Author Topic: Media articles & stats: Tigers dust off the cobwebs in powerful win over Cats  (Read 583 times)

Offline one-eyed

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Tigers dust off the cobwebs in powerful win over Cats

Richmond set to kickstart its season after downing premiers at the MCG

By Gemma Bastiani
afl.com.au
12 May 2023


RICHMOND                 6.0     8.3     11.5   16.6 (102)
GEELONG                    2.7    5.11    7.11   11.12 (78)

GOALS
Richmond: Martin 4, Cotchin 3, Mansell 2, Riewoldt 2, Graham, Rioli, Prestia, Bolton, Clarke
Geelong: Hawkins 3, Henry 2, Smith, Simpson, Duncan, Cameron, Bruhn, Blicavs

BEST
Richmond: Short, Rioli, Taranto, Balta, Martin, Baker
Geelong: Miers, Atkins, Duncan, Stewart, Cameron

INJURIES
Richmond: Rioli (left ankle), Hopper (left calf)
Geelong: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Judson Clarke (replaced Jacob Hopper in the third quarter)
Geelong: Jhye Clark (replaced Oliver Dempsey in the third quarter)

Crowd: 58,141 at the MCG

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

DUSTIN Martin was back to haunt Geelong as Richmond lit up the MCG, posting a 24-point victory and looking like the Tigers of old.

In Friday's night's upset victory, 16.6 (102) to 11.12 (78), it was Richmond's old guard who made the impact up forward as Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt combined for nine goals.

The home side set the stage early, kicking six-straight goals to register their best opening quarter of the season and take a 17-point lead into the first break, and they simply did not let up.

Richmond was deadly on the turnover at half-back. Running hard and in waves, its handball game and workrate through the corridor slipped any attempts of Geelong pressure and often resulted in the hands of a lone Tiger inside 50.

Despite being without captain Patrick Dangerfield, the Cats were dominant at stoppages early, leading the clearance count by 16 at half-time and ending up plus-17 in the metric.

Mitch Duncan (25 disposals, five clearances) and Tom Atkins (24 disposals, six clearances) were instrumental in this respect, while Atkins also worked to minimise the impact of Shai Bolton at the contest.

The problem, however, was once the ball got to the outside. Richmond was aggressive at the loose ball and mounted on the pressure to force poor disposal from the reigning premiers.

Tim Taranto was strong at the footy with 28 disposals (13 contested) and 12 tackles, while Jayden Short's 714 metres gained from 26 disposals was vital to his side's game.

The Tigers were playing into the Cats’ hands when going long and high into attack, but when they were able to make it a little messy and move the ball along the ground it had the Cats' intercepting defence beaten.

As a result, Jack Riewoldt and Ben Miller's task inside 50 simply became to compete with Esava Ratugolea and Tom Stewart in the air and break even, the smalls did the rest.

Geelong was dysfunctional in the forward half, which was not only reflected in the scoreline but also its haphazard delivery inside 50. Too often the Cats gave Richmond the upper hand with poor decision making or poor execution.

Jeremy Cameron was forced high up the ground to influence the game, but when the ball was won, his presence was sorely missed as the target in attack as Richmond maintained its structure behind the ball to outnumber Tom Hawkins.

Hawkins' strength against Noah Balta was a fruitful avenue early, but the Tigers locked down in their back half and forced Geelong's entries shallow or wide. Balta's strength came to the fore, while Liam Baker's ground-level pressure was immense, registering four tackles and 21 disposals for the game.

Prestia gets the first, and last laugh

With all the talk during the week about stand-in Geelong captain Tom Stewart's crude hit on Dion Prestia in the teams' meeting last year, the latter started exceptionally well in his 200th career game. Out of the blocks, the Tigers had three quick goals, the third of which was off the boot of Prestia himself as he broke free of congestion outside 50, threw the ball on is boot and watched it bounce through the sticks.

On their terms

Coming into the game far from favourites to win, the Tigers made the game their own by making it messy and unpredictable. Geelong, typically a neat, skilful team that moves downfield by foot, simply couldn't settle into the match as Richmond used one percenters and pressure to its advantage. A style of play born out of workrate; the Tigers were all-in for the full four quarters.

Tigers on target

It took Richmond eight attempts on goal to register a behind, putting scoreboard pressure on the Cats by way of their incredible accuracy early in the game. Geelong, on the other hand, peppered the goals but struggled to make their shots count. By half-time the Tigers, despite registering five fewer scoring shots, were 10-points ahead, with the Cats' failure to capitalise hurting them in the end.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/922864/tigers-dust-off-the-cobwebs-in-powerful-win-over-cats

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‘The old boy’s still got it’: Cotchin kicks three as Tigers upset Cats

Marc McGowan
The Age
May 13, 2023


Damien Hardwick tried to tell us.

Richmond’s three-time premiership coach did not blink during his Tigers’ tardy start to this year – including having just one win in the first seven rounds – telling anyone who would listen that their “best is good enough”.

Critics spared no one, from Hardwick to the club’s group of 30-somethings and even list boss Blair Hartley, who engineered Richmond’s recruitment last year of ex-Giants Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper.

But the Tigers have scored back-to-back victories in the past fortnight, the latest snapping reigning premiers Geelong’s five-match winning streak in a shock 24-point result at the MCG on Friday night.

They are now just a game outside the top eight, albeit with the rest of round nine still to be played.

It was the ideal way to celebrate star midfielder Dion Prestia’s 200th game, especially after Tom Stewart ended his night early in the corresponding clash last year.

Daniel Rioli was one of the fire-starters with his dash out of defence, while 2020 club champion Jayden Short was good again – and Noah Balta, despite some typically quirky choices across the night, dramatically reversed his fortunes after conceding two early goals to Tom Hawkins.

Nathan Broad also got the better of his match-up with Coleman Medal contender Jeremy Cameron, who won most of his touches further afield, with the Richmond defender proving an intercepting menace at the same time.

Taranto and Liam Baker added to their impressive years as well, and are probably one-two in the club’s best and fairest count to date.

Geelong were missing premiership players Patrick Dangerfield, Cam Guthrie, Tyson Stengle, Sam De Koning, Brad Close, Jack Henry and Gary Rohan, but were still heavily favoured to continue their charge since beginning the season 0-3.

The Tigers made an inspired start, with former captain Trent Cotchin kicking the last two goals of their six in an opening quarter that set the platform for a boilover. They did so with frenetic ball movement designed to interrupt the Cats’ want to play at a steadier pace.

Order seemed to be restored in general play early in the second term, only for Geelong to fritter away a series of chances that ended up coming back to haunt them.

The Cats went to half-time trailing by 10 points despite dominating clearances (25-9) and marks inside 50 (11-4), and being well on top in contested possession (74-62).

Any thoughts of Geelong running over the top of Richmond quickly came unstuck, with quick goals to Shai Bolton and Jack Riewoldt blowing the margin out to 22 points as the upset suddenly became a serious possibility.

Dustin Martin and Riewoldt – who was otherwise subdued – then landed major blows inside the first seven minutes of the final term, kicking the Tigers four, then five goals clear to effectively seal the deal.

Boos are back

Don’t expect Lance Franklin-like commentary to follow Richmond fans’ predictable booing of Geelong defender Stewart, even though Prestia urged them not to boo.

The Tigers faithful jeered the star Cat from his first touch – even if they dulled a tad by half-time, after a vigorous opening – not forgetting the ugly bump he delivered on Prestia in the clubs’ round 15 clash last year.

Prestia took no further part in that match, while a remorseful Stewart sat out the next four games due to suspension.

Collingwood apologised, and the AFL made a strong statement, after Magpies supporters mercilessly booed Franklin last Sunday, but it was far more understandable why the yellow-and-black army gave it to Stewart.

Life in the old Tiger

Richmond great Cotchin is nearing the end of a brilliant AFL career, and played his 295th match on Friday night against Geelong.

The 33-year-old triple-premiership captain is as good as certain to retire at season’s end and has noticeably slowed down this year, including being picked as the substitute in round four and being managed last week.

But Cotchin returned to the Tigers’ senior side with a bang, kicking two of his team’s six opening-quarter goals – the first after outpointing Mark O’Connor in an aerial contest, then the second a toe-poke from close range.

He wasn’t done either, dancing onto his left foot to snap truly into time-on in the third term to push Richmond’s lead out to 24 points, a margin that was never seriously threatened.

“The old boy’s still got it,” teammate Martin, who kicked four goals, told Channel Seven after the match.

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

RICHMOND   6.0   8.3    11.5    16.6 (102)
GEELONG     2.7   5.11   7.11   11.12 (78)

GOALS Richmond: Martin 4, Cotchin 3, Mansell 2, Riewoldt 2, Graham, D. Rioli, Prestia, Bolton, Clarke. Geelong: Hawkins 3, O. Henry 2, Smith, Simpson, Duncan, Cameron, Bruhn, Blicavs.

BEST Richmond: Broad, Short, Balta, D. Rioli, Taranto, Martin, Baker, Bolton. Geelong: Atkins, Stewart, Miers, Duncan, Ratugolea, Blicavs.

INJURIES Richmond: Hopper (calf). Geelong: None.

UMPIRES Rosebury, Howorth, Gianfagna, Rodger.

CROWD 58,141 at the MCG

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/the-old-boy-s-still-got-it-cotchin-kicks-three-as-tigers-upset-cats-20230512-p5d82l.html

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Richmond pull of upset win over Geelong as Trent Cotchin kicks three

The popular opinion was the premiership dynasty was over at Punt Rd. But with their backs to the wall, Damien Hardwick’s men knocked off the reigning premier at the MCG.

Jay Clark
HeraldSun
May 13, 2023


Richmond was adamant it wasn’t giving up on the season.

Amid calls to play the youngsters and criticism of its trade moves, the Tigers were staring down the barrel of a wasted season heading into Friday night’s clash against the premiership favorite.

The popular opinion was the premiership dynasty was over at Punt Rd.

A transition year, it was dubbed.

But with their backs to the wall, Damien Hardwick’s men knocked off the reigning premier at the MCG with a vintage performance to show their remains a faint pulse in their September aspirations.

And veteran Trent Cotchin, whose place in the team was starting to be questioned as he heads towards the 300-game milestone, provided the classy finish the Tigers have desperately lacked in the forward half this year snaring three goals as Richmond ran out 24-point winners.

With a big scalp now under their belts, Richmond will attempt to build some momentum throughout a softer part of the draw as the Tigers prepare to meet Essendon (MCG), Port Adelaide (MCG), GWS Giants (GS) and Fremantle (OS).

Clearly, the Cats were missing some of their most important players including seven premiership superstars from last year’s flag, including Patrick Dangerfield, Sam De Koning and Brad Close.

But Nathan Broad did one of the best defensive jobs of the year to restrict Jeremy Cameron to one goal and the Tigers’ trademark intercept game across half back returned in full force and Liam Baker and Daniel Rioli starred on the counter attack.

Richmond kicked six of their first eight goals from Geelong turnovers as some sloppy Cats’ errors were proven costly without some of their best players.

And Hardwick’s men pulled the victory off despite copping a heavy defeat in the clearance battle. But it’s never been a strength of Richmond’s.

But what the senior coach will love was the tackle pressure, the return of the quick forward handball, and some of the polish in attack.

The question will be asked; can they back it up against the top teams at full strength? But Hardwick will say why not.

Even when the pressure built in recent weeks, the coach’s faith never wobbled. Their top-line stars remain matchwinners. The depth is the query.

They were good against Melbourne for three quarters on Anzac Day eve.

Geelong remained in the hunt down by 18 points at the last change but Dustin Martin slotted his second major from 45m out on a 45 degree angle to seal the win early in the last.

Martin finished with four majors with stints in the midfield alongside Shai Bolton, while Cotchin had some huge moments including his third goal spinning out of traffic with a signature baulk and sidestep.

Cotchin needs five more games to play 300 – currently slated to come against St Kilda at the MCG in Round 14.

The critics will suggest the Cats were on their knees on Friday night, in a sense, with so many injuries.

But Richmond has also been hard-hit in the same department this year losing ruckman Toby Nankervis and Tom Lynch, and on Friday night star midfielder Jacob Hopper was subbed out with a calf injury.

Rioli was another who copped a left ankle injury, but impressively toughed it out.

If Tim Taranto is leading the Tigers’ best and fairest this year Rioli is not far behind.

The Tigers fans, as expected, booed Geelong star Tom Stewart for his hit on Dion Prestia last year, which earned Stewart a four-match ban.

Stewart said this week he knew it was coming and although the jeers rang out every time he touched the Sherrin it hardly fazed the four-time All-Australian.

SCOREBOARD

TIGERS 6.0, 8.3, 11.5, 16.6 (102)

CATS 2.7, 5.11, 7.11, 11.12 (78)

RONNY LERNER’S BEST:
Tigers: Martin, D.Rioli, Broad, Short, Balta, Cotchin, Taranto.
Cats: Duncan, Stewart, Holmes, Miers, Cameron, Ratugolea.

GOALS
Tigers: Martin 4, Cotchin 3, Mansell 2, Riewoldt 2, Graham, D.Rioli, Prestia, Bolton, Clarke. Cats: Hawkins 3, O.Henry 2, Smith, Simpson, Duncan, Cameron, Bruhn, Blicavs.

INJURIES Tigers: Hopper (left calf). Cats: Nil.

UMPIRES Rosebury, Howorth, Gianfagna, Rodger

VENUE MCG

CROWD 58,141


LERNER’S VOTES

3 Dustin Martin (Rich)

2 Daniel Rioli (Rich)

1 Nathan Broad (Rich)

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/afl-dion-prestia-urges-richmond-supporters-not-to-boo-tom-stewart/news-story/5ee9832bf9bb0ace2d1fddc66576147e

Offline one-eyed

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Geelong goes down to Richmond without midfield power (HeraldSun)
« Reply #3 on: May 13, 2023, 06:16:02 AM »
Geelong goes down to Richmond without midfield power

With a lack of firepower when it mattered, the Cats missed chances hurt on a night of old habits for Richmond.

Josh Barnes
HeraldSun
May 13, 2023


Sometimes you need your stars and you always need to take your chances.

Heading into the centre square for the first bounce on Friday night Mark Blicavs would have had his head on a swivel as his old guard teammates weren’t there alongside him.

None of those stalwarts like Patrick Dangerfield, Joel Selwood, Cam Guthrie or Rhys Stanley were next to Blicavs in the guts and as the game wore on they were missed more and more.

The most anonymous midfield the Cats have fielded in near on 20 years couldn’t find the answer in the second half as Richmond slowly and surely eased up the dial on the pressure in what could be a season-starting win.

It may not have been the Geelong of old but it was the Richmond of old.

Early on the Tigers seemed to be well beaten in general play but somehow snagged a series of early goals to keep their heads in front before pressing on that gas and running over the Cats.

As the game wore on, no star stood up for the Cats.

Tom Hawkins appeared set to rip the game apart after a powerful first 15 minutes but ended the night well beaten by Noah Balta.

So dominant all year, Jeremy Cameron didn’t hit the scoreboard until near time-on in the final term

The attacking half appeared lost after halftime, after doing most things right in the first half.

The Cats had the game on their terms, dominating field position in the second quarter and collecting 23 more marks.

But Geelong entered halftime with 5.11 on the scoreboard, an excellent first half worth little as Richmond led by 10 points with five less scoring shots.

There was no takeover to come for Geelong, and instead it was Richmond’s star power of Shai Bolton and the ever-present Dustin Martin that dominated the final stages.

There should be little cause for concern for the Cats out of this one – on another night they would have kicked a winning score and on almost every other night they should have the firepower to push through the early wastefulness.

Despite a quiet crowd by the standards of their club in recent times, it was a night Richmond showed it still had some of that irresistible run and verve.

Daniel Rioli’s single-minded will to move the ball forward, Trent Cotchin’s inventiveness and some old nightmare fuel for Geelong fans from a resurgent Martin built a resounding win.

For those in yellow and black at least, it was a night for the old guard.

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/geelong-goes-down-to-richmond-without-midfield-power/news-story/13e5b1666bb6f45b28231f71e95ebc6b

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Ruthless ‘Richmond of old’ returns amid 22-year first as sloppy Cats exposed on big stage: 3-2-1

Ben Waterworth
Ben Waterworth
Foxsports
13 May 2023


3. RUTHLESS ‘RICHMOND OF OLD’ RETURNS AMID 22-YEAR FIRST

As triple premiership Lion Jonathan Brown declared on Fox Footy, the Tigers looked like “Richmond of old”.

To be fair, there had been ample signs in recent weeks the Tigers were on the verge of clicking, only for their poor forward-half efficiency bringing them undone.

But on Friday night, Richmond produced its slickest performance of the season to date – against one of the best teams in the competition.

“This has been a mighty performance,” five-time All-Australian Garry Lyon told Fox Footy.

“It’s had blue collar elements, but they’ve also added a bit of touch and class around the place.”

The win was set up by an outstanding first quarter, with the Tigers booting 6.0 to Geelong’s 2.6. It was Richmond’s best opening quarter of the season to date and the first time since 2001 that club had kicked five goals in a first term against Cats.

The Tigers came into the match ranked 18th for kicking efficiency (63%). In the first term against Geelong, Damien Hardwick’s troops went at 76 per cent by foot as they pounced on the lack of defensive pressure from the Cats. That was personified by the fact four of Richmond’s first six goals were generated from its defensive half.

Importantly, the Tigers’ trademark trait – metres gained via handball – was on display, particularly after adjusting following intercepting Cat Esava Ratugolea’s strong start to the game.

“This is the opposite of their story so far this season. Their execution had been horrible, but tonight they’ve been very good,” Brown told Fox Footy.

“They haven’t been careful and just chipped it around. They’re still going quick enough, but they’re able to go well inside 50.

“Ratugolea took a few intercept marks and that was a concern, but then they were a bit smarter going inside 50, made some good contests, brought the ball to ground and hit the scoreboard.”

The second and third quarters saw the Tigers ramp up the defensive pressure. Richmond’s pressure rating in the third term was 196 – rated elite by Champion Data – while it also generated nine forward-half intercepts.

“The messier it got, it seemed like Richmond were able to get to contest to contest better than what Geelong were able to do,” four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis told Fox Footy.

“It looked more like a Richmond quarter Geelong couldn’t find any easy ball.”

The Tigers had a lovely spread of scorers, with Trent Cotchin (3.0) and Rhyan Mansell (2.0) an unlikely duo to be among their top goalkickers for the night.

So that’s two wins in a row for the Tigers, who now face Essendon, Port Adelaide, the Giants, Fremantle and St Kilda before their mid-season bye.

After sitting 16th on the ladder a fortnight ago, there’s life in Richmond’s season again.

2. CATS JUST ‘A BIT OFF’ AS YOUNG TEAM EXPOSED

As Garry Lyon suggested on Fox Footy, Geelong just “looked a bit off” on Friday night.

While the result saw the Tigers secure back-to-back wins for the first time this year, it also snapped the Cats’ five-game winning streak.

Geelong headed into the game without Patrick Dangerfield (hamstring), Cam Guthrie (toe), Sam De Koning (face), Tyson Stengle (arm), Gary Rohan (hamstring), Jack Henry (foot), Rhys Stanley (eye), Brad Close (suspension) and Jack Bowes (calf) – and it proved too much for the younger midfield to deal with.

The Cats led the clearances 26-10 at one stage, and finished up winning that category convincingly 48-31, but were uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball going forward, and without Dangerfield or Guthrie, their midfield lacked direction and polish.

“They are getting clearances, but because Dangerfield isn’t there, they’re not breaking from those stoppages and getting really dangerous ball forward of centre. They’re messy and under pressure,” Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis said.

Geelong also finished with more disposals (357-343), contested possessions (148-130), inside 50s (57-56) and scoring shots (23-22), but their frequent skill errors and woeful accuracy early (4.11) brought them undone. Richmond’s pressure was hot all night, and they comfortably won the tackle count 63-46.

“I think last week was a hard game for them against the Crows down at Geelong. They just looked a little bit off tonight and I think the tackle numbers alone … usually when you lose a game of footy, you win the tackle count – and they were beaten convincingly, which shows they were flattish,” Brown said.

Despite the goalkicking inaccuracy and struggles to transition the ball from defensive 50 to inside 50, Lewis said he wasn’t too concerned by Geelong’s performance.

“I think it’s a great learning game for them when oppositions try different things and they don’t have control over the way its positional or the way they’ve played,” he said.

“Richmond were totally dominant and Geelong didn’t just seem to have the answers.”

1. TIGERS FANS IGNORE COACH’S PLEAS … BUT CATS STAR ‘MOTIVATED’ BY BOOS

Damien Hardwick and Dion Prestia’s pleas to not boo Tom Stewart were ultimately ignored by Richmond fans. But it didn’t seem to faze the Cats star one iota.

Stewart on Friday night played his first game against the Tigers since his heavy bump that left Prestia concussed and cost the Geelong defender a four-week stint on the sidelines. He even predicted during the week he’d receive – and deserve – jeers from Tigers fans.

So every time Stewart touched the ball against the Tigers, he was booed by Richmond fans, who clearly hadn’t forgotten the incident.

And they booed a lot on Friday night, for Stewart had a mountain of the ball in another impressive defensive display in the first half – although the Tigers did seem to curtail his influence in the second half.

Stewart finished with 24 disposals, 11 marks (5 intercept), eight rebound 50s and 545m gained, while he also went at 84 per cent by foot.

“Reckon he’s loving the boos. It’s motivating him,” Channel 7 commentator Brian Taylor said.

But crucially Stewart took just two marks in the second half as the Tigers controlled possession and dominated in the air.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/give-him-some-respect-tigers-hold-no-grudge-as-star-cat-expects-crowd-boos/news-story/efc86aefb8f52a430fba419ed928dce5

Offline lamington

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Heavy bump? Didn’t Stewart put out an elbow and snipe him?

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The organised chaos is back at Richmond (HeraldSun)
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2023, 04:26:08 PM »
The organised chaos is back at Richmond

Trent Cotchin hit back at his critics in the best way possible, playing good football. His Tigers have got their game back, but have they left their run too late?

Jay Clark
HeraldSun
May 13, 2023 - 11:58AM


The organised chaos is back at Richmond.

Nathan Broad first felt it against Melbourne three weeks ago and on Friday night against Geelong Richmond’s signature game style was back in full force.

The intercepts across half back, the quick-surge forward-handball and the unrelenting pressure in attack.

In a way, the Tigers’ season was on the line against a quality opponent at the MCG.

And while plenty of pundits have written off the Tigers’ chances in 2023, Broad said the Tigers’ self-belief has never wavered.

Geelong might have been missing some key players, but Broad said the signs over the past month have all pointed to a Richmond revival after a sluggish start to the season.

“If you take the Gold Coast game out of it, we have been really building over the past month,” Broad said.

“Yeah there has been plenty of external noise – Richmond is gone and all that sort of stuff – but internally we feel like we have been back on track.

“Looking at the stats I think we were first for inside 50s (over the past month), so we have been able to get it in there, we just have not been able to lock it in there.

“But we had Melbourne on the ropes for three quarters, and Gold Coast we were off, but we had a good game against West Coast last week.

“So we went into the game against Geelong believing over the last five or so weeks things were starting to work for us and, we put it all together against the Cats.

“It’s that organised chaos.

“We really feel like we have building and we have not lost any faith whatsoever.”

It means the Tigers’ season is alive at the end of their third-straight six-day break, which saw the Tigers opt for a light week and more “mental reps” and “walk-throughs” rather than the regular training, according to coach Damien Hardwick.

But it was a big win, in particular, for some under-fire individuals including veteran Trent Cotchin, who snagged three goals in his new forward role, and jet midfielder Tim Taranto.

Broad, who played a crucial role stopping Jeremy Cameron helping keep the superstar Cat to only one goal, said he had heard the criticism of Taranto and the claim he was not in the league’s top-150 players.

But on Friday night Taranto was important again racking up 28 disposals and 12 tackles.

Broad said internally Taranto and Jacob Hopper’s start to the season had been rated extremely highly.

“It’s hard not to read it sometimes, but I was pretty disappointed with the comments that were made about Timmy and Hopper,” Broad said.

“If we didn’t have those two, we would be up s*** creek.

“If we didn’t have them tonight, we wouldn’t have got the win.”

Hopper nicked his calf, however, and is expected to miss several games after being subbed out of the game.

Cotchin made a statement about the valuable contribution he can still make to the Tigers, providing some of the class they had been missing earlier in the season.

Hardwick said it has been harder for some of the forwards this year due to the unpredictability of the ball movement.

But Cotchin on Friday night provided some signature moments.

Broad said the veteran, who has played 295 AFL games, showed how damaging he could be forward of the ball.

“His role might have changed but we know what he brings, and what we want as a club,” he said.

“That Jason Castagna role, the Dan Butler role. They might not get a lot of the footy, but their role off-ball is critical. Trent is awesome for us.”

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/richmond-keep-season-alive-with-win-over-geelong-as-trent-cotchin-silences-his-critics/news-story/10bd4eb7bc1f11051740605fc1cd3373