AFL finals 2019: Richmond a class above Brisbane in crushing qualifying final win at the Gabba
Dustin Martin will rightfully win much of the praise for his matchwinning performance against Brisbane Lions. But it was the efforts of teammate Shane Edwards which proved vital to Martin’s forward line dominance.
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The Great Train Robbery might have a challenger.
The Tiger Train pulled off one of the great heists on the road, wrenching back premiership favouritism and leaving the Lions smarting after a true smash and grab at the Gabba.
The 1963 Buckinghamshire robbery of millions from a Royal Mail train saw the 15-strong crew — including the famous Ronnie Biggs — lay in wait, much like the Tigers on Saturday night.
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Brisbane looked to rattle them early — not entirely off their tracks but enough for a ripple of nerves at the Gabba with four Tigers without a stat at quarter-time.
After a touch of recalibration, they pounced — the coal was heaped onto the engine and the Lions totally derailed methodically and with precision.
Nine unanswered goals left Brisbane in Richmond’s wake as they again steamed deep into September, the Lions — handed its first finals loss on their home deck after an inability to convert — forced to regroup for a semi-final against the Giants at the Gabba next week.
The Tigers return home for good with an MCG preliminary final set for the third year running.
Biggs proved unstoppable to authorities for decades and the Tiger wearing No. 4 looked just that, with Dustin Martin going on the run as he pleased to boot six goals.
There was nothing dirty about that half-dozen.
Daniel Rioli lived up to the reputation of his bloodlines in September, unfazed and unflappable on the biggest stage.
Shai Bolton’s first final brought a hanger worthy of finals flashiness and a goal, while Shane Edwards’ third quarter — where he gathered 12 touches — was so good it was almost criminal.
It was a reality check on just who is the king of the jungle.
DUSTY, DUSTY, DUSTY
What more can you possibly say about this bloke?
He’s timed his run to September to perfection and Saturday night was close to that.
He has gathered more Brownlow votes against Brisbane than any other team and if they were up for grabs here, you’d have to think the men in green would have had him in mind.
He had five goals to three-quarter time — and a tally of 15 majors in 11 quarters — and was as clean as ever in a haunting preview of what a preliminary final on home turf might look like for the Brownlow medallist.
His cheeky “roll” to Jack Riewoldt once the game was sewn up raised eyebrows, but won a smile from the superstar who only seems to get better.
Simply scary, and a masterclass from Hardwick in how his team waxes off him.
WIN DELIGHTS DIMMA
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick got tough with his players and their ability to respond remains a key strength as they prepare for a third straight preliminary final.
The Tigers will host either West Coast or Geelong on Friday, September 20, under lights at the MCG after their 47-point rout of Brisbane.
After trailing by two goals at quarter-time, the 2017 premiers piled on nine unanswered goals to put the Lions to the sword in a move Hardwick said was indicative of their brilliance.
“I was probably happy that we’d absorbed their best punch,” Hardwick said when asked if he was nervous after the Lions’ dominant first term.
“I thought they came really hard and we just couldn’t get that ball out of our back half. We sort of thought ‘can they sustain that sort of pressure and that setup for the whole game?’, and we challenged our players to get better in a couple of areas and they lifted.
“That’s the great thing about our side — I consistently challenge those players in Trent and our leaders to get better in certain areas of their game, and they respond.
“That’s why they’re a pretty good side.”
Dustin Martin delivered an attacking masterclass with a six-goal straight haul playing much of the game as a deep forward.
Hardwick said it was a case of taking an opportunity as it was presented — and it paid off.
“We thought we could get an advantage down there,” he said.
“I thought Jack (Riewoldt) and Tom (Lynch) looked really dangerous at various stages as well, and we thought if we could engage that third taller defender we thought that might work for us.
“If we could break that last line … they play really high defensively, so we thought we could get that one-on-one match-up out the back and it worked for us tonight.”
Shane Edwards’ 29-disposal, eight-clearance and six-tackle showing in the middle had only helped the cause in the plan to push Martin forward, Hardwick said, as the 2018 All-Australian only continued to improve with age.
“Shane’s one of those players that we needed at certain stages of the year to play different roles,” he said.
“We love how he’s playing at the moment. His ability to create, but then also to win the ball back as a midfielder is really important. He’s just a wonderful player and he just seems to get better and better — a bit like Bachar Houli.
“The closer they get to 30, they just seem to become better players again. We’re very lucky to have them in our side.”
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SCOREBOARD
BRISBANE 4.6 4.10 6.14 8.17 (65)
RICHMOND 3.0 7.3 14.4 18.4 (112)
GOALS
Brisbane: Neale 2, Christensen 2, Cameron, McStay, Rayner, McCluggage
Richmond: Martin 6, Riewoldt 3, Rioli 2, Lynch 2, Caddy 2, Edwards, Bolton, Castagna
BEST
Brisbane: Hodge, Neale, Robinson, Lyons, Zorko, Rayner
Richmond: Martin, Edwards, Prestia, Cotchin, Grimes, Graham
INJURIES
Brisbane: Robinson (hamstring)
Richmond: Nil
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, Nicholls, Fleer
Official crowd: 37,478 at the Gabba
LAUREN WOOD’S VOTES
3 — DUSTIN MARTIN (RICHMOND)
Back to Brownlow form and has the ultimate game style for September football. He’s bold, brash and simply brilliant.
2 — SHANE EDWARDS (RICHMOND)
To call him a workhorse would sell him short, but has serious game smarts and put them to use when it truly mattered.
1 — LUKE HODGE (BRISBANE)
Is it too late to change your mind, Hodgey? You might have a future in this business if that performance was anything to go by. So composed and anything but slowing down.
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