David King breaks down six key battles which decided 2019 grand final
Richmond produced a ruthless performance befitting a premier on the granfest stage, storming to victory against a shell-shocked GWS. David King breaks down where the game was decided.
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Richmond took control of the grand final late in the first quarter and never relented, producing a ruthless display befitting a premiership side.
In his exclusive column, David King breaks down six areas where the game was decided.
1 HAND V FOOT?
Tick to Tigers
The forward handball game took total control as Richmond’s wave running at speed was too much for Greater Western Sydney to handle. The Tiger ball movement was slick and effective from their defensive half without any turnover cost.
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The Giants Greater Western Sydney probed and prodded by foot but simply couldn’t move the ball effectively or without turnovers, particularly in their defensive half. Adam Thomlinson, Sam Reid and even Lachie Whitfield fell victim to the strangulation of the Tiger defensive grid.
It was over at half time.
2 CLEARANCES
Tick to Tigers
The Giants rely heavily on scoring from clearances, but the Tigers completely disarmed them and kept them to a miserly 0.2 in a brutal yet clinical performance.
Scoring from clearances has never been a priority for the Tigers, yet they’ve only beaten their 5.4 five times this season.
The best clearance team in the competition were belted, completely smashed by Dion Prestia and company from the start to finish. The Giants’ weaponry at the stoppage was rendered useless — early and often.
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3 TURNOVERS
Tick to Tigers
The Giants simply couldn’t move the football early, but the Tigers couldn’t put it on the scoreboard. Eventually the Giants succumbed to the Tigers’ unrelenting pressure that forces the opposition to operate at a speed they cannot handle.
On the game’s greatest stage, with a 60-point return from forward half turnovers, Richmond was on another plane. They doubled their season’s average of 30 points from forward-half turnover.
Giants turnovers usually ended in the hands of Norm Smith Medallist Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt or Tom Lynch, who scored 11 goals between them.
Slow and methodical football died at the MCG on September 28, 2019.
Thank you Damien Hardwick.
4 CAMERON’S CLAMPS
Tick to Tigers
Not even close. Giants coach Leon Cameron let Prestia run rampant in the early stages and he racked up seven possessions in 11 minutes while the Dustin Martin headache became a migraine.
In the first 40 minutes, Dustin and Dion had 17 disposals and two goals between them as the game was blown open.
Such was the margin at the mid-point of the second quarter it became less of a factor for the taggers to negate. What a performance by the Tiger midfielders.
The story was more about the clamping of the Giants forward line. The Giants had 41 forward 50 entries for a stingy three goals. Full credit to Dylan Grimes and the back six showed they could cope with the loss of Alex Rance.
5 PREMIERSHIP QUARTER
Not a factor
If the door was ajar in any meaningful way, a comeback was snuffed out with a dominant “premiership quarter” performance.
The Tigers won the term by 27 points, but more importantly it was done the Richmond Way.
6 THE MOMENTS
Tick to Tigers
It was all about the first 40 minutes.
The Richmond midfield was far too tough in the clinches and far too aggressive in their hunt for the bodies of the opposition — every single time. The Giants looked all at sea as the Tigers midfield filled their boots.
The old-fashioned “blind turn” performed by Marlion Pickett, who looked more Byron Pickett, exhibited supreme confidence as he exited another Richmond clearance win.
Maybe the biggest moment was at the selection table on Thursday night.
The reality is the Tigers won all of the critical contests in the first 40 minutes of football. Bachar Houli, Jason Castagna, Pickett — every name simply committed harder at the contest than their rivals.
Originally published as David King breaks down six key battles which decided 2019 grand final