RICHMOND got its 2022 campaign motoring with a 38-point win over the Western Bulldogs at the MCG on Saturday night

After giving up good leads to drop games against Carlton and St Kilda this season, the Tigers seemed intent on making a statement to the rest of the competition, running away 15.8 (99) to 7.19 (61). 

Returning from injury, Dion Prestia showed how important he is to the Tigers' fortunes, racking up 27 disposals and slotting an important goal, while twin targets Tom Lynch (four goals) and Jack Riewoldt (two) showed they are still a force to be dealt with by opposition defences.

Bailey Smith was the Dogs' best with 36 disposals in a consistent midfield display and Marcus Bontempelli (33 and a goal) was also important, but ultimately the Dogs' lack of polish around goal hurt and they conceded eight goals to three after half-time.

The Dogs started the night with the yips in front of goal, kicking seven behinds in the opening term in a deluge of opportunities. But it was only a clever right-foot snap from Aaron Naughton in the final seconds of the quarter which handed them a five-point break at the first change. 

But the Tigers tightened the screws in the second term. Marlion Pickett goaled early in the quarter, then Jason Castagna and Dion Prestia were beneficiaries of 50-metre penalties. When Lynch marked strongly and converted his shot close to goal, Richmond had jumped to an 18-point lead.

After missing a set shot, Naughton then curled through another snap on his non-preferred right foot to help cut the Dogs' deficit to 11 points at half-time.  

Bontempelli's goal in the first two minutes of the third term saw the difference drop to five points, but Richmond kept responding in the arm wrestle. There was Lynch's opening goal after Liam Baker's tough intercept, then Shai Bolton's sensational, freakish goal from the boundary line and then another from Lynch, who enjoyed his best game of 2022 so far.

But there was more to come, with Jack Riewoldt kicking the final two goals of the term – the second an ugly but effective tumbling torpedo that just got over the line to hand the Tigers a 24-point break at three-quarter time.

With their last-quarter fadeout against St Kilda in round three fresh in the mind, Richmond afforded the Dogs no such chances this time around.    

Shai's screamer
Richmond game-changer Shai Bolton collected the mark of the year last season and could be on his way to the goal of the year in 2022 after his magnificent effort against the Dogs. Midway through the third quarter, Bolton intercepted Bailey Smith's handball, cut through traffic, weaved through potential trouble and pinned himself up against the boundary line. On his non-preferred left foot, Bolton's drop punt curved through perfectly on a near-impossible angle. If there are any better goals kicked in 2022, we're looking forward to seeing them.  

RICHMOND                   2.2     7.3    12.5    15.9 (99)
WESTERN BULLDOGS   2.7    4.10    6.17    7.19 (61) 

GOALS
Richmond: Lynch 4, Bolton 2, Riewoldt 2, Castagna, Dow, Nankervis, Parker, Pickett, Prestia, Short
Western Bulldogs: Naughton 2, Bontempelli, English, MacRae, Treloar, Vandermeer

BEST
Richmond: Pickett, Broad, Prestia, Short, Bolton, Nankervis
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, MacRae, Smith, English

INJURIES  
Richmond: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Vandermeer (hamstring tightness), Anthony Scott (head)

SUBSTITUTES  
Richmond: Jack Ross (unused)
Western Bulldogs: Mitch Wallis (replaced Vandermeer in the third quarter)

Crowd: TBC at the MCG