VFL Tigers claim victory in curtain raiserLouis Gillett,
richmondfc.com.au
March 23, 2017 7:47 PMThe VFL Tigers won their second consecutive practice match on Thursday afternoon, putting Northern Blues to the sword by 22 points at Punt Road Oval.
After a dominant first quarter, the Blues pushed to get back in the contest, but the VFL Tigers withstood the pressure to come out on top.
Richmond development coach Ryan Ferguson was impressed by the VFL Tigers’ high scoring first quarter, as well as their response to the Blues’ spirited fightback.
“We were able to make use of the ball, capitalise early and back our teammates one-on-one,” Ferguson said.
“As we expected, they really challenged us in the second quarter, and to see the group stand up to the challenge on numerous occasions was really positive.”
The VFL Tigers, still brimming with confidence after their victory over reigning premier Footscray two weeks prior, wasted no time in taking control of the contest at Punt Road Oval, with Ben Lennon slotting the opening goal after only a matter of seconds.
Todd Elton then added his first major with a clever intercept mark from a Blues kick-in, before nailing the resulting set-shot with aplomb.
The pace of Tyson Stengle was proving to be a thorn in the Blues' side and it was his run-and-carry that opened the door for Lennon’s second in the space of five minutes.
The VFL Tigers went on to score six goals in the opening term, while the Blues could only manage one in return.
However, with a strong wind backing the Blues in the second quarter, the travellers picked up the slack and mounted a serious challenge.
Harry McKay was showing dangerous signs, while Tommy Williamson was also a threat in the forward 50.
However, as soon as the Blues began to push, the Tigers answered back, with Elton taking another trademark grab and scoring to steady the ship.
Kane Lambert was a constant threat in midfield, feeding off quality service from Ivan Maric and Ivan Soldo in the ruck to supply the forward line with a host of opportunities.
The story was much the same in the third quarter, with McKay pulling one back for the Blues before Lennon stepped up with his third for the day.
Lambert and Soldo then got their names on the scoreboard as the VFL Tigers wrestled back the ascendancy in a heated contest.
Nathan Drummond worked tirelessly in the back half, with his intense tackling pressure forcing multiple turnovers.
Alongside Drummond, Jake Batchelor let his experience shine through, establishing a commanding presence at the heart of the backline.
Requiring a monumental effort against the wind to defend their three-goal lead at the final break, the VFL Tigers withstood the pressure to take home the spoils.
Jacob Townsend wasted no time in keeping the Blues at a distance, nailing a set shot from 45 out to give his side some much needed breathing space.
Stengle then crumbed cleverly and kicked truly from close range to extend the lead to 29 points with three minutes left to all but seal the victory.
Williamson pulled one more back for the Blues to make for a nervy few moments for the Tiger faithful, however, they were unable to edge any closer to the boys in yellow and black.
With two wins from two pre-season games under their belt, the VFL Tigers can now look forward to their third hit-out against Collingwood, to be played next Thursday, March 30 at 4:30pm at Punt Road Oval.
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2017-03-23/vfl-match-report
