Undermanned Dogs bite back after brutal Tigers’ ‘avalanche’: 3-2-1Catherine Healey
Fox Sports
April 8th, 2023 7:34 pmThe Western Bulldogs have survived a second-term Richmond “avalanche” to claim a thrilling five-point win at a wet MCG on Saturday.
The Dogs reclaimed the lead early in the last term and didn’t look back as they ran home 12.17 (89) to 12.12 (84) victors - despite playing a man down for more than a quarter.
Alex Keath was concussed in the first quarter after a heavy bump from Tiger Tom Lynch that is sure to draw attention from the Match Review, before Hayden Crozier was ruled out with a back issue from a bout of friendly fire in the slippery conditions.
It was Aaron Naughton the hero for the Dogs with a game-high three goals.
Richmond managed just four goals in three quarters of footy, after their eight-goal second quarter blitz saw the Dogs head into half time disappointed and under fire from skipper Marcus Bontempelli.
But they responded in the second half to claim their first back-to-back wins of the season.
QUARTER BY QUARTER MATCH REPORTDespite the wet conditions, it was big Tiger Tom Lynch who impressed early.
He followed up a ground ball, leading to a Shai Bolton shot on goal, before laying a heavy tackle on star Dog Marcus Bontempelli that was rewarded.
Bontempelli was too slow trying to clear from defensive 50 when Lynch pounced.
He converted his set shot to give Richmond the early lead.
“That’s an excellent tackle and an even better finish,” commentator Nathan Buckley said.
But the Bulldogs fired back with three straight goals.
Despite the wet conditions, it was Rory Lobb with a quick snap and then Tim English who converted from a set shot to reclaim the lead for the Bulldogs.
“The ball handling has been clean … conditions not there for clean handling but they’ve been effective both sides,” Buckley praised.
Caleb Daniel made the most of a big Bontempelli block to add the Dogs’ third before Tom Liberatore caught Liam Baker and converted from the resulting free kick.
“The Tigers are kicking at 48 per cent efficiency … just not being able to hit targets well enough,” Buckley lamented.
Down the other end, it was Lynch keeping the Tigers within striking distance as he kicked their only other goal for the quarter.
A costly Jack Graham mistake, where he overran the mark and coughed up a 50m penalty, ensured the Dogs skipped clear again.
Liberatore added his second for the quarter to push the margin out to 23 points at the first change.
The only sour note for the Dogs was the concussion to defender Alex Keath, who came from the ground late in the quarter.
Keath was collected by Lynch in a marking contest before being subbed out of the clash for Mitch Hannan.
“You get in a contest with Tom Lynch, opposition players tend to get up a bit sore,” Buckley said.
The Tigers’ woes only got worse in the second term when Lynch limped from the field early in the quarter.
The key big man, playing a lone hand in attack without the rested Jack Riewoldt, pulled up lame and went straight down to the rooms.
“(Samson) Ryan just doesn’t draw the ball the same. That’s the difference between an experienced player who’s been around for 10 years and a three-gamer,” Buckley lamented.
But while Lynch was able to return, Jack Graham then headed to the bench with a left hamstring issue - and was subbed out.
Despite their injury woes, it was Richmond with all the run and dare in the second term as they kicked seven straight goals.
“Richmond have turned this game around dramatically, just as the Bulldogs looked to be in complete control,” commentator Anthony Hudson said.
Without Keath down back, it was raining goals for Richmond as they piled on eight goals in the drier conditions.
“They are just unstoppable at the moment,” commentator Jason Dunstall said.
“It’s just a wave going forward.
“An avalanche of goals.
“They are powerless to stop them at the moment, the Bulldogs.
“They are just running riot.”
A goal square toe poke from Shai Bolton and a quick snap from Dustin Martin ensured the Tigers took a 14-point lead into half time, 67-53.
“This game has just been blown apart,” Hudson said.
But as the heavy rain returned for the third quarter, the goals dried up.
Richmond’s kicking efficiency dropped below 50 per cent once again in the third term due to the wet conditions.
The Dogs went a man down when Hayden Crozier copped a nasty blow to the back in a bout of friendly fire.
As Crozier slid in to the contest, Josh Bruce came in from the other direction with nowhere else to go.
Mitch Hannan missed “a gift” goal from the square late in the term as Richmond took a six-point margin into the final change.
Hannan made up for this third term blunder when he snapped truly from 20m out to give the Bulldogs the lead for the first time in more than 30 minutes.
When Aaron Naughton was edged under the footy, he cashed in to kick his third goal of the day.
“You can’t take your opponent out of the contest,” Buckley said.
Tim Taranto kept Richmond in it with his goal closing his side within nine points with 10 minutes to play.
Shai Bolton set up a thrilling final minute as the Tigers came within five points with 33 seconds to go.
But when Daniel Rioli put it out of bounds on the full in the pouring rain, Richmond’s victory hopes went with it.
THE 3-2-1... (With Jono Baruch)3. SKIPPER STANDS TALL TO LEAD DOGS TO WINWhen the Dogs coughed up an eight-goal second term, it was Marcus Bontempelli leading his team off the field, barking instructions.
Instead of dropping their heads, Bontempelli insisted his side jog from the field to get to coach Luke Beveridge as quickly as possible, in a bid to turn their fortunes around.
Bontempelli had been his side’s best in the first half, and he simply carried on that from when the match went on the line.
He even took on Tigers’ superstar Dustin Martin and came up trumps.
“He’s up to 11 clearances for the match so he’s felling it the Bont,” Fox Footy’s Nathan Buckley praised.
“He can do anything.”
Teammate Adam Treloar paid tribute to his “inspirational skipper” post-win.
“Him in general the way he puts a lot of teammates on his back. He’s just inspirational,” he said.
“We love playing for him and love the things that he does for us.
“Not only does he win footy, he puts his body on the line, goes back with the flight.”
Bontempelli finished with 25 disposals - 17 of those contested, 11 clearances - six from the centre and 12 tackles.
2. TIGERS’ ‘AVALANCHE’ BLOWS DOGS AWAYAfter being jumped in the first quarter conceding six first quarter goals, the Tigers roared back into the game in the second quarter, piling on eight second-quarter goals to take the lead into halftime.
They kicked seven goals in a 15-minute period to wrestle control in a stunning performance at a wet MCG.
“They are rolling back the years,” Tim Lane said on 3AW.
“They’re just unstoppable at the moment,” Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall said on Fox Footy. “It’s just a wave of ball going forward.
“What a stark contrast is the foot skills from the Tigers in the first term where they were below 50 per cent, they’re (now) kicking at 80-plus in the second term.
“So all of a sudden, hitting targets, taking opportunities, finding the goals.”
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley expanded on the Tigers’ increased efficiency by foot which got them back in the game.
“They were playing on at all costs but only at 48 per cent efficiency,” Buckley said.
“But then in the second quarter to get that up to 74 per cent and they started connecting with their ball use and it gave them the chance to go forward and score heavily.”
The Tigers scored more points in the first half than what they scored in two of their three opening games, largely spurred on by their young players in their front third, moving the ball.
1. TIGER CUBS ON SHOW AS ‘GENERATION NEXT’ STRUT THEIR STUFFRichmond caused a stir when teams were named this week, with triple premiership star Trent Cotchin initially left out of the starting 23.
He wasn’t the only veteran Tiger missing as Jack Riewoldt was listed as managed for the clash against the Bulldogs, leaving a young Tigers outfit to lead the bounce-back following last week’s loss to Collingwood.
Samson Ryan (three games), Noah Cumberland (10 games), Tyler Sonsie (seven games), Judson Clarke (four games) and Tylar Young (one-game) were all named in the selected side while Hugo Ralphsmith (13 games) and Rhyan Mansell (18 games) brought the total to seven players with under 20 games’ experience for Richmond.
Cotchin was later named as the tactical sub on game day and activated before halftime due to an injury to Jack Graham.
Senior coach Damien Hardwick explained to Fox Footy pre-game the rationale behind the move to leave two of his most experienced players out of the side, citing a management plan.
“We’ve openly spoken about the fact that (our older players) won’t play every game. So there’s going to be opportunities throughout the year where we sit there and go ‘listen, we’re going to manage a certain player or two’,” Hardwick said.
“It would be nice to be more wins than losses in the column for that to happen, but the fact of the matter is, we’ve got a long-term plan in mind and we have got to make sure we are consistent with that plan and what we think is going to get Richmond their next premiership.”
Fox Footy’s Nathan Buckley asked: “How often do you play five players that have played 10 or less games in the one side?”
“And then how often does that side go on and win?” he said. “Richmond is very young and then you add (Tim) Taranto and (Jacob) Hopper together who haven’t played much with this team.”
Buckley expanded at half time, detailing how the young Tiger cubs were actively driving Richmond back into the contest after trailing at quarter time.
“Five Tigers players played less than 10 games. Seven under 20. Mansell is playing his 18th game. Sonsie and Cumberland, less than 10 games each and then to be able to go inside D50 stoppage and then go bang, bang, bang with young players, was an exceptional highlight for Tigers supporters,” he said.
“I loved that little shimmy from Tyler Sonsie before, didn’t that look classy ... When you’ve got good quality kids coming through, you’ve got to play them and give them those opportunities,” Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall added.
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