RICHMOND remains in the hunt for a top-four berth after recording an 83-point win over an injury-hit Gold Coast at the MCG on Sunday.
The Tigers overcame a mid-game lapse and a desperately low tackle count to establish a matchwinning break in the first term and ultimately cruise to a crucial percentage-boosting victory, 21.6 (132) to 8.7 (55).
After leading by 17 points at half-time, Richmond rattled on 14 goals to three to power away in the second half.
To steal the coveted double chance, the Tigers will likely need to win each of their three remaining games against Collingwood, Essendon and North Melbourne and hope other results fall their way.
Compounding matters for the Suns were two game-ending injuries that reduced them to just two men on the bench for the majority of the second half.
Ruckman Tom Nicholls was substituted out of the game at half-time with a potentially season-ending jarred knee, while promising midfielder Jack Martin was stretchered off after being knocked out in a head clash with Richmond captain Trent Cotchin early in the third quarter.
Gold Coast was down a further rotation when key forward Charlie Dixon sat out the last 10 minutes after battling manfully with a right ankle problem.
Richmond star Brett Deledio, with three goals, was a beacon amid some unattractive play – the Tigers have now won 11 of the 14 games he has played this season, but just one of the five he has missed.
Deledio was one of six multiple goalkickers for the Tigers, including midfielders Dustin Martin and Kane Lambert, who were pivotal playmakers, particularly when the contest was hot.
Richmond was also superbly served by attacking backmen Bachar Houli and Alex Rance, the latter having the better of his duel with Dixon.
Jack Martin is being carried off the ground after clashing heads with Trent Cotchin #AFLTigersSuns http://t.co/RY0RQ2rJjW
— AFL (@AFL) August 16, 2015
With Suns defender Steven May restricting Jack Riewoldt to just two goals, Tigers big man Ty Vickery helped set up the game with three first-half goals, and four for the match.
At the other end, in-form Suns forward Tom Lynch spoiled his good work with poor conversion, tallying 3.3 and missing three shots he would normally nail.
Gold Coast midfielder Aaron Hall was proactive and creative with his running and ball use, with solid support from acting skipper Michael Rischitelli, while Kade Kolodjashnij was typically composed across half-back.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was pleased to simply gain the points to strengthen the Tigers' top-eight position.
"It's nice to get through," Hardwick told reporters post-match.
"Unfortunately for 'Rocket' (Suns coach Rodney Eade), he loses a ruckman in the first half (and) loses Martin shortly thereafter. They had a couple of sore boys, so at the end of the day they were going to always be chasing tail.
"To their credit I thought they still hung tough.
"Offensively and contested-wise we were pretty good today. Defensively, I thought we were not quite at the level we need to be."
Eade was pleased with his team's efforts to half-time, but said he couldn't entirely blame injuries for the big loss.
"Obviously losing your ruckman at half-time was always going to be a battle (but) then they just smashed us in stoppages after half-time," he said.
"I think five of their six (goals) in the third quarter were from stoppages. Some of our players in the set-ups weren’t in the right spot.
"(We were) obviously going to lose the ruck so that was disappointing."
RICHMOND 6.1 8.2 14.5 22.6 (138)
GOLD COAST 2.0 5.3 7.3 8.7 (55)
GOALS
Richmond: Vickery 4, Lloyd 3, Deledio 3, Martin 3, Lambert 2, Riewoldt 2, Grigg, Newman, Maric, Thomas, Ellis
Gold Coast: Lynch 3, Hall, Russell, Dixon, Garlett, Boston
BEST
Richmond: Martin, Lambert, Houli, Rance, Ellis, Maric, Vickery
Gold Coast: Hall, Lynch, Kolodjashnij, Richchitelli, May, Lonergan
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Gold Coast: Nicholls (knee), Dixon (ankle), Martin (concussion)
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh replaced Anthony Miles in the fourth quarter
Gold Coast: Jarrod Garlett replaced Tom Nicholls at half-time
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stevic, Brown, Mollison
Official crowd: 38,508 at the MCG
