Richmond’s bid for a long-awaited AFL finals berth is gathering pace, after smashing the Western Bulldogs by 60 points at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
The 17.19 (121) to 8.13 (61) victory was the Tigers’ third straight and the second time this season they have made light work of the Dogs, having also belted them by 67 points in round three.
Bachar Houli and Brett Deledio again gave Richmond strong drive off halfback, despite the close attention of Bulldog taggers Nick Lower and Liam Picken respectively.
Midfielder Dustin Martin gathered 23 disposals, kicked a classy goal in the second quarter and set up several others with penetrating passes.
Former Port Adelaide key defender Troy Chaplin again showed his worth as a recruit for the Tigers, keeping Bulldog spearhead Liam Jones quiet to lead a tight Richmond defence, while hard man Steven Morris blanketed Dogs livewire Luke Dahlhaus.
Jack Riewoldt kicked three goals.
The win lifts Richmond to sixth spot, above Collingwood on percentage and two games clear of ninth-placed Carlton, with the Tigers on an 8-4 record.
Only twice in the past three decades have Richmond been as well or better-placed 12 games into a season, in 1995 and 2001 – also the only two years they’ve played finals in that stretch.
Despite being on top throughout, the Tigers took time to put the Bulldogs away.
They kicked three of the first four goals, but followed that with a string of five consecutive behinds, allowing the Dogs to stay within 11 points at the first change.
Richmond opened the second quarter with four quick goals, but the Bulldogs steadied late in the half and an after-the-siren goal to Jake Stringer from a 50m penalty kept the halftime margin to 22.
But the Tigers blasted 53 points clear with 5.3 to two behinds in the decisive third quarter.
Big man Ty Vickery kicked two goals for the term, including one from a clever pack mark with the flight of the ball.
The last quarter became Tiger party time, with Daniel Jackson snapping a banana goal he could barely believe himself.
But the mood soured slightly when Chaplin went off with a leg injury late in the game, while fellow Tigers defender David Astbury was icing his left hamstring after being subbed off in the third term.
Captain Matthew Boyd was the Dogs’ best, gathering 34 touches and keeping opposing skipper Trent Cotchin quiet, while fellow midfielder Ryan Griffen (38 disposals) was also prolific.
MORE