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Richmond has swept to victory in the AFL grand final, extinguishing GWS hopes of glory with a dominant 89-point win at the MCG for the club's 12th flag.
GWS was hoping to complete a fairytale finals turnaround to win the flag from sixth but after the Giants kicked the first goal of the day, they then conceded the next 11.
Out-tackled, out-performed, out-scored — it was a dirty day for the Giants, as a terrific Tigers outfit made it two flags in three years with a 17.12 (114) to 3.7 (25) victory.
Jack Riewoldt led the way for Richmond with five goals, while GWS had no multiple goalkickers.
The biggest gamble of grand final day came 90 minutes before the bounce, when the teams came out with GWS skipper Phil Davis still listed.
Davis was seriously limited when he injured his calf and shoulder in the preliminary final win over Collingwood.
The shoulder got better, but Davis appeared to be limping when he did a light fitness test shortly before 1:00pm.
The Giants skipper looked proppy all day, and while he got 15 disposals, he struggled to make an impact in defence and contain the rampant Tigers forward line.
GWS had beaten the Western Bulldogs and Brisbane before prevailing in a preliminary final over Collingwood.
But there were concerns over whether they would have the legs to run out four quarters against a Richmond side that had been shifting through the gears with wins over Brisbane and Geelong.
There were plenty of storylines going into the game, with huge attention on debutant Marlion Pickett, who became the first debutant in a VFL/AFL grand final since Collingwood's Keith Batchelor in 1952.
In a fierce beginning to the contest, it took more than 20 minutes for the first goal of the game, as Jacob Hopper kicked an inside out ball high for Jeremy Cameron to outmark Dylan Grimes, outside 50 on the left.
He went back and kicked it truly to give the Giants a five-point lead. GWS looked like they had weathered the storm, but the Tigers were still putting immense pressure on GWS.
With just over a minute left in the first term, Richmond forced a turnover on the wing, Jack Riewoldt pounced and drilled a ball to Norm Smith Medallist Dustin Martin, who took a mark inside 50, drawing a huge roar from the Tiger Army.
He ran around and kicked the goal to put Richmond ahead. Then in the dying seconds the ball came forward again and Daniel Rioli booted another on the siren, and suddenly the Tigers led by seven points at quarter-time.
Then Pickett produced a glorious moment to bring the crowd to its feet.
Getting the ball in the centre square, he produced a slow 360-degree spin to elude the Giants' midfield, then ran downfield and spotted up Jason Costagna, who took a solid mark inside 50.
When he converted the set shot the Tigers were on the move.
A few minutes later Pickett took possession again and kicked forward for Martin, who picked up, rounded a defender and slotted it home low.
The Tigers were flying by now, and within a minute the ball went forward again for Tom Lynch to take a diving mark inside 50. He went back and kicked it, and Richmond was four goals up and the alarms were blaring full force for the Giants.
Martin was proving extremely hard to stop, but he had plenty of teammates who were on top as well.
Toby Greene missed a kick for the Giants, and it was a sign of how tough a day they were having that their next score came from a snap from their tagger, Matt De Boer, that bobbled wide.
The danger signs were again on display in the final minutes of the half, as the Tigers made it look easy with two entries inside 50.
First Riewoldt took a big pack mark and converted, then with two minutes left he grabbed another and the Tigers fans were roaring.
Richmond was in command, leading in contested possessions and clearances — normally Giants' trademarks — and inside 50s.
GWS's disposal was poor under pressure and their errors were mounting while the Tigers were playing like a team that had the grand final experience.
The Giants needed to come out with a fast start to have any chance, but it was the Tigers who had the early chances.
Lynch kicked out on the full, then Riewoldt missed from 50. But the Tigers were dominant in the midfield and they cut through the Giants' defence for Lynch, who kicked the goal.
There were no answers for GWS, and when the Tigers went inside 50 once more, Daniel Rioli fed Martin who snapped around his body, curling the ball home from deep in the left forward pocket.
It was done already, with a quarter of an hour of time left on the clock in the third term.
Soon after, Pickett found Martin inside 50 and the Tigers superstar made the most popular decision of the day and chipped it back across the forward line to Pickett, who marked and went back and kicked the goal, before being swamped by teammates.
The Giants were making no inroads, and further goals to Kane Lambert and then Ivan Soldo on the siren made it a 62-point lead with a quarter to go.
To borrow from one of Richmond's old rivals, the last quarter was a premiership cakewalk for the Tigers.
With all hope long gone, the Giants kept trying, but were outscored five goals to one.
In the dying seconds Riewoldt took a mark, and as the Tigers began to celebrate in earnest, he kicked a beauty from 50 which swung perfectly late to go through the posts and complete the victory.
Riewoldt may have edged Martin in the goals department, but the Tigers' number four was a runaway winner for the Norm Smith Medal.
Martin's second grand final best-on-ground came from 22-disposals, eight score involvements, four goals, three clearances and four inside 50s.
"It's amazing, that's the thing I love about this team the most. We don't care who gets the disposals or who gets the goals," Martin told Channel Seven after the match.
"We're a team and we all play a role. That's what I love most about the group."
Davis was gracious in defeat for the Giants.
"First of all Damien, Trent and the whole Richmond football club, congratulations," he said on the stage.
"You have been an outstanding club for many years. You set the bar again this year.
"The Giants football club as a whole, to the fans, thank you so much for all your support this year.
"We might be small in numbers. But we have a big heart. To the players, we will be back."
Topics: sport, australian-football-league, melbourne-3000, richmond-3121, vic, sydney-2000, homebush-bay-2127, nsw, australia
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