Richmond inflicts more pain on its long-suffering fans, finding a way to lose against GWS Giants

THOUGHT Richmond couldn’t find a more painful way to lose than what they produced against Fremantle last week? You don’t know Richmond. HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

More heartbreak for Richmond against GWS.

THOUGHT Richmond had found the most Richmondy way to lose when it lost to Fremantle? You haven’t been watching Richmond enough.

The Tigers have made an art form of finding new and cruel ways to break the hearts of their loyal fans, and they added a new entry to the annals of heartbreak against GWS.

COACHES AGREE: TIGERS SHOULD HAVE WON

After Trent Cotchin kicked the first goal of the game 10 seconds after the opening bounce, the Tigers weren’t headed again until Jeremy Cameron put the Giants in front with one minute to play.

The Giants celebrate after stealing victory from Richmond.

Richmond controlled the play for most of the first three quarters and had a number of chances to put the Giants away, including Jack Riewoldt somehow slamming a set shot into the goalpost after marking 15m out directly in front.

Early in the last quarter Jason Castagna missed an easy set shot but it looked like it wouldn’t matter when Dustin Martin won a free kick for holding the ball just 20m from goal.

He somehow misses as well.

RICHMONDY: NEW WORD INVENTED TO DESCRIBE TIGER EFFECT

GWS came hard and when Matt de Boar goalled with six minutes left to close the margin to one point it looked like the Giants would storm to victory.

But Richmond scrapped for four minutes of heart-in-mouth footy including Jack Riewoldt almost holding a mark on the goal line, a snap from Sam Lloyd that sailed wide and Dustin Martin playing on from 55m and having his kick smothered.

Then came the game-changing video review that overruled a goal to first-gamer Shai Bolton, allowing the Giants to go coast-to-coast from the kick-in with Jeremy Cameron kicking the winning goal from 50m.

The term “Richmondy” was mentioned on Twitter when the Tigers led by 25 points at three-quarter time. And it blew up social media after the game, trending in Australia.

This has Richmondy all over it. https://t.co/3qNNFkZim2

— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) May 20, 2017

@2Guys1CupAFL Only Richmond could out-Richmond Richmond #Richmondy

— Toad Rage (@TheFrogBoy) May 20, 2017

Everyone: Richmond won't allow that to happen more than once. They'll learn from it.

Richmond: Hold my beer.#AFLGiantsTigers #Richmondy

— Bianca (@BinkiiBear) May 20, 2017

They seem to find a new orifice from which to extract my heart every week #AFLGiantsTigers #supercoach #richmondy

— Schwarzwalder@SCT (@SchwarzwalderSC) May 20, 2017

Giants coach Leon Cameron’s post-match assessment won’t make Tiger fans feel any better: “We didn’t play well. Richmond were the better side tonight.”

The glass-half full perspective is Richmond has pushed last year’s premier and this year’s premiership favourite to within a kick.

The glass-half empty view is they have dropped three games in a row by less than a goal including losing when they led against the Dockers with 21 seconds left and the Giants with just over a minute to play.

With the Bulldogs and Saints stumbling this weekend, it was a golden opportunity to get a break on the growing pack in the middle of the ladder. Now the Tigers are right in the muck after winning their first give games.

And if you thought only Richmond could lose three in a row by less than a goal, you’re not far off — it has happened only eight times and the last team to do it was — you guessed it — the Tigers. That was in 2012 and included the infamous Karmichael Hunt post-siren goal in Cairns.

So Richmnondy.

Richmond thought it had the matchwinner when Shai Bolton snapped truly — but it was ruled touched after a video review.

Jeremy Cameron watches his matchwinner sail through with a minute left. Picture: Phil Hillyard

HOW TODAY’S LOSS UNFOLDED

WITH less than 90 seconds left, Richmond debutant Shai Bolton snaps from a pack, 25m from goal. A goal is signalled and Tigers players rejoice, but a score review reveals another first-gamer, Harry Perryman, had got a “sneaky touch” on the ball. Tigers by three points.

LOOSE marking allows GWS’s Nathan Wilson to play on from full-back with 78 seconds left and he launches almost to the centre circle. Giants co-captain Phil Davis fists the ball on towards his goal in the marking contest. A quick gather and handball by Shane Mumford finds a sprinting Jeremy Cameron who boots truly from the 50m paint at centre half-forward. Giants by three points with 59 seconds left.

THE Giants maintain pressure and don’t allow Richmond another shot at goal.

GIANTS win by three points.

Round 7: A five-point loss to the Western Bulldogs hurt.

Round 8: Going down to Fremantle after a goal after the siren hurt more. But there was more pain to come. Picture: Wayne Ludbey