THEY were called a rabble last week, but for three quarters on Saturday afternoon, Sydney was anything but.

Following a 90-point loss at home in round 12, there were some early signs that things might follow that path on the wintery MCG deck, but a flicked switch turned out to be a disappointing 44-point loss for Richmond.

TIGERS v SWANS Full match coverage and stats

An unanswered 10-goal run from Sydney resulted in the 11.14 (80) to 4.12 (36) victory.

Richmond started the game full of energy, with strength at the contest and peppering its attacking 50, but what it couldn't do, however, was turn that dominance in field position into scores.

Its 14 inside 50s in the first quarter resulted in three goals from seven scores, but the side generated only 24 forward entries across the remainder of the game, including a goal drought spanning the better part of three quarters.

The tide turned in the other direction for Sydney as it found some confidence. The early margin wasn't nearly as worrying as it might have been, so its run of 10 consecutive goals not only mowed down the deficit, but turned it into a sizeable lead.

Generating space in attack, and effectively hitting runners on the open side, allowed fans to see glimpses of the Swans' DNA for the first time in several weeks. Nick Blakey (34 disposals, 886 gained) seemed to get his dangerous run and touch back, and young midfielder Angus Sheldrick (19 disposals, five clearances) started to show the damaging player he was drafted to be.

There was an attempt from Callum Mills before the game began to exert some physical dominance, felling Tiger Nick Vlastuin with a bump as the teams were moving to their starting positions. Unfortunately for Sydney, that desire for effective physicality didn't immediately translate once the ball was bounced.

It took 10 minutes for the visitors to lay an effective tackle, allowing Richmond to move the ball freely down the field, and dominate territory. Sydney's lack of organisation and defensive pressure was painfully highlighted early in the game, as the Tigers won an insufficient intent free kick deep in the forward pocket, and Dion Prestia, with ball in hand, was able to walk through three Swans to kick a crowd-lifting goal.

The defensive 50 was the area of the ground that Richmond was at its best across the opening half. Where Vlastuin was being well-worn by Sydney stopper James Jordon (17 disposals, three goals), and forced to be accountable the other way, Noah Balta (eight intercepts) and Ben Miller (eight) were smart in their breakaway intercept work.

The line was also helped by an apparent lack of connection between the Swans' ball carriers and the forward line. Too often was an attempt to move the ball quickly an easy pick off for Richmond's intercepting defenders, across the first half in particular.

But they were up against it once the Swans got running. The shifting and changing of Sydney's attack, whereby it worked to create pockets of space and generated repeat entries, started to ask some questions of Richmond's defence. No longer able to just pick off the high ball, but forced to fight it out on the deck.

Dion Prestia's game was emblematic of the Tigers as a whole. A stellar opening quarter which bore 13 disposals and a goal, followed by a genuine struggle to find any sense of control.

Jordon's impact
James Jordon has become known across the League for his ability to shut a direct opponent out of the game, and it's not just through the midfield that he has been deployed – to great effect. It was masterful intercept defender Nick Vlastuin who was on the receiving end of the Jordon tag on Saturday afternoon, taking away the three-time premiership player's freedom with which he normally plays. Instead, he had to be accountable to the forward movements of Jordon, as the Swan finished with 17 disposals, seven marks, and a career-high three goals for the day in what was an impressive team-first outing. Vlastuin, however, was well-supported by his teammates. If he was unable to leave his direct opponent to impact the play, it was the likes of Noah Balta and Ben Miller who took on that role.

Highs and lows for Prestia
Dion Prestia looked like a world-beater in the opening quarter. With 13 disposals, three clearances and a goal to his name, he was the engine room around whom the rest of the Tigers' midfield was working. Prestia was the first port of call for Sydney coach Dean Cox to address at quarter-time. Reliable midfielder James Rowbottom stood alongside Prestia to open the second term, and didn't let him out of his sight, preventing the Tiger from touching the footy, and working Prestia out of the game so well that he didn't even register a tackle for the quarter. Prestia ultimately finished with 21 disposals and six clearances, a far cry from the impact he threatened to have.

No love lost
After returning Sydney captain Callum Mills laid a bump on Richmond defender Vlastuin before the opening bounce, tenacious Tiger Rhyan Mansell seemed to make it his goal to disrupt the run of Mills at every opportunity. Mansell was the first in to Mills after than initial bump, and once the Swan took up his position in defence, the Tiger was licking his lips at the prospect of a game-long matchup. At every opportunity Mansell worked to body Mills, a constant reminder of that early attempt to exert some physicality on the contest, with the battle only breaking when Mansell was substituted out of the game with a leg injury in the third quarter.

RICHMOND    3.4    3.7    3.8    4.12 (36)
SYDNEY         2.4    5.9    9.12   11.14 (80)

GOALS
Richmond: Campbell 2, Taranto, Prestia
Sydney: Jordon 3, Ch.Warner 2, Co.Warner, Heeney, Hayward, McLean, Grundy, Francis

BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Trainor, Balta, Miller, Nankervis
Sydney: Blakey, Jordon, McCartin, Rowbottom, Grundy, Heeney

INJURIES
Richmond: Mansell (leg)
Sydney: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Kamdyn McIntosh (replaced Rhyan Mansell in the third quarter)
Sydney: Taylor Adams (replaced Tom Hanily in the third quarter)

Crowd: 41,452 at the MCG