Heath keeps his feet after contesting in the pocket and rifles a lovely inside handball to Garcia who bursts between two Tigers for the first goal from point blank range. (Q1 5:26)
The Saints rebound very slowly through the centre, avoiding a silly turnover, until Sharman gets free to mark Windhager’s pass 35m out on the flank, but he misses. (Q1 9:57)
Brown wins a ground battle with Higgins to prevent a slingshot goal at the Saints hotspot. (Q1 12:29)
From the resultant stoppage, Wilson roves in the pocket and centres for Marshall 45m out in front who hoofs it in ugly style wide left. (Q1 12:46)
Lynch takes a link mark on outer wing but his inboard kick misses Short and hits grass, Steele pounces for a pass to Higgins in the pocket 25m out who converts. (Q1 13:51)
St Kilda is getting turnovers from a high defensive line, Tauru intercepts McIntosh on outer wing and sends a long speculator to the hotspot where Sharman marks and goals. (Q1 17:27)
The Tigers get a slingshot going through Sonsie then Balta for a pass to the pocket for Mansell 25m out, who had just returned for treatment for a corkie but converts. (Q1 22:52)
Hall gets a CBA but taps to Ross to start a handball chain ending with McIntosh, who snaps on the run from 45m but it’s intercepted by Wilkie in the square for no score. (Q1 24:07)
After an unlucky 50m penalty against Higgins in the back pocket for Richmond, Rioli jnr roves a long ball to the pocket and feeds Balta who curls in the goal off the right. (Q2 5:46)
Rioli jnr passes short to Banks near the boundary 40m out, he tries a drawing left-to-right drop punt but swerves it into the near right post. (Q2 13:56)
Wanganeen-Milera has had a fairly quiet day to this point but he gets a snap off from 45m across the body, screws towards the behind line and takes a wicked off break, goal! (Q2 17:11)
Armstrong skids through a snap from 20m on a slight angle after a feed from Sonsie. (Q2 20:02)
Higgins marks a Wanganeen-Milera pass from members wing in front of Broad 40m out on the flank and thumps through a lively drop punt for his second goal. (Q2 22:47)
Campbell receives from Prestia outside a stoppage on members wing and passes short to the dive of Mansell 35m out on a slight angle, who converts. (Q2 26:37)
Lynch tumbles a snap just to the left from a pack near the hotspot. (Q2 30:25)
Wanganeen-Milera is pinged for running too far on the boundary 45m out, Lynch misses near side left. (Q2 31:48)
Miller holds Wood to give away a free kick 20m out on a slight angle, Wood hooks it way to the right, barely a behind. (Q3 5:32)
Wanganeen-Milera marks on the HFF and plays on to poke a pass inside to Wood 25m out on a slight angle, who plays on a screws a snap wide. (Q3 8:24)
Nankervis feeds Ross who bounces a behind off his left from 40m. (Q3 11:19)
Chain of Richmond handballs from a stoppage inside 50 with Lynch giving outside to McIntosh who finally gets the Tigers into the lead with a goal from 20m. (Q3 13:40)
This has been a turgid contest at times in pristine, sunny conditions, but the Tigers have deserved to hit the lead with some hard work finally rewarded on the scoreboard. (Q3 14:28)
Balta spoils Tauru on yet another slow attack by the Saints, surge to half forward but Mansell dribbles wide right from 30m under pressure. (Q3 15:43)
Hill, Wanganeen-Milera and Henry involved in the next rebound after the kick in that ends with Wood 45m out on the flank, who misses everything near side left. (Q3 16:43)
Wanganeen-Milera roves a touched dump kick 40m out and gets a snap off despite a lunge from behind by Lynch, ball off hands for a behind. (Q3 18:49)
Lynch marks 35m out on the flank but his set shot is narrow to the right. (Q3 19:33)
Two average to poor sides playing average to poor footy on a beautiful day at the MCG. (Q3 20:19)
Hopper baulks past Wilson and Marshall on outer wing and passes to Taranto just inside 50m on the flank, who draws left to right and straight over the goal umpire’s cap! (Q3 24:28)
Wanganeen-Milera marks in the centre and draws the lead of Hall 35m out in the corridor for a silky pass, whose set shot is a bit wonky but straight enough. (Q4 2:58)
Tauru intercepts in defence but Caminiti is whistled for bumping Lynch off the contest, mark set 35m out on a slight angle and the champ steers through the set shot. (Q4 5:41)
Sinclair sails through a snap from 45m in front after an inside give by Wanganeen-Milera. (Q4 7:43)
Tresize gives to Armstrong who tries a checkside off a step from 20m on a slight angle off his left but misses to the right, needed a right foot there. (Q4 9:45)
Hall flies in from behind to smother a McIntosh snap from half forward that looked like another Richmond goal. (Q4 13:27)
Sinclair marks on the boundary 45m out but tries a pass that doesn’t work. (Q4 15:11)
Macrae looks inside running to the HFF then baulks around Banks to pass off his left low and hard to Sharman to mark 35m out, he kicks truly, St Kilda regains the lead. (Q4 16:16)
Tauru beats Balta in a ground battle to prevent a slingshot goal and preserve the Saints’ lead for the moment. (Q4 21:07)
On the resultant counter, Hill passes down the line to Hall 30m out on the flank who pushes his set shot to the right. (Q4 21:50)
Campbell snaps to the left from a pack at the hotspot. (Q4 22:28)
3:30 to go and again St Kilda is playing slow on offence, one false move and the Tigers might slingshot into the lead… (Q4 23:43)
Too many Tigers worry Wanganeen-Milera out of a mark in the centre and they are off to the races, but the Taranto pass doesn’t hit Mansell and the Saints cover. (Q4 24:25)
Saints now playing tempo with the clock down to 2:00. (Q4 24:42)
Throw in on members wing with 1:59 to go. (Q4 24:42)
Ball up same spot, 1:51. (Q4 25:08)
Another ball up same spot, 1:46. (Q4 25:29)
Sonsie kicks up the wing, Rioli jnr can’t rove, another ball up 70m out from the Tiger goals, 1:31. (Q4 26:12)
Another ball up same spot, 1:23. Ross Lyon rigid. (Q4 26:27)
Boxshall to Garcia for a dump kick but it’s intercepted and the Tigers switch through McIntosh… who is pinged for running too far! 55 seconds to go. (Q4 26:45)
Henry’s pressure running from behind forced that mistake by McIntosh, hidden play. (Q4 27:27)
Saints playing tempo again, thirty seconds to go. (Q4 27:27)
Vlastuin roves and bombs to half forward but Wilkie intercepts over Campbell, that’s the ball game. (Q4 27:47)
