It was a dominant performance by the reigning premiers at Etihad Stadium, as they bounced back from their loss against Greater Western Sydney last week with a clinical 54-point win over St Kilda.
Jack Riewoldt was at his damaging best with four goals, while Dustin Martin seemed to find his best form with a classy 30 disposals.
The Tigers booted 11 goals in the second half opposed to St Kilda's two, and while the Saints put together a much-improved second half, the damage had well and truly been done as their opposition steamrolled them without so much as breaking a sweat.
With St Kilda’s traditional red making way for purple in the third Maddie’s Match against Richmond, it was a big night for the Saints as they looked to build on a period of good form.
But Richmond were a completely different test to anything they had faced in recent weeks, as the red-hot Tigers looked to rectify their close loss last Saturday with a big win on the Friday night stage.
With much to play for, the Tigers came out of the blocks firing as reigning Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin imposed his himself on the game immediately through a goal in the first minute.
It would be the first of six Richmond first quarter goals, while St Kilda only squeezed through the one for the term.
The danger signs would continue to grow for the lowly Saints as star forward Jack Riewoldt and underrated midfielder Kane Lambert put through their first of the night to give Richmond an early buffer.
David Armitage would get one back for the Saints midway through the term to renew hope for the St Kilda faithful, but it was all Richmond as St Kilda struggled to absorb the frenetic pressure put on by last year’s premiers.
In a complete turn around to last year's encounter at the Docklands, the Tiger’s would feast on the Saints as goals to Trent Cotchin, Daniel Rioli and Jack Higgins in the latter stages of the first term would give them a convincing 32-point lead at quarter-time.
With their backs well and truly against the wall, the Saints needed somebody to stand up and take the game to the dominant Tigers, yet another five-goal-to-one term prevented them from making any ground.
The second term would start in a remarkably similar way to the first as a swift Tigers clearance resulted in another goal to Riewoldt within the first two minutes.
Looking almost second-rate at times, St Kilda could only watch as the Richmond machine began to dismantle them.
Midfield hard-nut, Dion Prestia, would add two goals from front and centre quickly after to further extend the margin as proceedings were bordering on embarrassing for the Saints.
Josh Caddy would continue his accuracy in front of goal with a clever snap from the boundary midway through the term.
It would take until the 26-minute mark for St Kilda to register a goal for the second quarter as young ruckman Rowan Marshall took a strong grab and converted to briefly lift the mood around Etihad Stadium.
The Tigers would be quick in their response however, as Riewoldt put through his third goal of the half to bring the margin back out to 45 points at the main change.
After an extremely disappointing first half, the Saints started with a bang in the third term as Jack Steven cleverly roved a contest and soccered through a Goal of the Year contender from the boundary.
Playing with a new sense of desire for the contest, the Saints were able to get their run going and start challenging the reigning premiers.
After missing a set shot minutes earlier, Tim Membrey was able to convert from long range to bring the Saints back within striking distance halfway through the term.
It wouldn’t take long for the Tigers to kick back in to gear however, as Caddy settled the nerves with his second goal before Riewoldt slotted his fourth to restore a 50-point buffer.
A classy finish by St Kilda goalsneak Jade Gresham would be a consolation prize for the battered Saints, who after producing a solid quarter of football still trailed by 57 points behind at the final change.
Shaun Grigg would get the Tigers underway in the fourth term as they looked to gain yet another percentage boost going into the final rounds of the season.
Journeyman Shane Edwards would get in on the act just minutes later as it seemed as if the Saints were going to get completely run over by the Richmond juggernaut.
But the Saints would again mount some sort of resistance to instil some pride from the night, as goals to Membrey, Maverick Weller and Gresham towards the end of the last term reduced the margin to 54 at the final siren.
Richmond will look to continue their undefeated record in Victoria as they face arch-rivals Collingwood in a blockbuster game next Saturday afternoon at the MCG, while the Saints will hope to respond from their poor performance as they take on an in form Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium on Saturday evening.
ST KILDA 1.2 2.3 5.7 8.9 (57)
RICHMOND 6.4 11.7 14.10 16.15 (111)
GOALS
St Kilda: Membrey 2, Gresham 2, Armitage, Weller, Steven, Marshall
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Prestia 3, Caddy 2, Edwards, Rioli, Cotchin, Higgins, Grigg, Martin, Lambert
BEST
St Kilda: Ross, Gresham, Steele, Geary, Marshall
Richmond: Prestia, Riewoldt, Martin, Short, Lambert
INJURIES
St Kilda: Nil
Richmond: Nil
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