Media articles and stats: Tigers wear down tired Dees

[one-eyed]

Match report: Tigers wear down tired Dees

Ashley Browne
afl.com.au
Apr 24, 2018 10:02PM


MELBOURNE  1.5   2.6   5.8   8.8 (56)
RICHMOND    2.2   5.8   8.9  15.12 (102)

GOALS
Melbourne: Melksham 4, Hogan 2, Garlett, Harmes
Richmond: Higgins 3, Lloyd 2, Castagna 2, McIntosh 2, Riewoldt 2, Lambert 2, Prestia, Cotchin

BEST
Melbourne: Oliver, Hogan, Melksham, Jones, Hibberd, Gawn
Richmond: Martin, Edwards, Houli, Lambert, Grigg, Higgins

INJURIES
Melbourne: Kent (left hamstring), Hibberd (nose)
Richmond: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Foot, Rosebury, Williamson

Official crowd: 77,071 at the MCG

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AS FORECAST, Melbourne brought some hustle to the MCG on Tuesday night in the now traditional Anzac Day Eve blockbuster after their debacle of an outing against Hawthorn the week before.

The problem for the Demons was they were up against the reigning premiers.

Richmond was up for the scrap, absorbed the best Melbourne had to offer, and then asserted itself when it counted, kicking away to a 46-point win in front of 77,071 fans, 15.12 (102) to 8.8 (56).

The Tigers (4-1) also created some history. For the first time since 1995 they sit on top of the ladder during the home and away season. They won the flag last year despite never climbing higher than third.

The Demons, for all their pre-season optimism have now won just two from five games. In their favour is that this is shaping as one of the most even seasons for several years. Melbourne is not out of September calculations by any stretch, but needs to get a wriggle on.

And indeed, Melbourne’s first quarter reflected that urgency – 28 tackles to 21 and 19 inside 50s to 13, yet for all that they managed just one goal and trailed by three points at quarter-time.

It was one of the Tigers’ flattest quarters for the year, but they clicked into gear in the second term, dominating clearances and stoppages and allowing the Demons just five inside 50s, kicking away to a 20-point lead at half-time.

Melbourne came hard again in the third quarter, led by Clayton Oliver who was superb with 13 touches for the term, but for all the industry the Demons still trailed by 19 points with a quarter to play. And it takes better teams than them to spot Richmond a margin that high with a quarter to go and win the game.

The Tigers got three goals from second-game small-forward Jack Higgins, who must be thinking that this League footy caper is a breeze. Kane Lambert, Jack Riewoldt, Jason Castagna, Sam Lloyd and Kamdyn McIntosh kicked two goals each.

Once again it was a relatively even performance from the Tigers. Yes, Brownlow medalist Dustin Martin was prolific after a quiet start with 26 possessions (15 contested), but Kane Lambert (29, 15), Shane Edwards (26,13) and Bachar Houli (26) were excellent.

Apart from Oliver, who ended with 31 possessions, Jake Melksham was Melbourne’s best. He finished with a career-high four goals while playing deep forward on Alex Rance, while his former Essendon teammate Michael Hibberd provided drive across half-back despite an incident-filled night in which he twice had to be treated on the bench for a bloodied nose.

But once again, the Demons didn't have enough four-quarter contributors and they'll be disappointed to have faded badly again in the final term for the second week on the trot. They kicked the first goal of the last quarter to get within 13 points, but it then became a yellow-and-black procession as the Tigers banged on seven goals to officially make it a rout.

Melbourne’s inability to run games out is going to have to be addressed if it wants to start what is now a long climb back up the ladder. The Demons could be looking at how urgent the Tigers were right until the very end on Tuesday night, even though the result was well beyond doubt.

Medical Room:
Melbourne midfielder Dean Kent hurt his hamstring in the dying seconds of the first half and took no further part in the game.
Richmond appeared to come through the physically intense game unscathed.

Next week:
The Demons are at Etihad Stadium for the clash with Essendon on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers are back at the MCG on Sunday, wearing the white shorts again as they play Collingwood.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-04-24/match-report-tigers-wear-down-tired-dees

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Stingy Richmond couldn’t be better positioned as defence thrives in Anzac eve win

SAM LANDSBERGER,
Herald Sun
25 April 2018

SCORING in the AFL is at a 50-year low right now.

That trend is only one of many reasons why Richmond deserve to be a clear-cut favourite to claim back-to-back premierships.

The Tigers defend the ‘G better than any other team, where they have now won 11 consecutive games and conceded less than 100 points from their past 21 games.

It’s not a Geelong-style squeeze at Kardinia Park or an old-school Sydney-style strangle at the SCG.

It is simply a pressure gamestyle where they hunt, swarm and harass teams into making mistakes.

Unless Collingwood and Essendon pile on a scoring bonanza on Anzac Day, the first five rounds of 2018 will be the stingiest since 1968.

That bodes well for Tigers coach Damien Hardwick, who labelled defence his “one-wood” this week.

On Tuesday night the Tigers kept Melbourne to just eight goals at the MCG. Last week they kept Brisbane Lions to just two goals at the MCG.

Dimma said he hates getting scored against and that’s why he is in heaven at the home of football, where the Tigers have leaked an average of just 66 points from their past 18 matches.

You’re not going to lose many matches conceding those scores.

The Demons won the territory battle in the first quarter and amassed 19 inside 50s. They had one goal to show for it — a fluky right-foot Jake Melksham snap.

For all the talk of Richmond’s maniacal forward pressure, it is time to focus on how hot it is further up the field.

Trent Cotchin took a defensive hanger over James Harmes but it was his ferocious defensive work which was more important.

It appeared the emotional response, which turbocharged Western Bulldogs, Essendon and Adelaide to recent wins, might have electrocuted Melbourne early in the second half.

Clayton Oliver collected 13 disposals and five clearances in the third quarter as the Demons finally kicked consecutive goals, through Jesse Hogan and Jeff Garlett.

But after 18 minutes of dominance they had only outscored Richmond by eight points as Jack Riewoldt erupted the Tigers’ crowd with his first goal.

The Tigers, again, had absorbed, steadied and countered as the contest suddenly sizzled.

Harmes cut the margin to just 13 points in the last quarter and then, whoosh.

Richmond sliced through six of the next seven majors in an all-too familiar scoring blitz against Simon Goodwin’s side.

These clubs are now 2-2 on Anzac eve and the split of the 77,071 fans would’ve gone home in vastly different mindframes.

Melbourne’s supporters were understandably frustrated. Another big game, and another big let down.

Jake Lever played his best game for the season, Jesse Hogan and Jake Melksham combined for 6.2 and Max Gawn dominated against premiership Tiger Toby Nankervis, even if Melbourne’s midfield didn’t cash in.

But flat patches either side of quarter-time, and then a stinker in the last, denied them a serious shot at winning.

At 2-3 it is fair to question whether 2018 is the year Melbourne will actually take a step forward.

As for the Tigers? They are 4-1 and on top of the ladder with Josh Caddy and Nick Vlastuin likely to return on Sunday and Daniel Rioli not far behind.

They play the MCG — the Grand Final venue for the next 40 years — better than anyone else and know they got it done here last year.

They couldn’t be any better positioned than that.


RICHMOND   2.2  5.8   8.9  15.12 (102)
MELBOURNE 1.5  2.6   5.8    8.8 (56)

GOALS

Tigers: J Higgins 3 J Castagna 2 J Riewoldt 2 K Lambert 2 K McIntosh 2 S Lloyd 2 D Prestia T Cotchin

Demons: J Melksham 4 J Hogan 2 J Garlett J Harmes.

BEST:

Tigers: Lambert, Martin, Edwards, Conca, Higgins, Rance, Castagna

Demons: Gawn, Oliver, Jones, Lever, Vince, Salem

Umpires: Brett Rosebury, Nicholas Foot, Nathan Williamson.

Official Crowd: 77,071 at MCG.

VOTES

3. Kane Lambert (Rich)

2. Max Gawn (Melb)

1. Dustin Martin (Rich)

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/stingy-richmond-couldnt-be-better-positioned-as-defence-thrives-in-anzac-eve-win/news-story/92c5aa4d53b177e855a95769401c0aa1

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Tigers' fourth-quarter goal burst slays Demons

Michael Gleeson
The Age
24 April 2018 — 10:47pm

RICHMOND  15.12 (102) d MELBOURNE 8.8 (56)

In five quarters of football Melbourne kicked three goals. In the same time Richmond’s Jack Higgins kicked five goals from his first eight kicks in AFL football.

Things were as charmed for Richmond as they were going awry for Melbourne. After a 67-point loss last week, it was for much of the game a more spirited effort, but still a 46-point loss.

At half-time against Richmond at the MCG on Anzac Eve against a mildly disappointing crowd of 77,071 given the forecasts but a flattering one given the performance, Melbourne had kicked two goals six. That followed from last week when they kicked one goal after quarter time against Hawthorn.

Unlike last week, when they were insipid, this time Melbourne were at least hungry for the ball. The problem was they appeared to come with little more than an appetite. There was a ragged plan once they got the ball other than to hack it for territory.

But then that is what Richmond does to teams. Richmond never looked like they got out of second gear until a burst in the last quarter, but they did not need to. They played a workman-like game but it was enough.

Bringing pressure is not enough against a side whose game is predicated on energy. You have to match Richmond in intensity but you have to have plans for moving the ball after that. Richmond will force the error and Melbourne volunteered those too readily. Richmond denied Melbourne time and Melbourne denied themselves the ball with their kicking.

In the first term Melbourne did most things right but the thing that mattered most: converting inside 50. They began like a team with a point to prove, but uncertain what that point was other than being furious at the ball. They played the better football for the quarter but wasted it going forward and mongrelled it in front of goal. They finished the quarter with one goal five and one out on the full.

Richmond had the better of the second term but did not put the game away. Dustin Martin was relatively quiet in the first term, then had six clearances on his own in the second quarter. Kane Lambert was strong in the term and only got better as the game went on.

Lambert possibly leads that next group of Richmond players below the star four who sneak up on you and deliver performances overshadowed by the stars., This night he stoodout of the shadow.
Bachar Houli throughout was the counterpoint to all the turnover kicks.

Where Melbourne could not convert forward entries in the second term they began the third quarter with a centre clearance, a quick kick forward where Jesse Hogan marked inside 50 and kicked the goal. It was all so simple and all so different to the first half.

Melbourne booted the first two goals and clawed back to a goal down before Jack Riewoldt gathered a loose ball created by pressure from Lambert. Simon Goodwin had put Jake Melksham forward onto Alex Rance and tried to draw him deep to goal and out of the play. Melksham booted four goals which gave Rance something to think about but he did not deny Rance completely as the defender still roamed and repelled balls coming inside.

For three quarters it was a workman-like Richmond who weathered a hard-working Melbourne. Then it was a Melbourne side that stopped working and a Richmond one that opened the game up. Four goals in five minutes in the last quarter and seven for the term blew open the margin as Melbourne fell apart. Or more to the point were pulled apart by Richmond.

Richmond now has such inate confidence in their game, and the simplicity of their approach, that they will prevail if they just stick to it. So they stuck to it. They kept just putting the ball deep forward to a contest then getting numbers to it to work hard to keep it in and create opportunities for someone. It varies who that someone is.

Last night it was Jack Higgins, who now has five goals from 11 kicks in AFL football.

RICHMOND 2.2 5.8 8.9 15.12 (102) defeated MELBOURNE  1.5 2.6 5.8 8.8 (56)

GOALS
Richmond: Higgins 3, Castagna 2, Riewoldt 2, Lambert 2, McIntosh 2, Lloyd 2, Prestia, Cotchin.
Melbourne: Melksham 4, Hogan 2, Garlett, Harmes.

BEST
Richmond: Lambert, Martin, Higgins, Houli, Conca, Edwards, Grigg
Melbourne: Hogan, Melksham, Gawn, Oliver, Jones, Hibberd, Weideman

UMPIRES
Rosebury, Foot, Williamson.

CROWD
77,071 at MCG.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/tigers-fourth-quarter-goal-burst-slays-demons-20180424-p4zbh7.html