints had 12 kicks in the first 12 minutes. When St Kilda finally did settle and started to force the ball forward, Jack Riewoldt herded his fellow forwards to the centre and left half-a-ground's worth of space behind them.

Then, once Richmond's defenders turned the ball over, Riewoldt and his partners rushed back to goal. Riewoldt looked sharp. He kicked two goals in opening term when the Tigers set up a 22-point lead, two in the second when the Saints made their most dangerous challenge, and finished with six.

Dustin Martin, a late withdrawal,  wasn't there to help him, but Ben Griffiths and Brett Deledio were. Griffiths statistics don't show his true value. He is definitely worth persisting with.

They won the midfield battle – clearances were 34-21 after the three quarters that mattered – and one of the Tigers' other late-season "finds" Anthony Miles was instrumental in that. As was Ricky Petterd on the outside.

 Chris Newman had 12 disposals in the first quarter, Bachar Houli had 25 at three-quarter time, and Troy Chaplin and Jake Batchelor also got involved while Alex Rance had his hands full with Nick Riewoldt.

It's hard to picture the Saints in a few years when Riewoldt finally ends his decorated career. He battled manfully again in a losing cause. 

There was, however,  a small glimpse into the Saints' future in the debut of young key forward Spencer White. There were a couple of incidents where he proved he could do what's required at the level. He's quick, athletic and finished with three goals.

Better key forwards have been far less productive in their first game. 

Of course, the typical pessimism that follows the Tigers hung over the ground like a fog.

Long-suffering supporters have seen enough to fear that, having done the hard part (win seven games in a row including victories against teams around them), their team might forget to do the easy part (beat lowly St Kilda).

But after being challenged in the second term, the Tigers came out after half-time and kicked five goals to one in the third. And then coasted home.

Now it's time for Sydney. 

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/richmonds-mission-impossible-still-possible-after-victory-over-st-kilda-20140824-107wlg.html

[one-eyed]

Richmond defeat St Kilda at the MCG for eighth straight win and move into top eight

Jay Clark
Herald-Sun
August 24, 2014 7:34PM


DAMIEN Hardwick fought back tears at Round 8.

The Richmond coach could not hide his exasperation as the season seemed all but gone after a loss to Melbourne left the Tigers floundering at 2-6. The hurt only grew at 3-10.

But last night, as the Richmond faithful rejoiced at their eighth win on the trot after beating St Kilda by 26 points at the MCG, another kind of emotion swept the Tigers.

It was the exhilaration of being just one win away from securing perhaps the most inconceivable finals berth in recent history.

While they haven’t beaten Sydney in the Harbour City for a decade, making Saturday afternoon’s challenge against the top-placed Swans as tough as they come, the Tigers will spend the week in eighth spot, daring to dream.

Led by spearhead Jack Riewoldt, revitalised backman Troy Chaplin, veteran Chris Newman and Brett Deledio, the Tigers again showed yesterday they are capable of playing breathtaking football.

Riewoldt will hit the Round 23 do or die eliminator with sky-high confidence after booting six goals, including a couple of bending snaps from the boundary line, to continue his red-hot run against the Saints.

And Ben Griffiths put another down payment on the second key forward post that we thought was Ty Vickery’s until his brain explosion against West Coast cost him a month on the sidelines.

But more than anything, this was about the speed and precision of Richmond’s ball movement and the genuine belief that it could do serious damage in September, if it can topple one more red and white domino next weekend.

Far from the muddled and stagnated style of play that marred their first few months, the Tigers are lethal when they run aggressively up the middle of the ground and hit up Riewoldt on leads from the goalsquare. Simply, Hardwick has released the shackles, making a limp team dangerous again.

The Tigers treated the Saints with contempt in a pulsating six-goal opening that was as compelling as anything they have delivered this season.

Former Richmond coach Terry Wallace said the Tigers will worry teams in finals, if they can topple premiership favourite Sydney next weekend and clinch eighth spot.

“When they play this ballistic run and carry style of football from half back, they are very difficult to stop,” Wallace said on SEN.

“I hope they play in September. They have beaten all the sides around them and they are playing exciting football.

“Everyone is fit and well, they’re running across the ground and they are playing tantalising footy.”

After a brief St Kilda fight back in the second term, Richmond stormed again booting the first five goals of the third term to put the win in safekeeping, up by 44 points at the last change. The Saints won the last term five goals to two, to take some encouragement from the contest that, to be fair, was never really about them.

Deledio helped spark the Tigers after half time as he nailed a 45m set shot and then found Riewoldt on the end of another blinding run down the guts. By then, Riewoldt had his fifth.

To their credit, the Saints made it a contest in the second term as Nathan Wright tightened on Deledio and Maverick Weller kept Trent Cotchin to two kicks at the main change.

That Cotchin was kept quiet will only encourage Richmond that not everything hinges on the skipper. Instead, Anthony Miles, Shaun Grigg, Bachar Houli and Nick Vlastuin held sway at the clearances, but it was the attacking mindset of the Tigers’ half backs that did the bulk of the damage.

Saints’ warhorse Nick Riewoldt was shaking his head at the quality of delivery in the first term and again looked flabbergasted in the last term as one of his leads was ignored.

He battled valiantly to give his beaten midfield a clear marking target and although David Armitage and Jack Steven battled hard on a quiet day for Lenny Hayes, the midfield lacked class going forward.

Rhys Stanley was substituted after five possessions in the first three quarters and athletic key forward Spencer White, on debut, showed promise booting three goals.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-defeat-st-kilda-at-the-mcg-for-eighth-straight-win-and-move-into-top-eight/story-fndv7pj3-1227034785663

[dwaino]

[Stripes]

God I hope we win if for no other reason than to see so many posters around here wiping the egg off their faces  Even if we win next week though, they will still find reasons to be negative and blame the coach, regret the early season losses and certain players. Get awfully draining. Might be time I thought a rest from this forum 

[dwaino]

God I hope we win if for no other reason than to see so many posters around here wiping the egg off their faces  Even if we win next week though, they will still find reasons to be negative and blame the coach, regret the early season losses and certain players. Get awfully draining. Might be time I thought a rest from this forum 

Just wait until we have an entire off season to put up with it 

[Yeahright]

God I hope we win if for no other reason than to see so many posters around here wiping the egg off their faces  Even if we win next week though, they will still find reasons to be negative and blame the coach, regret the early season losses and certain players. Get awfully draining. Might be time I thought a rest from this forum 

Don't let them ruin the thrill ride that is Richmond FC