Richmond roaring after stunning comeback

RICHMOND legend Kevin Bartlett has gleefully mocked Collingwood, declaring his team will go undefeated this year because of a Pies’ error.

Richmond players celebrate their fifth win.

RICHMOND fans are full of belief after a pulsating victory over the Melbourne Demons continued their perfect start to the 2017 season.

None more so than club legend Kevin Bartlett who on Tuesday morning took a shot at rivals Collingwood for delivering the Tigers the missing piece to their premiership puzzle.

The excited former Tiger got more than a little carried away with his team’s perfect 5-0 start to 2017 and has cheekily declared Damien Hardwick’s men could finish the year undefeated.

Bartlett told SEN it’s all thanks to Collingwood’s decision to let veteran footy administrator Neil Balme go at the end of last season.

Bartlett said the former Demons coach has been a huge catalyst for the Tigers’ improvement this season and doesn’t understand how the Pies could have let him go last year as coach Nathan Buckley re-shaped the Collingwood football department.

Since joining the Tigers as general manager of football, Bartlett says Balme has found a way to get the best out of the playing group and coaching staff.

Yellow and black.

“The Tigers finished last season as the easy beats of the competition,” Bartlett said.

“Enter Neil Balme. Thank you Collingwood for giving Balme the boot and a reason to go back home to Tigerland.

“Balme has given the Tigers a new direction and confidence from the coach down to the players and staff. Richmond always had talent out on the field with Rance and Riewoldt as bookends and Cotchin and Martin leading in the middle.

“But it all needed massaging and a direction. Again, thank you Collingwood.”

That’s when he might have got a bit too carried away.

“5-0 start to the season is the best opening for 22 years,” he said.

“Let me assure you everyone is calm at Tigerland, for we never get ahead of ourselves. But it’s worth a thought that the yellow and black could now go through the season undefeated. It’s Tiger time.”

The Demons had no answer for the rampaging Tigers on Monday night, led by Jack Riewoldt.

A crowd of 85,657 fans packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground — a record for a home and away match between the two sides, and they were treated to something special.

Damien Hardwick’s men were down by 23 points late in the third quarter, but ran over the top of the depleted Demons to take a thrilling 12.16 (88) to 11.9 (75) win.

Jack Riewoldt almost single-handedly kept the Tigers in it, kicking five of their eight goals at one stage, and finished with a six-goal haul.

Tigers players celebrate.

The gutsy Demons, missing Tim Smith and Jake Spencer in the second half, led by 20 points at three-quarter-time but Richmond finished full of running to snatch victory with a five-goals-to-nil final term.

Dustin Martin was under an injury cloud all week, but he was at his bullocking best as he amassed a team-high 32 disposals and kicked a crucial last-quarter goal, while Alex Race was a rock in defence.

Led by Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver and Dom Tyson, Melbourne’s midfield held sway for large patches of the match, while defender Michael Hibberd was outstanding in his first game for his new club.

The Demons were left to rue their heavy injury toll with Smith taken to hospital after copping a big hit to the ribs and Spencer suffering a shoulder injury.

The Tigers are now 5-0 for the first time in 23 years and have given fans belief that the missed opportunities of the past are behind the club.

AFL premiership winner Johnathan Brown said he was not sold on the Tigers, but the win over the Demons at the MCG shows they are the genuine article in 2017 — despite their real litmus test coming next weekend, when Richmond face the only other undefeated side, Adelaide.

“I think they’ll be convinced tonight that they can be a decent side the Tigers,” Brown said. “They haven’t really played anyone up until this point, but Melbourne are a good side, but that’s a big confidence builder going into next week — it’s huge.”

Jack Riewoldt was the hero for the Tigers.

AFL legend Dermot Brereton was in the Richmond dressing room post-match and said the club will have a hard time playing down the hype after another terrific display.

“They were fantastic. You know when you go into rooms and you can just feel emotion when you get a win, and then sometimes you can feel a little extra emotion,” Brereton revealed.

“This win meant a lot to the Tigers tonight, it’s a great atmosphere.

“I saw Justin Leppitsch giggling in the corner, he was saying ‘how are we going to control them?’, these guys know this is really special for them.”

Even former Demons coach Paul Roos was full of praise for the Tigers, saying Monday night’s display showed a real change in character for the club, in a year where coach Damien Hardwick was under pressure to keep his job.

“I think when you get in the rooms you get a really good feeling how players respond to a win,” Roos said.

“Everyone sings the song, but that was sung with gusto. I think they understand that Melbourne were undermanned, but you still have to win the game.”

“It’s fantastic, Richmond have been under the pump, Dimma (Hardwick) has been under the pump, the 5-0 start is fantastic for the footy club.”

— with AAP

Originally published as Richmond roaring after stunning comeback