Richmond 4.4 8.8 13.9 21.11 (137)
Hawthorn 1.3 4.9 8.10 10.15 (75)

Goals: Richmond: Riewoldt 6, King 3, Jackson, Edwards, Martin 2, Tuck, Deledio, Maric, Cotchin, Nahas, Morris.
Hawthorn: Breust 3, Roughead, Rioli 2, Franklin, Young, Smith.

Best: Richmond:  I. Maric, Tuck, Cotchin, Morris, Foley, Rance, Griffiths, King.
Hawthorn: Burgoyne, Lewis, Roughead, Breust, Gibson.

Last time Hawthorn played Richmond, they were beaten convincingly in the shock loss that sparked the Hawks’ eight-game winning run.

The Hawks were well beaten in the midfield from the outset, with Dustin Martin (32 disposals), Trent Cotchin (31), Shane Tuck (35) and Brett Deledio (32) all firing.

The Hawks were well beaten in the clearances, 12-4 in the opening term, which enabled the Tigers to get the ball forward and have eight scoring shots to four at the first break.

Improvement was shown by the Hawks at the stoppages in the second, however, winning the clearances 13-11, but wasted opportunities in front of goal hampered the Hawks’ ability to make inroads to the Tigers’ lead - kicking 3.6 in the second quarter.

In the opening half, the effective forward 50 disposal of both sides was the story – with one tean, Richmond using the footy better inside its scoring arc.

At half time, the Tigers entered their 50 32 times to the Hawks’ 30, for 16 scoring shots to 13. While that differential was just three, the Tigers made the most of their scoring shots, booting eight goals to take a four goal lead into the half time break.

Contested possessions in the first half also told a story of Richmond’s ability to be first to the ball, creating the opportunity for runners to find space on the wings and find a target in the 50. The contested possession differential was 17 at half time, 84-67.

The half time break seemingly came at the right time for Hawthorn, as runners Isaac Smith and Clinton Young began to have an impact after the long break.

Tackling pressure and the impact of gun midfielder Sam Mitchell also sparked the Hawks in a goal-for-goal quarter, with the Hawks finally taking their opportunities by booting 4.1 for the term.

The problem was though; the Tigers had all the answers, ensuring the Hawks could, at no stage string multiple goals together. Richmond answered with five goals of their own, keeping a 17-point buffer in-tact for the entire third term.

The Tigers were resolute in Round 9 last season, able to respond to each challenge posed by Hawthorn. Each time Hawthorn managed to reduce the margin, the Tigers would answer with a goal of their own. With three minutes remaining in the third term, the Hawks again reduced the margin to 17, but the Tigers booted two goals in quick succession as the rain began to fall. That 29-point lead at the final change proved to be too big a task for the Hawks.

A final quarter barrage of goals from Richmond put the result beyond doubt, as the yellow and black sealed victory. The stats at the full time siren told the story of the day, as the Tigers outplayed the Hawks in all key performance indicators.

In contrast, the Hawks had no player gather 30 disposals or more, as the Tigers shut down their midfield counterparts.

Shaun Burgoyne spent time in the midfield to gather a team-high 26 possessions, while Sam Mitchell (22 possessions), Brad Sewell (21) and Jordan Lewis (20) were down on their usual output.

In the end, the Tigers had 81 more possessions than Hawthorn, the equivalent of three extra players on the field who average 27 disposals per game. The Hawks were also beaten in the contested footy, 166-137, clearances 42-39 and the Tigers entered their forward 50 15 more times, 67-52. 

What Alastair Clarkson said : “We’re pretty disappointed with the day. The game panned out exactly as we predicted though, in terms of the team that convincingly won the midfield battle, won the game.

“Richmond just torched us in the middle of the ground, I know that the clearances ended up being reasonably even, but the key statistics, particularly at the centre bounce, they just took it out far too easily. It wasn’t just the numbers of the clearances, it was the manner of ease in which they took it out."