Our most mature win: Richmond coach

Coach Damien Hardwick rates Richmond’s stirring away victory against Port Adelaide as the most mature win in his time at the AFL club.

The Tigers stunned Port by 33 points as Melbourne upset the Western Bulldogs by 39 points and Essendon overwhelmed Brisbane by 58 points in Sunday’s games.

The Tigers’ 11.10 (76) to 5.13 (43) victory heaps more pressure on Port Adelaide, who sit in 13th spot on the ladder after three consecutive losses.

“It was a mature a win that I have seen at our footy club,” said Hardwick, this his sixth season as Richmond coach.

“Port are a proud club; they’d be disappointed after their loss last week to Brisbane; they’re playing for a club legend in Kane Cornes.

“We knew it was going to be a fierce contest and for our guys to absorb that … it was a really mature performance.”

Port’s Cornes ended his AFL career at 300 games, retiring after the loss to the Tigers.

And like Port, the Western Bulldogs’ losing streak is now at three games.

Melbourne’s 15.13 (103) to 9.10 (64) win over the Dogs at the MCG ended the Demons’ own three-game losing streak.

Meanwhile, Essendon coach James Hird hailed his team’s improvement after they overwhelmed the Lions with 12 goals in the second half for a 21.10 (136) to 12.6 (78) win.

“What I really liked about our game today was the pressure we put on the opposition, the way we won the contest,” Hird said.

“We’re pretty confident that if we do that and we do that well then the rest of the game will take care of itself.”

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said on the ABC that the two-time defending premiers are “teetering” after Saturday night’s thrilling four-point loss to Sydney.

The Hawks are yet to win two in a row this season, while the Swans are third on a ladder where all top four spots belong to non-Victorian teams.

Fremantle stayed unbeaten, two games clear on top, thanks to their 73-point mauling of North Melbourne on Saturday night.

West Coast’s 53-point win over St Kilda meant they maintained second place, while GWS – who beat Adelaide by four goals on Saturday – remain in fourth position.

Collingwood had a much-needed big win, thumping Gold Coast away by 69 points.

Geelong’s 77-point win over Carlton on Friday night ensured the Blues and the future of their coach Mick Malthouse would dominate the AFL discussion over the weekend.

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