Match

Richmond vs GWS Giants

Commentary / 28 Sep 2019

Pre Game

00:00
The Giants averaged a competition-high 106 marks in the home and away season, but have taken only 73 marks per game in the finals with more emphasis on long kicks, chaos, and territorial advantage.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
02:07
GWS has won the first two clearances of the game. The Giants have won the clearance count by four per game this season (ranked second), while the Tigers have lost the clearance count by five per game this season (ranked third-last).
02:35
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Rushed)
03:08
The opening score to the Tigers was sourced from a forward half intercept. Richmond averages 30 points per game from this source (ranked second).
06:00
Josh Kelly has had three early disposals for the Giants. Kelly has averaged 19.9 disposals, 6.5 contested possessions and four score involvements per game across his career against the Tigers, which are all his lowest returns against any team.
07:46
Richmond has an early 12-4 lead in the tackle count and has already won three free kicks for holding the ball. The Tigers are ranked No.1 for tackle differential this season and were ranked last in this measure in 2016.
09:18
After generating an inside 50 entry from the opening centre bounce, the Giants have conceded the next six entries to the Tigers.
09:54
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Jason Castagna)
11:00
Richmond leads 6-0 in forward half intercepts and has scored all three of its behinds from this source with GWS struggling to clear the ball from its defensive half.
12:22
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Daniel Lloyd)
12:45
The first score for the Giants also came from a forward half intercept. GWS has scored from only 28 percent of such intercepts this season which is ranked last.
16:27
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
16:42
GWS has generated the last five inside 50 entries after conceding the previous nine to Richmond, with both teams finding it difficult to move the ball due to the high pressure.
19:36
Bachar Houli has made a prominent start for the Tigers leading all players for contested possessions (five) and intercept possessions (four).
20:22
SCORE GOAL - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)
20:31
The first goal of the game to Jeremy Cameron and the Giants was sourced from an intercept in the defensive half. GWS averages 22 points per game from this source and the Tigers average a competition-high 27 points.
24:36
Another forward half tackle by the Tigers rewarded with a free kick launched the goal to Dustin Martin. Richmond has generated all four of its scores from forward half intercepts.
26:38
The Tigers have now recorded a total of 23 centre bounce clearances against the Giants this season. They have scored a total of only two points from these clearances.
27:12
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Daniel Rioli)
27:19
Richmond recorded kicking efficiency of 76 percent compared to GWS 68 percent in the first quarter. The Tigers have only lost once this season when recording higher kicking efficiency than their opposition.

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
01:38
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Harry Himmelberg)
01:57
The opening score of the second quarter was sourced from a forward half stoppage. GWS averages 19 points per game from this source (ranked second).
02:37
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Jason Castagna)
03:42
The Tigers scored 15 points from their intercept possessions won in the forward half against the Cats last round, which is their second-worst result recorded this season. The Riewoldt goal means they have already matched this return today.
05:23
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Jason Castagna)
05:43
Marlion Pickett making his debut today for the Tigers has been impressive early with six disposals and three score involvements. Pickett averaged 18 disposals, four tackles and ten contested possessions in his six VFL games this season.
07:38
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Dustin Martin)
08:00
Danger signs now for the Giants with four goals in a row to the Tigers. Martin and Pickett now have four score involvements each with the pressure from Richmond bringing GWS errors.
09:50
Richmond has now scored 3.3.(21) from 12 forward half intercepts with the ball locked in the Tiger forward half. The AFL average is 26 points per game from this source.
12:11
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Toby Greene)
15:07
Greater Western Sydney has averaged 39 points from its clearances this season (ranked second). Richmond currently leads 8-2 in points scored from stoppages and the Giants have a narrow 16-15 lead in clearances.
16:26
GWS averages 17 intercept marks per game (ranked second). Richmond currently leads 5-3 in this count, with the Giants unable to disrupt the Tiger ball movement.
18:45
Richmond averages a competition-high five free kicks per game for holding the ball. The Tigers have already won six such free kicks with their tackling pressure overwhelming the Giants.
19:16
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Matt de Boer)
20:31
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Brent Daniels)
20:56
Tim Taranto has been prominent in the second quarter for the Giants with 11 disposals, three clearances and three score involvements.
23:08
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Jack Riewoldt)
23:16
Richmond has now scored 2.0.(12) from four forward half clearances while GWS has only scored one behind from five such clearances.
26:01
In the second quarter, GWS has recorded kicking efficiency of only 50 percent compared to Richmond 71 percent.
27:55
Jack Riewoldt and Tom Lynch have taken a combined seven marks in the forward half. The three tall forwards for the Giants (Cameron, Finlayson and Himmelberg) have so far taken only two such marks.
30:48
The largest half time deficit from which the Giants have come back to win is 27 points against Melbourne in Round 2, 2015. The half time score of GWS is exactly the same that Fremantle recorded in its first Grand Final in 2013.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
02:37
Richmond has dominated the early minutes of the third quarter with 94 percent time in forward half, but has not scored from its two set shots at goal. The Tigers have scored 4.1.(25) from such chances while the Giants have scored 1.3.(9).
04:17
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Jack Riewoldt)
05:24
Richmond now leads 9-3 in forward 50 marks, with three each for Riewoldt and Lynch who have both been the target of eight kicks inside 50.
06:00
The Tigers lead 18-11 in forward half intercepts and 28-4 in points scored from this source.
07:24
Another forward half intercept and goal for the Tigers who are completely dismantling the Giants. Richmond leads 8-0 for inside 50 entries this quarter, 8-3 in contested possessions and 92 percent time in forward half.
10:24
Tigers Interchange - Shai Bolton off due to an injury.
11:09
A dream Grand Final continues for Marlion Pickett who has five score involvements from his 15 disposals, has attended six centre bounces and looked completely comfortable at this level.
13:22
The best team of the last three years is set to win its second premiership in this period. Richmond is punishing every GWS mistake with ten consecutive goals and six of these from forward half intercepts.
15:00
SCORE BEHIND - Giants (Jeremy Cameron)
16:10
Richmond leads 10-5 in contested marks and 10-7 in intercept marks. These are two areas the Giants would have hoped to have had the edge in.
20:04
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Jason Castagna)
21:30
The Tiger army has a new favourite in Marlion Pickett. Only Dion Prestia has had more disposals (19) than the debutant (17) for Richmond. Pickett has been used exclusively in the midfield in a show of the faith the Tigers have in him.
22:34
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Daniel Rioli)
24:48
Finally, the Giants end the run of 11 Tiger goals through Jacob Hopper. Both goals for the Giants have come from midfield intercepts. Hopper leads all players for tackles (eight) and has an equal game-high four clearances.
28:49
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Ivan Soldo)
28:54
This is the lowest three-quarter time score in a Grand Final since 1960, when Collingwood had scored only 2.0.(12) against a powerful Melbourne team.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
01:44
The early final quarter goal to Himmelberg and the Giants was launched by an intercept mark in the defensive 50 by Sam Taylor. All three goals for the Giants have come from defensive half intercepts.
04:10
Nick Haynes has again been busy for the Giants with game-highs for marks (13) and effective kicks (15).
08:15
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Jason Castagna)
09:00
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Shai Bolton)
10:10
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Rushed)
11:22
The goals keep coming for the Tigers who have now scored 9.5.(59) from forward half intercepts which equals their season-best from this source.
12:05
Marlion Pickett now has a game-high 544 metres gained, nine score involvements (second only to Castagna) and 20 disposals in a remarkable performance.
13:45
Bachar Houli has averaged 25 disposals across his career against the Giants, which is his second-highest average against any team. Houli currently has a team-high 22 disposals in another strong Grand Final performance.
16:02
GWS has still only scored two behinds from stoppages. The previous lowest score from this source in 2019 for the Giants was 1.6.(12) in Round 2 against West Coast.
18:39
SCORE BEHIND - Tigers (Dion Prestia)
18:58
Dion Prestia has been opposed to Matt de Boer for more than 60 minutes today, but has still contributed 21 disposals and four clearances in another strong contribution.
22:06
Dustin Martin has again been influential with 21 disposals at 86 percent efficiency including seven score involvements, three goals and two score assists. He also has a team-high 11 contested possessions.
23:17
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Trent Cotchin)
25:50
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Dustin Martin)
26:01
Late goals to the two Tiger Brownlow medallists in Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin caps a complete performance from Richmond. Only two Grand Finals have been won by more than 83 points.
26:27
Giants Interchange - Zac Williams off due to an injury.
27:28
SCORE GOAL - Tigers (Jack Riewoldt)
27:36
A super win for Richmond who won the contested ball 134-115, used it far better (kicking efficiency 74 percent to 65 percent) and scored a season-high 60 points from forward half turnovers. Richmond also led 34-2 in points scored from stoppages.
28:30
The siren has sounded to end Q4.