Media articles and stats: Eagles kick away from Tigers in the west

[one-eyed]

Eagles kick away from Tigers in the west

WEST COAST        6.1      7.2      14.6    20.10 (130)                 
RICHMOND           2.3      6.8      9.8      12.11 (83)           

GOALS
West Coast: Darling 6, Kennedy 3, LeCras 3, Cripps 2, Redden 2, Rioli, Gaff, McGovern, Yeo
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Short 2, Caddy, Grigg, Castagna, Conca, Houli

BEST
West Coast: Darling, Yeo, McGovern, Redden, Kennedy, Gaff
Richmond: Riewoldt, Martin, Edwards, Caddy, Short

INJURIES
West Coast: Yeo (right knee)
Richmond: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Haussen, Dalgleish, Rosebury

Official crowd: 57,616

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Richmond was no match for the red-hot West Coast Eagles' second-half onslaught, falling by 47 points at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

The top-of-the-table clash lived up to its billing for the first half before the Eagles kicked away after the long break to seal the 20.10 (130) to 12.11 (83) victory in front of a record crowd of 57,616.

Jack Riewoldt was Richmond's best, returning a five-goal bag, while Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin (26 disposals), left to run free from a tag tried hard without much support.

Apart from the second term, when Richmond's pace worried West Coast, the Eagles had the game on their terms, moving the ball precisely by foot and leaving Tigers coach Damien Hardwick without an answer.

Reborn forward Jack Darling was simply unstoppable, booting a career-best six goals and taking seven contested marks in a dominant display.

His sidekick Josh Kennedy, for that is what dual Coleman medallist has incredibly become, slotted three majors, while Elliot Yeo (29 disposals, one goal) overcame early knee trouble to lead the Eagles' midfield, with strong support from Jack Redden (23, two) and Andrew Gaff (24, one).

Jeremy McGovern (nine marks) was impassable in defence for West Coast, while skipper Shannon Hurn (20 disposals, eight marks) produced another typically assured display as yet another interstate side came up short in Perth.

Remarkably, scores were level at the main break after Richmond wrestled back to parity from a 22-point deficit at quarter-time.

But, willed on by a state sporting record 57,616-strong crowd, the Eagles put the foot down with a stunning seven-goal third term, blowing the game apart.

It was an absorbing opening half, with the Eagles in control early before Richmond flipped the script.

West Coast burst out of the blocks, with a potent mix of talls and smalls in attack causing nightmares for the Tiger backline in a six-goal-to-two term.

The Eagles were controlling the game by foot (62-39 kicks) and McGovern was marking everything as Richmond fell into the trap of bombing high into the forward line.

But after Hardwick's quarter-time address, the Tigers rediscovered themselves and ramped up their frantic pressure, running in waves into their forward line.

In a stunning reversal, Richmond dominated the territory battle (23-4 inside 50s and 58-45 for the match) in the second stanza, turning the contest on its head with a four-goal term.

Martin's fingerprints were all over the fightback and, up forward, Riewoldt's class was on show – including in an audacious soccer finish that Tim Cahill would have been proud of.

Scores were level 44-all at the long break, but Richmond should've been in front after failing to take full toll with a wasteful 4.5 term.

However, Hardwick's men couldn't sustain the effort, limping to their second defeat of the season.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2018-05-20/round-9-match-report

[one-eyed]

Eagles wrestle Tigers out of top spot

Brad Elborough
The Age
21 May 2018

On the flip-side, there will be a lot for the Tigers to dissect during the week. The second quarter will gain some close attention.

With 23 inside 50s to the Eagles four for the term, Richmond should not only have led at half-time, but held a comfortable advantage that they could have used to set up a win.

Instead they kicked 4.5 for the quarter, to 1.1, and the game was all square at the main break.

The Tigers played in a gear above what West Coast seemed unable to match in the second term. And it was led by Dustin Martin.

The Brownlow medallist enjoyed some loose checking to drive the Tigers recovery. He had 16 touches by half-time, the same number he managed over four quarters against North Melbourne a week earlier.

While Richmond took momentum in to the break, it was West Coast that came out in the third term and dominated.

The Eagles managed to find that next gear.

They wasted fewer opportunities, kicking 7.4 for the quarter to open a 28-point lead.

The loss sees the Tigers drop to second spot on the ladder, with a 7-2 record.

Both of their losses have come away from Victoria. They also came up short in round two, when they lost to Adelaide, in Adelaide.

The Tigers started so well, with a goal to Josh Caddy in less than a minute of the game starting.

But by quarter-time the home side led by 22, with their forwards Josh Kennedy, Jamie Cripps, Willie Rioli and Darling (two) all featuring on the scoreboard. It was their best opening term for the season, so far.

Darling continued his outstanding form this season finishing with 15 marks and more than five goals for the first time in 160 games. Kennedy and Mark LeCras also booted three each.

The Eagles looked to have concerns with Elliot Yeo in the opening term, when he left the ground after a Josh Caddy tackle. But he returned with a heavily bandaged knee and with 29 possessions and 10 clearances was instrumental in the result.

He wasn’t tagging Martin (26 possessions) as many expected he might, instead leading the midfield in the absence of Luke Shuey.

For the third game this season that Richmond has played away from the MCG, they found it tougher to score goals.

Richmond has averaged almost 110 points per game at the home of football this season, but only 82 away from it.

Their total on Sunday was their worst of the season.

Jeremy McGovern made life tough for the Tigers forwards. He took nine marks, most of them from the boot of Richmond midfielders kicking into attack

The form away from home may not be too much of an issue for the Tigers though, as they don’t have to do it much more this season, as eight of their remaining 13 games still to come are at home, at the MCG.

The focus will now turn to West Coast. Are they a genuine contender?

They sit on top of the ladder with an 8-1 record and three wins on the east coast; two in Melbourne.

West coast fans might want to hold off booking their plane tickets to Melbourne for grand final weekend though.

The Eagles run of away game from next week, against Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium, through to the end of the season is as tough as it comes.

After the meet the Hawks, they still face Sydney (SCG), Adelaide (Adelaide Oval), Collingwood (MCG), North Melbourne (Blundstone Arena) and Port Adelaide (Adelaide) away from home.

The Tigers return to the safety of the MCG on Saturday to host St Kilda.

WEST COAST
6.1 7.2 14.6 20.10 (130)
RICHMOND
2.3 6.8 9.8 12.11 (83)

GOALS -
West Coast: Darling 6, Kennedy 3, LeCras 3, Cripps 2, Redden 2, Gaff, Yeo, McGovern, Rioli.
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Short 2, Houli, Caddy, Castagna, Conca, Edwards.

BEST -
West Coast: Darling, Yeo, McGovern, Gaff, Redden, S Hurn.
Richmond: Martin, Caddy, Grigg, Cotchin, Lambert, Rance.

UMPIRES: Dalgleish, Rosebury, Haussen.
CROWD: 57,616 at Optus Stadium.

VOTES
J Darling (West Coast) 9
E Yeo (West Coast) 8
J McGovern (West Coast) 8
D Martin (Richmond) 7
A Gaff (West Coast) 6

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/eagles-wrestle-tigers-out-of-top-spot-20180520-p4zggc.html

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West Coast moved a game clear on top of the ladder after dismantling Richmond in Perth

BRADEN QUARTERMAINE,
PerthNow/Herald-Sun
May 21, 2018

IF doubters wanted a statement from West Coast, it came in the most emphatic style as the Eagles rose to the top of the ladder by disposing of last year’s premiers in devastating fashion.

Looking to become the first Victorian team to take the points home from Perth Stadium, Richmond instead found there is a new entrant in this season’s flag race.

The top-of-the-table blockbuster turned into a rout as the Eagles piled on 13 goals to six after half-time to salute by 47 points.

The Tigers’ trademark fast finish went missing amid the onslaught in front of a record WA footy crowd of 57,616.

Jack Darling underlined his status as the most improved player in the competition with a career-high six-goals, which came on the back of 15 marks in the best game of his career.

Jack Riewoldt could hold his head high with his own bag of five, but dual Coleman Medallist Josh Kennedy chipped in with three of his own in a reminder the Eagles possess the most intimidating key forward duo in the AFL.

Richmond, unbeaten in Melbourne but now 0-2 on the road this season, looked to have the Eagles on the ropes in the second term but they couldn’t find the killer blow as they sprayed a series of gettable shots on goal.

West Coast then announced their arrival as a genuine premiership contender during a sublime third term blitz, booting seven of the first eight goals after half-time.

It fell apart quickly for the Tigers as star pair Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin gave away 50m penalties which resulted in goals.

Martin was an excellent trier but West Coast star Elliot Yeo proved to be his kryptonite, defying the Brownlow Medallist’s ‘don’t argue’ to catch him holding the ball twice in the third term.

It shaped as an intriguing battle between the Eagles’ kicking game and the Tigers’ run and stun style and there was no hint of what was to come in the opening half.

The scores were level at half-time but momentum was wearing yellow and black and the second term ended with the Eagles clinging on for dear life.

Having set up their early lead with a run of five consecutive majors in a bright first term, West Coast had no answer as the Tigers took control around the ball in the second stanza.

The ball lived in Richmond’s attacking half, with the visitors enjoying 23 inside 50s to four for the quarter as they added a wasteful 4.5 to 1.1.

The Eagles had predictably won the hitout battle as Nic Naitanui and Scott Lycett got on top of Toby Nankervis and his band of part-timers. However the Tigers’ ground-level brigade were able to get the ball going their way regardless as Richmond built a 9-5 advantage in centre clearances for the half.

The major break looked to have come at a bad time for the Tigers and it proved to be a new ball game when the teams re-emerged.

The Eagles got three goals in the first eight minutes as Darling and Kennedy imposed themselves, with the revival built on the back of some frenzied pressure and a series of holding the ball decisions.

It set the tone for the second half and there would be no way back for the disappointing Tigers.

BEST

West Coast: J.Darling, E.Yeo, J.McGovern, A.Gaff, N.Naitanui, J.Redden, S.Hurn

Richmond: J.Riewoldt, D.Martin, J.Caddy, T.Cotchin, K.Lambert, S.Edwards

VOTES

3. Jack Darling (WCE)

2. Elliot Yeo (WCE)

1. Jeremy McGovern (WCE)

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/more-news/west-coast-moved-a-game-clear-on-top-of-the-ladder-after-dismantling-richmond-in-perth/news-story/28ea0533a61aec41096cf69fce80ec45