In a Tweet

The Rundown

This Round 20 match-up was a vital game for both sides, who faced different challenges as they entered the final month of the 2017 season.

Over their last six games, the Hawks had posted four wins, a draw with GWS and a three-point loss to Geelong.         

The brown and gold train had picked up some late-season form and was threatening any finals-bound contender.

One of those contenders was Richmond, who required a win to all but guarantee themselves a top-four finish.

After jumping out of the gates early with a five goal to one opening term, the Tigers remained in control the entire game.

The margin barely wavered from that first-break margin and, with the impressive victory, the Tigers had asserted themselves as a team to watch in the imminent finals series.

The Star

Amongst the depth of production that Richmond had on the day, Josh Caddy was the stand-out for the Tigers.

In what was his best game for the club, the former Cat kicked a career-best four goals to go with his 28 possessions, six inside 50s and nine marks.

Deployed into a deep forward role for the majority of the day, Caddy proved a difficult match-up for the Hawks.

The Moment

There were few moments of absolute brilliance that set Richmond apart from the Hawks in this clash.

Instead, it was the repetition of the Tigers’ effort that slowly ground down the Hawks.

Midway through the third quarter, the Tigers had a clear stranglehold of the game.

There was a stoppage in their defensive half of the ground which they won as their players proceeded to burst away from the trailing Hawks.

The explosion was noticeable but not necessarily pretty- the ball passed through the hands of their fleet of small forwards: Caddy, Castagna, Lambert and then into Butler inside forward 50 who finally fed a waiting Dustin Martin who slammed home the major.

It wasn’t so much a moment but rather a symbol of the brand of footy that the Tigers had discovered that was now troubling every side in the competition.

The Coach

"They're as good as any side in the competition at making you pay on the turnover and getting open goals. I think of their 13 goals, nearly seven or eight of them were goal square goals and that's a reflection of just how easily the ball moves from one end of the ground to the other.”

  • Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson

 

RICHMOND          5.4          6.8          9.10        13.15 (93)
HAWTHORN         1.3          2.5          4.8           9.10 (64)

GOALS
Richmond: Caddy 4, C.Ellis 2, Martin 2, Rioli, Cotchin, Soldo, Prestia, Nankervis
Hawthorn: Miles 2, Breust 2, Schoenmakers 2, Roughead 2, Mitchell

BEST
Richmond: Caddy, Prestia, Martin, Lambert, Nankervis, Rance, Grimes
Hawthorn: Sicily, Mitchell, Smith, Howe, Roughead, Gunston

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Fisher, Schmitt, Findlay

Official crowd: 58,342 at the MCG