Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
For a team sitting 16th on the ladder with only a month left in their season, it was as close to a must-win as can be.
But a day of barely-believable inaccuracy in front of goal ensured West Coast were not able to snap their hoodoos against Richmond, at the MCG and in Victoria, suffering a disheartening nine-point defeat to a side which came into their contest sitting last on the ladder.
The Eagles dominated general play for a sizeable portion of the contest but being unable to capitalise on chance after chance condemned them to a disappointing 12.12 (84) to 9.19 (73) defeat.
As well as extending their wait for a win at the home of football into a seventh season, the result will invite more scrutiny over the pace of the side’s development.
Most metrics would suggest the Eagles are more progressed than the Tigers in their respective rebuilds — but their head-to-head record is not one of them.
Richmond have now won all four of the meetings between the sides since their former assistant and interim coach Andrew McQualter was appointed to head up the Eagles ahead of last season. They have only managed another four wins combined against every other team in the competition in that period.
West Coast’s horror day in front of goal was encapsulated by Jake Waterman. The full-forward’s very tough year in front of goal continued on a day in which he kicked six behinds and sent a snap out of bounds on the full, to go with two goals.
Harley Reid did all he could to turn the tide for his side, clearly figuring as their best player afield with a 34-disposal, nine-clearance effort.
After a week in the headlines stemming from his treatment from umpires, he was amazingly paid six free kicks before he gave his first away for being pinned holding the ball midway through the second term.
Bringing plenty of pressure allowed West Coast to dominate the early exchanges, but their struggles to finish their own good work were typified by Elliot Yeo horribly scuffing a set shot after creating a chance for himself by winning a two-on-one.
After finding some composure, Richmond began to use counter-attacks to great effect, with their four goals in the first term including Hugo Ralphsmith’s spectacular opener from the junction of the 50m arc and boundary line.
They also profited on the Eagles charging forward in anticipation of a front-on free kick being paid against Tom Brown, only to be completely caught out by a mark instead being paid as Jack Ross finished from the goal square.
In the midst of Richmond’s blitz, Waterman’s set shot woes came into sharp focus by following up an early misfire with a successful snap around the corner from directly in front to give his side their first goal of the day.
And while he was in imperious marking form, the trend continued in the second term for the Eagles’ spearhead, who missed another two chances to worsen his side’s return to only a pair of goals from 12 scoring shots.
Tom Cole stepped up to produce a quick finish at an inside 50-stoppage to knot the scores, only for Tim Taranto to quickly one-up Ralphsmith with a spectacular snap from deep in the pocket.
Richmond added another two goals before the main break which threatened to be back-breakers for the Eagles. A horror defensive turnover from Liam Duggan allowed Taranto to turn provider for Ralphsmith’s second, before Tom Lynch was marked to point-blank range after Rhett Bazzo gave away a 50m penalty for dissent.
Any hope the second half would bring a change in luck for the Eagles in front of goal quickly proved unfounded. Inside its first five minutes, Jobe Shanahan missed another set shot and both Reid and Waterman sent snaps out of bounds on the full.
West Coast continued to dominate field position in the third term, recording 10 of the first 12 inside-50s. They somehow surrendered its first goal, which came through Tyler Sonsie finishing off another end-to-end slingshot.
Finally, a run of seven consecutive behinds was broken by Waterman getting out the back and finishing from the goal square. Richmond responded quickly through Sam Lalor slotting his second, but Shanahan’s first of the day ensured the Eagles were only two goals adrift at the last break.
Having managed only five goals for the day, the Eagles all of a sudden required at least four to win the game in the final term after Lynch and captain Toby Nankervis found the major opening in the final term for the Tigers.
Richmond inheriting the goal-kicking bug left the door ajar for the Eagles, who cut their gap back inside two straight kicks as the clock ticked into extra time through goals for Williams and Harvey Johnston within the span of a minute.
And although they re-discovered some verve, run and dash late, their composure remained wanting.
Their most experienced player Yeo summed up the theme of their day by missing a late set shot before Richmond quickly went all the way to the other end, where their young star Lalor slammed home his third to send their fans into raptures.
SCOREBOARD
RICHMOND 4.4, 7.4, 5.18, 12.12 (84)
WEST COAST 2.6, 3.13, 9.6, 9.19 (73)
Goals – RICHMOND: S Lalor 3 H Ralphsmith 2 T Lynch 2 T Taranto T Sonsie J Short J Ross.
WEST COAST: J Waterman 2 J Williams 2 J Shanahan T Cole L Duggan H Johnston W Duursma.
Best – RICHMOND: S Lalor T Taranto J Ross H Ralphsmith T Nankervis T Lynch.
WEST COAST: H Reid M Herbert T Kelly E Yeo J Graham.
Umpires: J Pearson R O’Gorman J Howard A Adair. Crowd: 33,737 at MCG.
