Pressure is building on Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks after Richmond caused a major upset with a gutsy eight-point win over the Crows.
The Tigers defied a lengthy injury list and the absence of rested megastar Dustin Martin to triumph 12.7 (79) to 10.11 (71) at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.
Richmond produced a six-goal third-term blitz to heap more misery on the Crows — touted as potential finalists pre-season, they have just four wins, two more than the Tigers.
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Adelaide signed Nicks to a two-year contract extension less than three months ago.
Tigers coach Adem Yze snapped an eight-game losing streak despite having 14 players unavailable because of injury.
Richmond’s Justin Koschitzke faces match review scrutiny for a behind-play elbow to the body of Mark Keane which felled the Irish-born defender.
The blow came during Richmond’s third-term onslaught when the visitors turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 22-point three quarter-time lead — the Tigers kicked 6.1 to 2.2 for the term.
The advantage should have been greater: minutes after Koschitzke’s contact on Keane, the recalled forward took a mark and lined up for a shot at goal.
But a fracas developed and the ball was given to Adelaide when Noah Cumberland aggressively pushed Keane over.
Cumberland’s act took some gloss of his polished three-goal display while teammates Kamdyn McIntosh, Seth Campbell and Rhyan Mansell booted two goals each.
Tiger stalwart Jayden Short (31 disposals), Tim Taranto (26) and Liam Baker (24, one goal) were also productive.
On a bleak night for the Crows, Darcy Fogarty kicked three goals, captain Jordan Dawson (32 disposals) was superb and Josh Rachele scored two majors.
Richmond started brightly, scoring the initial three goals to craft a 21-3 lead and led by six points, 3.4 to 2.2, at quarter time.
The Crows kicked three goals to two in the second period to pinch a 5.6 to 5.5 halftime advantage.
Adelaide went seven points clear when James Borlase — who like teammate Kieran Strachan earlier and debutant Billy Dowling later — kicked his first AFL goal.
But the Tigers spectacularly rallied: four goals in eight minutes, including two from Cumberland, created an 17-point break.
The visitors added two more majors to hold an 11.6 to 7.8 break at the last change.
Adelaide threatened to rally with quick goals from Rachele and Fogarty reducing their deficit to 10 points just three minutes into the last quarter.
But a superb goal from Richmond’s Campbell, on the run and near a boundary line, gifted the visitors breathing space.
Adelaide first-gamer Dowling then scored to shrink the margin to nine points with a tick over six minutes remaining.
Three minutes later, Dowling missed a set-shot that proved to be Adelaide’s last clear goal-scoring chance of the game.
– with 7NEWS
