Geelong pushed reigning premier Richmond all the way but has come up short going down by three-points at the MCG on Friday night.
The Cats threw everything they had at the Tigers, but the reigning premiers appeared to be safely home when Sam Lloyd goaled to put them 23 points up at the 16-minute mark of the final term.
However, the Cats were not done. Goals to Tom Hawkins, Cameron Guthrie and Sam Menegola brought them back within four points at the 26-minute mark.
Gary Ablett then had a chance to put them in front a minute later when he had an open shot on goal from 35m.
But the dual Brownlow medallist pushed his shot well right and the Tigers were able to hold Geelong at bay in the dying minutes to record a 12.13 (85) to 12.10 (82) victory that stretched their record run of consecutive wins at the MCG to 19.
Kane Lambert was outstanding for the Tigers with 31 possessions and was well supported through the midfield by Dustin Martin (26 possessions).
Jack Riewoldt (four goals) continued his good form in attack, Alex Rance held the competition's in-form spearhead Tom Hawkins to just one late goal, while Toby Nankervis (18 possessions, 33 hit-outs and one goal) had the better of his duel with Cats' debutant Ryan Abbott.
In winning, the Tigers defeated Geelong twice in the same season for the first time since 1982, while they also recorded their third win in a row over the Cats for the first time since 1998-2000.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said after the game Geelong had caught his team by surprise at times with some different tactics.
"It was a different game, there's no doubt about that. It was a Richmond-like game with the forward-half turnovers," Hardwick said.
"They showed some things that caught us – I wouldn't say off-guard – but they had some things work for them that allowed them to score some goals. They were pretty aggressive with their ball movement through the middle of the ground.
"Once again we got a good look at it and they got some goals as a result of that. It was a different challenge and one I'm glad we came through in the end."
As dismal as the Cats were in last year’s qualifying final loss to the Tigers, they were courageous this time around.
However, the loss weakens their hold on eighth spot on the ladder. Ninth-placed Sydney will leapfrog them if it defeats Collingwood at the SCG on Saturday night, while North Melbourne, 10th, and Essendon, 11th, will draw level with them on 11 wins if they defeat Brisbane and Hawthorn respectively.
Patrick Dangerfield (39 possessions and eight clearances) and Joel Selwood (37 and nine) did all they could to will Geelong over the line, while Tim Kelly (36 possessions) was also a prolific ball-winner.
Mark Blicavs was a towering presence in defence, while Mitch Duncan (33 possessions) and Sam Menegola (29 possession and two goals) were also important contributors.
Cats coach Chris Scott said his team would take confidence from its ability to push the reigning premier.
"It was a pretty resilient effort really. It was funny a lot of the numbers were looking like they were going our way, but the most important, the scoreboard, (wasn't) and then the inside 50s after that for most of the game just meant we were under pressure too much," Scott said.
"The way that they play does force you to try to use the ball a little bit under pressure or kick it to them. So we just overused the ball a bit too much, but again that's a bit ground dependent.
"When you are pinned in your back half a little bit sometimes you need to try to use it, otherwise you just give them back the ball.
"I thought in the last quarter in particular we were just able to even up a few of those contests and put them on the back foot a bit.
Geelong kicked the opening goal of the game through Daniel Menzel, but Richmond hit back hard, kicking four of the next five majors to go into quarter-time with a 10-point lead.
Tiger spearhead Jack Riewoldt was brilliant in the first term, kicking two goals and setting up a Jason Castagna major with a brilliant knock-on from the boundary line.
Richmond carried this momentum into the second term, dominating the opening 10 minutes to extend its lead to 25 points after goals from ruckman Toby Nankervis, via a classy left-foot dribble kick, and Jack Higgins.
The reigning premier looked set to kill the contest early, but a brilliant smother by Geelong captain Joel Selwood on a Connor Menadue kick led to a Tim Kelly goal and halted the Tigers' run.
Kelly's goal was the first of three in a row by the Cats – the last a Sam Menegola bomb from just inside the centre square – which brought them back within five points by half-time.
The Cats dominated contested possessions 97-82 and clearances 28-18 in the first half, but the Tigers' forward-half pressure was outstanding and allowed them to control the inside 50 count 38-21.
When Geelong seized the lead inside the opening minute of the third term via a Menzel goal, it seemed to have all the momentum.
Richmond then emphatically regained control of the contest to again go 25 points up late in the term, only for Geelong to respond with three consecutive goals that brought it within 10 points at the seven-minute mark of the final term.
The Tigers again responded and looked safe when they led by 23 points midway through the final term.
However, the Cats had one last surge in them. It came up just short.
MEDICAL ROOM
Richmond: The Tigers emerged with a clean bill of health.
Geelong: Rhys Stanley was a late withdrawal with a calf injury, but coach Chris Scott was confident post-match the ruckman would be available to play against Hawthorn next round. Defender Jed Bews came off the ground late in the match after appearing to injure a shoulder in a marking contest. Scott downplayed the injury, saying it was just "a sore shoulder".
NEXT UP
The Tigers play Gold Coast next Saturday at Metricon Stadium, where they defeated the Suns by 33 points in round 19 last year. The Cats take on bitter rival Hawthorn at the MCG that same day, when they will try to avenge their one-point loss in round two.
RICHMOND 4.2 6.6 10.11 12.13 (85)
GEELONG 2.4 5.7 7.8 12.10 (82)
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Castagna 2, Cotchin, McIntosh, Lloyd, Higgins, Townsend, Nankervis
Geelong: Menzel 3, Abbott 2, Menegola 2, Guthrie, Hawkins, Henry, Tuohy, Kelly
BEST
Richmond: Lambert, Riewoldt, Rance, Nankervis, Martin, Ellis
Geelong: Kelly, Dangerfield, Selwood, Duncan, Blicavs, Menzel
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil.
Geelong: Rhys Stanley (calf) a late withdrawal, replaced in selected side by Jackson Thurlow. Jed Bews (shoulder)
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Donlon, O'Gorman, Meredith
Official crowd: 67,054 at the MCG
