Richmond went down to Brisbane in Friday night’s Qualifying Final and Kane Cornes is wondering whether their undisciplined streak got the better of them.
The Tigers have been embroiled in a number of high-profile off-field incidents this year, the most notable seeing Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones sent home and slapped with a 10-game ban after they were caught breaking COVID protocols on the Gold Coast last month.
Richmond gave away four separate 50-metre penalties during the clash against the Lions and Cornes pondered whether their off-field streak affected the way they played the game.
“I think we have to talk about Richmond’s discipline,” he said on SEN’s Whateley.
“Have the off-field issues and discipline issues – and there’s been a number of them which we don’t need to go over again – infiltrated them on the field.
“Is it too long of a bow to draw to think that it has an impact but it’s not the first time they’ve had issues from the discipline point of view this year – we know the issues Tom Lynch has had and the game against Port Adelaide where they gave away double 50-metre penalties and Damien Hardwick showing his frustration.
“Then it comes out in a big final, where you give away four 50-metre penalties and a number of those leading to goals and the coach then saying at half-time that umpires are trigger happy … they were undisciplined.
“Would I have paid a couple of those free kicks? No. But they were suffering from discipline issues on the weekend and it’s something they’ll need to tighten up should they come to Adelaide (for a Preliminary Final) in a couple of weeks’ time to play Port Adelaide.”
The Tigers will be looking to bounce back when they square off against St Kilda in Friday night’s Semi Final at Metricon Stadium.