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FIFA World Cup 2026 posterCould have been 200: Not enough criticism of Richmond’s Swans disaster
Andrew Slevison • June 1st, 2026 11:19 am
Richmond was blasted off the SCG by the Sydney Swans on Saturday.
The Tigers were competitive in the first quarter when it was seven goals to four, but it was a sad state of affairs thereafter.
Adem Yze’s outfit proceeded to concede 18.17 while kicking just 4.7 after the first break in the 114-point (170-56) smashing.
It has been well-documented that the Tigers have battled with a long injury list which has impacted the club’s rebuild in 2026.
But does a performance like this one need deeper evaluation?
David King believes so, especially given the way Richmond delivered the ball inside forward 50 to the inexperienced likes of Liam Fawcett, Jasper Alger and Mykelti Lefau.
“Why does ‘Ooze’ (Yze) just get a free pass for these sorts of performances?,” King said on SEN’s Fireball.
“Do we just say, ‘Oh, they’re injured, that’s how it is…’
“Some of the kicking into the forward line, it just set them up to be counterpunched against. It's just such a throwback to what we've sort of gone past as a competition.
“I don't like the blast inside 50 on a constant basis. Five marks inside 50 they took. Everyone will say, ‘Ohhh but Tom Lynch wasn't there’.
“It's not about Lynch being down there. It's about scanning, finding a system for your forwards to lead properly, give you patterns that avail some opportunities to hit some targets, or whether they're coming at you or leading back to goal. There's just nothing.
“It's just blasted in and we'll see if we can get a crumb.”
Co-host Kane Cornes agrees that on this occasion there has been very little criticism about Yze’s listless Tigers.
Cornes: “They've had 170 put on them. 170!”
King: “25.20. It could have been 200 easily.”
Cornes: “45 scoring shots!
“I’ve heard nothing about it, you're right. I’ve heard no criticism of Richmond since.”
King: “And the Swans didn't play Brodie Grundy. So they’ve kicked 25.20.(170) without Grundy?
“They took Isaac Heeney off halfway through the last quarter, Tom McCartin off halfway through the last quarter, Nick Blakey off halfway through the last quarter.
“It could have been a big, big number. And I'm just looking at the Tigers and it’s, ‘Ok, do we just move past it?’. Is it just, ‘Ok, this is their lot up against a really good side?’. We get it, we get Sydney are a good side.
“But I'm more concerned about their ball in the forward half just being blasted.”
Everywhere you look the numbers were stark for the Tigers.
They lost disposals 324-437, inside 50s 47-73, contested possessions 133-151, marks 71-104 and marks inside 50 5-26.
The result has Richmond sitting second bottom with two wins and a paltry percentage of 60.4.
They get the bye next weekend before meeting struggling back-to-back premiers the Brisbane Lions in Hobart on June 14.
