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AFTER 386 days and 11 matches, Richmond has emphatically broken through for its first-ever NAB AFLW victory, smashing a woeful Geelong by 47 points at GMHBA Stadium.
Led brilliantly by star duo Monique Conti and Katie Brennan, the Tigers blitzed the Cats with a devastating first half which saw the visitors boot the opening six goals, while keeping Geelong scoreless, to put the result beyond doubt well before half-time.
CATS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats
Adding insult to injury for the Cats, star player Olivia Purcell (right knee) limped off the ground in the second quarter amid fears she may have ruptured her ACL.
The 9.6 (60) to 2.1 (13) result in the battle of the cellar-dwellers ensured the Cats remain winless from five matches so far this season, still searching for their own drought-breaking win, having not tasted victory in 358 days.
Geelong has already recorded 13 goalless quarters and eight scoreless quarters in what has been a trainwreck of a season.
Conti continued her outstanding year with 17 of her 26 disposals coming in the game-busting first half, while captain Brennan bettered her outstanding performance from last week with 17 touches, five marks and three goals.
Ellie McKenzie, Courtney Wakefield and Sarah Hosking were also instrumental in ending the contest early.
Brennan hadn't featured in a victory since playing for the Western Bulldogs back in round two, 2019, and she said it was an "amazing feeling".
"We're so incredibly proud, it's been a long road from last year to this year, I'm just ecstatic for our group, our coaching staff, our support staff, our Tiger Army," Brennan told Fox Footy post-match.
"This one's pretty sweet, but it's just been one hell of a journey. I think you just learn to embrace the ups and downs and times like these just feel so much sweeter. I love this group, I love our club."
Coach Ryan Ferguson enjoyed seeing his players sing the club song for the first time.
"They've worked so hard, this season in particular but way back in time (too), but all the hard work to pay off on one night, for it all to come together, we've done it in patches for a lot of weeks against good teams, but ... to watch them enjoy that moment was pretty special for a coach," he said.
The Tigers pounced early, ambushing the Cats with exceptional pressure in the first quarter to register 10 of the first 12 inside 50s and take a 13-point lead at quarter-time.
Richmond maintained its manic intensity in the second period and Geelong simply could not cope, with a raft of defensive errors, three of which handed Richmond goals, leading to a total capitulation.
The visitors dominated the first half with a whopping 47 more disposals (128-81), 14 more inside 50s (19-5) and 25 more handball-receives as the Tigers opened up a commanding 39-point lead at the major break, before outscoring the hosts by eight points in a far less eventful second half.
GEELONG 0.0 0.0 1.0 2.1 (13)
RICHMOND 2.1 6.3 7.4 9.6 (60)
GOALS
Geelong: Cranston, A.McDonald
Richmond: Brennan 3, Wakefield 2, Seymour, McKenzie, Frederick, Jacques
BEST
Geelong: A.McDonald, Higgins, M.McDonald, Van De Heuvel
Richmond: Conti, Brennan, McKenzie, Hosking, Wakefield, Cordner
INJURIES
Geelong: Purcell (knee)
Richmond: Nil
Reports: Nil
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