Greater Western Sydney has recorded a sensational victory at home against Richmond, exorcising their preliminary final demons with a thrilling two-point win.
Tonight marks Richmond’s fourth loss from four starts interstate, and loosens their grip on top spot, although their claim for top-of-the-table honours will remain safe for another week.
The Giants held a 24-point lead late in the third quarter, thanks to a terrific midfield performance from their stars Lachie Whitfield (35 disposals), Dylan Shiel (29) and Steven Coniglio (30), before Richmond’s dramatic comeback.
GWS made a bright start, with Josh Kelly scoring a typically classy goal out of congestion, before Ryan Griffen’s long pass to Rory Lobb carried the pack and bounced through.
Daniel Rioli got Richmond on the scoreboard, but in general, the Tigers’ ball movement was breaking down around half-forward, while GWS’ ball movement was typically scintillating.
Missing their two key forwards for another week, the Giants had to rely on smaller players to bypass Alex Rance, David Astbury and Dylan Grimes.
They managed to pull it off to perfection, with a lovely pass from Adam Kennedy – playing his first game for over a year – finding Coniglio who put through the Giants’ third.
Griffen and Coniglio in particular played brilliantly, and while Lobb and Harrison Himmelberg did a good job occupying the talls, Zac Langdon capitalised on the scoreboard, winning a free kick and jagging another for the Giants.
The Tigers worked the contest, and at last were able to get the ball down their end for an extended period, but they struggled to translate it onto the board.
Rioli eventually tore forward and kicked his second after a flurry of minor scores, thrusting Richmond back into the game with just nine points separating the two at the first change.
Richmond carried over their momentum into the next quarter scoring four goals to three, as either GWS’s pressure dropped, or Richmond were able to adapt better.
Jack Riewoldt took a screamer and brought the margin back to three, but immediately afterwards, the Giants opted for shorter passes and once again and used their skills to find forward targets.
Langdon once again was the final benefactor, kicking his second goal, this time a beautiful set shot from deep in the pocket.
General play was very even throughout the term, but was perhaps swinging the Tigers’ way, and that caused GWS a lot of problems, given Richmond arguably had the upper hand at either end of the ground.
Still, even after Josh Caddy kicked Richmond’s fourth the Giants clung to a three-point lead.
Both sides were evenly matched, leading to a fast-paced game that still had plenty of physicality.
Following a slower period in terms of scoring, Dustin Martin crumbed and put Richmond in front for the first time.
Jason Castagna similarly had a few opportunities to widen the gap for the remainder of the quarter, but couldn’t put any of them through, and although the Giants’ avenues to goal were now completely dried up, the contest remained very tight.
Finally, Toby Greene - whose return to the side wasn’t working out in a whole lot of disposals at all - drew a high tackle and ran past the man on the mark for a typically polarising highlight.
A late goal to Dion Prestia gave the Tigers the lead back in the final minute of the half, but it was undone by an even later goal to Kelly in the final 20 seconds.
To start the third quarter the Giants were right on top, with the usual suspects Callan Ward, Shiel and Whitfield exerting a massive amount of influence, keeping the Tigers goalless with an unanswered three-goal term.
After three consecutive behinds, GWS flexed their muscle.
Langdon one-out again marked and goaled, before a brilliant passage of play from the wing resulted in a Tim Taranto goal.
Taranto kicked another, and in the blink of an eye Richmond had their backs to the wall, facing a four-goal deficit.
Shai Bolton streamed forward and handballed to Dustin Martin in a desperate attempt to fight back, and although a goal to the Tigers looked imminent, the Giants were playing inspired football, and through sheer determination they are perhaps not renowned for, saved a goal.
The Tigers continued to press, but one way or another, couldn’t score the goal they desperately needed as 10.10 to 6.10 became 10.10 to 6.15.
Whitfield finished the quarter with fifteen disposals, as the Giants ran the Tigers off their feet to take a commanding 19-point lead at the final change.
Richmond needed a fast start to the last quarter, and they certainly got it, after a few desperate acts from Caddy and Riewoldt in the forward pocket to keep the ball in play allowed Rioli to snap his third.
The intensity was right up, and Nankervis delivered shortly after, taking a big mark, and drilling the goal.
Still, in the early stages of the last quarter the margin was back to seven points, and Richmond were doing all the attacking.
Greene kicked a lovely set shot to extend the lead to 13 points, but up the other end, Jayden Short’s response was equally impressive and ultimately kept the Tigers in the hunt.
Castagna won a lucky free kick soon after, and, hitting the post, went to 0.5 for the night to bring the margin back to a straight kick with seven minutes left to play.
Both sides attacked hard over the next five minutes, but both failed to score.
A long set shot from Bolton went out on the full in the game’s twilight stages, and when Taranto scored a point with 56 seconds left, the Giants led by 7 and a win appeared imminent.
But Richmond came again.
Martin was instrumental in the final minutes, taking the ball from one end to the other, resulting in Riewoldt snapping a goal with still time left for a miracle victory.
Shiel, whose class was equally pivotal in the final stages, won the subsequent clearance, with a final behind to Sam Reid getting the Giants home.
The loss will leave Richmond equal top on the ladder with either Collingwood or West Coast depending on results tomorrow, ahead of a Friday night fixture with St Kilda, while Greater Western Sydney are back in the top-eight for the time being, although they have a tough game with Port Adelaide awaiting next Sunday.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 4.3 7.6 10.10 11.13 (79)
RICHMOND 2.6 6.10 6.15 10.17 (77)
GOALS
Greater Western Sydney: Langdon 3, Taranto, Kelly, Greene 2, Griffen, Coniglio
Richmond: Rioli 3, Riewoldt 2, Prestia Caddy Nankervis, Martin, Short
BEST
Greater Western Sydney: Whitfield, Shiel, Shaw, Ward, Coniglio, Langdon
Richmond: Martin, Rioli, Astbury, Short, Lambert, Prestia
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