CROUCHING TIGERS, HIDDEN CONTENDERS

WEST Coast, Geelong and, not all that long ago, Collingwood were the teams to beat in September.

But is Richmond the sleeping giant?

The Tigers roared back into contention for top-billing yesterday with a clinical dismantling of GWS Giants at the MCG.

The method? Known.

Explosive ball movement coupled with frenetic but considered pressure made the Giants look largely second-rate for prolonged periods.

After consecutive wins over inferior opposition (St Kilda and Gold Coast) the Tigers needed a scalp and got one in emphatic fashion, running out 27-point winners.

Dion Prestia and Shai Bolton sparked the onslaught, the latter putting in his best performance in yellow and black.

Sydney Stack and Mabior Chol looked irresistible in patches, while usual suspects Trent Cotchin, Bachar Houli, Dustin Martin and Brandon Ellis got plenty of the football.

Tom Lynch finished with three goals yesterday but the spearhead’s workrate and efforts at ground level was just as important as scoreboard impact.

Lynch has booted 37 goals in 16 games at Tigerland and the best looks set to come.

Roll of the dice or utter stupidity?

Either way, the Giants could rue the decision to play Stephen Coniglio yesterday at the MCG after the ball magnet, who hyper-extended his knee last week against Brisbane, lasted only five minutes before leaving the field with what appeared to be a serious injury.

With Josh Kelly (calf) already out for 2-3 weeks, the Giants’ premiership prospects could hinge on star midfielder Coniglio’s scans this week. — Gilbert Gardiner