Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Monique Conti has put on a star display as Richmond started life under new coach Jarrad Donders with an 18-point AFLW win over Collingwood at Ikon Park.
The Tigers dominated Saturday’s match from start to finish, but it wasn’t until the second half when they could put on real scoreboard pressure in the 6.10 (46) to 4.4 (28) win.
Conti starred with 26 disposals, seven clearances, seven tackles, 527m gained and one goal, while Poppy Kelly (23 hitouts, 15 disposals) was the dominant ruck on the ground.
Collingwood entered the match featuring 10 new players, including six AFLW debutants, in what was a new-look team from the one that finished 15th with just three wins last year.
Richmond, after finishing 16th last season with just two wins, also had plenty of new faces, led by prized No.1 pick Olivia Wolmarans.
Wolmarans was mobbed by teammates after kicking a second-quarter goal, with the West Australian finishing the match with 12 disposals and six marks in a promising first-up display.
Katie Brennan also had a special moment when she marked her 75-game milestone with a third-quarter goal.
The win marked the perfect start to the reign of Donders, who was appointed coach in February after his predecessor Ryan Ferguson was cut just months after signing a contract extension.
“He’s set us up incredibly well over the pre-season, really clear roles, and I thought we executed that brilliantly at times,” Brennan said of Donders.
“It’s nice to get that first one under our belt, but heaps to work on.”
Tarnee White (26 disposals, 523m gained, one goal) put in a brave effort for Collingwood in a losing cause, while Ruby Schleicher kicked a memorable dribble goal in the dying minutes of the match.
But the final margin flattered Collingwood, who lost the inside-50m count 43-24 and were pumped 10-2 in the centre clearances.
Three of the first four goals of the match came via 50m penalties, with the Tigers even guilty of a 100m penalty at one stage as Collingwood cashed in with two goals against the run of play.
It meant that even though Richmond had double the amount of inside-50s in the first half, their lead at the long break was just six points, 2.6 to 2.0.
The weight of numbers eventually told in the second half, with Richmond attacking in waves to finally get reward for all their dominance.
