RICHMOND 20.12.130 def COLLINGWOOD 10.6.66
UPDATE: The VFL Tigers won their third consecutive practice match on Thursday, defeating Collingwood by 64 points at Punt Road Oval.
With only seven points separating the sides at the first break, the VFL Tigers took their pressure to another level to seal victory.
Kamdyn McIntosh, Jacob Townsend and Brandon Wood all finished with three majors to their name to lead the side's scoring.
VFL Development and Midfield coach Xavier Clarke, who took the coaching reigns for the match, said his side improved after a challenging first quarter.
“We needed to adjust a few things at quarter time, it was almost like a shootout between us,” Clarke said.
“Once we adjusted those things and changed our structure we looked a lot better.
“As the game went on, we got a lot better as a team, including defensively, which was good to see."
In a tightly contested, attacking-flavoured first quarter, it was the VFL Tigers who gained the upper hand.
Townsend and Wood were clear standouts, nailing two goals each and showing composure with ball in hand.
Mabior Chol helped stem the flow of attacking pressure from Collingwood with a classy dribbled goal, while McIntosh did his best to outdo that effort with a brilliant snap from the pocket to help establish a slender seven-point lead at the first break.
With the travellers still in touching distance, the VFL Tigers came out all guns firing in the second stanza, putting on a seven goal quarter to set up a 37-point lead at the main break.
Wood pounced on a defensive mishap early in the piece to register his third for the game, before McIntosh hit home from 40 metres out to increase the margin between the two sides.
Ruckman Ivan Soldo worked tirelessly across the ground and was rewarded for his persistence with his first goal of the day, from 25 metres out after winning a free kick.
With Collingwood on the ropes, Richmond forward Lloyd kicked into gear, nailing two goals in as many minutes to excite the Punt Road faithful.
The crowd were then on their feet again moments later, when Anthony Miles took a diving mark 50 metres out on a tight angle, before stepping back and nailing his set-shot.
At the other end, Jake Batchelor and Nathan Broad were typically sturdy in defence, while providing plenty of dash off the half-back flank to assist the midfield engine.
The third quarter provided a heart-in-mouth moment for Tiger fans, as Chol left the ground on a stretcher after being concussed in a hard contest.
Much to the relief of the Tiger Army, Chol later returned to the bench in good spirits to watch his side play out the match.
Meanwhile, his fellow big forward Soldo was giving the Pies defence a headache, nailing another major in a dominant third term display.
This was in no small part due to the electric pace of Tyson Stengle, who twice set up team mates in the goal square with Collingwood’s defenders in his wake.
With a 42-point lead holding the VFL Tigers in good stead at the final break, the attacking intensity of the game began to tone down, but not without a few more moments of magic from the home side.
Townsend crumbed and snapped brilliantly from the boundary to get his third of the day, while McIntosh sent a looping ball from 55 metres out to match Townsend’s haul.
With three impressive pre-season wins under their belt, the VFL Tigers look to their final pre-season game against Essendon on Saturday, April 8 at Punt Road at 11am.
