Tigers continue charge
Coniglio woes for Giants
RICHMOND is coming, buoyed by a three-game winning streak and an impressive depth of talent.
The Tigers hit GWS hard in the first quarter yesterday at a sodden MCG and that proved decisive as they won by 27 points.
The win put Richmond fifth on the ladder, with six more MCG matches to close out their regular season.
By contrast the Giants have lost three in a row and star onballer Stephen Coniglio limped off in the first five minutes of the game with a knee injury.
As GWS reeled from Coniglio’s injury, the Tigers kicked four goals to none in the opening term.
The Giants rallied and closed to within nine points in the third term before Richmond kicked clear again.
With Jack Riewoldt successfully returning from injury and Toby Nankervis also only a fortnight away, Richmond’s playing stocks are strong.
Shai Bolton also played his best game for the Tigers and star recruit Tom Lynch kicked three goals as established stars such as Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin were less prominent in yesterday’s win.
Coach Damien Hardwick said selection headaches were going to be constant over the next few weeks.
“We’ve found some players who are going to be really, really good,” Hardwick said.
“I sat there and watched our ‘twos’ (reserves) today and I’m (thinking), ‘gee, I’d like to play him, I’d like to play him, I’d like to play him’.
But the Dogs responded through Dunkley, before goals to Lachie Hunter and Bailey Smith provided some breathing space.
The 22-year-old Dunkley was dominant, racking up 39 disposals (24 contested) and 15 tackles while kicking two goals.
“We’re in a good place at the moment with personnel coming back.”
While the Giants’ MCG misery continued — they are yet to defeat Richmond there — coach Leon Cameron said their effort was an eight or nine out of 10. But the slow start was costly and Coniglio’s injury might have been a factor.
Cameron also noted that was not the case in Round 4, when GWS rallied from Callan Ward’s season-ending knee injury for a stirring away win over Geelong.
“It probably got us for about 15-20 minutes, which is disappointing, because they kicked four goals,” he said.
GWS were already without Ward, Josh Kelly, Matt de Boer and Josh Kelly.
But Tim Taranto and Toby Greene were solid in the midfield and debutant Ian Hill was outstanding with three goals.
Lachie Whitfield had to leave the ground in the third term after he was crunched in his comeback game from injury, but played out the match.
Ultimately, Cameron felt that GWS errors hurt them too often. “Against Richmond, you make some little error and they just pounce on it,’’ he said.
“If we continue to throw that up, that effort, then your form will turn around.”
K. Lambert 3, T. Lynch 3, J. Castagna 2, J. Riewoldt, M. Chol, S. Bolton, S. Edwards, S. Stack.
I. Hill 3, J. Cameron 3, T. Greene 2, B. Daniels.
B. Houli, D. Grimes, S. Bolton, T. Lynch, K. Lambert, B. Ellis.
T. Taranto, L. Whitfield, I. Hill, T. Greene, J. Hopper. 38,986 at MCG.