Richmond has humiliated a hapless Brisbane outfit with a 93-point thumping in front of 32,870 stunned spectators at the MCG.
The 93-point margin was Richmond’s biggest ever over the Lions, while Brisbane's 2.5.17 scoreline was their lowest since the Fitzroy era.
It very much looked like a match between the first and last placed teams from the previous season, with Richmond’s skills slick throughout and Brisbane’s comparatively deplorable.
Dustin Martin finished with six goals.
The Lions entered the game with optimism, having played far more competitively than their 0-3 start suggested.
After turning the ball over in the defensive 50 and nearly gifting Brisbane the first goal, Dustin Martin made amends, winning a free kick and snapping truly.
Jack Riewoldt took a brilliant contested mark in the goal square soon after, and converted a simple shot.
Richmond’s midfield was led superbly by Trent Cotchin, with Martin spending most of his time u[ forward, while the Lions struggled to take the ball beyond the half-forward line.
Josh Caddy and Martin nailed set shots as the game quickly got out of hand for the Lions.
Stefan Martin feasted on his shorter opponents in the ruck, yet the Lions were still unable to capitalise; the quarter finishing with a Jason Castagna goal following a picture-perfect left foot pass from Riewoldt.
Castagna picked up where he left off after the break, taking a simple mark following a Brisbane turnover - one of many times the Lions were made to pay for skill errors.
The margin only turned uglier, as Jacob Townsend made it seven in a row, and that was in spite of a couple of surprising Riewoldt misses.
Brisbane appeared to almost give up on their already outmatched forward line, and sent a loose man to defence in a bid to stifle the Tigers’ scoring power.
Dustin Martin scored his third as an embarrassing goalless half became a reality for Brisbane.
Castagna, then Martin continued to pile on the pain for the Lions in the third quarter as the rain came down in earnest.
Stefan Martin continued to be the one winner for Brisbane, as their rare forays forward typically came from the centre clearances, where the hardworking ruckman usually gave his midfielders the first opportunity.
He also won a total of nine free kicks.
In the final minute of the third quarter, Dayne Zorko at long last put the Lions on the scoreboard, with a clever crumbing goal.
Dustin Martin, who spent nearly the whole match up forward, kicked two more goals in the final quarter to bring his tally to six.
Amid a bunch of final quarter goals to the Tigers, Cameron Rayner converted the second for the Lions, also capping his best individual performance so far.
Richmond now sit at 3-1, with a vastly improved percentage, and with their next two matches also at the MCG against Melbourne and Collingwood.
Brisbane meanwhile will be desperate to secure their first win of the season and prevent a 0-5 start when they face Gold Coast at the 'Gabba.
RICHMOND 16.14 (110)
BRISBANE 2.5 (17)
GOALS
Richmond: Martin 6, Castagna 3, Townsend 3, Lambert 2, Riewoldt, Caddy
Brisbane: Zorko, Rayner
BEST
Richmond: D. Martin, Cotchin, Grimes, Townsend, Castagna, Ellis, Grigg, Conca
Brisbane: S. Martin, Rayner, Hodge
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Brisbane: Nil
TALKING POINTS
1. RECORDS TUMBLE
Brisbane had their worst loss at the hands of the Tigers, eclipsing the previous record of 82 points.
The 17 points kicked by the Lions was also the lowest score in the club’s history.
It was hard to pinpoint a single area where it went so wrong for the Lions.
While they won the clearance battle and a fair portion of the ruck contests, their forward line lacked cohesion and a target, their pressure was poor, and their skills were horrendous from start to finish.
Once they put a loose man behind the ball it was nearly impossible for a battling forward line led by Eric Hipwood and Josh Walker to score.
2. THE TIGERS ARE SITTING PRETTY
They’re 3-1, have in-form cult heroes and premiership players ready and waiting in the wings, their percentage has just been dramatically boosted, and that’s just the start of it.
The Tigers, following a grueling match against Hawthorn, should be able to recover from this game very easily, given its lack of physicality and low pressure.
Their next two matches are again at the MCG, which will excite the Tiger Army beyond comprehension.
Dustin Martin spent almost the entire game away from the midfield, where the most stain is typically put on players; bodies.
He’s in hot form as well, cruising to six goals, backed by a very complete team performance with no weak links.
Watch out.
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