West Coast v Richmond: Josh Kennedy breaks Tiger hearts with winning goal in dying seconds
The Tigers looked set to complete another hit-and-run mission but were denied by a barnstorming Eagles side that hit the front in the dying seconds.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
West Coast denied Richmond consecutive hit-and-run missions from Sydney to Perth on Sunday night, the Eagles beating the Tigers by four points in a classic battle at Perth Stadium.
A week earlier, the Tigers were victorious in a fly-in-fly-out assault on the Dreamtime clash to pinch the four premiership points from Essendon.
With one minute remaining on the clock on Sunday, they looked set to repeat the dose.
The steady boot of West Coast champion forward Josh Kennedy had the final say though, slotting his fourth goal, from the boundary, with 37 seconds remaining on the clock.
Then the safe hands of former captain Shannon Hurn at the other end, marking the ball deep in defence after a Dustin Martin hail Mary shot with six seconds left, settled the result.
Stream selected Fox Footy shows on Kayo Freebies completely free this June including AFL 360, On The Couch, Bounce & more. No Credit Card. No Brainer. Register Free Now
The entertaining battle between seventh (West Coast) and eighth (Richmond) on the ladder was brought forward a week to make life easier for the Tigers. The decision was justified, just, as the Eagles now have a bye before facing the Western Bulldogs.
The 13.7 (85) to 12.9 (81) victory also stopped a small run the Tigers were on; keeping them from winning their third consecutive game for the first time this season.
The WA crowd responded to the unusual Sunday night timeslot, with 50,834 mostly fanatical Eagles fans turning up. There is no public holiday in WA this week.
They were rewarded for doing so.
Never in doubt, @DustinMartin4 💯#AFLEaglesTigerspic.twitter.com/qpNoKjshKE
— AFL (@AFL) June 13, 2021
A real arm wrestle
Watching this game was akin to watching two heavyweight arm wrestlers.
It’s not that the lead changed often, but for most of the game there was only a couple of goals in it.
When Kennedy kicked his fourth goal it was the first time the Eagles had led since midway through the second quarter.
Halfway through the final term though, Shai Bolton kicked the Tigers 12th goal and they led by 22 points.
He and Dustin Marin looked like carrying their side across the line.
But six minutes later, West Coast had added 3.2 and the margin was only two points, with more than four minutes left on the clock.
The Eagles kicked four goals in the last 10 minutes of the game.
The Tigers had their chances late, a couple of long shots from Martin shots on goals marked uncontested deep in the Tigers attack.
Another young gun, Oscar Allen, nervously slotted through a shot from 40m out with four minutes to go after having missed two set-shots earlier in the quarter. The margin was back to two points.
Enter Kennedy to put polish on the game.
Home fortress maintained
West Coast is yet to suffer back-to-back losses at Optus Stadium, since moving in 2018.
After the Bombers beat them at the ground by 16 points in Round 11, this was as close as they’ve got.
The last time the Eagles have lost two in a row at home was Round 14 and Round 16 of the 2017 season.
It’s a bit strange that the two sides that have claimed the past four AFL premierships still only play one another once a season. Both West Coast and Richmond have been regular finals combatants in recent years.
The last time they played each other twice in a season was 2009.
So, it’s no surprise the last time the Eagles lost to Richmond at home was in Round 18 of the 2014 season.
Riewoldt 700 still awaits
By quarter-time, Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt looked set to become the 24th AFL/VFL player to reach the 700-goal milestone.
He entered this game with 32 goals for the season and 696 from his 295 career games.
Just 15 minutes into the game, he had two of the four goals he needed and the Tigers kicked out to an eight-point lead.
Riewoldt looked set to reach his mark early.
Those two goals were the only two the Tigers kicked in the opening quarter and the only two Riewoldt kicked in the opening half.
West Coast’s own spearhead, Josh Kennedy, booted two of his own late in the opening term, both from marks inside 50m.
Kennedy’s second (his 671st career goal in his 271st game) sent the Eagles into quarter-time with a four-point lead.
The Tigers faithful have at least two more weeks to wait to celebrate a Riewoldt milestone with their side having a bye next weekend.
Lambert return
The past few years have shown us that Richmond’s season will build the longer it goes.
The return of Kane Lambert after being sidelined since Round 6 with a calf injury, will help that.
He was instrumental in the Tigers opening up a 15-point lead midway through the second term.
He had 10 touches in each of the first two quarters to lead all on the ground, except Jack Redden (also 20).
Midway through the second quarter, he was the only person in the stadium not amazed by Shai Bolton’s extraordinary attempt for mark of the year over Tom Barrass, picking up the loose ball to slot through the Tigers seventh goal and give them a 15-point lead.
The home side kept themselves in the game with accurate kicking at goal.
Jamaine Jones and Jake Waterman slotted both of their two opportunities to reduce the Eagles halftime deficit to just four points at halftime.
SCOREBOARD
EAGLES 3.0 7.1 8.3 13.7 85
TIGERS 2.2 7.5 9.9 12.9 81
ELBOROUGH’S BEST
Eagles: Kennedy, Naitanui, Redden, Hurn, Sheed, Foley.
Tigers: Houli, Vlaustin, Lambert, Bolton, Martin Short, Broad.
GOALS
Eagles: Kennedy 4; Waterman 2, Cripps 2, Allen 2; Naitanui, Jones, Ryan.
Tigers: Riewoldt 2, Coleman-Jones 2, Martin 2, Lambert 2; Bolton, Graham, Aarts, Castagna.
INJURIES
Eagles: Petruccelle (hamstring) replaced in selected side by Waterman.
Tigers: Nil.
UMPIRES Haussen, Rosebury, Dore.
VENUE Optus Stadium
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
BRAD ELBOROUGH’S VOTES
3 Kennedy (Eagles)
2 Naitanui (Eagles)
1 Houli (Tigers)
DIMMA: WHY CCJ, LYNCH CAN PLAY IN SAME TEAM
Despite losing to West Coast in a thriller at Optus Stadium on Sunday night, Richmond coach Damien Hardwick maintains the AFL did the right thing in bringing the clash forward a week.
The Eagles came back from 22 points down midway through the final term to beat Richmond by four points in the dying minute.
The game was supposed to be played on Thursday night to kick off Round 14.
With Richmond set up in Sydney, unable to return to Melbourne because of a COVID-19 outbreak, the AFL worked with both clubs to bring the clash forward.
A cracking crowd of 50,834 showed up to watch the clash despite the unusual 5:20 pm Sunday afternoon timeslot.
A late Josh Kennedy goal denied Richmond a third consecutive victory for the first time this season.
The game was a great success for the Eagles and the AFL and even after losing the clash Hardwick has no issue with the moving of the fixture.
“No question. We were always going to play here. For us, it was a positive; we didn’t have to quarantine,” he said.
“It was brave by the AFL and I commend them for doing it. It was a smart decision.
“I think our guys will look at it as a general positive. We came together, travelled well. For us it was positive from that point of view.
“We are fortunate we got to play in front of a crowd; our players love it. It’s a great stadium, the environment is phenomenal … it’s a pleasure to play here.”
Richmond flew back to Melbourne on Sunday night, having last played in their home state in Round 9 when they beat Greater Western Sydney by four points at Marvel Stadium.
The loss to West Coast hurt. The Tigers remained in eighth place, but are just one win ahead of ninth-placed Fremantle and one win and percentage from fourth places Brisbane. However, they have played one game more than the Lions.
The Tigers will have a bye in Round 14, then face three games they would be expected to win, against St Kilda, the Gold Coast and Collingwood.
“We’re in the hunt. We’re like a lot of sides, spluttering along at the moment,” Hardwick said.
“We get some players back, then we lose some players. There are sides, I wouldn’t say having a charmed run, but are coping well with their injuries.
“Then there are sides like us that are battling along the way and waiting until we get our side back together and start to gel.
“We probably haven ‘t hit that run of form as yet. Hopefully it comes after bye.”
Among the players Hardwick is waiting on to return are key forward Tom Lynch and ruckman Toby Nankervis.
In Lynch’s absence, youngster Callum Coleman-Jones has stepped up, kicking 8.2 from three games.
Hardwick said after the loss to West Coast that there is definitely room in their forward line for him, Lynch and Jack Riewoldt.
“I think so. They (Coleman-Jones and Lynch) are both wonderful players,” he said.
“Lynch has been around a long time and CJ is just learning his craft. I hope they can play in the same side.
“We just need to change something to make sure it works.”
Brayshaw, Billy gutted after MMM sackings
Radio station Triple M has undergone a major shake-up, with one of the moves devastating broadcaster James Brayshaw.
Fagan impact hailed as Lions look to lock down coach until 2026
Brisbane Lions are poised to extend Chris Fagan’s tenure as one of the club’s veterans hailed this season as the best coaching performance of near-decade at the helm.