Richmond "wasn't up to AFL standard" throughout parts of its 44-point loss to Sydney on Saturday afternoon, according to head coach Adem Yze.
Where the Tigers got off to a strong start, winning the inside 50 count 14-10 in the first quarter off the back of contest and pressure, it fell away dramatically through the second and third terms.
It allowed Sydney to pile on 10 consecutive goals, and kept the Tigers to just one major after the first break – coming in the fourth quarter.
"It wasn't something I sensed before the game, because we started the game really well. So yeah, really, really disappointing. (Sydney) dominated clearance, dominated time in forward half, dominated inside 50s, and the things we tried just kind of didn't work," Yze said post-match.
With a young side still establishing its connection as a group, there is sometimes a sense of inevitability around the odd poor showing, but it's not something Yze wants to concede, despite Richmond having six players with 20 or fewer games to their name on the park.
"We hope it's not inevitable, but we know that there might be some pain along the way. And I've said it all along, it might not be pain in certain games, but it might be in quarters, like the second quarter, I don't think we've played any worse for the year," Yze said.
Heading into the bye, Yze was reluctant to risk further injury to dynamic young forward Rhyan Mansell, who copped a cork in the second quarter which forced him to be subbed out early in the third.
