Why Richmond’s record at the MCG is even better than you think
RICHMOND has won 18 in a row at the MCG and doesn’t look like slowing down any time soon. It’s not just the streak, but the dominance the Tigers have shown in building it, writes Jon Ralph.
Richmond
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IT is the record that will strike fear into the hearts of Richmond’s MCG opponents come September’s blockbuster clashes.
Yet remarkably, the simple number of 18 consecutive MCG wins doesn’t quite do the Tigers’ streak justice.
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Geelong coach Chris Scott wouldn’t just be the first coach since June last year to beat the Tigers at the grand old lady of East Melbourne.
If his side knocks them off on Friday, the Cats will be the first team to get within two goals of the marauding Tigers at the MCG.
In that record-breaking streak, Hawthorn (13 points) is the only side to get closer than 18 points at the final siren.
The sobering reality — the Tigers led by 39 points early in the final term and never looked like dropping the contest.
In the period stretching from Round 14 last year to Saturday’s 28-point win over Collingwood, a number of themes emerge.
The Tigers have won 15 of their past 18 last terms at the MCG, including every one that mattered.
In Round 20 last year Hawthorn won the last term but lost by 29 points, in Round 11 this year Essendon closed harder but lost by 71 points, while GWS dragged back a 28 point deficit to lose by 19 in Round 18 last year.
They have also won 16 of the past 18 inside-50 counts, with their lethal ball flow guaranteeing they maximised that possession dominance.
The 18-match streak could easily have been 25 if not for two dramatic last-minute losses.
Their only two losses since the start of 2017 were by two points (Fremantle in Round 8 last year) and nine points (Sydney in Round 13 last year).
Fremantle famously kicked a David Mundy goal from a centre stoppage with 21 seconds left, while Sydney cracked in harder after trailing by 36 points in the first half.
Football isn’t fair — Richmond has lost all four interstate games this year, while West Coast has won four Melbourne contests.
Yet by dint of that extraordinary home record and the mandated MCG Grand Final, the only travel left should be a four-point stroll against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.
Geelong has every chance of beating Richmond despite two MCG losses in the 18-match streak.
But the Tigers should take care of business against Essendon and the Bulldogs, then hit September in full stride.
It will believe it can reprise last year’s finals heroics, where it beat Geelong (51 points), GWS (36 points), and Adelaide (48 points) in one of the great September surges.
In that trio of games its pressure rating was incredible — 209, 194 and 195 — when 180 is the average score.
On Saturday it showed why it has become an even better side since then.
It matchwinners were quietish (Trent Cotchin down, Dustin Martin three goals but well held) and Collingwood won the pressure battle.
But from four points up at three quarter time, that gut-busting surge carried them to a regulation 28-point victory.
The Melbourne 17-match MCG streak was eventually ended in Round 14, 1956.
Yet Tigers fans would enjoy how that season ended, knocking over Collingwood by 73 points in front of 115,902 MCG patrons.
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