Only recently, had Richmond, having led all day, conceded its opponent the first two goals of the final term within four minutes and seen what had not long before been a six-goal lead slashed to just 19 points, panic might well have set in. Instead, the Tigers slammed on the next five goals to blow the margin out to 50 before the Crows managed a couple of meaningless six-pointers in junk time.

Richmond's Jack Riewoldt rides Adelaide's Matthew Jaensch at the MCG. Credit:Sebastian Costanzo

It was the Tigers who had made the early running. And who finished things off in style, its opponent, which last year came within a kick of a grand final berth, looking, as it has much of this season, a shadow of its former self. Not that Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson could have levelled the same ‘‘insipid’’ accusation he had after the Crows’ belting at the hands of Sydney last week early in this game.

They gave it a decent enough crack. But an impotent looking forward set-up that simply didn’t have the capacity to make the most of its chances wasn’t going to be enough. And, really, it hasn’t been even since Taylor Walker went down on this same bogey ground for Adelaide seven weeks ago. Nothing illustrated that impotence better than midway through the opening term, by which time Richmond had enjoyed only two more inside 50s than its opposition, but already had three goals to one on the board.

The Tigers looked dangerous when they went forward, Adelaide not so much. Skipper Trent Cotchin got the ball rolling with a left-foot snap, Jack Riewoldt pounced on a ground ball to soccer another, then Dustin Martin, who along with Brett Deledio was dangerous right from the start, bombed one home from outside 50 metres.