ADELAIDE has won its sixth successive match after a hard-fought 17-point win over Richmond on the Gold Coast, with local product Kurt Tippett proving the difference with five goals.

The Crows led by 46 points early in the final quarter, but the Tigers refused to give in, and a five-goals-to-one last term saw the final scores read 15.12 (102) to 13.7 (85).

Tippett’s size and speed was too much for the Richmond defence as he waved the Gold Coast Stadium goodbye in superb fashion with two goals in the first quarter, two in the second and one in the third.

Adelaide led by more than seven goals ahead when Chris Knights kicked the first goal of the last term, but Richmond’s endeavour could not be questioned.

The Crows’ win in succession sees then move to fifth place on the ladder.

The 11,174 spectators who came along to the final game at the stadium before its redevelopment, saw a silky display from Tippet.

He out-pointed second-gamer Jarrod Silvester, and despite being held by Luke McGuane after half time, continued to go for his marks and proved difficult to handle on the lead.

He was given great service by a midfield that pressured Richmond from the start, kicking the game’s opening five goals.

Scott Thompson’s ball use (27 disposals) was of its usual high standard, while Tyson Edwards (24) and Andrew McLeod (24) ran strongly and showed they still had plenty of good football in front of them.

Defensive pillars Nathan Bock and Ben Rutten barely gave their opponents an inch.

Richmond were on the back foot early but fought the game right out without ever threatening to win. Overuse of handball, especially in the first half, made their task difficult.

Robin Nahas ran through the lines strongly, kicked four goals and was the spark that kept Tiger fans interested all night.

Richard Tambling (31 disposals) also worked hard, constantly pressured without the ball and added a goal for good measure.

Ben Cousins (30) got better as the match wore on, Brett Deledio (31) was solid, and impressive first-gamer Jayden Post showed some good signs in defense.

On a sour note for the Tigers, Nathan Foley went off in the first quarter with a lower leg injury and came back for small bursts in the second and third but was in clear discomfort.

The first quarter looked like being a landslide as Adelaide slammed on five unanswered goals in the first 18 minutes.

Tippett had two quick goals before Tigers coach Jade Rawlings dropped spare men back in defence.

When Thompson, Knights and Scott Stevens also goaled from set shots, the lead was 30 points.

Richmond looked so disjointed they twice kicked into the faces of one of their own players while clearing kicks, however they began to run in numbers and managed goals to Tom Hislop and Nahas to reduce the lead to 20 points at the first break.

When Nahas set up Tambling for the opening goal of the second quarter, the lead was down to 16 but it was as close as the Tigers would get in the first half.

Tippett continued wreaking havoc in Adelaide’s forward 50 though, adding two more for the quarter to give him four at the half.

His third for the match came after a textbook move from a Crows kick-in that saw them sweep the ball from one end to the other with four kicks that went untouched by the Tigers.

Tippett took another strong pack mark from a long bomb by debutant Shaun McKernan, brother of North Melbourne premiership player Corey, to set up a 27-point lead at half time.

The Tigers did have some second quarter highlights, with Daniel Jackson kicking his first goal of the season and Shane Edwards making a rare burst through the centre and spotting up Mitch Morton.

After Porplyzia’s superb running goal and Stevens’ second early in the third term blew the lead out to 39 points, the game looked over.

Adelaide       5.3  9.6  14.9  15.12.102
Richmond    2.1  5.3   8.5    13.7.85 

GOALS
 Adelaide: Tippett 5, Mackay 2, Stevens 2, Knights 2, Thompson, Douglas, Porplyzia, McLeod
Richmond: Nahas 4, Jackson 2, Morton 2, Hislop, Tambling, Deledio, Graham, Riewoldt 

BEST
Adelaide: McLeod, Johncock, Tippett, Edwards, Stevens, Thompson, Bock
Richmond: Nahas, Tuck, Cousins, Jackson, Hislop, Deledio, Tambling

INJURIES
Adelaide: Nil
Richmond: Nathan Foley (hamstring)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Sully, Wenn, Pannell

Official crowd: 11,174 at Gold Coast Stadium

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs