Media articles and stats: Tigers stay perfect with Easter feast on Lions

[one-eyed]

Match report: Tigers stay perfect with Easter feast

AFL.com.au
16 April 2017

BRISBANE LIONS     3.2     4.3       8.6       10.6      (67)                 
RICHMOND                5.6    10.9    13.14    17.17    (119)           

GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Hipwood 2, Zorko 2, D. Beams 2, Bell, Schache, Taylor, Robinson
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Castagna 4, Rioli 2, Grimes, Nankervis, Menadue, Cotchin, Grigg, Caddy, Butler

BEST
Brisbane Lions: Rockliff, Martin, Robinson, Mayes, D. Beams, Gardiner
Richmond: Cotchin, Riewoldt, Grigg, Prestia, Castagna, Rioli

INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Cutler (hamstring)
Richmond: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Mollison, B Ryan, S Ryan

Official crowd: 21,669 at the Gabba

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RICHMOND has made its best start to a season in 22 years after making light work of the Brisbane Lions in a 52-point win at the Gabba on Sunday.

The Tigers are now 4-0 for the first time since 1995 and continue to set the competition pace alongside Adelaide after a comfortable 17.17 (119) to 10.6 (67) victory.

An unanswered five goal burst early in the second quarter blew the game apart, giving Richmond a 43-point lead they never looked like relinquishing.

It also marks the Tigers' 10th straight win over the Lions and continues an unbeaten streak at the Gabba that dates back to 2004.

Unlike the first three victories, there was almost no reliance on white-hot Dustin Martin, who was held to just 16 disposals by Mitch Robinson.

While Robinson had the better of the battle, he got some help from skipper Dayne Beams, who manned Martin at stoppages, and Darcy Gardiner, who had the responsibility when he went forward.

But the Tigers got contributions from all over the field in a fine team effort.

Shaun Grigg (30 disposals) was busy, Dion Prestia (22) continued his impressive transition from Gold Coast, and Trent Cotchin (20 and one goal) – although not super prolific – was a class above with his skills.

Jack Riewoldt was tireless, kicking four goals in an intriguing duel with Harris Andrews, the fourth of which will surely contend for Goal of the Year as he threaded the needle with a left-foot pearler from deep in the left forward pocket.

Jason Castagna also added four goals, while youngster Daniel Rioli was also magnificent, kicking two and handing off another to Dan Butler late in the third term to snuff out a small Lions surge.

Richmond set its win up in the first half with slick ball movement – it was the defining difference between the teams.

Castagna's first goal was a perfect example as they swept the ball from one to the other without it touching the grass.

For the Lions it marked the third week in a row they were out-gunned in the opening half, but unlike previous weeks against Essendon and St Kilda, this time there would be no fightback.

They were sluggish for much of the night and to add insult to the problems, running defender Tom Cutler sustained a hamstring injury in the first quarter and did not return.

Tom Rockliff finished with 33 disposals and a career-high 15 clearances and was his team's best player, while Stefan Martin (18 touches and 52 hit-outs) was a monster in the ruck.

The Lions were sluggish and their pressure was down for much of the night.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-04-16/match-report-tigers-stay-perfect-with-easter-feast

[one-eyed]

Unbeaten Tigers a cut above the Lions

Andrew Hamilton,
The Courier-Mail
17 April 2017

RICHMOND has made its best start to a season in 22 years after rolling through the Lions by 52 point at the Gabba.

The 17.17 (119) to 10.7 (67) victory in front of 21,669 was the Tigers’ 10th consecutive win over the Lions.

They were a class above Brisbane with their skills and ball movement and that was the difference.

While the Tigers are on a roll, the Lions are stuck on a loop — this loss had echoes of the past two performances against Essendon and St Kilda.

They allowed the Tigers to gather momentum throughout the opening half where the lead was stretched to 51 points.

Then came the trademark Brisbane fightback, which came off the back of a drop in intensity by the Tigers.

Three goals in a row to Josh Schache, Lewis Taylor Dayne Beams saw the start of the standard Brisbane chant.

But it was short lived and their opponents, thanks to superior skills, ran away with the game.

Had it not been for poor conversion by Richmond and decent accuracy by Brisbane, this would have been a major percentage booster.

The Lions had the slightly better of the clearance count, thanks to a stellar game from former captain Tom Rockliff and complete dominance by ruckman Stefan Martin who lowered Tiger counterpart Toby Nankervis’ colours for the first time this season.

Rockliff gathered 32 disposals, won a career high 15 clearances and laid 11 tackles.

But they were unable to get their running game going because of poor skills.

On the hand, Richmond were clean. They were superbly led by their leaders Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt who were the best players on the ground.

Brisbane was down a man for three quarters after losing Tom Cutler to a minor hamstring strain in the opening quarter.

Richmond’s transition from defence has been a feature of their undefeated start to the season and Brisbane’s intent to apply pressure was obvious from the start.

Their first goal came when Tom Bell captured Reece Conca holding the ball at half back.

But the pressure dropped away pretty quickly after that.

Brisbane set Mitch Robinson to Dustin Martin and although the Tigers’ gun didn’t have his usual impact, gathering 16 possessions and failing to kick a goal from his three shots, it did nothing to alter the course of the game.

Brisbane’s second goal, to Dayne Zorko, came off a Martin turnover where the Brownlow medallist tried to brazenly centre the ball into the corridor when the option wasn’t on.

BRISBANE LIONS 3.2 4.3 8.6 10.6 (67)

RICHMOND 5.6 10.9 13.14 17.17 (119)

GOALS

Lions: Hipwood 2, Zorko 2, D. Beams 2, Bell, Schache, Taylor, Robinson

Tigers: Riewoldt 4, Castagna 4, Rioli 2, Grimes, Nankervis, Menadue, Cotchin, Grigg, Caddy, Butler

BEST

Lions: Martin, Robinson, Rockliff, Zorko, Mayes

Tigers: Riewoldt, Cotchin, Castagna, Grigg, Prestia

INJURIES

Lions: Cutler (hamstring)

Tigers: Nil

Reports: Nil

Official crowd: 21,669 at the Gabba

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/richmond-moves-to-40-after-comfortable-win-over-brisbane/news-story/b61865a06361b7d8c090aa8a8614b829

[one-eyed]

Undefeated Tigers maul Brisbane Lions

Andrew Stafford
The Age
17 April 2017

The Tigers are roaring. You have to go back 22 years to find the last time they opened a season with four straight wins, and they had to fly to Brisbane to face an improving Lions to do it at the Gabba. And they did it running away, jumping the Lions at the start before burying them in the final quarter.

Before anyone gets carried away, some perspective: so far, Richmond have rolled Carlton, a middling Collingwood and a very flat West Coast at home before Sunday's win against a popular wooden spoon tip. And there are 18 more rounds to prove they belong in the top half of the competition, let alone the top echelon.

Still, as the saying goes, you can only play the opposition in front of you, and the Tigers were out of the blocks quickly, storming to a seven-goal lead at half-time. They were a much slicker unit than last week against the Eagles, and they remained hard at the ball, beating the Lions handsomely for contested possessions.

They also established their advantage without a major contribution from Dustin Martin, who was beaten by the doughty Mitch Robinson. But Richmond look a more even unit than last year, with a deeper midfield and more spark up forward, with Jason Castagna and Daniel Rioli again dangerous.

We're going to run out of superlatives very quickly to describe Rioli. It's lazy, but to save a lot of time, refer to his cousin Cyril and uncle Maurice: think speed, elite agility, game-breaking timing, and a beautiful reading of the play, especially when the ball's within a sniff of goal. He's played just 22games.

It was Rioli's gather and last-second give to Dan Butler that snuffed out any chance of a Lions revival, after the home team pegged back the Tigers with three quick goals midway through the third quarter. Again, he only needs a handful of touches to have an impact on the game. Less heralded, but also impressive, was rookie Castagna, who finished alongside Jack Riewoldt with four goals.

In the middle, Trent Cotchin was influential, but Shaun Grigg, Dion Prestia and Brandon Ellis contributed too, and Reece Conca continued his fine start to the season in defence. Up forward, Riewoldt continued to work tirelessly and was eventually rewarded with four goals.

The statistics didn't tell the full story of the game. The Lions broke even in many key categories, handsomely winning the clearances. But they were beaten when the ball was in dispute, and while they had several good passages of ball movement through the middle of the ground, it was often the last kick inside 50 that let them down.

Bright spots were Daniel Rich, who is stringing some good form together and whose kicking was a delight, and though beaten, Harris Andrews did well on Riewoldt, only being overrun in the last quarter as the dam wall burst. The Lions' ball use is also mostly a step up from the embarrassing skill level on display last year. But they're still a long way away, and their bright start to the season against Gold Coast is receding quickly from view. The Tigers had more options, are playing with confidence, and in the end, they ate the Lions alive Next week they face Melbourne: no gimme, but five straight for openers is a real possibility.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-report/brisbane-lions-v-richmond-undefeated-tigers-maul-brisbane-lions-20170416-gvlvii.html

[Dougeytherichmondfan]

Before anyone gets carried away, some perspective: so far, Richmond have rolled Carlton, a middling Collingwood and a very flat West Coast at home before Sunday's win against a popular wooden spoon tip. And there are 18 more rounds to prove they belong in the top half of the competition, let alone the top echelon.

Probably sums it up for mine.

This season is a tricky one though. I think anyone can beat anyone on the day. Very even comp, which means even the easybeats are important enough wins.