Media articles & stats: Tigers too good for Giants

[one-eyed]

Tigers too good as Giants lose star defender again

Richmond opens its 2022 account with a strong win against injury-hit GWS

By AAP
Howard Kimber
27 March 2022

RICHMOND                              1.5    7.7    11.9    16.13 (109)
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY   1.2    4.5    7.9      10.13 (73)

GOALS
Richmond: Balta 4, Lynch 3, Bolton 2, Soldo 2, Baker, Castagna, Edwards, Nankervis, Ralphsmith
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio 2, Himmelberg 2, Taranto 2, Kelly 2, Brander, Bruhn

BEST
Richmond: Short, Cotchin, Pickett, Nankervis, Balta, Rioli, Broad
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly, Coniglio, Taranto, Green, Perryman

INJURIES
Richmond: Dow (TBC)
Greater Western Sydney: Lloyd (shoulder), Davis (hamstring)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Jake Aarts, replaced Thomson Dow in the fourth quarter
Greater Western Sydney: Matt de Boer, replaced Daniel Lloyd in the second quarter.

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RICHMOND has overcome the loss of several key players to beat Greater Western Sydney by 36 points in the first MCG clash between the clubs since the Tigers' 2019 AFL premiership.

Half-backs Jayden Short and Nathan Broad were prominent and former captain Trent Cotchin also starred as the Tigers led for most of the game to win 16.13 (109) to 10.13 (73).

Phil Davis (hamstring) and Daniel Lloyd (shoulder) were also hurt as the Giants fell to a 0-2 start to the season, while Richmond rebounded from last week's loss to Carlton.

Noah Balta kicked four goals for the Tigers, while GWS onballer Callan Ward had 28 disposals in his 250th game and teammate Tom Green had a game-high 34 possessions.

The last time these two teams played at the MCG, Richmond restricted GWS to three goals and mauled them by 89 points for the 2019 flag.

Some of the most important players from the 2017-20 premiership three-peat were missing on Sunday - Dustin Martin is taking time off for personal reasons, while fellow frontliners Dion Prestia, co-captain Dylan Grimes and Jack Riewoldt are all injured.

But the Tigers played with much more system and poise than the Giants.

Despite ideal conditions, the teams managed only one goal apiece in a scrappy opening where field umpire Ray Chamberlain also struggled.

Chamberlain was ill on the field, but ran out the game.

Late in the first term, Lloyd and teammate Jake Riccardi collided on the wing and Lloyd was taken to hospital for X-rays on his shoulder.

After the Giants kicked the first goal of the second term to take the lead, the Tigers broke the game open.

Richmond speedster Shai Bolton sparked the surge with two goals and they kicked another two to lead by 20 points.

As GWS fought back, veteran key defender Phil Davis dived to chase down Noah Balta as he ran into goal, the veteran defender ripping his left hamstring in the process and handing Balta a free kick for a trip.

Davis immediately put his hand up as he lay on the ground, well aware he had suffered a serious injury.

GWS were still in with a chance when Josh Kelly kicked his third goal and reduced the margin to 20 points in the last term.

But a three-goal run sealed the win for the Tigers.

Davis' hammies can't outrun Father Time
From 2016 to 2019 the Giants finished top six each year, reaching three preliminary finals and one Grand Final. Not coincidentally full-back Phil Davis played 21 or more matches in each of those seasons. He's managed a total of 21 over the past two years with injuries to his aging legs restricting his availability. Unfortunately it looks like GWS could be without their defensive general again, at least for a few weeks after what looked like a nasty hamstring injury ended his game in the second quarter. It might not quite be a case of 'no Phil, no finals', but after watching his shut-down job on Lance Franklin last week there's no doubt the Giants will miss his ability to negate the game's best.

Who wants to be king?
The respective games of Stephen Coniglio and Trent Cotchin on Sunday showed the difference a little less responsibility can make on an individual's input. Coniglio's numbers suffered across the board after being handed the sole captaincy role at GWS in 2020, but his two games this year have seen him return to his best after Josh Kelly and Toby Greene were promoted to share the top job. And three-time premiership skipper Cotchin handed over the leadership in an effort to find top form in his late career, something he seems to have done over the opening fortnight. Comic genius Mel Brooks once said "It's great to be king", but sometimes a crown can be a bit too heavy on the head.

https://www.afl.com.au/news/728108/tigers-too-good-as-giants-lose-star-defender-again

[one-eyed]

No Dusty, no Jack, no worries: Tigers cover missing stars to swamp Giants at ’G

Damien Ractliffe
The Age
March 27, 2022 — 7.26pm

There was no Dustin Martin and no Jack Riewoldt, but it was no worries for Richmond, who responded from their round one defeat to overcome Greater Western Sydney in hot conditions at the MCG on Sunday.

Like the Tigers of old, their territory dominance was back and resembled their premiership-winning campaigns, causing forward-half turnovers and overcoming the Giants with a spread of goal-kickers that made the absences of Martin and Riewoldt look insignificant.

Jayden Short (33 touches) was the only Tiger in the top nine possession-getters on the field, but the home side’s clinical centre clearance work proved match-winning. They kicked 7.1 from centre bounce on Sunday, but also displayed their trademark run and handball game style from defence to attack.

Noah Balta (four goals) and Tom Lynch (three) worked sublimely in tandem, but the forward threats didn’t stop there, with Shai Bolton (two) and Ivan Soldo (two) the other multiple goal kickers.

Martin and Riewoldt aren’t the Tigers’ only sidelined stars, either. They were also without Dylan Grimes, Nick Vlastuin and Dion Prestia, which provided the opportunity for the flowy-haired Hugh Ralphsmith (19 touches and a goal) to put together his best outing in the yellow and black.

The Giants find themselves in familiar territory. They started last year at 0-3, and despite making finals in 2021, they’re staring down a similar start heading into Saturday’s clash with the much-improved Gold Coast Suns.

Tall timber

The Tigers were without Jack Riewoldt, who this week had surgery on a fractured thumb, but the home side was not short of marking options.

Balta (four goals), in his new role as a key forward, provided ample foil for power forward Tom Lynch (three), while both rucks Toby Nankervis (one) and Ivan Soldo (two) also impacted the scoreboard.

Midfielder Shai Bolton (two) was the Tigers’ other multiple goal kicker, pressing forward to impact without Dustin Martin in the line-up.

Highlights galore

Bolton nearly started the match with the most incredible centre-clearance goal, picking the ball off his feet to zip through the centre of the ’G, only to spray his running shot on goal out of bounds on the full.

Bolton, minutes later, then nearly took a mark of the year contender on the MCC Members wing but couldn’t hold on to the speccy.

But teammate Matt Parker made sure of his leap early in the second term to give award judges something to consider, before Joshua Gibcus put forward his submission for the highlights reel with a flying mark at half-back.

But the highlight of the day came from big man Nankervis, who palmed a boundary throw-in to his feet, before volleying a goal to put his side 20 points up in the second term.

Richmond 1.5 7.7 11.9 16.13 (109)
GWS         1.2 4.5 7.9 10.13 (73)

Goals
Richmond: Balta 4, Lynch 3, Bolton 2, Soldo 2, Baker, Castagna, Edwards, Nankervis, Ralphsmith.
Greater Western Sydney: Coniglio 2, Himmelberg 2, Taranto 2, Kelly 2, Brander, Bruhn.

Best
Richmond: Short, Balta, Broad, Bolton, Rioli, Cotchin.
Greater Western Sydney: Taranto, Green, Cumming, Coniglio, Kelly.

VOTES
Jayden Short (Richmond) 8
Noah Balta (Richmond) 7
Nathan Broad (Richmond) 7
Shai Bolton (Richmond) 7
Tim Taranto (GWS Giants) 7

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/no-dusty-no-jack-no-worries-tigers-cover-missing-stars-to-dwarf-giants-at-g-20220327-p5a8c2.html?js-chunk-not-found-refresh=true

[Knighter]

 Another clueless journo.  How can Pickett not be in the votes?

[one-eyed]