AFL Geelong v Richmond: Serious nature of injury to Gryan Miers takes gloss of impressive victory
Gryan Miers’ successful comeback could be jeopardy if fears are confirmed that the small Geelong forward has seriously injured his leg again.
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Geelong fears small forward Gryan Miers may have re-fractured the fibula that sidelined him for six weeks earlier in the season.
Miers, who signed a recent new two-year extension, suffered the injury in the Cats’ 38-point win over Richmond at the MCG on Sunday.
He was seen limping in the rooms after the game.
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If the injury is as serious as it was earlier this season, he would face a race against time to return before the finals.
The 22-year-old played 53 consecutive AFL games from his debut in 2019 until he suffered a hairline fracture of his fibula against Sydney in Round 7 this year.
He missed almost 50 days, returning to the VFL for two matches in mid-June before regaining his spot in the Cats’ AFL side in Round 16.
Miers has played the last four AFL matches, kicking a goal in three of those matches, and is considered an important part of the Cats’ plans in their pursuit of the flag.
Geelong is hopeful skipper Joel Selwood hasn’t suffered any major damage after being subbed out of the Tigers’ clash, but will keep a close eye on his corked thigh.
The tight turnaround for the Hobart clash with North Melbourne will be a challenge for Selwood, but the Cats will give him every chance to prove his fitness.
Shaun Higgins, a late withdrawal on Sunday, is expected to return.
Hardwick rips into Tigers, but says it’s not over
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says the Tigers refuse to raise the white flag on their finals hopes despite copping a hammering from Geelong on Sunday.
The Tigers were all but gone at halftime down by 41 points, prompting the premiership coach to give his troops a searing spray mid-match at the MCG.
They were belted at the contest in the 38-point loss and risk losing touch with the eight unless they can topple Fremantle in the west on Sunday after flying out for a week of quarantine at Joondalup Resort north of Perth.
Gun midfielder Dion Prestia and premiership backman Nathan Broad are pressing to return against the Dockers, while Dustin Martin has checked out of a Gold Coast hospital following nine days of treatment for a lacerate kidney.
After three premierships in the past four years Richmond appears to be finally flagging, but Hardwick said the club had no plans to surrender one month out from finals.
“At the end of the day we are a chance, so you just keep going, just keep pushing up the mountain,” Hardwick said.
“It is quite easy to give up but the tough and the challenging clubs will keep going and that is what we are trying to do so we will keep pushing for our fans and for our players, our families and our organisation as hard as we can until the flame is extinguished.
“That is what Richmond do. It is an enormous challenge but there is no doubt we are up for it and we have been in challenging situations before and this is another one of those.
“It is a measure of us, so let’s see how we go.”
Hardwick said the Tigers’ massive injury toll had been a considerable factor in their season but he said there were no plans to rests stars such as Trent Cotchin over the remaining four games.
The Tigers play Fremantle, North Melbourne, GWS Giants and Hawthorn, leaving the door ajar to reignite their momentum leading into September.
Hardwick said the Tigers did not “execute the fundamentals of the game” well against Geelong “which had been a common theme this year” and admitted he was blunt with his troops at halftime.
“The fact of the matter is the game was sort of done in the second quarter, five entries, five goals in nine minutes, that is the game in a nutshell, so it was disappointing,” he said.
“We just had a pretty honest and forthright conversation (at halftime) about the fact that I thought we were fumbly.
“Geelong’s pressure was OK, it wasn’t quite as good as ours, but I didn’t think we used the ball well enough in and around contests.
“The challenge for us is we have a relatively inexperienced back six and so if the ball goes in there, and we gave us nine goals at stoppage today, it is difficult to defend.”
Daniel Rioli showed some promising signs in a new half back role gathering 19 possessions, while Rhyan Mansell had 17 touches, but key forward Tom Lynch had a touch day nailing one major.
Hardwick said Nick Vlastuin could return in two weeks to bolster the defence but added “we haven’t had the greatest run with injury”.
He said Martin would remain on Gold Coast as he rests up following the nasty hit with Mitch Robinson which injured his kidney last weekend.
“He will get some R and R (rest and relaxation) and some sun and get himself sun and get himself right,” Hardwick said.
“He would love to be back with us but the reality is there is no point, we are going over to Perth for six days of lockdown so he will stay up there for the short term.
“It is just important he gets his recuperation right and the sunshine generally does that.”
Tigers’ finals hopes dented as Cats inflict five-year first
Geelong have solidified their premiership credentials and put a major dent in reigning premiers Richmond’s finals hopes with a convincing 38-point win at the MCG.
In the second Grand Final rematch of the season, the Cats overwhelmed the Tigers in all the major categories – putting the game to bed with a late first-half avalanche kicking seven unanswered goals.
Patrick Dangerfield (28 disposals, seven marks, seven clearances) was sensational in the middle of the ground while Tom Hawkins and Esava Ratugolea booted four goals each.
The result puts the Cats only percentage behind the ladder leading Western Bulldogs heading into the final four games of the season.
However, Joel Selwood was unable to finish the game after he succumbed to a corked quad in the third-term.
The champion midfielder had a conversation with the medicos before the call was made to put some ice on and take him out.
He copped a knock to his right quad from Mabior Chol in the first term.
Quinton Narkle was subbed in as his replacement.
Selwood faces a light week on the track to be ready for Saturday’s clash against North Melbourne if the coaches don’t make a conservative call to give him a week off.
Meanwhile, Richmond sits outside the eight going into the final stretch and will head immediately into quarantine in Perth before their must-win clash against Fremantle next Sunday.
It was also the first time since 2016 that the Tigers lost to the same opposition twice in the same season which coincides with the last-time they missed finals.
Damien Hardwick’s side sorely missed the impact of gun midfielder Dustin Martin as the Tigers took to the field for the first time since his season-ending kidney injury.
Richmond brought the heat early but were undone by the Cats’ dominance in the contested ball (47-33 at quarter time) and ability to lock the ball inside their own half (15-9 inside 50s).
Geelong’s forwards ultimately made better use of their opportunities around goal with Rhys Stanley’s late goal giving the Cats a ten-point lead at quarter-time.
After no goals in the first 16 minutes of the second-quarter, the Cats blew the dam wall open putting the game to bed in a stunning nine-minute flurry kicking the solitary five-second-term goals to open up a 41-point chasm at the major break.
The Tigers’ first-quarter pressure completely waned after quarter-time (20-8 tackles in Geelong’s favour) – allowing the Cats to breeze through a listless Tigers defence.
A brief fightback after halftime gave the Tigers some hope, kicking the first two goals of the half but wastefulness (2.3) meant they were unable to make serious inroads on the margin.
Goals from Ratugolea and medical sub Quinton Narkle either side of the final break put the game to bed.
GOOD NEWS FOR DUSTY
Richmond superstar Dustin Martin has left hospital as he continues his recovery from a lacerate kidney.
Richmond confirmed the champion midfielder checked out of a Gold Coast hospital today after spending nine days in there with the serious injury.
The three-time Norm Smith medallist won’t play again this season after copping a heavy blow to the kidney in a collision with Brisbane hard nut Mitch Robinson at Metricon Stadium last round.
The Tigers are confident Martin, 30, will make a full recovery before the start of next season although his health and wellbeing is currently the top priority.
The Cats led by 38 points at three quarter time as they looked to defeat Richmond and leapfrog Melbourne in second spot.
In a fresh concern star midfielder Shane Edwards tweaked his ankle in the first term of the Tigers’ clash against Geelong at an empty MCG.
Edwards, in his comeback from a separate ankle injury which sidelined him for the past two games, returned to the field for the start of the second term and played out the match.
BIG SAV STANDS UP
Esava Ratugolea may have just created yet another selection dilemma for coach Chris Scott.
With Jeremy Cameron still missing with a hamstring injury, Ratugolea made the most of his absence putting in a career-best display booting four goals – putting his hand up to keep his spot in the side even upon Cameron’s return before finals.
He may have only tallied the six touches but his eye for goal was on full show, making the most of his limited disposals.
Loved this from Danger and Narkle 👌#AFLCatsTigerspic.twitter.com/kM73x091Lb
— AFL (@AFL) July 25, 2021
PARKER SPARK
Matty Parker offered brief respite on a rough day for the Tigers.
The former Saint, who was picked up in the mid-season draft impressed in his second-game in the yellow and black playing primarily in the midfield after spending much of his time at Moorabbin as a forward.
Parker started the game brilliantly with five tackles in the opening term before finishing with 19 disposals and eight tackles.
TIGERS BREAK RECORD
The result may be quickly forgotten among Tigers fans but the day will be remembered as a record-breaking afternoon in the club’s history.
The Tigers broke a club-record for the most Indigenous players playing in a single game with seven players running out on the MCG.
Shane Edwards’ return from injury ensured the Tigers broke the record joining Shai Bolton, Marlion Pickett, Rhyan Mansell, Sydney Stack, Daniel Rioli and Matty Parker in the side.
CATS: 3.0, 8.3, 10.3, 15.5 (95)
TIGERS: 1.2, 1.4, 3.7, 8.9 (57)
D’URBANO’S BEST
CATS: Dangerfield, Hawkins, Guthrie, Stewart, Ratugolea, Smith, Henderson
TIGERS: Short, Ross, Parker, Rioli, Mansell, Baker
GOALS
CATS: Hawkins 4, Ratugolea 4, Miers, Stanley, Dangerfield, Rohan, Narkle, Close, Parfitt
TIGERS: Aarts 2, Riewoldt 2, Castagna, Lynch, Cotchin, Lambert
INJURIES
CATS: Selwood (corked leg)
TIGERS: Edwards (ankle)
VENUE: MCG
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
3: Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
2: Tom Hawkins (Geel)
1: Cameron Guthrie (Geel)
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