3 minute read
Key points from Richmond's 31-point win over Geelong in the 2020 AFL grand final.
SNAPSHOT OF RICHMOND'S 31-POINT AFL GRAND FINAL WIN OVER GEELONG:-
* RESULT: Richmond 12.9 (81) bt Geelong 7.8 (50) in front of 29,767 fans at the Gabba
* THE STORY:
Richmond's Dion Prestia and Kamdyn McIntosh booted the game's first two goals but from there Cam Guthrie kicked off a run of five consecutive goals for the Cats.
Geelong hit a 22-point lead before Dustin Martin popped up just before half-time to bring the Tigers within three goals.
Richmond exploded out of the blocks after the main break and hit the lead through Martin.
From there the Tigers never looked back, going on to win by 31 for their third premiership in four years.
* THE GOAL:
With Geelong up by 22 late in the second term, Martin crumbed a contest, bodied Jake Kolodjashnij and threw the ball onto his boot to cut the deficit to 15. It snapped Geelong's dominance and set the tone for Richmond's second-half revival.
* THE MOMENT:
Barely five minutes into the game, an on-rushing Patrick Dangerfield spoiled the ball, then caught Vlastuin with a high elbow, knocking the Tiger out cold.
Later in that passage of play, Gary Ablett was tackled by Tigers skipper Trent Cotchin, landing awkwardly and suffering a shoulder injury. The veteran Cat returned, but was troubled by his shoulder throughout.
* THE STAR:
When the game was on the line, Dustin Martin took it by the scruff of the neck.
He kept the Tigers in the game with a timely goal just before halftime, then buried another off the side of his boot to put the Tigers in front in the third term. He iced the victory with his third major in the last quarter, then snapped a a fourth from the boundary - finishing the game with 21 disposals, four goals and a record third Norm Smith Medal.
* THE QUOTE:
"You could make a few movies about this year, I reckon." - Shane Edwards to Channel Seven about a season like no other.
* THE STATS:
Geelong booted five goals in a row between the first and second quarters to take a 22-point lead a few minutes before halftime. They would kick just two more for the remainder of the game, compared to Richmond's 10.
* THE INJURIES:
Vlastuin was knocked out early in the first term and didn't return. Ablett (shoulder), Brandon Parfitt (thumb) and Nathan Broad (head knock) all left the field but returned. Geelong's Sam Simpson was knocked out in the final term.
