It was the antithesis of the sort of contest awaiting Richmond in their first AFL finals campaign in 12 years, but coach Damien Hardwick was happy to bank the percentage booster resulting from a 121-point shellacking of Greater Western Sydney.
The Tigers booted 11 goals in a second-quarter blitz on Sunday that was just nine points short of the club's highest-scoring term in its 105-year history, then cruised to a 25.13 (163) to 6.6 (42) victory at Skoda Stadium.
Not since Fitzroy's penultimate game, a 151-point loss to the Tigers in 1996, has Richmond destroyed a team in such a ruthless fashion.
As a result the Tigers' percentage jumped from 114.6 to 121.4, rocketing them to fifth place on the ladder ahead of fellow 14-win teams Collingwood and Essendon.
"It'll certainly come in handy. There's three sides on the same number of points. So whatever helps us get a home final is a good result," Hardwick said.
"...We got the four points and came out unscathed, so that was a positive."
The Tigers may still need to defeat Essendon on Saturday night at the MCG, their final game before September, to earn a home final the following weekend.
Coming off an upset loss to Carlton, Richmond made as big a statement as they could against a side that looked not only young but flat and tired after away games against Fremantle and Brisbane.
"Three away games across the nation ... in the space of four weeks. I think that's a fairly harsh draw for a young group," GWS mentor Kevin Sheedy said ahead of his coaching swan song, against Gold Coast.
There were few signs in the first quarter of the shellacking ahead.
GWS debutant Kristian Jaksch kicked the opening goal with his first AFL kick and Liam Sumner slotted a major on the stroke of quarter-time to reduce the Tigers' lead to 10 points at the first break.
The Giants' next goal wouldn't come until the eighth minute of the third term, with Richmond piling on 89 points in-between.
Far too many of Richmond's 14 consecutive goals resembled training drills, with loose men everywhere queuing up as 12 players got their name on the scoreboard.
Hardwick insisted the clash was more willing than it seemed, and would hold the side in good stead for the Bombers.
"Funnily enough their contested-ball stuff was actually pretty good," he said of the 137-113 count.
"Those sort of games, you can be 40-50 possession difference but I think it wasn't too bad.
"They were tough. The third quarter they were very good."
Aaron Edwards kicked five goals for the Tigers, while Alex Rance kept GWS young gun Jeremy Cameron goal-less for the first time this season.
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin had ice on his shin after being substituted off in the third quarter.
"That was precautionary. He got a knock on it last week," Hardwick said.
