Selection is Richmond’s biggest problem after 93-point win against Brisbane Lions
FITTING 35 players into 22 is the biggest headache for a Richmond side that has improved and strengthened its premiership list — as it proved against Brisbane, which set records for all the wrong reasons.
Richmond
Don't miss out on the headlines from Richmond. Followed categories will be added to My News.
WONDER what BJ Hardwick thought of that one?
The text to his dad Damien after the Tigers’ clinical thumping of the Lions at the MCG might have been conciliatory.
NEWS: COACH SIGNALS MORE TIME FORWARD FOR ‘BEAST’ MARTIN
MATCH CENTRE: FULL STATS AND SUPERCOACH
LIVE BLOG: RECAP ALL THE ACTION FROM THE MCG
FREE AGENT: TIGERS HAVE CASH TO LURE LYNCH
It seemed the perfect move to ease premiership midfielder Dion Prestia back into AFL mode with a relaxing training run against a lacklustre Brisbane on the MCG. Loosen that hamstring, not too much pressure on the glute.
Benjamin “BJ” Hardwick was upset when his dad omitted star debutant Jack Higgins, along with Sam Lloyd, in favour of Grand Final teammates Prestia and Josh Caddy.
But it’s hard to question dad’s logic after that.
Brisbane, on the other hand, will have to find answers quick after failing to kick a goal until the 26-minute mark of the third term — posting the Lions’ equal-lowest score since its 1996 merger.
It’s been 55 years since a team was held to less than 20 points at the MCG.
It’s going to be the story of Richmond’s season, fitting 35 into 22. The club has improved and also strengthened its premiership list.
Like Lloyd learned last year, you can be knocking on the door for an entire season, playing quality football in the twos, and still have to wait.
The wind and rain kept away the majority of Richmond’s vaunted 90,000 members, and it was soon apparent the Lions were missing as well.
One play summed up the Lions day and why coach Chris Fagan and playing coach Luke Hodge were losing it.
Lewis Taylor should have collected the ball easily on the wing and the Lions would have been out. But he went one handed and coughed it up. Another costly turn over as Taylor was flattened by a tough hip and shoulder from Nick Vlastuin.
The Lions had just nine tackles to the Tigers’ 16 early in the second term and they were doing all the chasing.
Brisbane’s kick-ins were even being intercepted. Dustin Martin sailed in from the side to steal the ball in front of Rohan Bewick. Martin quickly gave it off to a teammate who also moved the ball on. The goal ended up coming from Jacob Townsend. These Tigers don’t care who kicks their goals.
BJ probably doesn’t either, but it was Martin who chimed in with six after spending a stack of time forward.
“(It was) a bit of a different role today,” he said. “I was getting sat on early so I thought I’d go forward and kick a couple.”
Late in the second term with nothing on the ground to demand undivided attention, many would have had an eye or an ear on Sydney, where four-legged wonder Winx cruised to her 25th straight victory.
The MCG should have put it on the big screen and let the Tiger boys stop to witness history. It might have allowed the Lions to land a goal and improve their embarrassing four-point halftime scorecard.
Richmond played the third term like it didn’t want the Lions to score. At all.
It was a Richmond mistake, when Toby Nankervis dropped a sitter deep in Brisbane’s attack, that allowed the breakthrough as Dayne Zorko swooped on the ground ball and goaled.
Jack Riewoldt looked like the jumping jack of old.
He had five goal involvements in the first term and managed a launch and grab worth talking about.
It was a big pack mark in the goalsquare. He moved in from the side, took four steps and leapt. Maybe he’d read the Herald Sun in the morning, which reported the Tigers had the salary cap room to accommodate Gold Coast star Tom Lynch as the key forward, at 29, is entering the twilight of his career.
One sour note for the Tigers was a report of Jack Graham for a late hit on Dayne Zorko.
Prestia finished with 23 disposals from 70 per cent game time. It was 22 for Caddy.
They didn’t generate the excitement Higgins produced with his two-goal, 12-touch debut, but Hardwick made the right call.
BJ would know that.
RICHMOND 5.5 8.10 11.12 16.14 (110)
BRISBANE LIONS 0.2 0.4 1.4 2.5 (17)
BEST
Tigers: Martin, Conca, Cotchin, Grigg, Riewoldt, Castagna, Astbury, Vlastuin
Lions: Christensen, Zorko, Witherden, Hodge, Rayner
GOALS
Tigers: Martin 6, Castagna 3, Townsend 3, Lambert 2, Riewoldt, Caddy
Lions: Zorko, Rayner
REPORTS
Jack Graham (Richmond) for high hit on Dayne Zorko (Brisbane Lions)
UMPIRES
Meredith, Harris, Wallace
CROWD
32,870 at the MCG
AFL carnage as club pulls trigger on trade
Hawthorn have lobbed a grenade into the AFL trade landscape after growing impatient with two rivals on a blockbuster move.
WA’s hottest draft prospect the key to Freo-Bolton deal
Bo Allan played in a Peel Thunder premiership this season and is ready to hit the ground running for whoever drafts him. Freo could be risking the Shai Bolton trade in order to get him.