RICHMOND outlasted a brave but battered Collingwood outfit by 28 points at the MCG on Saturday to claim the venue's consecutive wins record.
In a match that promised plenty and didn't disappoint, the Tigers won their 18th straight game at the MCG 16.9 (105) to 12.5 (77) to supersede Melbourne's record of 17 wins achieved back in the 1950s.
After leading by four points at three-quarter time, the Tigers – in similar circumstances to their round six win where they nailed eight goals to the Pies' three in the final term – kicked five to one to give the contest a one-sided fourth quarter it didn't deserve.
In front of a sell-out 88,180 – the second-biggest home-and-away crowd drawn by the two clubs – the occasion had a whiff of September about it as the top-ranked and third-placed team faced off in brilliant sunshine.
After leading by four points at three-quarter time, the Tigers – in similar circumstances to their round six win where they nailed eight goals to the Pies' three in the final term – kicked five to one to give the contest a one-sided fourth quarter it didn't deserve.
In front of a sell-out 88,180 – the second-biggest home-and-away crowd drawn by the two clubs – the occasion had a whiff of September about it as the top-ranked and third-placed team faced off in brilliant sunshine.
It was a mouth-watering preview to a match up that could repeat itself in just over a months' time once the Pies refurbish their line up.
Already without key midfielders Jordan De Goey and Adam Treloar, Nathan Buckley's men can only be described as gallant against the premiers.
After losing Jeremy Howe to concussion at the end of the first quarter, they had Brody Mihocek hobble through the second half with a sore ankle and strapped head, and Sam Murray was sore throughout the final term after copping a big hit.
But most heartbreakingly of all, they may have lost Matt Scharenberg long term with the young defender unsighted after a third-term incident where his knee twisted beneath him.
If scans confirm the worst, the 22-year-old will undergo a third knee reconstruction.
The injuries to Howe and Scharenberg put the Pies' backline, already without Tyson Goldsack and Lynden Dunn, under siege.
While it held up admirably for the first part of the third quarter, there was always going to be a tipping point with Mihocek forced back at times to help out.
They'd fought back from a 19-point quarter-time deficit to stay in the contest in the second, after a surplus of handballs against the competition's handball champions threatened to bring them undone.
Jayden Short celebrates his second first-quarter goal on Saturday
With Dustin Martin frustrated by a solid tagging job by Levi Greenwood, the Tigers struggled as the Pies started to move the ball better in the second.
Martin moved forward after half-time in a bid to break the shackles and looked dangerous in attack where he ended with three goals, with Greenwood – and anyone else – battling to stop him one out.
Shane Edwards led the Tigers again with a stunning 22-possession game, while Jayden Short was prolific with 19 disposals and two goals courtesy of handballs from teammates lining up for shots from outside 50m.
David Astbury marshalled the backline in another high-possession game – his fifth this season where he's had 20 or more disposals – after starting against Mason Cox (two goals, six marks), who the Tigers had clearly put plenty of work into.
Jack Higgins bobbed up with a contender for goal of the year in the third quarter, although it was surrounded by controversy about whether he actually threw the ball as he wheeled around to kick it.
While Brayden Maynard did a great job on Daniel Rioli (one goal), Greenwood kept Martin's midfield game quiet, Brodie Grundy got the points against Toby Nankervis, Josh Thomas kicked four goals and Scott Pendlebury did all he could with 38 disposals, the Tigers simply got it done across the board despite a number of players below their usual form.
"We had to work incredibly hard. We didn't have our best game today, but a lot of that was because the Magpies were very, very good," Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said.
"The great thing from our point of view was that we had to find a different way to win.
"For certain players to step up at certain stages [was pleasing] and that was a challenge in the last quarter that we spoke about.
"We reset the board and wanted to go back to what we knew and we ended up getting the result at the end. I was pleased that we fought it out."
Still, should the Magpies restore their best 22 and the sides meet again in the coming months, the springtime sequel to Saturday promises to be a belter.
RICHMOND 5.2 8.3 11.6 16.9 (105)
COLLINGWOOD 2.1 7.1 11.2 12.5 (77)
GOALS
Richmond: Martin 3, Riewoldt 3, Higgins 2, Short 2, Castagna 2, Caddy, Townsend, Edwards, Rioli
Collingwood: Thomas 4, Hoskin-Elliott 3, Cox 2, Daicos, Brown, Mihocek
BEST
Richmond: Astbury, Short, Broad, Edwards, Prestia, Rance, Riewoldt
Collingwood: Grundy, Pendlebury, Thomas, Greenwood, Adams, Moore
INJURIES
Richmond: Prestia (ribs)
Collingwood: Howe (concussion), Mihocek (ankle), Scharenberg (knee)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Margetts, Hosking, Findlay
Official crowd: 88,180 at the MCG
