VFL Tigers’ season comes to an end at the hand of the PiesBy Brenton Mann
Richmond Media
27 August 2023“One half of footy doesn’t define us.”
That was senior coach Steve Morris’ post-match message to a Richmond side that unfortunately couldn’t match it with their rivals in the second half, being overrun by 75 points.
The Tigers held their own in the first half, having the better of the second term, however 14-goals-to-one after half-time sealed their fate, the final score reading 21.9 (135) to 8.12 (60).
Richmond hosted Collingwood in the cut-throat VFL Wildcard Round, in their first meeting with the Pies for 2023.
Noah Cumberland nailed the Tigers' opening major, a timely goal as the Pies made the most of their opportunities and slotted the first four goals of the game.
The scoreboard didn’t truly reflect the nature in which the game was being played, as the Tigers swarmed the Magpies.
The final piece of the puzzle was scoreboard nourishment, and Angus Hicks’ right-foot snap gave his side back-to-back goals to end the quarter and dragged the deficit back to two goals.
Marlion Pickett’s last game at the level saw him leave Ikon Park with a 2019 premiership medallion and the Norm Goss medalist set the tone in the second term.
Pickett drove the ball deep inside 50 where Samson Ryan held his ground and marked strongly.
Ryan importantly finished off his work, lighting the yellow and black spark early in the quarter.
Collingwood answered back before Garrett McDonagh gathered the ball and squeezed through a snap over his right shoulder.
Kaelan Bradtke took full advantage of the broadcast game exposure, putting in a contender for goal of the year.
The burly big man streaked away from his opponent down the Punt Road wing, took a bounce and nailed a goal from the paint of 50.
The Magpies hit back soon after, edging clear by a goal.
Cumberland then put in his own nomination for goal of the year, dancing on a dollar in the forward pocket and sliding through a check side goal, his second.
The goal-for-goal continued, with Collingwood kicking its seventh before Pickett handed Richmond the lead after being spotted up inside 50 by Hicks.
The Tigers took at two-point lead into the main break and dominated the territory battle in the second quarter.
Collingwood flipped the script in the third quarter, rattling off four goals in the opening 13 minutes, regaining the lead by 23 points.
The Magpies quickly made it six goals in 19 minutes, as Richmond simply couldn’t get its hands on the ball.
Six turned into seven and seven into eight, as Collingwood made every post a winner.
Hugo Ralphsmith’s running long goal at the 31-minute mark was the Tigers’ first of the third term, and a much better result than his set-shot moments earlier.
However, Richmond’s sniff was swiftly snuffed, as Collingwood walked in its ninth goal of the term.
It was much of the same goal wise in the last quarter, as the Magpies built on their lead as the Tigers threw caution to the wind in a bid to swing the momentum in their favour.
Richmond fought tooth and nail; however, it was to no avail.
COLL 4.4 7.5 16.7 21.9 (135)
RICH 2.4 7.7 8.9 8.12 (60)
Goal Kickers:
Richmond: Cumberland (2), Ryan, Ralphsmith, Pickett, McDonagh, Hicks, Bradtke
Best Players:
Richmond: Street, Melville, Pickett, Miller, El Nour, Nyuon
https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1417313/vfl-tigers-season-comes-to-an-end-at-the-hand-of-pies
