Australian Football

Match Report

Reflective of the divergent paths of the two sides in 2016, West Coast had a big win over Richmond at Subiaco on Friday night, winning all four quarters against the Tigers to finish 68 points clear. The Eagles, Grand Finalists last year, have now won three of four matches this season, losing only to last year's premier Hawthorn, and appear destined to go deep into September once more. By contrast, Richmond - finalists for the past three seasons - has won just the one match this year, and that was to bottom side Carlton. Some expected the Tigers to take the 'next step' in 2016, but that seems a very remote dream at this stage.

The Tigers, whose Subiaco record is good, were first out of the blocks with a goal to Kane Lambert after just two minutes but things turned very sour very quickly after that. After a Jack Darling behind, Josh Hill got the Eagles going with a mark and goal after seven minutes. Josh Kennedy and Jeremy McGovern added further behinds before West Coast straightened up through majors to Scott Lycett and Darling. The Eagles continued to pepper the goals after that, and by quarter time were 6.8, with Richmond 2.0, the second goal going to Daniel Rioli at the 26-minute mark in one of the Tigers' rare forays into the forward line. 

West Coast's dominance continued in the second term, and only inaccuracy denied it a bigger lead that the 54-point one it held at the long break. By that stage, the inaccurate Eagles had 10.13 one the board, while Richmond had 3.1. Tellingly, by half time, West Coast had gone inside their forward 50 zone 36 times, with the Tigers entering theirs on only eight occasions. 

To the Tigers' credit, they came out much more strongly in the third term. Sam Lloyd marked in the goal square and converted after just 39 seconds, while Jack Riewoldt and Rioli kicked two of the match's next three majors to cut the lead back to 42 points after 11 minutes. But the West Coast defence got right back on top after that, keeping the Tigers to just one further behind, with Josh Kennedy and Luke Shuey adding goals to take the margin back out to 55 at the last change. 

The Eagles drove their advantage home in the last term, correcting their wayward goal-kicking to record 5.1, with two of those goals going to Darling. Richmond, meanwhile, scored only three times for the quarter but at least they were goals, all three going to Jack Riewoldt, who tried hard all night and was a rare positive for Richmond.

Best for West Coast included Elliot Yeo (nine marks, 25 disposals) and Shuey (nine tackles, 22 touches), while Riewoldt (four goals, nine marks) and Alex Rance (11 marks, 26 possessions) could hold their heads high for the Tigers.

The Eagles can expect a sterner test next Saturday when they take on Sydney at the SCG, while Richmond will look to break its three-game losing streak against the resurgent Melbourne on Sunday night at the MCG. Based on the form of the two sides, that will be no easy task for the Tigers.

GOALS
West Coast: Darling 4; Hutchings, Kennedy, Shuey, LeCras, Yeo 2; Hill, Jetta, Lycett, Redden
Richmond: Riewoldt 4; Lloyd, Rioli 2; Lambert

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
West Coast: Shuey, Yeo, Gaff, McGovern, Darling, Naitanui
Richmond: Rance, Riewoldt, Cotchin, Martin, Lloyd

BEST - WATODAY.COM.AU
West Coast: Yeo, Shuey, Gaff, Lycett, Darling, Sheppard
Richmond: Riewoldt, Cotchin, Rance, Grigg, Martin, McIntosh

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Richmond: Hampson (left thigh), Astbury (left ankle)

REPORTS: Scott Lycett for striking Ty Vickery in the second quarter.

UMPIRES: Stevic, Hosking, Fleer

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Seven Network

COMMENTATORS: Dennis Cometti, Basil Zempilas, Wayne Carey, Cameron Ling