After starting on fire, the Richmond VFL squad withstood a GWS Giants comeback to run out comfortable 12-point winners on Saturday.

It was the Tigers who started well through Judson Clarke and Jacob Bauer, as they kicked goals within the first 10 minutes of the game, giving Richmond just the start it needed.

Livewire forward Bauer, who hasn’t been at his goalkicking best in recent weeks, announced his return to form with a second goal for the game midway through the first quarter.

Massimo Raso then pushed the lead out further for the Tigers, before Billy McGee Galimberti answered back for the Giants on the stroke of quarter-time to keep his side within touching distance.

The Tigers went into quarter-time with a slender eight-point lead, before being clinical coming out of the first break. They kicked four goals for the term, playing with attacking flare, while restricting a dangerous GWS attack to just one. That gave them a handy 28-point half-time advantage. 

The Giants needed a response out of the main break, and they found one through goals to Nathan Wardius and youngster James Peake, as GWS hit back hard. 

But like they have done in previous weeks, the Tigers responded to the challenge with Bauer kicking his third, followed by Maurice Rioli who kicked his second goal to steady the side. 

Both teams continued to be efficient from their inside-50s, in a free-flowing and entertaining contest with Richmond holding steady to maintain a healthy 20-point lead with one quarter to play.

The last quarter was more of an arm-wrestle in the early stages as the Giants hung on for dear life, while the Tigers searched for a knockout blow.

After several missed opportunities for the Tigers, Conor Stone made them pay with a beautiful set shot to bring the margin back to 16 points. Richmond then responded with a classic small forward’s goal from Mohammed Yassine, as he got the crumbs and snapped a beauty off his left foot. 

Just when it looked like Richmond had done enough to win, Harry Rowston and young gun Jack Ough kicked goals to bring the margin back to just 12 points with minutes left. However, the Tigers held on for a tight victory.

The injection of Rioli into the midfield paid dividends as he provided spark and speed, finishing off with 25 disposals and two goals. Clarke also continued to go from strength-to-strength (27 disposals and two goals), after returning in recent weeks from an ACL injury.

Richmond  4.3   8.6   11.10   13.14   (92)
GWS   3.1   4.2   8.8   12.8   (80)

Goals: Bauer 3, Rioli 2, Raso 2, Clarke 2, Yassine, Trezise, Scott, Ryan