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RICHMOND has survived a huge fright before eventually overcoming winless Gold Coast by 15 points at Metricon Stadium.
After keeping the Suns scoreless in the second term, the Tigers opened up a 15-point lead at half-time and appeared headed for a routine victory.
SUNS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats
But the hosts tore up the script in the third term, with their manic pressure and superior energy levels stunning the visitors whose lead was at one stage trimmed to just three points.
However, that is as close as Gold Coast would get as Richmond survived the onslaught and steadied with the next three goals before running out 6.5 (41) to 4.2 (26) winners.
Tigers captain Katie Brennan led from the front again, kicking three goals to go with 15 disposals and five marks, while star midfielder Monique Conti was a welcome return from a hamstring injury as she amassed a game-high 25 disposals as well as seven tackles.
"We all know Monti is a star but the thing that we love about her is her pressure and her run both ways," Brennan told Fox Footy post-game.
"Just having her in to lead our midfield group, we've got Ellie [McKenzie] in there now and she does a power of work, but Monti is a key member of that midfield ... so we're pretty glad to have her back."
No.1 draft pick Ellie McKenzie (20 possessions and a goal), Kate Dempsey (22) and Sarah Hosking (21) also played crucial roles for Richmond.
"Our pressure is something we pride ourselves on and we really brought that today," McKenzie said.
"We probably could've played (hard for) four quarters, we probably really only played three, so when we put a four-quarter effort together we'll be really dangerous and hopefully get a few more wins."
Kate Surman was Gold Coast's best player with 16 disposals and a goal, and she enjoyed good support from Maddison Levi (two goals), who laid a game-high nine tackles, Lauren Ahrens (21 touches), Alison Drennan (20) and Kalinda Howarth (18).
Richmond looked more threatening in attack all night and it almost tripled Gold Coast for marks inside 50 (11-4).
The Suns did all the early attacking but despite recording seven of the first eight inside 50s, only had one Levi goal to show for their bright start.
After settling into the contest, the Tigers wrested back the momentum and made the hosts pay for their inefficiency, dominating the territory battle and kicking the next three goals to assert themselves.
The ball hardly left Richmond's forward half in the second quarter, placing Gold Coast's defence under enormous pressure.
The Suns hit back hard after half-time, but their efforts were ultimately in vain, leaving them entrenched in the bottom two on the ladder with an 0-7 record.
The expansion club has now gone winless in their past eight matches in a streak that dates back almost a full year to March 15, 2020.
Meanwhile, after losing their first 10 AFLW matches, the Tigers have now won two of their last three.
GOLD COAST 1.0 1.0 3.1 4.2 (26)
RICHMOND 1.0 3.3 4.5 6.5 (41)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Levi 2, Surman, Virgo
Richmond: Brennan 3, Wakefield, Bernardi, McKenzie
BEST
Gold Coast: Surman, Levi, Ahrens, Drennan, Howarth
Richmond: Brennan, Conti, McKenzie, Dempsey, Hosking
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Richmond: Nil
Reports: Nil
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