The GIANTS have rebounded from a disappointing round two loss to easily dispose of Richmond by 49 points in an entertaining and sometimes spiteful clash at GIANTS Stadium on Saturday.
Led by tall forwards Jeremy Cameron (seven goals) and Jeremy Finlayson (five), the prolific Lachie Whitfield and tagger Matt de Boer, the GIANTS set up the win with six goals to two in the second term.
The home side then piled on six goals to one in the final quarter to hand the disappointing Tigers their second defeat of the season.
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Richmond had few winners through the midfield, with Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin well held by de Boer, and the superstar is likely to face the scrutiny of the Match Review Panel following a behind the play incident in the first half.
Martin finished the loss with just 15 possessions and let his frustrations boil over on multiple occasions.
Big forward Tom Lynch booted four goals in an encouraging performance, while Daniel Rioli (three), Kane Lambert (34 possessions) and Dion Prestia (33) were other Tigers to stand up.
Whitfield starred with 41 disposals, 12 marks and eight inside 50s playing all over the ground, while the unlikely partnership of Cameron and Finlayson inside 50 came at a perfect time for the home side, with star forward Toby Greene (calf) missing.
Cameron kicked the opening goal of the match and had two in the opening term, but a pair of majors from Rioli and one for debutant Sydney Stack, who looked composed playing in defence, gave the visitors a nine-point advantage at quarter-time.
The Tigers held their slight lead until Brent Daniels was awarded a free kick directly in front of goal, after Martin appeared to elbow a GIANTS player a long way off the ball behind play.
With Richmond ahead by seven points, Daniels kicked the goal, and it was the first of four in a row to the GIANTS, as they eventually went to half-time with a 15-point buffer, when Finlayson banged one home after the siren.
The third term was a high-scoring affair with nine goals kicked, but while the Tigers booted two of the first three, they couldn't close the gap and trailed by 21 points at the last change.
Cameron (three goals) and Finlayson (two) then took full advantage of a dominant final term as the hard-running GIANTS proved too hard and too skilful for the visitors, who could have Martin on the sidelines along with injured stars Alex Rance (knee) and Jack Riewoldt (wrist) for next week's trip to Adelaide to take on the Power.
MEDICAL ROOM
GIANTS: Tommy Sheridan's GIANTS debut didn't last long after the midfielder pinged his left calf early in the game, while Jeremy Cameron appeared to hurt his right shoulder in the first term, but managed to play out the match.
Richmond: Jayden Short dislocated his right elbow in the opening term and played no further part in the match.
NEXT UP
The GIANTS head to Geelong to take on the undefeated Cats on Saturday afternoon, while the Tigers are on the road again, when they face the Power in Adelaide in the Saturday twilight fixture.
GIANTS 2.4 8.7 13.10 19.11 (125)
RICHMOND 3.6 5.10 9.14 10.16 (76)
GOALS
GIANTS: Cameron 7, Finlayson 5, Taranto 2, Hopper 2, Kelly, Daniels, Himmelberg
Richmond: Lynch 4, Rioli 3, Stack, Lambert, Higgins
BEST
GIANTS: Cameron, Whitfield, Finlayson, de Boer, Taranto, Hopper,
Richmond: Lambert, Prestia, Lynch, Edwards, Stack
INJURIES
GIANTS: Sheridan (calf)
Richmond: Short (elbow), Rioli (ribs), Cotchin (hamstring)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: McInerney, Williamson, Wallace
Official crowd: 12,697 at Giants Stadium
