Five talking points from Richmond Tigers vs Geelong Cats second qualifying final

Did last night really happen? For the first time in many years, we’re waking up in a world where the Richmond Tigers are finals winners, and the excitement is infectious. Here’s my five talking points from the match.

» Five talking points Port Adelaide vs West Coast
» Five talking points Sydney vs Essendon
» Five talking points Adelaide vs GWS

Tigers win an epic arm wrestle
Richmond’s 2017 has become known for the excellent pressure that the Tigers put on their opponents, and they took this to a whole new level on Friday night.

The first three quarters of the match was an intense arm wrestle. Geelong sweated and strained and did everything they could to get the other blokes to budge – but they would not.

In the end, Richmond choked the life out of the Cats. Their relentless physical presence around the ball left them battered and broken.

The margin was only 12 points at quarter-time, nine at half-time, and thirteen at the final break.

But when the last quarter started it was apparent that Geelong had fired all their shots, amounting to little, and the tank had run bone dry.

It was a bold strategy for the Tigers to pursue. Whichever team broke first would wind up looking sore and sorry. But they can proudly say it was not them.

Can they keep it up for another eight quarters of footy? Will a side like Adelaide or Sydney break down like the Cats did, or be up for the fight? Only time will tell.

For now though, Richmond have broken their finals duck, and they did it in emphatic style, frankly embarrassing a side that has been one of the best of the era.

After sixteen years of waiting, the Tigers once again remember what it is to be mighty.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Chris Scott’s finals record gets worse and worse
Chris Scott achieved something remarkable in his first year as coach of Geelong, taking the club all the way to the premiership with three straight wins in finals.

In the six years he has led the club since, the Cats have played nine finals, and they have won only two – one of them a semi-final after losing a qualifier in 2013, the other a lucky escape thanks to Isaac Smith’s after-the-siren mix last year.

It is honestly a little baffling, and it’s hard to put one’s finger on just why the Cats have been consistently able to make it September, but so rarely able to have an impact there.

There’s a puzzle here to be solved, and unless they can pull off a serious turnaround in the next few weeks, that will be Geelong’s No.1 priority over the off-season.

Hey Prestia! New recruit comes good at the best possible time
Tigers fans have grown at little restless with the form of new Richmondite Dion Prestia at times in 2017, and questioned on occasion whether pick No.6 in the draft was really the right price to pay.

Perhaps he hasn’t starred in the way some might have hoped, but having him in the mix has done wonders for Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin.

And of course, after so much of a battle with injury in past years it was really no surprise that it took him some time to build into his best form – now he is hitting his straps at the absolute right time.

31 touches and a goal on Friday night was close to the best game he has played for the club, and Richmond fans should expect plenty more like it as he will only get better.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Cats pay the price for not investing in kids
I’m a firm believer in the idea that the best teams in the league can divide themselves into three parts – a veteran core, a strong middle tier, and quality youth. Each has their role to play.

The middle tier is the backbone of the team. They play in the key positions, they do the bulk of the heavy lifting every week.

The veteran core provide the experience, composure and class that you can only gain by being in the game for a decade or more.

And the youth – they keep the wheel turning. They provide excitement, enthusiasm, and that little bit of pressure to keeping working hard for your spot in the side.

Geelong have traded away three first round picks in a row to secure the likes of Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson and Zach Tuohy.

No one is doubting that all three have been fine additions to the club – but they’ve robbed them of having any real exciting youth to play that role.

Brandan Parfitt and Zach Guthrie were first-year players in the side for the Cats on Friday night, and they did not embarrass themselves.

However, you look at the role that Daniel Rioli and friends play in Richmond’s forward line and you can see where the spark comes from that is the heart of the Richmond gameplan – Geelong do have kids, but they don’t have kids like that.

Instead, Geelong has players like Tom Stewart and Sam Menegola, state-leaguers brought in to fill the gaps, or Tom Lonergan and Andrew Mackie, who’ve both had so-so years but still command a spot perhaps on respect alone.

A few changes and some fresh young faces might go a long way towards revitalising the Geelong Football Club.

(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Tigers at the big dance? The door’s wide open
A qualifying final always has plenty at stake, but this one seemingly more than most, with the winner given a clear and straightforward path to the grand final.

Richmond now know that they will need to beat one of GWS, Port Adelaide or West Coast to go to the last Saturday of September – and they’ll have a big home ground advantage against whoever it is.

Watching the game on Friday night you could gain a sense of sympathy for Cats fans who knew this was meant to be their home final – it certainly wasn’t.

A Richmond crowd riding high on the wave of success and up against whatever small clutch of interstate supporters make the trip will only be louder and more parochial.

The city of Melbourne itself may be defeaned by the noise made if they indeed do make it all the way to grand final day.