RICHMOND started the week struggling to make up a full squad, but finished it with its second win of the season.
An injury-hit Essendon simply couldn't keep up with Richmond, falling 18 points short in a demoralising 10.14 (74) to 7.14 (56) defeat at the MCG.
These two teams played an infamously poor game late last year, and the opening minutes were reminiscent of the horror-fest, with sloppy skills from both teams, albeit plenty of enthusiasm.
Essendon has struggled with its first quarters this year, and Richmond has battled with clearances – but aside from a run of three Bomber centre clearances, the Tigers had the better of the first term, jumping out to a 15-point lead.
The curious Tiger clearance dominance continued throughout the match, setting up well at the stoppages and holding an effective sweeper and finishing nine clear in the clearance count.
Unsurprisingly, for two teams often beset by injury, the medical teams were kept busy throughout.
The Bombers played with two on the bench for the last half, with Matt Guelfi (hamstring) and Sam Durham (concussion after he was an unwitting stepladder for Tom Lynch) ruled out by quarter-time, and captain Andy McGrath (jaw) at the main break, while Jye Caldwell played hobbled.
Tiger tall Jonty Faull was also ruled out with concussion at half-time.
The Tigers' quick youngsters troubled the Bombers, moving the ball well by hand down the field, and their forward 50 pressure was particularly sharp.
Nate Caddy was outstanding in the first quarter, and was then locked in a well-balanced battle with Luke Trainor, who had the reach to go with the lanky Bombers forward, while Archie May had some powerful patches in front of goal.
Mykelti Lefau could be in line for a third football code, after demonstrating a dribbling goal kicked three times between his right and left feet, but that was promptly followed up by James Trezise's kick across goal becoming an accidental rushed behind.
Both teams got trapped into slow play in the third term, attempting to kick their way through zone defences.
The issue was, neither side had the capability of executing continual slow kicks, and when opportunities on goal came, only 200-gamer Jayden Short and May capitalised, for a collective 2.9 kicked between both teams.
The Bombers closed to within just seven points when a limping Caldwell converted, but the 1.6 scored in the third term came back to bite.
Lynch shook off that bellowing voice on his shoulder to finally kick truly at a crucial part of the fourth term, while second-gamer Noah Roberts-Thomson converted truly with just his fourth touch of the game, and Short rushed a behind to secure the win in his milestone game.
Darcy Parish was one of the Bombers' best and was given the Yiooken Award (to a chorus of inexplicable and disappointing boos), while Tigers winger Patrick Retschko played the best game in his short career.
RICHMOND 4.5 7.7 8.10 10.14 (74)
ESSENDON 2.2 5.4 6.10 7.14 (56)
GOALS
Richmond: Lynch 2, Green 2, Short, Ross, Roberts-Thomson, Lefau, Faull, Cumming
Essendon: May 3, Caddy 2, Merrett, Caldwell
BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Retschko, Ross, Campbell, Short, Miller
Essendon: Parish, May, Roberts, Langford, Robey, Merrett
INJURIES
Richmond: Faull (concussion)
Essendon: Durham (concussion), McGrath (broken jaw), Guelfi (hamstring)
Crowd: 78,815 at the MCG
