Richmond was stuck in an arm-wrestle with Footscray for the initial three quarters on Saturday at the Swinburne Centre, before breaking clear with a five-goal last quarter to clinch a steely 26-point win.

Fleet-footed young Tiger Judson Clarke sparked his side with four crucial goals, the final score reading, 14.11 (95) to 10.9 (69).

Premiership ruckman Ivan Soldo also drew the gaze of the Richmond faithful as he and seasoned Bulldogs’ ruckman, Stefan Martin locked horns from start to finish.

Soldo and Martin were like two bulls in a paddock, with their aggression setting the tone for their respective midfields.

Jake Aarts was another hardened senior Tiger that showed the way for the bevy of cubs under his tutelage.

Aarts’ pressure peaked when the Bulldogs were making a late flurry, holding the visitors at bay and ensuring Richmond won the four points.

Three-time premiership Tiger Kane Lambert was industrious and instructive in his first game of 2022. The midfielder sat out the second half, playing limited minutes in his first game of 2022 as he manages his hip issue. 

Lambert found his way onto the ground midway through the opening term and had an immediate impact. The gut-running Tiger found Samson Ryan on the lead, with Ryan clutching a strong mark and importantly converting his set-shot.

Clarke kicked goals at critical times for Richmond, initially keeping it in touch with Footscray on the stroke of quarter-time, then sealing the win with his fourth goal in the final term.

Both sides set up strong defensively behind the ball, which meant capitalising on turnovers was the main source of scoring. Soldo and Martin’s dominance swayed between the two hulking ruckman, with Tiger Soldo getting the better of his counterpart in the centre square.

The Tigers built momentum in the back end of the first quarter and Clarke reaped the reward, as he pounced on a loose ball close to goal and skidded through his first major on the stroke of quarter time.

The goal cut Footscray’s lead to under two goals and Riley Collier-Dawkins sliced the deficit to under a goal with an inspirational goal to kick-start the Tigers’ surge in the second term.

Lambert had a direct hand once again, pumping the ball inside 50 where Maurice Rioli caused the spillage via sheer dynamic pressure, which led to Collier-Dawkins skirting the boundary line and snapping the goal on his right boot.

Footscray hit back swiftly via a free kick off the ball inside 50, before Soldo showcased once again his set-shot prowess, sneaking through a major from a tight angle for his first for the afternoon.

Second-gamer Austin Johnson then plucked an intercept mark on the paint of Richmond’s 50 and launched through a booming set-shot goal.

Johnson showed it was no fluke, kicking his second goal in the final term from almost the exact same spot, helping seal the win for Richmond. The hard runner accumulated the ball at will on the wing and half-back, but also showed a willingness to play his role and help get Richmond’s game up and going.

The Tigers were cashing in on their good work up the field, as Noah Cumberland dragged down a strong contested mark and curled through his first goal.

The hosts netted four goals in the second term as Footscray kicked two goals via free-kicks, as the Tigers took a narrow two-point lead into half-time.

The third quarter was full of pressure around the ball and in transition, as both sides battled to play the game solely on their terms.

No player epitomises the Richmond pressure more so than Rioli Jnr, and the son of a legend had just the right amount of teasing distance, sweeping in front of a Footscray defender and snatching the intercept mark. The Tiger dynamo swung the tide in Richmond’s favour after converting his set-shot.

Clarke then showed that his mind and reflexes were just as quick as his feet, snapping his second goal and adding to Richmond's momentum. 

A duo of goals by Clarke in the final term assured victory for the burgeoning Tigers.

Classy snaps by Sydney Stack and Cam Olden in the last quarter were the icing on the cake for an impressive Tiger victory.

RICH: 3.0 7.3 9.8 14.11 (95)

FOOT: 4.5 6.7 7.9 10.10 (70)

Goal Kickers:

Richmond: Clarke (4), Johnson (2), Aarts, Collier-Dawkins, Cumberland, Olden, Rioli, Ryan, Soldo, Stack