30-9-19 AFL FINAL
AFL FINAL
RICHMOND 114-25 GWS
GIANTS
HOULI
The shoulder got better, but Davis appeared to be limping
when he did a light fitness test shortly before 1:00pm.
The Giants skipper looked proppy all day, and while he got
15 disposals, he struggled to make an impact in defence and contain the rampant
Tigers forward line.
GWS had beaten the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane before
prevailing in a preliminary final over Collingwood.
But there were concerns over whether they would have the
legs to run out four quarters against a Richmond side that had been shifting
through the gears with wins over Brisbane and Geelong.
In a fierce beginning to the contest, it took more than 20
minutes for the first goal of the game, as Jacob Hopper kicked an inside out
ball high for Jeremy Cameron to outmark Dylan Grimes, outside 50 on the left.
He went back and kicked it truly to give the Giants a
five-point lead. GWS looked like they had weathered the storm, but the Tigers
were still putting immense pressure on GWS.
With just over a minute left in the first term, Richmond
forced a turnover on the wing, Jack Riewoldt pounced and drilled a ball to Norm
Smith Medallist Dustin Martin, who took a mark inside 50, drawing a huge roar
from the Tiger Army.
He ran around and kicked the goal to put Richmond ahead.
Then in the dying seconds the ball came forward again and Daniel Rioli booted
another on the siren, and suddenly the Tigers led by seven points at
quarter-time.
then Pickett produced a glorious moment to bring the crowd
to its feet.
Getting the ball in the centre square, he produced a slow
360-degree spin to elude the Giants' midfield, then ran downfield and spotted
up Jason Costagna, who took a solid mark inside 50.
When he converted the set shot the Tigers were on the move.
A few minutes later Pickett took possession again and kicked
forward for Martin, who picked up, rounded a defender and slotted it home low.
The Tigers were flying by now, and within a minute the ball
went forward again for Tom Lynch to take a diving mark inside 50. He went back
and kicked it, and Richmond was four goals up and the alarms were blaring full
force for the Giants.
Martin was proving extremely hard to stop, but he had plenty
of teammates who were on top as well.
Toby Greene missed a kick for the Giants, and it was a sign
of how tough a day they were having that their next score came from a snap from
their tagger, Matt De Boer, that bobbled wide.
The danger signs were again on display in the final minutes
of the half, as the Tigers made it look easy with two entries inside 50.
First Riewoldt took a big pack mark and converted, then with
two minutes left he grabbed another and the Tigers fans were roaring.
Richmond was in command, leading in contested possessions
and clearances — normally Giants' trademarks — and inside 50s.
GWS's disposal was poor under pressure and their errors were
mounting while the Tigers were playing like a team that had the grand final
experience.
The Giants needed to come out with a fast start to have any
chance, but it was the Tigers who had the early chances.
Lynch kicked out on the full, then Riewoldt missed from 50.
But the Tigers were dominant in the midfield and they cut through the Giants'
defence for Lynch, who kicked the goal.
There were no answers for GWS, and when the Tigers went
inside 50 once more, Daniel Rioli fed Martin who snapped around his body,
curling the ball home from deep in the left forward pocket.
It was done already, with a quarter of an hour of time left
on the clock in the third term.
Soon after, Pickett found Martin inside 50 and the Tigers
superstar made the most popular decision of the day and chipped it back across
the forward line to Pickett, who marked and went back and kicked the goal,
before being swamped by teammates.
The Giants were making no inroads, and further goals to Kane
Lambert and then Ivan Soldo on the siren made it a 62-point lead with a quarter
to go.
To borrow from one of Richmond's old rivals, the last
quarter was a premiership cakewalk for the Tigers.
With all hope long gone, the Giants kept trying, but were
outscored five goals to one.
In the dying seconds Riewoldt took a mark, and as the Tigers
began to celebrate in earnest, he kicked a beauty from 50 which swung perfectly
late to go through the posts and complete the victory.
MY
OPINION
This was a complete controlled performance
by the Richmond side and GWS mist have a sense of satisfaction in reaching the
final but a sense of rage in the fact that they could not get out of the gates
in any way shape or form
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