Richmond has produced a third-term blitz in an eight-point upset win over Adelaide which snaps an eight-game AFL losing streak.
The Tigers defied a lengthy injury list and the absence of rested megastar Dustin Martin to triumph 12.7 (79) to 10.11 (71) at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.
Richmond produced six-goals on end in the penultimate quarter to heap more misery on the Crows – touted as potential finalists pre-season, they have just four wins, two more than the Tigers.
Tiger coach Adem Yze snapped an eight-game losing streak despite having 14 players unavailable because of injury.
Richmond’s Justin Koschitzke faces match review scrutiny for a behind-play elbow to the body of Mark Keane which felled the Irish-born defender.
The blow came during Richmond’s third-term onslaught when the visitors turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 22-point three quarter-time lead – the Tigers kicked 6.1 to 2.2 for the term.
The advantage should have been greater: minutes after Koschitzke’s contact on Keane, the recalled forward took a mark and lined up for a shot at goal.
But a fracas developed and the ball was given to Adelaide when Cumberland aggressively pushed Keane over.
Cumberland’s act took some gloss of his polished display while teammates Kamdyn McIntosh, Seth Campbell and Rhyan Mansell booted two goals each.
Tiger stalwart Jayden Short (31 disposals), Tim Taranto (26) and Liam Baker (24, one goal) were also productive.
On a bleak night for the Crows, Darcy Fogarty kicked three goals, captain Jordan Dawson (32 disposals) was superb and Josh Rachele scored two majors.
Look back at how the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
Richmond def Adelaide by eight points
That’s it from the blog tonight!
Richmond’s night it is then, as the Tigers grab their second win of the year and distance themselves further from North Melbourne at the bottom of the ladder.
Adelaide are now only two wins and a draw clear of the Tigers, a position that members and fans are unlikely to accept. What happens at the Crows between now and the end of the year will be one to watch.
From Daniel Miles and myself, thanks for your company and we look forward to seeing you back here tomorrow night for a bit more footy and a bit more blog. Until then, have a great Friday.
No one’s safe…
Spare a thought for Richmond’s poor social media staffer.
Maybe it was their first win with the club as well…?
Matthew Nicks will have questions to answer
This is not how Adelaide’s season was meant to be going. The Crows really should have played finals last year and seemed to be primed to take that step this year. Instead it has proven to be a sizable step back, with finals well and truly out of the equation and hope for seasons ahead dwindling too.
Opinions on Nicks’s performance is split in Adelaide, and after a loss like this you can be sure that he will be one of the chief topics of conversation. Is he getting the most of the talent in this Adelaide list? Or is it the quality of the list that is the underlying issue?
This one meant a lot to the Tigers
Gatorade was flying in the Tigers change rooms after the match as some young Richmond players sang the song for the first time.
You get the sense this one was important to the Tigers, their first victory on the road under coach Adem Yze.
And now attention turns to the MCG next week for the Tigers, who will celebrate Dustin Martin’s 300th AFL game in front of stand packed full of Richmond faithful.
The Tigers have recorded their first win since March
It’s been a long-time coming and a tense final quarter, but the Tigers have outlasted the Crows to record a season-defining victory for the embattled Richmond outfit.
It was the Tiges’ lesser-known names that shone in attack.
Cumberland kicked three, McIntosh two, and Noah Balta in defence was as solid as a rock.
It’s Richmond’s first win since they knocked over ladder-leaders Sydney in round three.
Key Event
FT: Richmond complete an upset eight-point win over Adelaide
The Tigers have their second win of the season! They have flown into Adelaide and well and truly extinguished the flame on the Crows’ finals plans — and who knows what comes next for Adelaide — holding on in a professional last quarter to complete the win.
It was a win built from forward pressure and a strong clearance performance, with the small forwards and nippy midfielders proving too damaging for the Crows to handle. Tim Taranto, Shai Bolton and Dion Prestia all came back in for this game and all had a big influence on the victory tonight.
Being honest, it wasn’t the prettiest game and it became a battle of capitalising on errors. Adelaide were one-dimensional tonight and I thought their defence struggled again, perhaps with the exception of Mark Keane.
Boos from the Adelaide crowd greeted the final siren, which probably says it all. It’s a successful Richmond ambush tonight.
The Tigers are going to hang on!
It’s going to be a massive win for Adem Yze and his young side, and it’s going to be a piercing defeat for Matthew Nicks and his team.
Siren seconds away.
Billy Dowling puts it out on the full!
The debutant had a chance to be a real hero, but his set shot from directly in front shanks out on the full.
Moments later Dowling gets another half-chance, but his quick snap falls short and is rushed through. Eight-point game, 2:13 to play.
The Crows dodge a bullet there!
The Tigers had bust out on the counter-attack and had Shai Bolton out with the whole 50 to himself. But the ball somehow evaded him, bouncing at right angles away from the silky Bolton.
The Tigers trap it inside their attacking end with another stoppage. Four minutes to play. Crows rapidly running out of time.
Key Event
Less than five minutes to go!
This game has definitely gone up a notch.
The Adelaide crowd’s on its feet.
Do these young Tigers have the legs and experience to hold on?
Billy Dowling kicks a big goal on debut! Crows still alive!
The Tigers stopped for a second as a holding the ball decision was paid on the wing, and in that moment the Crows sprung forward and were gone.
Still stacks of work for Dowling to do, but from 45 out on the run he steadied and absolutely split the middle. It’s a nine-point game, and still right up for grabs.
Key Event
Ten minutes left to play
The Tigers are shutting the game down with repeat stoppages and making it hard for Adelaide to get any real run on. Still stacks of time with the margin only 15 points.
Richmond have made their sub now, with Tyler Sonsie coming off for Kane McAuliffe. Looks like a tactical one for some fresh legs. McAuliffe is a natural ball winner too and a really tough kid, just what these last few minutes are calling for.
Key Event
SUB MADE: Crows bring McHenry in
An injury has forced Matthew Nicks’s hand here.
Kieran Strachan – fresh off his first goal in AFL footy – has been given the red vest.
The Crows say he’s injured his groin.
Ned McHenry is brought straight into the action.
Seth Campbell with a special finish! The Tigers do respond!
They’ve been running forward in waves all night tonight, and that is yet another flowing move and brilliant finish from a small Tigers forward.
Richmond forced two or three turnovers with big tackles in the lead up, with the ball eventually falling to Campbell running clear about 45 from goal on a tight angle. The drop punt faded back to perfection and reinstated a 15-point lead for Richmond.
Darcy Fogarty boots another one and the Crows are making a move
Two goals in as many minutes for Adelaide, who are very swiftly back in business here.
Balta just lost touch on Fogarty as another ball came in deep, and the Big Darcy is in too good a form to be allowed a clear run at the footy. What do the Tigers have now?
Key Event
Is Kosi in trouble?
This isn’t what Jacob Koschitzke needed on his return to AFL football.
Mark Keane took a while to get back to his feet after this, right before the three-quarter time siren.
Josh Rachele gives the Crows the hot start in the last
Just as they did in the third quarter, Adelaide come straight out of the first centre clearance and put a goal on the board.
Rachele made some space for himself in the marking contest with a little shove on Vlastuin and held on to the grab. He has two now, and it’s back to 16.
Key Event
3QT: Tigers burst out to a 22-point lead
It was a fantastic quarter for Richmond, but it could have been even better. In the last minute Jacob Koschitzke took a big pack mark, beating Mark Keane in the process. After their little run in moments before tempers were hot, and Noah Cumberland came in hot and shoved the Crows’ defender to the ground, turning the ball over and costing Richmond a crucial chance.
It’s a missed chance for the Tigers, but one of their few blemishes for the entire night so far. They have seriously outhunted Adelaide tonight and in Baker and Bolton boast the most lively and dangerous players on the field.
This would be a damaging defeat for Adelaide, almost unfathomably so. They’ve got four goals to make up and a quarter to do it. The gauntlet has been thrown down.
Kamdyn McIntosh kicks his second for the Tigers!
He might not be in line for the votes anymore, but he’s still having an influence! Bolton fed a quick handball out to McIntosh outside a stoppage and his drop punt split the middle.
Moments before that, Mark Keane was felled off the ball by a swinging Jacob Koschitzke elbow. It was a crude one and Keane was down in pain for quite some time.
