AFL finals: Tom Lynch leads Richmond to victory in preliminary final with five goals against Geelong
Geelong coach Chris Scott says he’s proud of his playing group despite falling short in another preliminary final as Tiger Tom Lynch stepped up to realise his dream of playing in a big final at the MCG.
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Geelong coach Chris Scott says he is immensely proud of his playing group despite their “failings” and will “fight tooth and nail” to keep midfielder Tim Kelly at the club next year.
A clearly frustrated and disappointed Scott said he believed that in time the 2019 season would be looked back on as a positive one despite the Cats failing to clear the preliminary final hurdle for the third time in four years.
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Geelong held a 21-point lead at halftime but went on to lose to Richmond by 19 points in front of a crowd of 94,423 at the MCG.
The Cats had held top spot on the ladder for 21 weeks this season but continued their inability to string together consecutive wins since Round 12.
“We’re disappointed so it’s not the time to elaborate too much because we’re not as clear-headed as we’d like to be,” Scott said.
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“We are proud of them (the players). It’s clear, whatever our failings, we’ve got a group of players that don’t give up. But right at the moment we’re just not good enough. But I think if you look back over a period of time, any reasonable person would say it’s been a pretty remarkable performance to stay up and around the finals for a long period of time with a new group of players and it’s virtually a completely new group of players.
“So I think when the dust settles a bit we’ll rue the opportunity lost but look forward to finding a way to improve.
“I think in the fullness of time we’ll look back and say, ‘That was a pretty good season’. But it just doesn’t feel like it at the moment.
“In my view, Richmond has clearly been the best team over the last three years. They had their difficulties earlier in the year but have been able to overcome them and it’s a credit to them. They deserve to be in the position they’re in but it doesn’t make it any easier for our players.”
Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield was gutted after the loss when asked if his side had taken a step towards that premiership goal.
“Not particularly at the moment, to be honest,” he said. “A step is winning.
“We’re not here just to be a bit-part player and unless you’re there (in the grand final) that’s what you are.
“... It’s still bitter and raw at the moment, so it’s hard to take stock on the whole season.
“We set out with winning a premiership in mind and we weren’t able to do that.”
The loss made it four preliminary final appearanceswithout a grand final berth to show for it since Geelong’s 2011 premiership.
Kelly was again the shining light for the Cats, gathering 31 disposals and kicking three goals to cap another stellar season.
But out of contract at the end of this year, the 25-year-old is expected to request a trade home to Western Australia.
“He’s just an outstanding player for us,” Scott said of Kelly.
“On the big stage, really good opposition, he was fantastic tonight. I suspect if we had of won the game we’d be talking about him in even more glowing terms. But just because we couldn’t get the result I don’t think that should take the gloss off his performance and the year he’s had.
“I’ve got absolutely no control over what’s going to go on. All I can say is he’s been a credit to himself all the way through and he should be proud of himself and we’re really proud of him. But if your question is, ‘Would you like to keep him?’, I’ll fight tooth and nail to do that.”
Scott would not be drawn on whether Gary Ablett had played his last game for the Cats, with the 35-year-old also out of contract.
“Not the time,” Scott said when asked about Ablett’s future.
THE MATCH: LYNCH’S DREAMS COME TRUE
This is what he came for.
When Tom Lynch chose Richmond, this was the night he dreamt of.
Friday night, preliminary final, 94,000-plus going off their heads at the MCG and a bag of five goals.
It was everything he wasn’t going to get at Gold Coast and here, he was everything the Tigers hoped he would be.
On a night where Jack Riewoldt — for so long the lone tall target — was quiet, Lynch was the saviour.
And the seven-year recruit was worth every cent.
Last year the Tigers were brought undone in a preliminary final by shock matchwinner Mason Cox, who marched to the beat of “USA, USA” chants.
This time there was just a deafening roar for each of Lynch’s heroics — and there were plenty.
His haul of 5.1 was accompanied by 19 disposals, 10 marks — four contested — and 12 score involvements.
“Words can’t describe it right now,” Lynch told Fox Footy.
“We’ve got a massive week, It’s every kid’s dream to get there on Grand Final day. I’m just so stoked for the team for us to get through.
“... There’s nothing better than playing at the MCG in front of that massive crowd in a final.”
Lynch was the one who kept the Tigers in this game when the rampaging Cats led by 21 points at halftime.
And Lynch was the one who went on a rampage when Richmond made its move with the first five goals of the third quarter.
All this after a nasty PCL injury meant his pre-season was non-existent.
Now, Lynch could face the team he snubbed — Collingwood — in next week’s Grand Final.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick has had an “unbelievable” season.
“If we didn’t have Tom we wouldn’t be sitting here today,” Hardwick said.
“He is unbelievable. If we go back to the start of the year and the significant adversity we probably had.
“He helped us get through that really difficult period, we didn’t have Jack (Riewoldt) and a lot of our leaders.
“We stood 7-6 at the bye and to see the impact he has had, his contested marking was incredible tonight.
“He is worth his weight in gold and he is only going to get better which is a great thing for us.
“He had no pre-season this year and if you had of said to me he’s going to play every single game I would have been shocked.”
LWLWLWLWLWLW … L
It’s the biggest rollercoaster since the St Kilda side of 1969 and right now Geelong would be as sick as any kid at a theme park.
A blazing first half the year gave way to an up and down second, with a win/loss sequence that just wouldn’t quit.
That’s a fourth straight preliminary final exit for the Cats and as consistent as they have been reaching the final four since 2007, this is a monkey that isn’t leaving the back anytime soon.
WOUNDED TIGERS
First, Jack Graham dislocated his right shoulder early in the game and disappeared downstairs for a large chunk of the first quarter.
While he was down there, Dustin Martin appeared to cop a corkie to his left leg, was on and off the ground and didn’t look comfortable. Difficult to remember a game where he kicked it as poorly.
Skipper Trent Cotchin was hobbled by a lower leg knock just before halftime and limped into the main break — literally.
Then Nathan Broad was ruled out early in the last term with concussion after copping a friendly-fire blow to the head just before three-quarter time.
RAZOR CUTS DEEP
Some goals just feel like they’re worth more — and Patrick Dangerfield’s in the shadows of half time was one of them.
Dangerfield was paid a free kick by Ray Chamberlain for being pushed by Nick Vlastuin in a marking contest.
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But as Dangerfield walked backwards to size up a shot from outside 50m, Bachar Houli thought it was his free and called for Cotchin to pass him the ball.
Cotchin obliged and “Razor” paid the 50m. Danger goalled to give the Cats a 21-point lead at halftime.
It was a huge moment.
GARY ABLETT
Is it the end?
The question is now more pertinent than ever.
After two poor finals, Ablett kicked the first goal of the game and came to life somewhat against the Tigers.
But the facts are he’s 35 and his second half of the season was far quieter than his first. He had 26 goals from his first 13 games and only eight from his next 11 and again failed to make the distance with a set shot from 50m.
We want to remember the very best at their best, don’t we?
SCOREBOARD
RICHMOND 3.3 4.5 9.7 12.13 (85)
GEELONG 4.3 7.8 8.9 9.12 (66)
GOALS
Richmond: Lynch 5, Martin 2, Castagna 2, Prestia 2, Lambert
Geelong: Kelly 3, Miers 2, Ablett, Narkle, Dangerfield, Henderson
BEST
Richmond: Lynch, Houli, Prestia, Martin, Soldo, Edwards, Grimes
Geelong: Kelly, Selwood, Miers, Dangerfield, Guthrie, Tuohy, Stanley
INJURIES
Richmond: Graham (shoulder), Broad (concussion)
Geelong: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Chamberlain, Ryan
Official crowd: 94,423 at the MCG
SAM EDMUND’S VOTES
3 — Tom Lynch (Rich)
2 — Bachar Houli (Rich)
1 — Tim Kelly (Geel)
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