GWS keeps season alive, beating Richmond in thriller

GREATER Western Sydney has injected life into its finals hopes and kept Richmond winless outside Victoria with an epic two-point win at Spotless Stadium.

Zac Langdon was a hero for GWS, booting three goals. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

GWS has injected life into its finals hopes and kept Richmond winless outside Victoria with an epic two-point win at Spotless Stadium.

The Tigers will be counting their blessings their only other trip outside Victoria is to Metricon Stadium to take on Gold Coast as GWS inflicted a fourth loss from as many interstate outings.

“It was a quality game of footy,” Giants coach Leon Cameron said.

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“We had the first quarter they had the second, we had the third and they had the last. We were coming back from Perth on a six day break and I was really proud our guys found a way.”

In a match worthy of September the Giants kicked three goals to none in the third quarter to open up a decisive 19-point lead at the last change before goals from Daniel Rioli and Toby Nankervis closed the gap to eight points.

Toby Greene then settled the home team’s nerves with a set shot from a tight angle but the drama was far from over.

Zac Langdon was a hero for GWS, booting three goals. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

Jayden Short then launched a rocket from outside 50 to bring it back to seven points.

Jason Castagna had a nightmare night in front of goals missing five straight including a shot from directly in front late in the last quarter which would have closed the gap to a point. Shai Bolton had another minutes later and missed everything before a Jack Riewoldt snap to close within a point ensured a grandstand finish.

Sam Reid’s long point was enough to get the Giants home.

The midfield battle was intriguing.

Steve Coniglio, Jacob Hopper and Callan Ward were the driving force for GWS on the inside picking up a truckload of possessions with Ward’s 19 a game high.

A massive goal (both figuratively and literally) from Jayden Short! 🚀#AFLGiantsTigers pic.twitter.com/JcjELKWorM

— AFL (@AFL) July 14, 2018

Lachie Whitfield, Josh Kelly and Dylan Shiel then provided the outside speed. Whitfield’s 35 touches were full of class and set up a host of scoring opportunities.

With a healthy Greene and a rested Jeremy Cameron in another three weeks the Giants forward set up will be very potent.

Dion Prestia, Dustin Martin, Brandon Ellis and Kane Lambert were the pick of the Tigers on ballers who kept the ball going inside forward 50 but Rioli was their only consistent performer with three goals for the night.

“It was a torrid affair,” Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.

“It was a tough game of footy and we did some things well and others not. We had a chance to win it but fell a bit short.”

GWS star Toby Greene made a welcome return, booting two crucial goals for the Giants. Picture: AAP

Riewoldt finished with two but was edged on the night by Phil Davis who is now one of the best key defenders in the AFL.

The best of the Giants backmen was Nick Haynes who won a host of possession in the air and on the ground. He was a real springboard with eight rebound 50s.

Heath Shaw was back to his best as well with 30 touches including some pivotal one-on-one wins.

“It was a good effort by our backs considering the ball was coming down very quickly,” Cameron said.

In his first game in over 12 months Adam Kennedy didn’t miss a beat playing across half back winning plenty of his own ball and providing drive inside forward 50.

Dustin Martin was among the Tigers’ best in the narrow loss. Picture: Getty Images

He also produced a decisive touch in a three on one contest when Richmond were pushing hard late in the match.

Had the Giants lost they would have been within their rights to question a host of umpiring decisions which went against them and resulted in goals or stopped scoring opportunities.

“There were some crucial decisions which didn’t go our way,” Cameron said.

The Richmond coach had his issues with the officiating as well.

“We are going to do some ducking practice at training this week,” Hardwick said.

“But it wasn’t a game which was dominated by umpiring.”

Tim Taranto took a lovely mark and kicked a couple of goals for the Giants. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

The first two in the opening quarter when a questionable deliberate out of bounds against Kennedy was paid, it resulted in Daniel Rioli’s first goal and then later in the term a Brandon Ellis hold on Zac Langdon wasn’t paid and the ball rebounded for Rioli’s second.

A dropping the ball against Dylan Grimes from a Dawson Simpson tackle in front of goal was another missed. While a chopping of the arms on Heath Shaw was dubious.

SCOREBOARD

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 4.3 7.6 10.10 11.13 (79)

RICHMOND 2.6 6.10 6.15 10.17 (77)

GOALS

GWS: Langdon 3, Kelly 2, Taranto 2, Greene 2, Griffen, Coniglio

RICHMOND: Rioli 3, Riewoldt 2, Caddy, Martin, Prestia, Nankervis, Short

BEST — NEIL CORDY

GWS: Ward, Whitfield, Haynes, Coniglio, Kelly, Hopper

RICHMOND: Martin, B Ellis, Prestia, Lambert, Rioli, Astbury

VOTES — NEIL CORDY

3. Callan Ward (GWS)

2. Dustin Martin (Rich)

1. Lachie Whitfield (GWS)

Umpires: Findlay, Hosking, Margetts

Crowd: 14,456 at Spotless Stadium

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Originally published as GWS keeps season alive, beating Richmond in thriller