AFTER a month of promising football against some of the competition’s best teams, Richmond has suffered an almighty reality check at the hands of the Sydney Swans at the SCG.
The Tigers kicked just one goal in the first half on the way to an 82-point loss, 21.13 (139) to 8.9 (57), while the Swans boasted 13 individual goalkickers in a consummate team performance.
Promising performances from Brett Deledio (32 touches, two goals) in the midfield and Trent Cotchin up forward were among the few highlights for the hardy band of travelling Tigers fans.
In contrast, the Swans had winners all over the ground, from Leo Barry and Craig Bolton down back, to Adam Goodes in midfield and new AFL life member Michael O’Loughlin, who kicked three goals in a vintage display.
The Swans assumed complete control from the opening minutes of the first quarter and seven unanswered goals followed as the home side established a 38-point lead.
In contrast, Richmond couldn’t muster a shot at goal until Shane Edwards’ errant effort on the run at the 26-minute mark of the term.
Matthew Richardson was the one highlight for the visitors, racking up seven touches and five marks in the first quarter, but Richmond coach Terry Wallace could have used a few more copies of his hard running forward-cum-wingman.
The Tigers were smashed at the clearances throughout the quarter and Goodes took full advantage.
The dual Brownlow medallist delivered with precision to his forwards, and in one passage of play destined for this year’s highlight reel, beat two opponents from the centre bounce and kicked truly on the run from outside 50.
Unfortunately for the Richmond supporters in attendance, it was more of the same in the second term as the Swans piled on seven goals to one.
With Jack Riewoldt shifted to centre half-back to curb Henry Playfair’s influence, it was left to first-year youngster Trent Cotchin to break the drought 20 minutes into the second term when he swept on to a loose ball in the forward line.
By that stage, a procession of Swans had added their names to the score sheet, and the home side enjoyed a 70-point lead, having booted 11 unanswered goals.
Two more goals after Cotchin’s breakthrough gave the Swans a 73-point margin at half time.
Chris Newman provided some much-needed rebound across half-back to join Richardson as one of the Tigers’ best players in the first half. But Richmond desperately needed more from their centre square brigade. Darren Jolly clearly had the measure of Tigers duo Troy Simmonds and Adam Pattison in the ruck, while Nathan Foley and Shane Tuck had limited impact.
It was Deledio who stepped up for Richmond in the third term, racking up 12 touches and generating some much needed drive from midfield.
The results showed on the scoreboard as the Tigers matched the Swans’ three goals in the third term through Joel Bowden, Nathan Brown and Kelvin Moore.
With the game well and truly over, the last term was played out in constant drizzle, with little of the intensity shown in the first half.
Opportunistic goals to Jarrad McVeigh and O’Loughlin – the latter from a spectacular volley – stretched the margin to a game-high 89 points before Richmond showed some belated fight.
Foley finally broke free to have some impact through the middle and Deledio kicked a pair of classy goals, but it was far too little, too late for the Tigers, who will be desperate to make amends against Adelaide at the MCG next weekend.
Sydney Swans 6.4 13.7 16.11 21.13 (139)
Richmond 0.2 1.6 4.7 8.9 (57)
GOALS
Sydney Swans: Buchanan 3, McVeigh 3, O'Loughlin 3, Bird 2, Goodes 2, Playfair 2, Ablett, Bevan, C Bolton, Malceski, Moore, O'Keefe
Richmond: Deledio 2, Bowden, Brown, Cotchin, Foley, Moore, Schultz
BEST
Sydney Swans: Barry, Bird, Buchanan, Goodes, Jolly, Kirk, Mattner, O'Keefe, Bolton
Richmond: Deledio, Newman, Bowden, Richardson
INJURIES
Sydney Swans: None
Richmond: Johnson (knee)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Nicholls, Jeffery, Schmitt
Official crowd: 26,852 at SCG
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of the clubs or the AFL.
