Richmond has won its fourth straight game, defeating West Coast by 17 points in a wet slog at Patersons Stadium.

Persistent rain for much of the match made conditions tough for scoring, but the Tigers found a way to win every quarter, eventually running out 17-point winners.

The margin stayed within three goals for the entire match, and Richmond’s win wasn’t secure until Jack Riewoldt booted a goal from a free kick late in the final term.

The Tigers’ midfield stood up, led by Brett Deledio (26 disposals and five tackles), Dustin Martin (25 possessions and two goals), Nathan Foley (25 disposals, 10 tackles and seven clearances) and Brandon Ellis (27 possessions).

Richmond won the key clearance and contested possession battle, which were crucial to securing the victory.

The Tigers controlled the first 10 minutes of the game after Nick Vlastuin’s goal from a 50-metre penalty, before back-to-back goals to West Coast tall targets Jack Darling and Josh Kennedy.

Ty Vickery kicked two goals in five minutes, including a buzzer-beater, to give Richmond a seven-point lead at the first break.

The arm wrestle continued in the second term, with the Eagles getting to within a point, before four straight behinds to the Tigers wrested back the momentum, on the back of a 10-possession, five clearance quarter from Foley.

Richmond’s second goal after the siren for the game – a set shot from Martin – gave it an 11-point buffer at the main break.

It was another goal in time-on from the Tigers – Martin’s second – which extended the gap to 16 points with a quarter to go, and Richmond was able to withstand a late attacking flurry from West Coast to clinch its seventh win of the 2014 season.


WEST COAST      2.1   4.1   5.4   6.6   (42)                  
RICHMOND      3.2   5.6   7.8   8.11   (59)          

GOALS
West Coast: Darling 2, LeCras, McGinnity, Kennedy, Tunbridge
Richmond: Martin 2, Vickery 2, Miles, Cotchin, Vlastuin, Riewoldt

BEST 
West Coast: Priddis, Shuey, Mackenzie, Naitanui, Hurn, Hutchings
Richmond: Martin, Deledio, Foley, Miles, Ellis, Conca

INJURIES 
West Coast: Cox (concussion), Shuey (ankle)
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Simon Tunbridge replaced Dean Cox during the second quarter
Richmond: Nathan Gordon replaced Sam Lloyd during the third quarter

Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Dalgleish, Rosebury
Official crowd: 32,270 at the Patersons Stadium