RICHMOND has closed the door on a disappointing 2009 with a lacklustre 80-point loss to the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco Oval tonight.

The Tigers took to the field with the knowledge that two club favourites, Nathan Brown and Mark Coughlan, would be playing their final games.

But it was not enough to lift the Tigers and the Eagles led at every change with Mark LeCras kicking five goals as the home side prevailed, 17.23 (125) to 6.9 (45).

Brett Deledio (28 possessions) and Cousins (28) led the way for the Tigers with good contributions from Shane Edwards, Daniel Jackson and Jordan McMahon.

Matt Spangher and Tom Swift vied for the honour of West Coast’s best, Darren Glass was unbeatable in defence, while Mark LeCras’ five goals will further press his claims for All-Australian selection.

The match also marked the final game for West Coast veteran Chad Fletcher while fellow premiership player Adam Hunter also announced his retirement.

Coughlan had won a best and fairest in 2003 before being cut down by two knee reconstructions while the dual All-Australian Brown also had his career curtailed by a horrific broken leg in 2005.

Their departures will not be the last as new coach Damien Hardwick begins rebuilding the Tigers’ list for 2010.

Richmond started confidently and had the first goal on the board with just three minutes on the clock when Jordan McMahon let loose with a raking left foot shot from the 50 metre mark.

But it would be prove to be a false dawn and Eagles’ midfield quickly established control.

The home side dominated both the clearances and the inside 50s but were wasteful in front of goal.

Goals to Ben McKinley, Brad Ebert, Mark Le Cras and Shannon Hurn were punctuated by eight behinds.

Ben Cousins had received a warm welcome home until a clash with both Scott and Adam Selwood midway through the term ensured he earned a chorus of boos for the remainder of the game.

West Coast’s inaccuracy helped keep the Tigers within 23 points at the first break.

The second term opened badly for Richmond when Dean Polo surrendered a goal to LeCras through a deliberate rushed behind.

Deledio then sparked the Tigers with a 55-metre effort which was quickly followed by goals to Graham Polak and Shane Tuck. 

The Richmond resurgence was short-lived with the Eagles having too many options in the forward 50 and they stretched their lead to 33 points at the long break.

The third quarter would perhaps be best forgotten by Richmond fans with 29 minutes of football yielding just one behind for the Tigers.

In reply, the Eagles rattled on six goals, the highlight being yet another 65-metre effort from Quinten Lynch in his 150th match.

Deledio, Cousins, Edwards and Jackson were working hard but nothing was going right for the Tigers.

Down by 72 points at the final break, Richmond tried to lift for Brown and Coughlan.

Jack Riewoldt was presenting the Tigers with a viable target inside 50 but successive shots on goal only resulted in behinds.

Meanwhile, LeCras was deadly at the opposite end of the ground posting his fourth goal.

Riewoldt again marked strongly before passing off to Mitch Morton who kicked the Tigers’ first goal of the half at the nine-minute mark of the final term.

But when LeCras capitalised on a defensive error by McMahon to kick his fifth, the Tigers were done for the night.

West Coast    4.8  9.14  15.18  17.23 (125)
Richmond    1.3  5.5  5.6  6.9 (45)

GOALS
West Coast: LeCras 5, Staker 3, McKinley 2, Ebert, Embley, Hurn, Kennedy, Lynch, Spangher, Swift
Richmond: Deledio, Edwards, McMahon, Morton, Polak, Tuck

BEST
West Coast: Swift, LeCras, Spangher, Glass, Adam Selwood, Naitanui, Hurn
Richmond: Cousins, Jackson, Deledio, Edwards

INJURIES
West Coast: Nil
Richmond: Matthew White replaced in selected side by Jayden Post

Reports: Nil

Umpires: James, Grun, Ryan
Official crowd: 39,017 at Subiaco Oval