Sydney was ominous early, led by the strength and class of Lance Franklin. Sam Lloyd of the Tigers celebrates after kicking the winning goal. Credit:AFL Media/Getty Images Alex Rance conceded a free kick to the omnipresent forward just three minutes into the first quarter and Franklin kicked it from 45 metres out, on a 60 degree angle. Isaac Heeney got one from about 15 metres out on the run, with no Richmond defenders in sight, then Franklin booted his second from 65 metres, a beautiful soaring kick that Troy Chaplin could not quite get a hand to before the line. Meanwhile the Tigers mis-kicked, fumbled and too often left their teammates with no one to kick to in their forward half.

It looked like being a blow-out, but Richmond showed grim persistence. Club leaders Brett Deledio and Jack Riewoldt were bright spots and after going into the second quarter only 10 points down, the home team lifted. Their game still had flaws, but Richmond wanted it more and they gained confidence as time went on. Sam Lloyd of the Tigers celebrates with his teammates after scoring with the final kick of the match to give his team a one-point win. Ben Griffiths kicked two and against all odds went into the main break five points up, while Tigers fans cheered as if their team had won the game. All their hard work could have been undone in the third, when Deledio, Sam Lloyd and Jayden Short all missed kickable shots in quick succession, before Lloyd got another shot and snapped a goal from 40 metres out. Disappointment: The Swans after their loss to the Tigers.

But in a strange change of fortunes, suddenly the Swans seemed to struggle to hit their targets. Franklin booted one, but Jarrad McVeigh and Tom Mitchell missed – champagne football this was not. Back at the other end of the ground, Dustin Martin was only 15 metres out on a slight angle when he missed his own shot at goal and he must have known if his team lost that night, this would be one of the many opportunities they would regret. Consecutive goals to Hewett, Tippet, Franklin and Lloyd saw the visitors break 18 points free of the Tigers. When all seemed lost, the Tigers came roaring out of the blocks for the final quarter, showing the kind of fight their fans have been begging them for all season.

Within two minutes Lloyd and Griffiths had kicked a goal apiece, thanks largely to the ferocity of Richmond's midfielders out of the centre. Then with a pass from Riewoldt and Daniel Rioli sprinted into the Tigers' forward line, bouncing once, twice, three times and just metres out goaled to level the score against Sydney early in the last quarter. The Swans are a genuinely good team and despite being well short of their best, laid on enough goals to hit the front. But Lloyd was there after the siren to win the match for the Tigers by a point. One of the more intriguing contests of the night was between Franklin and Rance, both excellent in attack and defence respectively.