Media articles & stats: Tigers go down to Suns at Marvel

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Tigers go down to Suns at Marvel

By AAP with Howard Kimber
AFL Media
30 April 2023

RICHMOND       1.5     2.9    4.11    6.12 (48)
GOLD COAST:    2.1    4.2    10.3    11.6 (72)

GOALS
Richmond: Ryan 2, Riewoldt, Taranto, Soldo, Bolton,
Gold Coast: King 4, Holman 2, Witts, Fiorini, Ellis, Anderson, Ainsworth

BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Rioli, Vlastuin, Short, Martin, Bolton,
Gold Coast: Powell, Anderson, Rowell, McPherson, King, Ballard, Fiorini

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Judson Clarke (replaced Tyler Sonsie in the third quarter)
Gold Coast: Malcolm Rosas (replaced Bailey Humphrey in the third quarter)

Crowd: 23,664 at Marvel Stadium

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Richmond went down to Gold Coast by 24 points in a disappointing display on Sunday afternoon at Marvel Stadium.

The Suns broke clear in the third term of a dour Marvel Stadium struggle and then held off Richmond's final-quarter rally for their third win of the season, 11.6 (72) to 6.12 (48).

It is Gold Coast's third straight win over Richmond and a big scalp for the Suns in Melbourne.

At eight minutes into the last term, the Tigers had managed only four goals before banging through two more to reduce the margin to 15 points.

Suns key forward Ben King shone with four goals and Nick Holman was also outstanding in attack, while Noah Anderson had 32 disposals.

The numbers at half-time had told the story - Gold Coast was dominating the inside 50s 31-20, but had managed only 4.2.

Meanwhile, Richmond trailed by five points after spraying 2.9 under the Marvel Stadium roof.

After a scrappy and dour first half, Gold Coast busted the game open in the third with six goals to two.

There were a few highlights among the scrappy play, with Holman relentless in his pressure.

Young Tigers forward Samson Ryan gave his team a badly needed lift early in the second term when he snapped a great goal from a tight angle.

Richmond star Dustin Martin also unleashed his celebrated "don't argue" as he continues to regain form.

But overall in a forgettable first half, Richmond had the look of a side who has won only once this season, while Gold Coast was torching too many promising forays into attack.

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1320339/tigers-go-down-to-suns-at-marvel

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Gold Coast Suns hand Richmond fifth straight defeat to leave Tigers dynasty dead and buried

James Mottershead
HeraldSun
April 30, 2023 - 8:34PM

A contentious deliberate rushed behind decision couldn’t take the polish off an impressive Gold Coast win which keeps the Suns within an arm’s length of the top eight.

The Suns blew the Tigers away with a six-goal to two third term and never looked back, with the win coming on the back of stellar games from Ben King, Noah Anderson, and Will Powell.

The disappointing loss leaves Richmond with a mountain to climb to regain touch with the best teams as they were left to rue abysmal goal kicking.

A moment in the third term looked for much of the second half like it could come back to haunt the Tigers, but the impressive Suns answered every Richmond challenge.

Richmond could rightly have felt hard done by when what seemed to be a clear deliberate rushed behind was overlooked by umpires.

With no one within 20m of the goals, Dustin Martin ran just inside 50 and went for a dribble kick along the ground, snaking it towards goal.

It became a race between the ball and Suns’ defender Will Powell.

With no Richmond player within 20m of Powell, who tracked the kick back to halfway up the goal square, the rebounding defender punched it over the goal line with no intent to take possession.

Martin threw his arms in the air to protest what seemingly was the easiest of deliberately rushed decisions, but his appeals fell on deaf ears.

King of Marvel

Ben King was the difference for the Suns, dragging his team with a masterful key forward display against a quality Richmond defence.

King’s height proved too much for the Tiger defence and his speed caught out Noah Balta and Tylar Young on more than one occasion.

But it was his clean hands and deadly set shot kicking that set him apart in a game in which Richmond couldn’t buy an accurate shot for large stretches.

The 22-year-old finished with four goals and five marks.

Ryan’s Ripper

In a game that was bereft of any polish and magic in the opening quarter, it took 22-year-old big man Samson Ryan just a couple of minutes to provide it in the second term.

The 2.05m youngster halved a ruck contest in the Tigers’ forward pocket and the ball spilled towards the boundary line.

Cast in the roll of rover, Ryan set off after the ball, gathered it and off one step fashioned a drop punt off the outside of his right boot.

The ball bent from left to right and slide through the big sticks to give the Richmond fans something much needed to savour.

Ellis Haunts Tigers

Dual premiership Tiger Brandon Ellis put on a vintage performance that was reminiscent of his days patrolling the wings in yellow and black.

The now Gold Coast Sun was instrumental in giving Gold Coast its halftime lead, providing gut-busting overlap run to propel his side forward.

The 29-year-old’s ball use was impeccable, going at 94 per cent, making the most of his 16 touches with 304m gained.

He was able to hurt the Tigers on the scoreboard, too, kicking an important goal in the second quarter.

Ellis finished with 25 touches, a goal, and 395m gained.

Bolton’s Banger

With the game getting away from Richmond following a couple of quick Gold Coast goals that had the Suns out in front by 17-points, the Tigers needed a spark.

And as he so often does, it was the enigmatic Shai Bolton who provided the team-lifting moment.

Receiving a handball out of the stoppage and running towards the boundary on the wrong side for the right booted Bolton, the excitement machine hit his drop punt to perfection.

The 24-year-old took off immediately to celebrate with the raucous Tiger faithful as the ball sailed through to provide Richmond with a much-needed momentum stopper.

https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/gold-coast-suns-hand-richmond-fifth-straight-defeat-to-leave-tigers-dynasty-dead-and-buried/news-story/95ec18df674a47e9cc14f12a342ed2fd

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King fires as Suns burn struggling Tigers

By Marc McGowan
The Age
May 1, 2023

Richmond’s horror season is on life support – but Gold Coast’s dream of a first finals appearance may still be alive.

The Suns inflicted the Tigers’ fifth defeat in the first seven rounds on Sunday, on top of a season-opening draw, to leave Damien Hardwick’s men in 16th spot and with a September place looking increasingly unlikely.

Richmond now have only a draw and five losses to show from their last six trips to Marvel Stadium, with a tough month ahead – helpfully all at the MCG – against West Coast, Geelong, Essendon and Port Adelaide.

Gold Coast’s 24-point victory, off the back of a six-goal-to-two third term, was their third of the season and second in a row, leaving them a game and percentage outside the top eight after a slow start.

They have beaten the Tigers three times in a row, but had to withstand a last-quarter fightback after leading by as many as 28 points. Ivan Soldo could have kicked Richmond within nine points but opted for a short pass to Tim Taranto that was spoiled away, with Ben Ainsworth sealing the result soon after with a snap.

The Suns’ star key forward Ben King terrorised Richmond with a match-high four goals, while Noah Anderson and Matt Rowell made up for Touk Miller’s absence with strong performances at the feet of dominant ruckman Jarrod Witts.

They also had winners down back in the classy Wil Powell and sticky-handed Charlie Ballard.

Richmond sent a clutch of draft picks last year to the Giants to bring in on-ballers Taranto and Jacob Hopper, in a move seemingly designed to maintain their competitiveness in the present.

Taranto, in particular, has excelled – and was their best player again – but the two trades have not translated to on-field success, and there could be more pain to come, given they won’t have any early picks this year.

Making that a greater concern is that Richmond again turned to a high number of players on the wrong side of 30: Dustin Martin, Dylan Grimes, Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt, Nathan Broad and Marlion Pickett.

Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia and Robbie Tarrant would probably all be in the side as well if not for being injured, while Kamdyn McIntosh and Nick Vlastuin will turn 30 next year.

A tale of two problems

There were contrasting issues that contributed to one of the lowest-scoring first halves of the year.

Richmond scored 11 times from a modest 20 inside 50s to that stage, but woeful inaccuracy (2.9) despite a series of gettable attempts ensured they played catch-up for most of the first two quarters.

The misses by Shai Bolton, Liam Baker, Marlion Pickett and Jack Riewoldt were arguably the worst.

Gold Coast, on the other hand, generated 31 inside 50s to half-time, for a total of 4.2, with the connection between the midfielders and forwards often lacking. One of those goals came when Tyler Young shockingly passed the ball to his direct opponent, Ben King, at the top of the goal square. It was the Suns who found a solution in the second half.

Noah-it-all Sun

Gold Coast midfielder Noah Anderson loves nothing more than facing Richmond, the team he kicked a nerves-of-steel, after-the-siren match-winner against last year.

The 22-year-old arrived at Marvel Stadium on Sunday averaging more disposals (26) when playing the Tigers than any other club, and proceeded to gather nine touches and a goal by quarter-time.

Anderson’s numbers swelled to 32, nine marks, nine clearances and five tackles by game’s end in a sterling display.

He combined with Matt Rowell, the only player taken before him in the 2019 draft, for 58 disposals, 28 contested possessions and 17 clearances without All-Australian teammate Touk Miller, who is out indefinitely with a knee injury.

Coach Stuart Dew runs a famously tight on-ball rotation, but Miller’s absence offered greater opportunity for Brayden Fiorini and, to a lesser degree, Alex Davies.


GOLD COAST 2.1 4.2 10.3 11.6 (72)
RICHMOND 1.5 2.9 4.11 6.12 (48)

GOALS
Gold Coast: King 4, Holman 2, Ellis, Ainsworth, Witts, Anderson, Fiorini.
Richmond: Ryan 2, Taranto, Riewoldt, Soldo, Bolton.

BEST
Gold Coast: Anderson, Witts, Powell, Ballard, King, Rowell, Macpherson, Ellis.
Richmond: Taranto, Short, Bolton, Vlastuin, Martin, Baker.

UMPIRES
Foot, Fisher, Haussen, Fleer.

CROWD
23,664 at Marvel Stadium.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/king-fires-as-suns-burn-struggling-tigers-20230430-p5d4e7.html