AFTER winning five of its past six matches, Richmond has been given a reality check by reigning premiers Geelong, falling to  a 63-point defeat at Telstra Dome on Saturday night.

The Tigers 10.11 (71) went down to the Cats 20.14 (134) to put a dent in their finals hopes, although they remain just two points outside of the top eight.

Richmond now has matches against Adelaide (AAMI Stadium), Hawthorn (MCG), Fremantle (MCG) and Melbourne (MCG) respectively, with a maximum of 12 wins its best possible result.

Although Richmond entered the round as one of the league's in-form teams, the top-of-the-table Geelong showed it was still the league's benchmark. 

Early on, Richmond looked right in the contest, having led throughout the first term until Geelong claimed the quarter time lead on the siren. From that point, the Cats never surrendered their advantage.

And after Geelong booted 13 goals to four in the second and third terms the Tigers were never in the hunt.

Richmond entered the match without in-form forward Nathan Brown, who was replaced by Jake King, and knocks and niggles to Matthew Richardson, Shane Edwards, Adam Pattison and Chris Newman didn't help the Tigers' cause. 

Shane Tuck worked tirelessly, winning a team-high 31 disposals, with Tiger vice-captain Newman another who battled hard all night before he copped a knock late in the game.

Shane Edwards was a fine contributor early on, with 16 disposals in the first half, yet his game was limited from that point after he was on the receiving end of a heavy tackle from Darren Milburn, who crunched the youngster into the turf. 

For Geelong, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood and Joel Corey combined for 95 disposals, as Ryan Gamble and Tom Lonergan, with three goals each, headed up the Cats' goalkickers. Skipper Tom Harley was outstanding down back.

Richmond started in fine style, booting the opening two goals of the match through Mitch Morton and Jack Riewoldt.

It took Geelong 21 minutes to register its first, courtesy of James Kelly, but when Lonergan kicked the Cats' third on the quarter-time siren, the reigning premiers hit the front for the first time, gaining a four-point buffer.

Geelong broke away to a 24-point lead early in the second term, after kicking the first three of the quarter. 

Adding to Richmond's frustrations during this period was an injury scare to Richardson, who hobbled from the field favouring his right knee. Despite looking in trouble, the big man was back out in the thick of the action before half time.

Just as the Cats looked set to skip away, the Tigers hit back with two in two minutes through Matt White and Joel Bowden, closing the gap to 11 points.

But when Geelong answered with three in succession, including two in time-on from Bartel, who kicked his second after the half time siren, the Cats were out to a 26-point break.

White became Richmond's first multiple goalkicker when he landed the first goal of the second half, cutting the margin to 20 points. But aside from a classical mark by Richardson over Geelong defender Darren Milburn  just before time-on, there was little to cheer about for the yellow and black as Geelong dominated the third term.

A seven goals to two quarter blew the deficit out to 58 points at three-quarter time.

The Tigers showed some grit early in the final quarter and even threatened to outscore the Cats, but it didn't eventuate. However another outstanding Richardson mark over Harry Taylor was a highlight.  

The loss continued Richmond's poor recent record over Geelong, with the Cats having lost just once from 12 contests since round nine of 2001.

Geelong       2.6   8.8   15.13    20.14  (134)
Richmond    2.2   4.6   6.9   10.11  (71)

GOALS
Geelong: Lonergan 3, Gamble 3, Bartel 2, Mackie 2, Mooney 2, Stokes 2, Johnson, Milburn, Selwood, Rooke, Ling, Kelly. Richmond: Richardson 3, White 2, Bowden 2, Morton, Schulz, Riewoldt.

BEST
Geelong: Bartel, Corey, Selwood, Milburn, Ling, Stokes, Harley. Richmond: Tuck, Deledio, Newman, Tambling, Bowden, Richardson

INJURIES
Geelong: None. Richmond: Edwards (head knock)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stevic, Stewart, Wenn

Official crowd: 42,238 at Telstra Dome