WATCH match highlights above on PTV. Can't view the video? Watch on YouTube

RICHMOND and Port Adelaide have fought out an enthralling draw after a heart-stopping, topsy-turvy contest at the MCG on Sunday.

In an entertaining, often end-to-end clash, Richmond appeared set to end its season in style when it led by seven points late in the final term, before an Aaron Young goal and scrappy behind levelled the scores at 16.10 (106) apiece.

It was the first draw for the year in the second last game of the home and away season.

The Tigers led by 12 points at the 20-minute mark of the final quarter having come back from 18 points down at the 21-minute mark of the third term.

Jack Riewoldt had helped drag the Tigers back into the game, kicking six goals, including four from late in the third quarter on his way to clinching the 2012 Coleman Medal.

But Port, which looked a far cry from the battler it has looked at times in 2012, would not be denied. With the visitors seven points down, Young goaled with 1:14 left on the clock and Power skipper Domenic Cassisi then tied the scores with a snapped behind with 21 seconds to go.

When the siren sounded, the teams were all square.

Click here for all the best match pics

For Richmond, it was a numbing end to a season that at times promised much but ultimately finished as the previous 10 had - with the Tigers stranded outside the final eight, in 12th place.

After the match Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said the draw had summed up his team's season.
 
"We didn't play anywhere near well enough on the day. We were sluggish early and it sort of summed up our season - not quite good enough when we needed to be," Hardwick said.
 
Asked whether Chris Newman's announcement to the playing group pre-match that he was stepping down as skipper and Riewoldt's pursuit of the Coleman Medal were distractions for his team, Hardwick refused to use them as an excuse.
 
"Obviously the handover of your captaincy is a big event in a footy club but I would have expected the guys to respond better than what they did," Hardwick said.
 
"I just thought we looked flat. Our intensity in last week's game against Essendon was unbelievable, this week it was the complete opposite.
 
"Look, they ground it out, managed to get our nose in front, lost a couple of troops along the way but just couldn't quite get the result we were after."
 
After being tightly marked by Cassisi in the first half, Trent Cotchin fought his way into the game to finish with 31 possessions in a performance that might bolster his Brownlow Medal chances.
 
Bachar Houli was a steadying and creative influence for the Tigers at half-back all day, while Shane Tuck continued his strong year in the midfield as did Brett Deledio.
 
Understandably, Port caretaker coach Garry Hocking was more buoyant about the result than Hardwick.
 
"There were some really good things to come out of the game for us. Our ability to fight back, kicking a couple of goals with three or four minutes to go, the boys took the game on," Hocking said.
 
"It was a bit different to last week. I thought we learnt a lot out of the Brisbane loss, especially in the last quarter.
 
"Our players really showed an enormous amount of character to get back into the game and probably nearly steal it in the end."

Brad Ebert (22 possessions and three goals) was outstanding for the Power, as were Matthew Broadbent and former Tiger Jay Schulz (four goals).

From the opening bounce, the Power jumped out to an early seven-point lead before Richmond hit back to lead by 14 points at quarter-time 

But the Power kicked four goals to one in the second term to take a one-point lead at half-time and stretched that to six points at three-quarter time.

The Power look set to finish 14th (provided the Western Bulldogs lose to the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba in the Sunday twilight game) and can now give their undivided attention to finding a replacement for departed senior coach Matthew Primus, and to convince midfielder Travis Boak his future lies at Alberton Oval and not back home in Victoria.

RICHMOND            5.1    6.6    11.8    16.10 (106)                  
PORT ADELAIDE  2.5    6.7    12.8    16.10 (106)          
 
GOALS
Richmond: Riewoldt 6, Edwards 3, McGuane 2, Astbury, Grigg, Nahas, Post, Tuck
Port Adelaide: Schulz 4 Brad Ebert 3, Brett Ebert 2, Broadbent 2, Pearce, Rodan, Thomas, Wingard, Young

BEST
Richmond: Cotchin, Riewoldt, Houli, Tuck, Jackson, Deledio, Jackson
Port Adelaide: Brad Ebert, Schulz, Broadbent, Pearce, Boak, Cassisi, Hartlett

INJURIES
Richmond: Helbig (ankle), Martin (hamstring)
Port Adelaide: McCarthy (groin)

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Brad Helbig (ankle) replaced by Brett O'Hanlon in the first quarter
Port Adelaide: John McCarthy replaced by David Rodan in the third quarter

Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Kamolins, Pannell, Jacob Mollison
 
Official crowd: 27,893 at the MCG

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