RICHMOND has consigned Essendon to a 0-3 start, with spearhead Caitlin Greiser's third goal pinching a five-point win with 70 seconds left on the clock.
The 5.8 (38) to 4.9 (33) victory at TIO Stadium marks Richmond's first AFLW victory in the Top End, the Tigers having ground out the win after trailing for most of the match.
BOMBERS v TIGERSÂ Full match coverage and stats
In a game that was played under the heat policy, with longer breaks at every interval, the temperature sat at 28 degrees at the opening siren, although the heat wasn't quite as oppressive as in Darwin Dreamtimes past.
With slippery conditions nonetheless, it wasn't the cleanest game of football, but the intensity was high across all four quarters.
Richmond's key forwards Caitlin Greiser and Olivia Wolmarans appeared to be troubling the Bombers early, but their very gettable set shots drifted wide, and it was Maddy Prespakis who was on fire early.
The Essendon star was being closely watched by both Dana East and Georgia Stubs, but kicked the opening two goals of the game and had 11 touches in the first term, despite spending a portion resting in forward 50.
Prespakis wasn't alone in her early dominance, with Georgia Nanscawen, Maggie Johnstone and Amy Gaylor finding plenty of the ball, as the Bombers controlled the stoppages in the first half, leading clearances 13-5.
Young Richmond midfielder Sierra Grieves struggled to get her hands on the footy, and the Tigers' wingers went virtually unused, with Katie Brennan and Mackenzie Ford left helpless on the outside.
The Tigers attacked the third term with renewed vigour, with Ford moved on the ball to provide some drive out of the contest, and the 21-year-old Palawa woman took the game by the scruff of the neck in a 10-minute purple patch as the Tigers closed the half-time gap of 14 to level.
With the clearance gap closed from eight to three by three-quarter time, the fourth term was simply going to be a case of whoever could control the midfield battle was going to win the game, and that turned out to be the Tigers, led by Mon Conti (28 disposals, nine clearances).
Nailbiting final-quarter heroics
With Essendon leading by the barest of margins at the final break, it was Richmond which dominated territory in the fourth term, but the Tigers just could not find a path to score, let alone kick a goal. Georgia Gee blew a crucial chance to push out the margin, her behind the first score of the fourth term coming 11 minutes in, before Brennan's curling set shot slammed into the behind post. Greiser finally found some space, booting the ball over the AFLNT headquarters behind the goal and securing victory with 70 seconds to spare. It was a relief for the Tigers, who recorded 14-2 inside 50s for the term.
ESSENDONÂ Â Â Â Â 2.1Â Â Â 3.6Â Â Â Â 4.8Â Â Â 4.9 (33)
RICHMONDÂ Â Â Â Â 0.2Â Â Â 1.4Â Â Â 4.7Â Â Â 5.8 (38)
GOALS
Essendon:Â Prespakis 2, Toogood 2
Richmond:Â Greiser 3, Conti, Grieves
BEST
Essendon:Â Prespakis, Wales, Nanscawen, Toogood, Clarke, Gaylor
Richmond:Â Conti, Greiser, Miller, Ford, Bacon, Wolmarans
INJURIES
Essendon:Â Nil
Richmond:Â Nil
Crowd:Â 4017 at TIO Stadium
