AFL Round 12 Geelong v Richmond: All the analysis and fallout as the Cats eventually overpower brave young Tigers

It was Generation Next that orchestrated a surprise early charge for Richmond on Saturday night as the same old Geelong problems popped up. But, as CHRIS CAVANAGH writes, then it finally came.

Chris Cavanagh and Mark Hayes

3 min read

June 2, 2024 - 9:15AM

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When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

Less than 36 hours after Geelong coach Chris Scott denied his team’s four-game losing streak had been a “disaster”, the Cats found themselves 29 points down against a 17th placed Richmond on their home deck at GMHBA Stadium.

It was the same old problems – the midfield looking second-rate, the much-heralded defence leaking scores and the forward-half stars struggling to find the footy.

Then came the fierce response.

The Cats completed a 59-point turnaround on the back of a powerful second half which would have left Scott a lot more content.

Scott dismissed any notion his players had relaxed playing the lowly Tigers, instead praising rising midfielders Jack Bowes and Tanner Bruhn as the youthful inspiration behind the comeback.

“It was really fierce early and we had to fight our way through it and find a way in the second half,” Scott said.

“So we were really pleased with that midfield group … it’s good for our (young) midfielders without Cam Guthrie and Patty Dangerfield to stand up.

“Those guys needed to find a way to get on top and I thought they did that.”

Oliver Dempsey celebrates a goal against the Tigers. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

The third quarter was where the game changed dramatically – and it was led by the midfield group who had been heavily criticised in recent weeks.

As Richmond’s pressure and thirst for the contest faded, Geelong’s picked up.

The home side won the contested possession count 45-24 for the term and dominated clearances 13-5 – including a 7-1 result in centre clearances.

Bowes had 10 touches and four clearances for the quarter alone, while Max Holmes (eight disposals, three clearances), Tom Atkins (seven disposals, two clearances) and Bruhn (five disposals, three clearances) also got going.

Key forward Jeremy Cameron had logged two disposals when the deficit was at its highest point.

He pushed further up the ground after that and had an impact to finish with 16 disposals, four marks and a goal.

Geelong was also much sounder defensively after the main break, giving up just 3.2 after the 22-minute-mark of the second quarter.

Tiger Thomson Dow is tackled by Tom Atkins. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Richmond defender Noah Balta had a pen and notebook in hand on the bench during the second quarter.

Tigers coach Adem Yze didn’t have the props, but would have taken some more positive mental notes about his injury-hit team – particularly in that first half.

After a 119-point belting from Brisbane a fortnight earlier, there were reports that there was “confusion” among some Tigers about Yze’s game plan.

Since then, it looks to have been kept pretty simple – bring the heat and move the ball forward at speed.

Richmond’s pressure index was at a sky-high 200 during that first half and a side which was averaging 51.3 tackles a game this season had logged 39 to the main break.

The Tigers hunted in numbers – with two or three players often pouncing to gang-tackle a single opponent.

Kane McAuliffe impressed early for Richmond. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

Shannon Neale and Max Holmes. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos

In the middle, it was Generation Next getting the job done.

At times in centre bounce, Richmond had Samson Ryan (17 games) in the ruck and Thomson Dow (28 games), Kane McAuliffe (four games) and Jack Graham (121 games) at his feet.

The second half drop off wasn’t surprising.

The Tigers fielded by far the least experienced team of the round, with 12 players having less than 50 games of AFL experience.

That included the club’s fifth debutant of the year in Kaleb Smith, who started as substitute before entering the game in the final term.

For the Cats, a bigger challenge is on the cards against ladder-leader Sydney next weekend Scott finally has the happy problem of getting his biggest star back..

“It’ll be tempting to bring Dangerfield back, he’s had a few really good weeks on the track and I suspect he’ll be available.

“We’ll probably hold Cam Guthrie back a little, but (Mark) Blicavs and Jhye Clark will be available off suspension … so we will feel pretty optimistic about our depth at the moment.”

For the Tigers, it’s all about growth and there was some more of that shown from the likes of McAulliffe, Dow, Seth Campbell, Ben Miller and Mykelti Lefau despite the loss.