AFL Round 4 Richmond v Western Bulldogs: All the news, action and fallout as Tigers make statement

Fresh from a huge win against last year’s runners up, Richmond could be about to become an even scarier prospect for rival clubs. Find out who is in the mix to return.

Dylan Bolch

6 min read

April 10, 2022 - 12:46PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

AFL

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The Tigers could welcome back two premiership stars as early as next week, with both Nick Vlastuin and Kane Lambert considered “probable” for the clash against Adelaide.

Vlastuin has spent time on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, while Lambert has not yet featured in 2022 due to a hip complaint.

SCROLL DOWN FOR FULL MATCH REPORT, SHAI BOLTON’S GOAL

However, the raft of injuries at Punt Road has led to more opportunities for the Tiger cubs, who again flourished with greater exposure in the 38-point win over the Bulldogs on Saturday night.

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The Tigers have some pieces of the puzzle, according to coach Damien Hardwick. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“We’ve got a vastly different side now, as compared to two years ago,” said Hardwick.

“We are really excited by the guys we have unearthed, Hugo Ralphsmith was wonderful again tonight, Josh Gibcus continues to grow, Ben Miller is becoming very reliable down back.

“We have found some pieces of the puzzle and players who we think are going to be long-termers for us.”

The club’s “injection of enthusiasm” has kept the vibe strong at Tigerland and Hardwick was pleased by the playing groups response in the wake of last week’s disappointing loss to St Kilda.

“Our guys put their hand up after the disappointing last quarter of last week and showed what Richmond footy looks like.

Hugo Ralphsmith in full flight against the Bulldogs. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

With the sides pressure game “growing” by the week, the team’s ability to sustain those pressure levels for four quarters was a key factor in securing the win.

“The challenge for us is understanding what makes us a good footy team and continuing to build on it and invest in it and set the foundation moving forward,” Hardwick said.

Richmond matched their opposition in contested possessions, a necessity against a contested ball side like the Bulldogs, and are now brimming with confidence going into next weekend.

Moving forward, Hardwick hopes his side can continue to build from this performance.

“We’ve been inconsistent this year, so we need to make sure we iron out those inconsistencies.

The Tigers will look to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Adelaide next Saturday.

Match report: Bolton, Tigers make big statement

Yellow and Back.

Richmond has sent a resoundingly stern message to the rest of the competition, off the back of a 38-point win over the Western Bulldogs.

Both sides entered the clash with just one win apiece, as pressure mounts on two of the most successful teams of recent times.

The Dogs opened proceedings after a slick overlapping handball chain ended in the hands of Laitham Vandermeer who slotted the goal from a tight angle.

Just moments later, Richmond responded through Thomson Dow, who kicked his first ever AFL goal, which brought the Yellow and Black Army to life.

The Tigers celebrate a Jack Riewoldt goal against the Bulldogs. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

The Bulldogs dominated play for most of the quarter, with their quick ball movement and will to play on allowing them to dominate territory and get repeat inside 50 entries.

However, inaccuracy in front of goal and missed chances hurt the Dogs, who only went into the quarter time break with a five-point lead thanks to a goal in the last 20 seconds from spearhead Aaron Naughton.

Doggies winger Bailey Smith (36 disposals) proved a handful for the Tigers all night, with the youngster’s blonde mullet flying down the wing of the MCG.

Smith amassed 12 disposals in the first term and used his pace and elite kicking skills to give the Bulldogs the upper hand early.

The Dogs dominated the uncontested possession count (88-47) in the first term, off the back of gut-running and strength at the coalface.

Unfortunately for Dogs fans, though, Luke Beveridge’s troops couldn’t translate that dominance into scoreboard advantage.

The Tigers came out of the break roaring and booted four unanswered goals as the game was played on their terms for the first time that night.

Some sloppy skills and vast array of errors plagued the contest early on, but the Tigers leaders stepped up and grasped control of the match.

Tom Lynch booted four goals for the Tigers on Saturday night. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Young Richmond midfielder Thomson Dow works his way out of traffic. Picture: Michael Klein

Tom Lynch worked his way into the game, clunking multiple contested marks and laying bone-crunching tackles.

With a lead of eleven points at half time, the Tigers continued to apply lots of pressure when the Dogs had possession.

Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli threatened to break the game open, with a goal right after half time and ten touches for the quarter.

But the quarter belonged to the Tigers, who booted five goals to two, to tighten their grip on the contest.

From there, it was party time in the fourth term for Richmond.

They continued to pile on the pain for the Dogs, who slumped to 1-3 ahead of next week’s Good Friday clash against North Melbourne.

The Bulldogs had two more scoring shots than the Tigers, but those missed opportunities came back to haunt them, going down by 38 points.

Tim English was again one of the Bulldogs’ best. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Has Tim English arrived?

The young Bulldogs ruck has long been referred to as a potential player, but perhaps he is starting to shed that tag and is in fact, the real deal.

English, who has drawn comparisons to Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy, worked hard all night to offer his team a marking target around the ground.

English had 20 disposals and eight marks, with his running ability making him an asset around the ground.

Not to mention a superb goal on the run in the third term, something you don’t often see a big guy do.

He has had the number one ruck mantle all to himself this season, with veteran Stefan Martin yet to feature in season 2022.

Box office Tigers

There are not many greater sounds in sport, than the Tiger Army in full voice at the MCG.

Richmond fans had so much to cheer for against the Dogs, and two moments stood out from the rest.

Shai Bolton (20 touches, two goals) put his hand up for Goal of the Year with an exquisite finish from the boundary line, after poaching the footy from Tom Liberatore and weaving in and out of defenders before slotting it home.

Fan favourite Jack Riewoldt had the stadium rocking when he roosted a monster torpedo home on the three-quarter-time siren too, giving the Tigers a four-goal lead going into the final break.

Shai Bolton ðŸ¤¯ðŸ¤¯ðŸ¤¯#AFLTigersDogs | #gotiges pic.twitter.com/kuZPkQD2Cu
— Richmond FC ðŸ¯ (@Richmond_FC) April 9, 2022

Skipper stands up

With the game on the line during the second quarter, Trent Cotchin stood up when his side needed it most.

Cotchin’s defensive effort on centre wing against Smith was inspiring.

He not only halted the Dogs transition forward but held Smith up long enough for additional troops to arrive, forcing the turnover and allowing the Tigers to go forward themselves.

The spiritual leader of the Richmond Football Club has come under fire at different stages this year due to a lack of form, but that effort certainly silenced the critics.

Dogs tall defender woes continue

Western Bulldogs recruiting staff went shopping over the off season and eventually settled on former Hawk Tim O’Brien to help shore up their defence.

O’Brien played 97 games for Hawthorn but was unable to secure a permanent place in the sides best 22.

The swingman exercised his free agency rights and made the move to Whitten Oval, with the lure of becoming a full-time defender enough to convince him to make the switch.

O’Brien’s return from a hamstring injury came at the right time for the Dogs, who lost Alex Keath and Zaine Cordy from last week’s line up.

Twin Tigers towers Lynch and Jack Riewoldt were dangerous all night, ruling the airways and kicking six goals between them.

Will a combination of O’Brien, Keath and Cordy be the answer to the key defender conundrum which has been a deficiency for this Bulldogs outfit for years? Time will tell.