Australian Football

Match Report

A poor third quarter has once again proved costly to Richmond as the Tigers succumbed by two goals to Sydney at the MCG on Friday night. In a low-scoring, defensive encounter, Richmond had much the better of the first quarter, and with Jack Riewoldt looking to be in form, moved out to an 18-point lead at quarter time. Riewoldt kicked 1.1 for the term, with Aaron Edwards, Shaun Hampson and ex-Giant Anthony Miles, in his third game as a Tiger, also kicking goals. The Swans only major for the quarter came at the 18-minute mark when Sam Reid marked 40 metres out and converted.

The game stagnated, at least on the scoreboard, in the second term with just one goal coming in the first 14 minutes, a long shot from the boundary by Buddy Franklin at the eight-minute mark. Jack Riewoldt broke through for a major half way through the quarter, and when Brett Deledio followed up with another the Tigers were out to a 26-point lead and looking the far-better side. They maintained that advantage for the next seven minutes but two goals to Sydney via Franklin and Kieran Jack just before half time gave the Swans hope, and reminded Richmond fans and players alike of the Tigers' poor third terms over recent weeks that have cost them victory.

Richmond's worst fears looked like being realised when Jack scored another goal, to begin the third quarter but to the Tigers' credit, though they were not hitting the scoreboard themselves they were not being heavily scored against, as had happened in the previous two matches against Fremantle and North Melbourne. Nevertheless, when Sam Reid goaled at the 11-minute mark, scores were tied and the possibility of the Swans running away with the game loomed large. The two teams traded behinds for the next 13 minutes before Jarrad McVeigh put the Swans ahead with his first goal. But Miles kicked his second on the stroke of three-quarter time to give the Tigers the lead by the narrowest of margins at the last break.

The Tigers had early chances in the last term but could only manage behinds via Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin. At the four-minute mark Franklin kicked his third with a snap that gave the Swans a three-point lead. Amazingly no further goals were scored in the next 16 minutes, with each side producing just one behind. It was Franklin again who broke the deadlock when he was deemed to have been held at the 20-minute mark and converted to kick his fourth and the last goal of the match as Sydney defended robustly for the next eight minutes to record an 11-point victory.

Best for Sydney included Franklin (four goals and 17 disposals) and Josh Kennedy (12 tackles and 24 possessions), while Richmond was well served by Dustin Martin (36 touches and five marks) and Trent Cotchin (33 disposals, eight marks).

Though it was a vastly improved performance on recent weeks from the Tigers, it was of little comfort to the players, coach and fans, with Richmond sitting in 15th place and the three teams below them with a game in hand. The club has a big chance to return to the winners list in round 15 as they take on the lowly Saints at Docklands next Saturday afternoon. On the other hand the Swans have won nine on end since sliding to 1-3 after their round four loss to North, and will be very keen to make it 10 when they take on the Giants, who upset them in round one, at the SCG next Saturday night.

GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt, Miles 2; Edwards, Hampson, Deledio
Sydney: Franklin 4; K. Jack, Reid 2; McVeigh

BEST - SPORTAL.COM.AU
Richmond: Martin, Rance, Cotchin, Miles, Ellis, Houli
Sydney: Franklin, Kennedy, Malceski, K.Jack, Cunningham, Parker

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Richmond: Martin, Ellis, Cotchin, Houli, Miles, Maric
Sydney: Franklin, Kennedy, Cunningham, Parker, Jetta, Malceski, K.Jack

COACHES' COMMENTS
Damien Hardwick (Rich): Sydney's intensity in the third quarter - I think it was 15 inside 50s to one at one stage - where they got two goals sort of broke the game and brought it back into their domain a bit. We couldn't quite get the ball back inside 50 to score. We did a lot of things right but the scoreboard is one area that's deserting us at the moment.
John Longmire (Syd): It wasn't a great game of footy. We thought in the first 10 minutes that we weren't playing anywhere near the level that we wanted to. We'd only had one tackle and they'd had a lot go uncontested possessions. Fortunately at half time we were only 14 points down and some players really lifted in the second half and found a way. We willed out way over the line without playing well. 

INJURIES
Richmond: Shaun Hampson (ankle)
Sydney: Rhyce Shaw (left ankle)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Matt Dea replaced by Matt Thomas in the third quarter.
Sydney: Rhyce Shaw replaced by Zak Jones at half time.

UMPIRES: Donlon, Dalgleish, Leppard

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Bruce McAvaney, Dennis Cometti, Leigh Matthews, Tom Harley, Wayne Carey, Matthew Richardson