Richmond has won a thriller over the Western Bulldogs at the MCG by three points, after a tense final few minutes which almost saw the Tigers lose their record streak at the home of football.
Jack Riewoldt firmed for Coleman Medal favouritism with five goals, including his 600th, to move seven ahead of Ben Brown, while Jackson Macrae nearly willed the Bulldogs over the line with a brilliant 43-disposal effort.
The Tigers led from midway through the third quarter onwards, but the Bulldogs had plenty of chances to snatch victory, three times hitting the post in the final quarter.
The Bulldogs set the tone from the outset, out-working the Tigers in close, showing clean hands and excellent tackling pressure.
They earned more opportunities, but due to a few dismally wayward shots, and they couldn’t open up a comfortable lead.
It was goal-for-goal through most of the first quarter, as Josh Schache and Jack Riewoldt each got their sides on the board.
The Bulldogs’ midfield was right on top, and their ability to possess the ball and take it forward was as good as it has looked all year, led by Macrae and Lachie Hunter.
A snap from Fergus Greene went out on the full, but he had another within a minute, and the second one went through.
Jack Graham booted a pair of goals for the Tigers, while the Bulldogs had a few highlights, through a long Brad Lynch goal and a big mark at full forward from Jackson Trengove.
Shaun Grigg registered the first behind of the match with only three minutes left in the quarter, but the kick-in was turned over, and some Daniel Rioli brilliance set up Jack Graham for his third.
While the Bulldogs had started the game in sensational form, Richmond were flexing their muscle and starting to win the territory battle.
However, just as they looked like they were going to open up a lead the Bulldogs responded through a gritty mark and goal from Macrae.
Lynch snagged his second with thirty seconds left in the quarter, and an enthralling quarter finished with the Bulldogs leading with six goals to Richmond’s five.
Richmond were intent to slow the Bulldogs’ scoring to start the next quarter, and although the first goal was nearly ten minutes coming, thanks to a resolute determination to take the game on, the Bulldogs kept creating opportunities.
Josh Dunkley kicked two goals, the first from a stoppage, and the second thank to a dazzling piece of play from full back to full forward.
A couple umpiring decisions went Richmond’s way, and Dustin Martin was able to kick the goal, which ended the Western Bulldogs’ run of four in a row.
The pace of the game remained frenetic, as above all, both sides preferred to run the ball and look for open players than kick the ball high into packs.
Richmond started struggling for accuracy, and although they regained control of the game for the rest of the quarter, they only scored one goal, through Josh Caddy, and they went into half-time trailing 6.7 (49) to 8.3 (51).
While Richmond can put on a show when they take the game on, their best is not necessarily exciting, but it can wear down anyone.
The Bulldogs were playing inspired football but the degree of difficulty on every disposal was massive, and they started to struggle to string passages of play together.
Dustin Martin lifted from an already good performance, with 13 disposals for the quarter.
Toby Nankervis put Richmond in front as he worked hard to be an option up forward, before Jason Castagna kicked his first.
In the second half of the quarter the Bulldogs came again, as impressive youngster Ed Richards wobbled through a goal from the half-forward line.
Billy Gowers put the Bulldogs back in front, but only briefly, as Jack Riewoldt was paid a pack mark and kicked his second goal.
Kamdyn McIntosh pushed the margin back out to eight points with a lovely set shot from the boundary line, and after there had only been two goals in the first ten minutes of the quarter, there had now been four goals in the last four minutes.
Hunter and Macrae continued to amass possessions, but Jason Johanissen, whose dash and skill out of the backline had given the Bulldogs so much drive in the first half, went missing and Richmond were now well on top.
Riewoldt kicked his third goal of the game, and the 600th of his career after another nice mark, which extended his Coleman Medal lead to five.
A late Billy Gowers goal brought the margin back to eight in the shadows of three-quarter time, but the Bulldogs looked tired.
Riewoldt took another strong mark inside 50, over Hayden Crozier and Caleb Daniel, and booted his fourth, still the Bulldogs kept coming, as Bailey Williams took a gutsy mark straight after and once again returned the margin to eight.
Riewoldt was in awesome form in the second half, and Martin set him up for his fifth as the Dogs' defence struggled to find an answer to his impressive run.
Patrick Lipinski’s courage to go back with the flight ultimately was rewarded with two big head knocks which saw him stretchered from the ground, with Marcus Bontempelli left with the shot on goal.
When Bontempelli eventually took his kick, he missed a golden opportunity, before Billy Gowers hit the post moments later.
Castagna kicked his second from close range with seven minutes left, and the 18-point margin looked a bridge too far for the flagging Dogs, but they kept taking the game on and curly-haired midfielders Jason Johannisen and Mitch Wallis combined for another goal to keep the game alive.
Bontempelli had played a very good second half, working brilliantly around the stoppages, and he engineered another clearance, but Jordan Roughead’s set shot from the forward pocket hit the post, before Billy Gowers won a free kick in a pack shortly after.
This time he kicked the goal – his third – and the margin was brought back to five points with four and a half minutes left.
The Bulldogs had their tails right up again, and they were now owning the clearances.
Hunter missed another gettable chance, but they remained close to goal for the remaining minutes.
Lynch had two difficult shots in the final minute, but the first went out of bounds and the second hit the post, and Richmond hung on, to complete an outstanding 18-4 season.
The Bulldogs are likely to remain in 13th position, finishing the season with eight wins, taking it up to the ladder-leaders right to the very end after three consecutive victories from rounds 20-22.
RICHMOND 5.1 7.7 12.8 15.8 (98)
WESTERN BULLDOGS 6.0 8.3 11.6 14.11 (95)
BEST
Richmond: Martin, Riewoldt, Graham, Prestia, Houli, Nankervis
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Hunter, Naughton, Johannison, Morris, Bontempelli
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Graham 3, Castagna 2, Martin, Short, Caddy, Nankervis, McIntosh
Western Bulldogs: Gowers 3, Dunkley, Lynch 2, Wallis, Richards, Greene, Williams, Macrae, Shache, Trengove
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Western Bulldogs: Lipinski (concussion)
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