The VFLW Tigers have faced a heavy 1.5 (11) to 7.10 (52) loss to Carlton on Saturday at Ikon Park in Round 12.
Richmond hit some early hurdles, losing Courtney Wakefield and Grace Bibby in the first quarter to injuries.
Carlton capitalised on Richmond’s casualties as they steamrolled to a 25-point lead at the first change.
The Tigers bounced back in the second term, holding the opposition to one goal, but inaccuracy was Richmond’s downfall as they claimed four behinds.
Richmond’s solitary goal came in the third quarter, a clever snap out of traffic by the ever-reliable Phoebe Monahan. Monahan went on to amass 20 touches, 11 kicks and 11 tackles.
But Carlton denied Richmond the opportunity to advance and matched the effort with a major of their own.
Carlton looked the fresher of the two in the final quarter. Affected by their reduced line-up, the Tigers began to tire, and Carlton snuck one final goal to confirm a 41-point victory.
Coach Tom Hunter said the early injuries hampered Richmond’s ability to adjust to the game, and as a result, they were constantly chasing the home side.
“It made it tough being two rotations down early, especially losing Court who’s been a real target in our forward half and Bibs who gives us lots of energy off half-back,” Hunter said.
“I think the damage was probably done in the first quarter. It’s always hard coming back when you’ve given the opposition an opportunity.
“There are some things that are out of our control, but I think we can get better at continuing to learn what we can control and then impacting on those things.”
In true Richmond spirit, the girls rallied around the injured Tigers, expressing their love and support.
Hunter applauded his team’s camaraderie.
“The girls were really strong at getting around them and showing some great support. We’ll continue to monitor them and they’ll have full support from the staff and all the players,” he said.
Hunter said he was impressed by Kate Dixon’s leadership in the forward line. Dixon played with intent and showed composure when in possession.
“She’s been working hard in previous weeks and now she’s getting the reward with more ball in hand,” Hunter said.
Skipper Jess Kennedy was dominant for Richmond, showcasing her maturity and work rate around the contest as she collected a team-high of 22 touches, alongside 13 kicks and six clearances.
Richmond are back on the highway next Saturday, this time to GMHBA Stadium where they play fourth-placed Geelong at 11:30am for Round 13.
Hunter said the girls are eager for the challenge.
“We’re excited to be able to play against a really strong opposition to test our processes against a really quality side. We look forward to heading down to Geelong and putting our brand up against theirs,” he said.
