Richmond into AFL grand final as Port Adelaide KO’d
Richmond is now one step away from a third premiership and an official dynasty after disposing of Port Adelaide.
Richmond is now one step away from a third premiership and an official dynasty under coach Damien Hardwick after disposing of the latest challenger to its throne in Port Adelaide in Friday night’s preliminary final.
In a heavyweight fight at Adelaide Oval, the champs threw the first punch of the game with the first two goals and led by two points at the final turn before Kane Lambert landed the knockout blow with two goals in the last quarter.
When the Power made two last desperate kicks inside 50 in the dying moments it was ruckman Toby Nankervis and full forward Tom Lynch who took the saving marks and secured their spot in next week’s grand final at the Gabba with a six-point win.
The Tigers controlled the final quarter with their work around the stoppages led by Trent Cotchin who celebrated his 250th game in style while Dion Prestia and Dustin Martin were always dangerous.
It was a cruel result for the Power who have now lost two preliminary finals under coach Ken Hinkley by a combined nine points after a three-point loss to Hawthorn in 2014.
Port were heroic, none more than Brad Ebert. If that was the last time we see Ebert on an AFL ground then the image of him struggling to leave the ground after another head knock in the final quarter is a picture of the warrior he has been.
“I know it’s not life and death but it is in footy,” Garry Lyon said after Ebert went back with the flight of the ball and was crunched by Tom Lynch.
Moments earlier he did the same thing only this time he was in space and marked it.
Then with six minutes to go he ran into oncoming traffic, stayed down and had to be helped from the ground one painfully slow, groggy step at a time with a trainer under each arm.
Dogged by concussion in recent years, so much so he sought specialist medical help, he took his helmet off after saving a goal in a final act to get his team into a grand final.
Heading into the game it was the key forwards that posed the biggest threat to breaking the game open but Jack Riewoldt, Tom Lynch and Charlie Dixon kicked just three goals between them.
In a surprise move, Tom Clurey got first crack at Lynch and he was very good, making the right decisions when to stay and defend and when to leave and attack. He had help, particularly from lion-hearted captain Tom Jonas.
At the other end, Noah Balta neutralised any threat Charlie Dixon posed with a solid defensive game although Lynch and Dixon did take strong marks and both kicked a goal in the second half.
While Lambert kicked two goals in the final term, Dustin Martin did the damage in the first half, kicking a trademark crumbing goal then pushing aside Darcy Byrne-Jones in a marking contest.
The home side were far from humbled as Port Adelaide’s kids all stood up in the heat of battle.
Connor Rozee looked like he was made for preliminary finals. After such an outstanding first season in 2019, he never quite captured his best form for long this season but none of that mattered.
The dashing forward was clean when others fumbled, kicked two goals in a superb performance.
Xavier Duursma was just as good. He got crunched by Riewoldt in the first quarter and stayed down for a moment, went to the bench then came back and had a game-high seven disposals in the first quarter including a goal.
Zak Butters was lively all night and didn’t hit the scoreboard but at least made Richmond’s small forwards accountable.
The Advertiser
Full rankings: AFL Draft’s top 60 prospects rated and scouted
The 2024 AFL Draft is just over a month away, and to get you ready for the arrival of footy’s next generation, our draft experts CHRIS CAVANAGH and DAN BATTEN rank every prospect.
Festival of Lies: Clubs ‘treating public for fools’ in trade spotlight
It’s the time of year for list managers and recruiters to shine, but the trade period has become a festival of lies. SCOTT GULLAN writes, the days of getting away with such gibberish are gone.