Richmond’s yellow and black army were singing in the rain on Saturday night after their beloved Tigers marked Trent Cotchin’s 300-game milestone with a stirring win in the wet over St Kilda.
What began as a night of reminiscing for Tigers supporters finished with many of them daring to dream of another September after their club recovered from a tardy start then held firm as the committed but unimaginative Saints surged in the second half to prevail by 20 points.
This was a banner night for the Tigers, with many in the crowd of 62,686 sticking around to watch their triple premiership captain hoisted on the shoulders of Jack Riewoldt and Dustin Martin to a guard of honour from players of both sides. His three kids were also given the special treatment.
Cotchin may be well into the twilight of his career, but he turned the clock back to his glory years with a vintage performance of 29 possessions and two goals.
It was a mix of old and new. Martin was constant menace with 34 disposals. Nick Vlastuin and Dylan Grimes were rocks in a resilient defence. Recruit Tim Taranto revelled in the wet, signing off a 38-disposal game with a checkside kick for the sealer.
Two points out of the eight, the Tigers are now within striking distance to mount a charge for the finals – a scenario that seemed unlikely when coach Damien Hardwick sensationally pulled the pin last month.
Watching from the stands after his overseas jaunt, Hardwick would have loved seeing what he called the “Richmond way” as his former charges squeezed the Saints for space, creating panic.
There was a rousing ovation from the crowd when Hardwick appeared on the big screen in the final seconds with the four points secured.
Such a result seemed unlikely after the Saints bolted out of the gates with the first four goals of the game. They were first at the ball and pressured hard to lock the ball inside their forward 50.
Error-riddled early, the Tigers settled after Shai Bolton capitalised on a goal-line mistake by Callum Wilkie for their opener, then produced some of their best footy of the season.
Shai Bolton of the Tigers is tackled by Marcus Windhager of the Saints. Credit: Getty Images
The spiritual boost came from Cotchin, who roused the crowd and his teammates – all of whom mobbed him after his first goal. More telling from a Saints point of view was their inattention to detail, which allowed an unguarded Jayden Short to slip out the back to drain two long bombs.
The Saints’ ball movement was also stifled. Denied deep entries inside 50, they were unable to have the game played in their front half to pressure the Tigers’ defence.
Played in teeming rain, the second half was a slog. With the ball as slippery as a cake of soap, clean possession was a rarity in the first 15 minutes of the third quarter.
Goals were a premium, so when Vlaustuin snapped his first since 2020, stretching the margin to 25 points, there was good reason to believe the Tigers were home.
Red time spelled red alert for the Tigers. Dan Butler pegged one back against the flow, Jack Higgins soccered one through a mass of bodies in the goal square and when Ryan Byrnes goaled nearing three-quarter-time the margin was just six points.
BEST AND WORST OF BALTA
There are few players in the competition who have as big a gap between their best and worst as Noah Balta, or the capacity to rapidly swing from one end of the spectrum to the other.
After out-marking Max King on the half-back flank, the athletic defender kicked short to a contest where the Tigers were out-numbered then was caught holding the ball. From the free kick, the Saints scored a much-needed goal through Anthony Caminiti.
Noah Balta.Credit: AFL Photos
Balta was locked in an entertaining and at times spiteful duel with King. The Saints forward shoved the ball into his chest after beating him hands down in a marking contest in the first quarter.
“He’s giving him a f****** bath,” was one Saint’s blunt analysis of the match-up.
He jumped the gun. King had little impact after quarter-time, failing to add to his two goals, while Balta was a major reason why the Tigers won.
BLUNDER-BALL
They call them coach killers – and both sides were guilty of embarrassing blunders.
Jack Ross endured a wretched few minutes early in the game. First, he missed a simple shot from close range, then at the other end of the ground he drilled a kick straight to the man guarding the mark in Butler, who kicked truly from about 50 metres out.
It was Callum Wilkie’s turn in the second quarter, picking out Liam Baker, also on the mark, who dribbled one through the vacant goal square. Cuddly Ross did well to maintain control.
BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Cotchin, Martin, Balta, Bolton, Short, D.Rioli.
St Kilda: Sinclair, Butler, Crouch, Hill.
