RICHMOND 21.6.132 defeated FOOTSCRAY 6.4.40

Richmond forward Ben Lennon booted seven goals as the VFL Tigers defeated Footscray by 92 points in their first practice match on Friday night.

Lennon's haul, which included four majors in the fourth quarter, put the exclamation point on a dominant Tigers display against the reigning VFL premiers at Whitten Oval.

Richmond’s VFL and development coach, Craig McRae, said his side made the most of the opportunity to put their hard work in pre-season into action.

"Today was our first opportunity to test the things that we've been doing in pre-season against opposition," McRae said.

"A lot of guys played above their level, which is exciting for AFL opportunities".

The Tigers wasted no time in taking control of the match, nailing the first three majors of the game in the opening ten minutes.

Todd Elton displayed the form that earned him a call-up to the AFL squad in 2016, taking an impressive pack mark and kicking truly from 40 metres out to open the account for the day.

Callum Moore reaped the benefits of a well-worked fast break moments after, before Lennon registered his first goal of the day with a classy snap from a tight angle.

The Tigers’ relentless pressure continued into the second stanza, with Footscray's midfield engine struggling to make effective use of the football and coughing up possession.

Kamdyn McIntosh battled tirelessly, chasing down every loose ball and establishing a commanding presence in midfield.

Richmond's new draftee Shai Bolton wowed the travelling contingent of Tiger faithful with a breathtaking mark in the forward pocket, and while he missed the resulting set shot, he found himself on the scoresheet a minute later with a composed finish from 35 metres out.

Footscray found some rhythm with two quick-fire goals, but Jacob Townsend and Elton stepped up again, their majors handing the Tigers a 26-point lead at the main break.

While the Bulldogs bit back in the second quarter, the Tigers came out all guns firing in the third, booting an unanswered seven goals to put the contest to bed.

Bolton added two more goals to bring his total for the day to three, while Lennon and McIntosh assisted in hammering home the advantage.

Ivan Maric handled Bulldogs young ruckman Tim English well, dominating each contest and giving his midfield first use of the ball time and time again.

With the game all but won, McRae gave his young brigade a chance to prove their mettle alongside some of the club's elite playing personnel.

Defender Harry Conway stood up to the challenge, venturing into the midfield and launching a 50-metre bomb that sailed through the big sticks.

Billy Coates and Antony Forato also put their hats in the ring with strong performances in the second half.

However, the final quarter belonged to an inspired Lennon, who added four more goals to his tally to complete a memorable performance.

Thanks in no small part to a small but effective midfield stint from Bolton, Lennon made the most of quality service to put Footscray's defence to the sword.

With a commanding performance now under their belt, the Tigers can now enjoy a week off before their next practice match against Northern Blues on Thursday, March 23 at Punt Road Oval.