AFL 2018: Tigers continue earning stripes

Richmond have set up a mouth-watering top-of-the-ladder clash against West Coast in Perth next Sunday.

Dustin Martin tries to avoid the Kangaroo chasers. Picture: Getty Images.

Richmond have set up a mouth-watering top-of-the-ladder clash against West Coast in Perth next Sunday after clinching a 10-point win over North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium yesterday.

Having gone 23 years without sitting first in a home-and-away season, the Tigers extended their streak on top to four rounds in 2018 by withstanding a compelling challenge from the Kangaroos.

At stake next Sunday at Optus Stadium is outright top position, with both Richmond and West Coast edging two games clear of the competition.

The Eagles have won seven straight since falling to Sydney in the opening round. Having defeated the Giants in Sydney on Saturday, they will be further strengthened by the return of Nic Naitanui and potentially Jeremy McGovern.

Richmond have shown no signs of a premiership hangover, continuing on from last season’s rampaging finish, with their round 2 loss to the Crows in Adelaide an aberration.

The Tigers percentage sits at an outstanding 149.45 per cent, with Richmond boasting the most potent attack and miserly defence in the competition.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, who was outstanding with 37 disposals, said the Tigers continued to respond to the mantra that proved so effective last year, namely to play for enjoyment.

“We all get a bit serious and caught up in the stats … but sometimes you need to go back to the basics and have some fun. That’s why we played as kids,” he said.

Trailing the two pacesetters are a group of six sides eight premiership points in arrears on five wins, with Geelong muscling their way into the top four with a 21-point win over Collingwood at the MCG yesterday.

The Cats are poised to strengthen their challenge over the next three weeks with clashes against Essendon, Carlton and the Gold Coast.

A Mothers Day special in Melbourne yesterday pitted two established contenders in Richmond and Geelong against improving sides attempting to burnish their credentials in the Kangaroos and Collingwood.

The status quo remained intact at the end of the day, with the class of the premiership contenders coming to the fore when it mattered on either side of Melbourne’s CBD.

Neither the Kangaroos, which hit the front early in the last term, nor Collingwood were disgraced, though the latter again has injury concerns.

Both sides sit a victory outside the eight, with only one win separating the third-placed Cats from the Western Bulldogs in 13th.

At Etihad Stadium, the two sides with the best defensive records this season fought out an intense clash.

Brownlow Medallist Dustin Martin was well held by in-form tagger Sam Jacobs, whose negating nous has been outstanding all season.

But with North Melbourne challenging strongly after trailing by 20 points at halftime, Martin was involved in two critical contributions that swayed the match the premiers way.

A tap to Cotchin did not register a disposal but did secure the Tigers a critical last quarter goal as the Richmond skipper snapped truly.

He vied with for best afield with Kangaroo Ben Cunnington, who gathered an AFL record 31 contested disposals from 38 touches.

Martin then had enough composure amid chaotic pressure to chip a pass to Dan Butler, who established a matchwinning buffer for the reigning premiers.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was pleased the Tigers succeeded despite Martin being held to 16 touches, his lowest disposal tally since round 4 last year.

“We’re becoming less and less reliant on certain players to play their very best every week and that’s the sign of a good side, it’s the sign of a maturing side and that’s what really pleases us and our coaching staff,” he said.

“We’re looking forward to getting in there (next Sunday) and giving it our best shot. West Coast was outstanding with a depleted line-up, they get one or two guys back this week and we look forward to the challenge.”

Coleman Medal leader Ben Brown, who is enjoying a fine season, booted two goals in a decent duel with champion defender Alex Rance.

But Brown did have squander opportunities to add to the immense last term pressure on the premiers, missing two set shots in the final five minutes.

Given the squeeze in positioning, North Melbourne’s clash against the Giants in Hobart next Saturday is critical for both teams as they seek to remain in touch with the eight.

Luke McDonald was reported for high contact on Kane Lambert though it did appear an innocuous incident.

In a concern for Collingwood, which cost itself any real hope of challenging the Cats due to inaccuracy, they suffered a string of injury blows ahead of a clash with St Kilda next week.

Jamie Elliott, who is yet to play a senior game this season, injured a hamstring 13 minutes into his comeback at VFL level prior to the senior match.

Darcy Moore, who was returning from injury, was forced from the ground with a hamstring injury before halftime.

Tom Phillips was knocked unconscious when his head made contact with teammate Chris Mayne’s knee as he was in the process of kicking a third-term goal.