Richmond holds on to beat West Coast in wet and wild conditions at the MCG on Saturday

WINNING ugly has rarely been so fashionable at Punt Road. Richmond beat West Coast at a wet and wild MCG with equal parts grit and glamour.

Dustin Martin is tackled by Sam Mitchell at the MCG. Picture: George Salpigtidis

WINNING ugly has rarely been so fashionable at Punt Road.

Long mocked for defensive frailty and collectively soft mentality, Richmond has replaced extravagance with a blue collar grit.

Reviving the club’s famed “eat ‘em alive” rallying cry famed by distant success, the Tigers are no longer consumed with faux glamour.

Grunt is the new gold.

Recalibrated, Richmond still possess plenty of flair but, as influential as Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Trent Cotchin, Daniel Rioli and Dan Butler were in a gritty 11-point win over West Coast, Richmond’s unbeaten start to the season is all about application.

Unconquered after three rounds for the first time since 1995, when it won its opening seven matches before losing to Geelong in the preliminary final, the Tigers’ accountability is suddenly an impressive calling card.

Jack Riewoldt kicks a goal against West Coast.

Faced with the time and motion masters from the west, Richmond didn’t panic when it might as the strangely inaccurate Eagles built a 13-point lead in the second term.

Attitude saw to that. Just as desperate mindset drove the Tigers to critical edges in the most important metrics of all - notably tackling (75-60) and contested ball (161-135)

What those numbers do not illustrate is the gut running and willing to support that propelled the remarkable Martin into time and space for 40 disposals.

Not does it account for Rance’s preparedness to sacrifice and stifle as the conditions turned from balmy to arctic.

His tally of 16 one-percenters was a match-high, while Jason Castagna’s eight tackles represented a career-high.

Sam Mitchell is tackled by Jason Castagna.

Pressure - in defence and attack - has become Richmond’s signature. And it deservedly reaped the rewards against a quality opponent.

In sunshine or rain, the Tigers were prepared to suffer in order to succeed - a quality not always obvious in recent years at Punt Road.

And while no player was as dominant as Martin, who managed to excel despite a cheekbone fracture, he was again the talisman.

With 33 kicks, seven handpasses, five tackles and 2.1, Martin was pivotal in ensuring the Tigers didn’t lose before he was critical to making sure they succeeded.

And when the match hovered in an uneasy balance in teeming rain, Richmond’s pace and relentless tackling delivered an invaluable victory.

The Richmond cheersquad celebrates a goal with Dan Butler.

Inefficiency and wastefulness dogged both sides in a lamentable opening-half as the Eagles repeatedly burnt chances with poor finishing - a symptom of Tiger intensity - as Josh Kennedy, Jack Darling, Mark Lecras and Josh Hill botched precious opportunities.

With a 35-25 inside-50 edge in perfect conditions, West Coast failed to deliver a terminal blow as Richmond smothered Mitchell out of the contest.

Prominent with a match-high 12 touches in the first quarter, the former Hawk was allowed just 13 more for the rest of the match.

The shutting down of Mitchell and the ability to turn the contest evidenced a steely mindset.

After wins over Carlton, Collingwood and now the Eagles, the Tigers are in unfamiliar territory.

For Damien Hardwick, winning ugly has rarely been so appealing - a joy shared by the elated Tiger faithful.