First quarter v Fremantle, Round 10, Domain Stadium
The odds seemed heavily stacked against the Tigers, as they made the trek west to do battle with unbeaten ladder leader Fremantle in a crucial Friday night contest.
Richmond had restored some balance to its season with three consecutive wins after slumping to a 2-4 record six rounds in.
This, however, was by far the Tigers’ biggest test of the year, and their chances of winning were rated by those outside Punt Road as remote, to say the least.
Just 10 minutes into the match at Domain Stadium, the large, fanatical, home crowd was sitting in stunned silence, with Richmond having scored four goals to nil.
Those goals came from the boots of Ty Vickery, Ben Griffiths, Brett Deledio and Dustin Martin.
It was a blistering first-quarter onslaught by the Tigers, who bamboozled Fremantle through quick ball movement and clinical efficiency.
The Dockers registered their first goal nearly 12 minutes into the opening term, before Richmond hit back strongly with the next four through Griffiths, Vickery, Shaun Grigg and Deledio.
Although Fremantle managed to kick the last two goals of the first quarter, the Tigers had turned the match on its head with their breathtaking start – 8.1 (49) to 3.1 (19).
Incredibly, Richmond scored seven goals from its first eight inside-50 entries.
The Tigers had a kicking efficiency of 78 percent in the opening term, compared to the Dockers’ 64 percent.
Fremantle had conceded just 62 points per game in the opening nine rounds of the season, but Richmond already had eight goals on the board at quarter-time.
It was the first time that the Dockers, under Ross Lyon’s coaching, had conceded eight goals in an opening quarter. And, it was just the second time that any team coached by Lyon had been on the receiving end of an eight-goal first term.
Inevitably, Fremantle fought back, but the closest it got to the slick, fiercely-determined Tigers’ outfit was 20 points.
The final siren signalled a magnificent 27-point win to Richmond – 15.7 (97) to 10.10 (70).
Third quarter, Round 13 v Sydney, SCG
The Richmond players trudged off the field at half-time of the Round 13, Friday night clash with Sydney at the SCG down, and almost out.
A bad second quarter (5.3 to 1.1) had the Tigers 32 points in arrears at the main break and facing a potential hiding at the hands of their highly-rated opponents.
What was to transpire, however, over the course of the next quarter, was nothing short of extraordinary.
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin lit the flame for what was to be a remarkable comeback, with a brilliant goal at the six-minute mark of the third term.
Lying on the ground, about 10 metres out from the Tigers’ goal, surrounded by Sydney opponents, Cotchin threw the ball on his boot and watched it sail through the big sticks for a truly inspirational six-pointer.
It was the first of four unanswered goals by Richmond (from Cotchin, Brett Deledio, Ty Vickery and Brandon Ellis) in a 12-minute burst, which cut the deficit to single digits.
The Swans subsequently steadied with a couple of goals, before the Tigers surged again.
Richmond kicked the last three goals of the quarter, through the agency of Nathan Gordon and Jack Riewoldt (two), to take a well-deserved two-point lead into the final break.
The Tigers had compiled 7.5 to 2.1 in the third term, with five of those goals coming from turnovers due to the fierce pressure they applied to Sydney.
They had 11 more inside-50s than the Swans throughout the quarter, and their disposal efficiency was 71 percent compared to the home team’s 37 percent.
Another key factor in the Richmond resurgence was the excellent efforts of its experienced stars such as Cotchin, Deledio, Riewoldt and Rance, who all rose to the challenge in grand style.
Although Sydney briefly threatened in the last quarter, the Tigers showed admirable composure to go on and record a meritorious 18-point victory.
Fourth quarter v Collingwood, Round 21, MCG
Richmond was well in control of its late-season clash with traditional rival Collingwood at the three-quarter time break.
The Tigers, needing to win to ensure their place in the finals, led by 44 points against an inaccurate Magpies’ outfit (14.9 to 6.13).
But Richmond wanted more – much more – in the last quarter.
With percentage likely to play a part in determining top-eight ladder positions, the Tigers knew they had to maximise the opportunity to crush an opponent seemingly at their mercy.
That looked unlikely to happen, when Collingwood scored the first goal of the final term.
But a goal from Bachar Houli, nearly eight minutes in, sparked a Richmond rampage throughout the rest of the quarter.
The Tigers slammed on nine goals straight via nine different players – Houli, Jack Riewoldt, Ty Vickery (his sixth for the match), Dustin Martin, Ben Lennon (just two minutes after coming on as the ‘sub’), Chris Newman, Brett Deledio, Ivan Maric and Brandon Ellis.
Notwithstanding the fact the Magpies fell right away, it was an impressively powerful finish from a Tiger team hungry for a big ‘kill’.
The final margin of 91 points (23.9 to 7.14) was Richmond’s third biggest win ever against Collingwood, and its biggest since 1976.
And, the 9.0 that the Tigers piled on in the final term, was the most they’d ever kicked in a quarter without scoring a behind.
As a result of the thumping win, Richmond’s percentage received a significant boost, rising from 114.5 to 120.2.
Recap the Tiger Top Threes so far
2015 wins
Most improved players
Stats stars
Individual performances
