Call it a dead big cat bounce. A month after their triple-premiership coach Damien Hardwick walked out, Richmond came into their clash against the Brisbane Lions knocking on the door of the eight, with three straight wins under stand-in Andrew McQualter ahead of the bye.
Ah yes: the bye. It’s possible the week’s break caught the Tigers napping. It certainly didn’t freshen them up. Whatever the case, the Tigers were ritually disembowelled by the Lions at their Gabba fortress. How many times does an era need to be officially declared over?
Charlie Cameron joins in as the Lions pile on the goals.Credit: Getty Images
True, it all went wrong even before the start, with Dustin Martin withdrawn due to illness and Jayden Short pulling up with a hamstring injury in the second quarter. Short had kicked the Tigers’ only goal of the first half, after a mis-kick by Keidean Coleman fell in his lap.
But it was in the centre where Richmond’s problems really began. It was a slaughter at the clearances, where Josh Dunkley did a number on the red-hot Tim Taranto, blocking him at every opportunity, allowing Lachie Neale to go to work.
By half-time, Neale had seven clearances to Taranto’s nil. Dunkley had just the one, but that wasn’t his role. It was a selfless defensive performance that once again underlined why the Lions were so desperate to land him from the Western Bulldogs.
It wasn’t just Taranto who was buried in the Lions’ first-half assault. Shai Bolton looks a shadow of the player vaunted as among the best in the competition. Trent Cotchin wrote his own fairytale for his 300th game two weeks ago, but there was no sequel here.
All of the Tigers’ best players were defenders, and the margin would have been worse if not for the efforts of Nathan Broad, Nick Vlastuin and Noah Balta. But that was also a reflection of how often the Lions went inside attack: 68 inside-50 entries to 38.
The Lions, for their part, were queuing up to hit the scoresheet: 10 in total. With Neale distributing the ball at will, Hugh McCluggage cut the Tigers to pieces with his ball use. Will Ashcroft, again, was all creativity and class.
And despite the best efforts of the Tigers’ defence, the Lions shared the spoils in attack. Joe Daniher did Joe Daniher things, kicking five goals, pinch-hitting effectively in the ruck and making a few blues along the way. Eric Hipwood continued an excellent run of form.
Head-turning performance: First-year Lion Will Ashcroft.Credit: Getty Images
In defence, coach Chris Fagan’s side is settling in a way that might break some hearts. Darcy Wilmot’s run and aggression is irresistible, and the kicking of Conor McKenna and Coleman is making it very hard for veteran Daniel Rich to reclaim a place in the side.
By the back of the third quarter, after the briefest show of resistance – it fell apart for the Richmond, who conceded four goals in the shadow of three-quarter time to be 72 points in arrears at the last change.
It was all academic after that. Dunkley, unfortunately, was substituted off the ground to make way for ruckman Darcy Fort with ice on his calf, but his job was done as the Lions waltzed to an 81-point win.
Richmond, of course, is not the first side to be belted by the Lions at the Gabba. But they remain 12th on the ladder, with the potential to fall further this weekend after losing a chunk of percentage. Surely, there’ll be no bouncing back this time.
BRISBANE LIONS 4.6 9.7 15.13 20.14 (134)
RICHMOND 1.3 1.7 4.7 7.11 (53)
GOALS
Brisbane Lions: Daniher 5, McCarthy 3, Cameron 2, Hipwood 2, Bailey 2, Neale 2, McKenna, Berry, Ah Chee, Wilmot.
Richmond: Hopper 2, Ross, Rioli, Short, Clarke, Cumberland.
BEST
Brisbane Lions: McCluggage, Neale, Dunkley, Daniher, Ashcroft, McInerney.
Richmond: Vlastuin, Balta, Short, Hopper.
INJURIES
Brisbane Lions: Dunkley (calf), Ah Chee (concussion).
Richmond: Martin (ill) replaced in selected side by Cumberland, Short (hamstring).
UMPIRES
Foot, Stephens, Williamson, Mollison.
CROWD
30,032 at the Gabba.
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