AFL Round 16 Brisbane v Richmond: Lions thump Tigers as Jason Dunstall calls out Eric Hipwood for ‘crap’ behaviour

Brisbane dominated Richmond but AFL great Jason Dunstall wasn’t happy with the ‘crap’ one Lion was dishing out. See the video, plus all the action and fallout.

Simeon Thomas-Wilson and Marco Monteverde

4 min read

June 30, 2023 - 8:16AM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Jayden Short has been subbed out with a hamstring injury. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

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Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall has called on the AFL to crack down on players taunting each other after an act by Brisbane’s Eric Hipwood that the Hawks great said he “deserve to get chinned for”.

Dunstall took issue with Hipwood getting in the face of Richmond defender Noah Balta after Joe Daniher was able to take a mark on the Tiger.

Speaking on Fox Footy as the Lions belted the Tigers by 81 points on Thursday night, Dunstall said the AFL needed to follow the lead of the NFL and crack down on taunting.

“There is something that has become very prevalent in our game that I don’t like,” he said.

“Now the NFL they have a taunting rule. So if you stand over a player after the play or get in their face and carry on like a tool you cop a penalty straight away and can get ejected.

“We need to stop taunting in the AFL.”

Eric Hipwood taunted Tiger Noah Balta on Thursday night. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos

While using Hipwood’s interaction with Balta in the second quarter as an example, Dunstall said that “this is not a go at Eric”.

“Because every player is doing this,” he said.

“Instead of celebrating his teammate taking a good mark keep your eye on Eric Hipwood. He is going to go to Noah Balta the opponent.”

After Daniher took the mark, Hipwood sarcastically clapped in front of Balta, who responded by pushing the Lions forward.

“Look at that, is that not getting in your private space?” Dunstall said.

“Why on earth do we have to put up with crap like that?

“I just want the players to be better, go and celebrate the positive. Pat your teammate Joe Daniher on the back for taking a good mark.

“Don’t do that, you deserve to get chinned for that and we don’t want to see that coming into the game.

“The rule-makers have to intervene.”

Toothless Tigers no match for Lions on horror night

- Marco Monteverde

The Brisbane Lions flexed their considerable Gabba muscle with an 81-point demolition of a woeful Richmond on Thursday night.

The Lions’ push for a top-two berth gathered considerable steam with a 20.14 (134) to 7.11 (53) win.

It extended Brisbane’s Gabba record to seven from seven this season, with the Lions having now won 44 of their past 48 regular season matches at the “Gabbatoir”.

The Lions shared the spoils, with 10 different players kicking goals.

The mercurial Joe Daniher led the way with five goals to take his season tally to 39.

Fellow forward Lincoln McCarthy kicked three, while Lachie Neale booted two in a star display that included 34 disposals.

For the Tigers, it was a brutal reality check after they had won three straight and three from four under interim coach Andrew McQualter following last month’s departure of premiership-winning mentor Damien Hardwick.

Controversial selection Marlion Pickett, who played despite having criminal charges hanging over his head for alleged burglary offences, had a quiet night for the losers, collecting only nine disposals.

“He was OK from a mental point of view, but whether he played a great game of footy or not, he probably had some mates with him,” McQualter said post-match.

Darcy Wilmot celebrates a goal in the big win. Picture: Chris Hyde/AFL Photos

Lethal Lions

The game was as good as over by half-time such was Brisbane’s dominance in the first two quarters.

Leading by 21 points at half-time, the Lions extended their advantage to eight goals by the main break.

And it probably should have been a bigger lead, with the Lions outclassing the woeful Tigers in every aspect of the game.

“They can’t win it, they can’t move it, they can’t stop it,” Fox Footy’s David King said in a damning assessment of Richmond’s first-half display.

Clearances were a huge problem for Richmond, with Brisbane enjoying a 25-12 first-half edge over the visitors in that crucial factor of the contest.

Lions stars Hugh McCluggage and Lachie Neale had 17 and 16 disposals respectively by half-time, with defender Connor McKenna and highly impressive midfielder Josh Dunkley chipping in with 15 each.

The superb Dunkley was subbed at three-quarter time with a slight calf problem.

Brisbane’s only first-half concern was a facial injury suffered by star forward Charlie Cameron in the opening minute of the game after a head clash with Trent Cotchin.

Cameron left the field and went straight down the tunnel, but much to Brisbane’s relief, he re-entered the contest 12 minutes later.

Will Ashcroft gets away from Tiger Nathan Broad. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

Toothless Tigers

The visitors weren’t as fortunate on the injury front, being forced to activate their substitute Hugo Ralphsmith in the second quarter after Jayden Short’s night ended early with a hamstring injury.

Noah Cumberland also hurt his ankle in what was a disastrous first-half for the Tigers, who had already suffered the pre-match blow of losing superstar Dustin Martin.

The Tigers were hoping the ill Martin would fly to Brisbane on Friday for the match after feeling unwell the day before but he failed to make the trip.

However, regardless of their injury problems, the Tigers – who had won three successive matches before having a bye last weekend - were extremely disappointing in what was a crucial game in their hopes of breaking into the top eight.

“They were just far too good for us,” McQualter conceded.

“It was a really underwhelming performance from us.

“We were missing some valuable players but we still put a team out there that we thought could get the job done.

“Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case.”

Jayden Short has been subbed out with a hamstring injury. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

Marlion Pickett in action during his return game. Picture: Russell Freeman/AFL Photos

It’s a bye that AFL teams continue to dread, with clubs playing after a weekend off this season having a 0-9 record against opponents who played the week before.

But McQualter also looked past that as an excuse.

“The stats say there’s something in it but I don’t think that’s the reason for us (losing to the Lions),” McQualter said.