As it happened AFL 2023 round 17: Tigers eye finals after last-gasp win over Swans at rainy MCG as Nankervis faces ban

And at that, we will bid you farewell.

Thanks for following what was a riveting match. Tigers fans will be smiling as they head into work tomorrow.

We’ll be back with another blog for tomorrow night’s all-Melbourne clash between Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs.

Until then!

Sydney Swans coach John Longmire identified stoppages as the point of difference. The Swans won just one centre bounce clearance to Richmond’s 10 in the second half.

“They almost tripled us I think in stoppage work in the second half … that made a big difference, we got smashed around the footy,” Longmire said.

Star defender Jake Lloyd will miss next week’s match against the Bulldogs because he was substituted out on concussion grounds tonight.

“He’s missed tonight and he’ll miss next week which is disappointing, really disappointing,” Longmire said.

Asked if anything could be done to counter incidents like tonight, where Tiger Toby Nankervis was put on report for a late shoulder bump but could play on as the Swans lost one of their top players, Longmire kept it simple.

“Can’t do anything about it. Suck it up.”

Richmond’s interim coach Andrew McQualter was elated with the leadership of his senior players as the Tigers imposed themselves on the second half tonight.

“They’re a proud group, our players, Last week was disappointing, tonight we started a bit disappointing ... to be able to fight through that shows great leadership,” McQualter said in his post-match press conference.

McQualter praised the performance of co-captain Toby Nankervis, who is set for a stint on the sidelines after being reported for a late shoulder on Swan Jake Lloyd.

“It’s been Toby’s greatest strength for a long period of time, his ability to get after the ball and the opposition,” McQualter said.

“Whatever comes of it comes, we wouldn’t change Toby for the world. I thought he had a great game, as a captain he led the way.”

The coach also expressed sympathy for 21-year-old debutant Jacob Bauer, who was forced off with a hamstring injury after two kicks and less than four minutes.

“Poor bugger ... you assume he’ll miss a couple of weeks.”

Dustin Martin certainly thinks so, and more performances like tonight will help.

That win leaves Richmond in 10th, on 30 points (with one more match played than the rest of the league). Adelaide and Essendon, occupying 7th and 8th, are on 32 points.

The Tigers’ next fixtures are West Coast (away), Hawthorn (home), Melbourne (home) and the Bulldogs (away). Those first two are very winnable and could boost Richmond into the eight.

For Sydney, their finals hopes even before tonight were slim and that loss all but confirms it. Last year’s grand finalists are stuck in 14th on 26 points with matches against the Bulldgs (home), Fremantle (away) and Essendon (away) to come.

Tigers veteran Jack Riewoldt moved into third outright in the club’s goalscoring charts with his one tonight and he says that “these are the games you have to win” looking at the ladder.

He said the main difference for the Tigers’ dominant second half was winning the contest.

“Our pressure rating went through the roof in the second half,” Riewoldt told Fox Footy.

“Walking up the tunnel in the second half, as it much as it doesn’t put a smile on a key forward’s face, it encourages the midfielders.”

Riewoldt also shed light on his choice of long sleeve top tonight.

“It was contraband when Dimma [former coach Damien Hardwick] was coaching. As soon as he decided to leave, I put the order in to Puma ... Dusty and I sent him a photo before the game. I think the big fella is over in Amsterdam at the moment, dodging around the lights. He reckons I’m dead to him now,” he laughed.

Jack Riewoldt celebrates his goal - in the long sleeves.Credit: AFL Photos

Dustin Martin increasingly imposed himself on the match and ended with 29 disposals.

“It was an awesome win tonight,” he said out on the ground after the win.

“We were a bit slow to get going but just so proud of the boys’ fight there.”

The Richmond number 4 said it was satisfying to bounce back from their 81 point loss to Brisbane last week.

“We’re still in the hunt,” Martin said, “so we just have to go week by week”.

Midfielder Shai Bolton, probably Richmond’s best tonight, said coach Andrew McQualter’s message at three-quarter time was to stick to their process.

“Play our way, forward football - that’s how we play,” Bolton said.

Tigers star Dustin Martin.Credit: AFL Photos

That’s that on a breathless match. The Tigers, who eventually won by 13, slowly built their way into the match and were dominant in that final quarter.

Back-to-back goals from Jack Graham and Dustin Martin sealed the win after an intense 10-minute period where Richmond led by just one point. They are 10th in the ladder and responded strongly following last week’s drubbing against Brisbane.

“Character, resolve, a determination to keep a season alive,” said the Fox Footy commentary as the final whistle blew.

For the Swans, it’s close to a repeat of last week’s draw with Geelong that will infuriate coach John Longmire. Sydney had chances to put Richmond away in the first half but couldn’t convert.

Full time: Richmond 88 (12.16) to Sydney 75 (11.9).

There it is!

Richmond smartly force a couple of stoppages in their forward 50. A ball-in ends up in the hands of Tiger Jack Graham who kicks a goal from 30 metres in front. He also brought them level earlier this quarter.

A shirtless Tigers fan in the stands thanks the heavens. Just as he thinks it can’t get better, Dustin Martin properly seals the match with a goal.

Richmond 88, Sydney 75 with 30 seconds left in Q4.

It’s utter chaos as the Swans push for even a single point to bring the match level.

The Tigers have put a lot of men behind the ball and have been resolute so far. One young Swans fan in the crowd can barely watch.

Richmond 76, Swans 75 with one minute left in Q4.

Since half time, it’s 15 Richmond scores (5.10) to Sydney’s 6 (3.3).

Shai Bolton has arguably been Richmond’s best tonight with 28 disposals and a couple of pieces of magic that set up goals. He has a set shot from 50 metres but can’t make the distance. Franklin has a good look from a set shot but shanks it. Neither side can edge out a proper margin.

“Richmond look like they’re in save the game mode now,” says Daisy Pearce on the Fox Footy coverage.

Richmond 76, Sydney 75 with 5 minutes left in Q4.

Shai Bolton.Credit: AFL Photos