Media articles & stats: Tiger train back on track as Saints' yips return

[one-eyed]

Next stop, prelim: Tiger train back on track as Saints' yips return

Richmond has advanced to a preliminary final against Port Adelaide after ending St Kilda's season

By Michael Whiting
afl.com.au
9 October 2020 11pm


RICHMOND   5.1       9.1       10.4     12.8 (80)
ST KILDA       2.2       3.6       5.11     6.13 (49)

GOALS
Richmond: Bolton 3, Lynch 2, Edwards 2, Castagna, Martin, McIntosh, Prestia, Rioli
St Kilda: Battle, Butler, Kent, Ross, Savage, Steele

BEST
Richmond: Houli, Martin, Edwards, Bolton, Lynch, Baker
St Kilda: Steele, Clark, Ross, Coffield, Marshall

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
St Kilda: Membrey (ankle)

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RICHMOND is into a fourth successive preliminary final, making St Kilda pay dearly for a return of its goalkicking yips at Metricon Stadium on Friday night.

The Tigers won 12.8 (80) to 6.13 (49) and will now face Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval next Friday night for the right to play in the Grand Final.

What looked like being a comfortable night for Richmond after a five-goal opening quarter blitz was anything but, as St Kilda fought until the death.

But the inaccuracy around goal that plagued the Saints the previous three seasons came back to bite them.

After succumbing to a hungry Brisbane outfit seven days earlier, Richmond got back to doing what it does best – pressuring, playing quickly and converting accurately around goal.

The best team of the past four seasons found some form and still has a chance to defend its premiership.

With Tom Lynch back from a hamstring injury to straighten up their ball movement they looked like a totally different team.

Although he kicked poorly (2.5), Lynch's 17-disposal, six-mark game was a welcome sight for Tigers fans.

He might come under scrutiny from the Match Review Officer again though after a third quarter incident where he dropped a knee into Saints defender Dougal Howard.

Dustin Martin (25 disposals, six clearances and a goal), Shai Bolton (three goals from 11 touches) and Shane Edwards (21 and two goals) were all instrumental in the win.

Not usually reliant on their clearance prowess, the Tigers smashed St Kilda's midfield, winning nine centre clearances to three in the first half and giving their forwards plenty of opportunities.

Bolton was magnificent, turning two half chances into opening quarter goals, including one twisting and turning effort where he bought just enough time from a pressuring Jack Sinclair to snap from 50m and watch the ball take a kind bounce through.

It summed up the difference between the two teams.

After converting at less than 50 percent in front of goal from 2017-2019, St Kilda has been one of the most accurate teams in the competition this season, but it deserted them in their hour of need.

With Jake Carlisle with his partner awaiting the birth of his third child, the back six looked out of sorts at times, with too many players flying for marks and leaving the Richmond smalls to run unattended.

Jack Steele (25 disposals and a goal) completed a magnificent season, while Hunter Clark really gave his team a lift when moved into the midfield after half-time.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/515854/next-stop-prelim-tiger-train-back-on-track-as-saints-yips-return

[one-eyed]

Questions for Lynch as Tigers enter fourth straight preliminary final

Peter Ryan
The Age
October 10, 2020

An errant left knee from Richmond's Tom Lynch has left the star forward vulnerable to the whim of the AFL's match review officer after the Tigers won their way into their fourth consecutive preliminary final with a 31-point win over an undermanned St Kilda at Metricon Stadium.

The Tigers were too good from start to finish with Lynch kick-starting their victory with a goal within the first minute in his first match back from the hamstring injury he suffered in round 17.

However the incident, which occurred in the third quarter when Lynch lowered his left knee into the collarbone of Saints' defender Dougal Howard and conceded a 50-metre penalty, will give the Tigers a sleepless night as they contemplate a tough trip to Adelaide to play Port Adelaide for a spot in the grand final.

Although the contact wasn't forceful and is more than likely to incur a fine, it was unnecessary and off the ball from a player who has earned the wrath of the match review officer already this season.

It was a critical moment in a match that was otherwise predictable with the Tigers winning too many centre clearances for the Saints' defenders to cope, with the small Richmond forwards feasting on loose balls inside their forward 50.

Shai Bolton was the most dynamic with three goals in the first half, his second a brilliant, courageous goal when he did not break stride as four Saints closed in on him.

When he threw the ball on to the outside of his boot and it went through the goals it was clear the night belonged to Richmond.

Shane Edwards was handy too at ground level with the Tiger talisman kicking a goal after Jayden Short took his team's first intercept mark for the finals series, starting a rebound that was as clinically efficient as a Roger Federer backhand.

It was a clear sign the Tigers were going to be too good for the fledgling Saints who entered the match without tap ruckman Paddy Ryder, father-to-be Jake Carlisle and suspended defender Ben Long.

They then lost Josh Battle - who entered the game under a cloud with a foot injury - for a quarter as he required treatment on the foot while Ben Paton copped a head knock that left him bloodstained. Tim Membrey went off with a leg injury in the final minutes too.

Ryder's absence was felt at centre bounces where Richmond dominated with nine centre clearances to two late in the second quarter when their score was 9.1 to the Saints' three goals.

While most of Richmond couldn't miss (apart from Lynch who kicked 2.5 and one out on the full) the Saints were blowing any chance they had with poor set shot kicking.

Battle, Rowan Marshall and Max King missed gettable chances in the third quarter as St Kilda tried to claw their way back into the match and left the margin 23 points at the final change.

Although it felt as though Richmond were in cruise control as they headed towards their first semi-final win since 2001, St Kilda did not go away just hanging in the game for long enough to keep it interesting.

It was not until Jason Castagna benefited from Edwards' poise by marking directly in front of goal and kicking accurately that the result was certain particularly with their centre square dominance meaning the ball lived in their forward half for most of the game.

St Kilda have plenty to be encouraged about however after surging back up the ladder on the back of five recruits with only Brad Hill out of that quintet disappointing overall. They won a hard-fought final and held themselves together under duress against Richmond when they looked set to blow them apart.

They were a class below the experienced Tigers who found space on both the field and scoreboard early and then controlled the tempo.

Richmond will be a match for Port Adelaide having lost a classic encounter in round 11 with the two teams four wins apiece since they met in the 2014 elimination final.

Richmond 5.1 9.1 10.4 12.8 (80)

St Kilda 2.2 3.6 5.11 6.13 (49)

Goals

Richmond: Bolton 3, Edwards 2, Lynch 2, Prestia, McIntosh, Martin, Castagna, Rioli

St Kilda: Savage, Butler, Steele, Battle, Ross, Kent

Best

Richmond: Edwards, Martin, Nankervis, Bolton, Baker

St Kilda: Steele, Marshall, Jones, Clark

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-tigers-enter-fourth-preliminary-final-in-a-row-20201009-p563s1.html