Jack High: Tigers back into the eight after victory in Riewoldt’s 300th

Joe Daniher got busy kicking two goals in as many minutes, before Lincoln McCarthy gave his side the lead for the first time mid-way through the second term.

Mabior Chol, who kicked a career-high four goals on the night, soccered through a much-needed goal against the momentum to bring the deficit back to one-point, but Devon Robertson extended the Lions’ buffer with an accurate set-shot.

For all their dominance, however – 20 inside-50s to nine in that second quarter – the Lions led by just six points at the long break.

Damien Hardwick, speaking on the Seven coverage, said he was most concerned about the Lions’ stranglehold in the clearances and the ease at which they took marks inside 50.

And that’s where the Tigers turned the match in the third term, led by Martin.

The Brownlow medallist, who had just seven touches to the main break, had eight disposals in the second term and set up Riewoldt for his third major to get the game back within a kick.

Riewoldt then kicked his fourth, marking back with the flight, to give his side the lead and when he landed his fifth major from a push-in-the-back free kick, the home side led by a then game-high 16 points.

Martin, however, found himself on the sidelines after clashing heavily with Mitch Robinson. Attempting to take away a centre clearance, Martin smashed into Robinson who was coming in off the wing and was left grabbing his side and gasping for air.

Dustin Martin.Credit:Getty Images

He sat out the last quarter on the bench in a tracksuit, and walked gingerly onto the field to celebrate with his teammates after the final siren.

Chol arguably cemented his spot in the Richmond side for the foreseeable future with the four majors, while also taking four marks, four clearances and 12 hitouts. Before Friday night, Chol had kicked just two goals in six prior games this season. He and Nankervis overworked Oscar McInerney in the second half, particularly at the centre bounces.

Tom Lynch was quiet but kicked two goals including a fourth-quarter set shot from a free kick that saw his side open up a buffer that eventually proved insurmountable.

Daniher finished with three, while Jayden Short amassed 27 disposals off half back.

The match was delayed by 15 minutes after the Tigers’ bus was held up in traffic on the way to the ground.

BEST: Tigers: J Riewoldt, M Chol, J Short, K Lambert, S Bolton. Lions: H McCluggage, J Lyons, L Neale, M Robinson, D Zorko