RICHMOND posted its third win of the 2023 AFL Women’s season on Saturday, completing a come-from-behind hat trick in the process. After clawing back to beat Brisbane in Round 1 and GWS last week, the Tigers repeated the feat in a seven-point victory over Carlton at IKON Park.

It was largely a game of two halves, although not the conventional kind. Instead, Richmond bookended the win with strong scoring in the first and fourth quarters, but was kept goalless during the second and third. Carlton had sucked the Tigers into a scrap throughout that time.

Renowned this season for their contested work and tough tackling, the Blues rushed Richmond into poor decisions and snatched the lead during the dour middle stages. Having turned the territory battle in term three, Tigers coach Ryan Ferguson helped guide his troops home with one more tweak.

“The second and third were very different,” Ferguson said. “The second quarter they got control of the game and we got a bit sloppy… then obviously in the third quarter we dominated the game but just really rushed. So, for different reasons we weren’t able to score in those two quarters.

“(We) reset at three quarter time to understand that the intent and pressure had to stay, but with ball in hand we had to use a bit of the outside run and lower the eyes to get it to advantage, rather than that rushed kick long where they were waiting back for it.”

There was method to the turnaround, though the Tigers leant on a few intangibles to get the job done. Against a “reenergised” Carlton outfit, Ferguson lauded his side’s resilience having been “banged up” in last week’s win. Fresh legs from forced changes proved a silver lining, too.

“The group is amazing,” he said. “Their resilience for many years now is just growing and growing and growing. We were running on empty but still ran the game out strongly.

“Poppy Kelly comes in and Stella Reid came in fresh and ready to go, that might have actually helped us. But the group is just full of resilience and such a strong resolve. How they played that last quarter was a really professional effort.”

On the flip-side, Carlton coach Mathew Buck was disappointed by the result but proud of the Blues’ ability to fight back and impose their physical, contest-heavy style on the game.

“I think in the end, Richmond’s connection between their midfield and forwards got us. We’re still working on that part of our game,” he said post-match.

Carlton remains just outside the top eight with an even 2-2 record and another home game to look forward to, against Sydney on Friday evening. That clash is part of a double-header, with Richmond playing host to Fremantle in the day’s earlier game.