Australian Football

Match Report

Richmond has kept its very slim chances of playing in a second consecutive finals series alive with a dour 27-point win over GWS at a clear but cold MCG on Saturday afternoon and evening. The match was by no means pretty but was important for the Tigers in the context of keeping the season alive, and also demonstrating the ability to grind out a win when playing below their best.

A low-scoring first term saw Richmond kick the first goal of the match through Trent Cotchin at the five-minute mark, but the Giants keep pace thereafter to trail 2.3 to 3.2 at the first change of ends. The Tigers then took control of the match in the second quarter, holding the Giants goalless as Brett Deledio, Ricky Petterd, Ben Griffiths, and then Petterrd and Deledio again all kicked majors to see Richmond out to a 34-point half-time lead.

To their credit, the Giants fought their way back into the match in the third quarter, kicking the first three goals of the term via Will Hoskin-Elliott, skipper Callan Ward and Adam Treloar to cut the margin to 16 points at the 14-minute mark. Richmond recovered to kick the next two, both to Dustin Martin but Tom Boyd chimed in with a major just before three-quarter time to see GWS within four goals at the last break.

The Tigers put the result beyond doubt with goals to Brandon Ellis and Jack Riewoldt within the first three minutes but the Giants battled on to kick two of the last three goals of the match to keep the final margin to under five goals.

Tiger Brett Deledio was the outstanding player on the ground with 31 disposals and 10 marks while Callan Ward was a fine leader for the Giants, with 26 possessions and a goal.

Richmond, which has now won five matches in a row, will need everything to go right in the last month of the season if the Tigers are to sneak into the top eight, starting with a win over Essendon at the MCG next Friday night. The Giants, 16th on the ladder with a 4-14 record and ahead of bottom placed St Kilda only by percentage, will host North Melbourne at Manuka Oval in Canberra next Saturday.

GOALS
Richmond: Petterd, Deledio, Martin 2; Cotchin, Thomas, Edwards, Griffiths, Ellis, Riewoldt, Houli
GWS: Boyd, Patton 2; Hoskin-Elliott, Ward, Treloar, Palmer

BEST - SMH.COM.AU
Richmond: Deledio, Cotchin, Ellis, Rance, Edwards, Petterd
GWS: Ward, Treloar, Davis, Shaw, Bugg

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Richmond: Deledio, Ellis, Rance, Petterd, Cotchin, Edwards,
GWS: Ward, Greene, Davis, Treloar, Patton, Kennedy

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
GWS: Hunt (quad)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Nathan Gordon replaced Sam Lloyd in the third quarter
GWS: Tim Golds replaced Josh Hunt in the third quarter

REPORTS: Reece Conca (Richmond) for striking Devon Smith (Greater Western Sydney) in the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Hay, Foot, Mollison

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy