Cavalry’s arrival keeps hopes high for Tigers
THE cavalry has arrived and hopes are rising at Richmond after it snapped a three-game losing streak at St Kilda’s expense.
The big scalp that Saints coach Alan Richardson badly needs went begging again yesterday at Marvel Stadium, with the Tigers breaking clear of St Kilda in the last term for a 33point win.
Richmond was scratchy as it welcomed back seven players after the mid-season bye, headed by captain Trent Cotchin, but the 16.7 (103) to 10.10 (70) win puts it back into the top eight.
Jack Riewoldt and Toby Nankervis are also nearing returns from their injuries and after next week’s trip to Gold Coast, they close out the regular season with seven straight MCG matches.
“Our season really does start now,” Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said. “Have we been playing our best footy? No. But we know our best footy is probably in front of us.
“We have to play a lot better. I feel we’re scratching the surface with what we can do, but we certainly know our best is good enough.” Hardwick said Riewoldt could return as early as next week.
The Tigers struggled early, with the Saints taking a 23point lead in the second term, but first-year sensation Sydney Stack and Sudanese-born big man Mabior Chol were — outstanding.
Stack took a soaring mark in the first term and then kicked the Tigers’ first goal. He finished with four for the game and Chol kicked three. Chol put a dagger through the Saints’ hearts in the last term when he capitalised on their confusion at a boundary throw-in.
The Richmond ruck-for
S. Stack 4, M. Chol 3, T. Lynch 3, B. Ellis, D. Rioli, J. Caddy, J. Castagna, J. Graham, S. Bolton.
J. Bruce 3, N. Hind 2, B. Acres, B. Long, M. Parker, R. Marshall, T. Membrey.
M. Chol, D. Martin, D. Grimes, S. Stack, D. Prestia, K. Lambert, B. Houli. R. Marshall, H. Clark, B. Long, J. Carlisle. 40,962 — Marvel Stadium. ward ran forward, grabbed the ball and kicked the easiest of goals.
“That was incredibly frustrating, six points for nothing,” Richardson said. Hardwick was rapt with how well Chol and Stack played.
“That’s the exuberance of youth, the excitement they bring,” he said. While the loss means more pressure on Richardson, it was far from a disaster. He pointed to new players such as Nick Coffield, Hunter Clark, Callum Wilkie and Ben Long, who all showed encouraging signs against Richmond. But after starting the game with seven-straight goals, the Saints sprayed 2.7 in the last term as Richmond sealed the win with 7.3. The two teams were even with inside 50s and it was a lack of polish that doomed St Kilda.
“We’re so disappointed, because of the effort that the boys showed for such a long time,” Richardson.