Richmond have been defeated 0.4 (4) to 6.7 (43) by the Darebin Falcons in Round 2 of the VFLW on Saturday afternoon at the Swinburne Centre, Punt Road Oval.
A testing match for the Tigers, they fought gallantly against the experienced Darebin side in drizzly conditions. Darebin broke away early in the match and recorded four unanswered goals in the first 10 minutes. But the Tigers kept them at bay for the remainder of the game, which proved to be an arm wrestle.
After the first quarter, Richmond boosted their intensity around the ball and drove harder into contests. Darebin scored just one goal in the second term, three points in the third, and one goal in the fourth. It was a much fiercer battle than what the scoreboard suggested.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, they found themselves unable to capitalise when presented with goal opportunities. While the ball resided in their forward 50m for a large portion of the game, Darebin were successful in spoiling Richmond’s attempts to close the margin.
Richmond VFLW Coach Tom Hunter said there was a lot to take away from the match, and despite the scoreboard, many promising moments.
“There’s certainly a lot of growth points that we can get better at, and we’ll continue to develop with our girls and our list and the style of play that we want to be able to execute on game day,” Hunter said.
Jenna Colwell led Richmond as she accumulated 25 disposals, 15 kicks and 8 clearances. The ball-winner displayed her skills in the ruck before transitioning back into midfield duties.
Coach Hunter said Colwell gave Richmond the contest at ground level that the Tigers were initially lacking.
“We’re really happy that she’s running around on our side because she can be quite intimidating in the way she plays the game which is fantastic,” Hunter said.
Tiger Alana Woodward was influential in putting pressure around the ball, accumulating a huge 15 tackles, the highest of the Richmond players.
“We gave her a role to do today and she really stuck it and played to her strengths, which is winning the ball on the inside and putting that pressure on her opponents,” Hunter said.
Ella Ross was prolific for the Tigers with 18 touches and 10 kicks. A fierce competitor with a strong kick, she booted four inside-50s. She also showcased her clean hands and clever positioning as she totalled eight handballs.
The Tigers will face Collingwood in Round 3 of the VFLW. The match will be held on Sunday May 20 at Olympic Park Oval.
