AFL 2019 Round 10: Richmond v Essendon, 7:25pm AEST MCG

[Gralin]

​

Where and when: MCG, Saturday, May 25, 7.25pm AEST

Melbourne Forecast

Mostly sunny morning. Very high (90%) chance of showers in the afternoon and evening. Winds north to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h tending west to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the late morning and afternoon.

Last time they met: MCG, round 22, 2018: Richmond 12.9 (81) defeated Essendon 11.7 (73)
Missing key midfielders Trent Cotchin, Kane Lambert and Dion Prestia, the Tigers held on to seal a tight win after the Bombers kicked the last four goals of the game. Dustin Martin was Richmond's best, while Devon Smith led the way for Essendon.

What it means for Richmond: An opportunity for a surprise top-four berth. Given Richmond's injury list and the calibre of players on it, few would have expected the Tigers to have won as many games as they have.

What it means for Essendon: A win would go some way to stabilising a topsy-turvy season, levelling the win-loss ledger at five apiece. The Bombers have also lost 10 of their past 12 to the Tigers.

How Richmond wins: Using its multi-pronged attack to its advantage. Richmond's forward line is starting to really hit its straps, and they should have too many avenues to goal for Essendon to counter.

How Essendon wins: Exploiting Richmond's lack of height around the ground. Hawthorn looked dangerous while it had two fit rucks playing, both up forward and around the ground.

The stat: Saturday night marks the 15th Dreamtime at the 'G match, with Richmond having won eight games and Essendon saluting on six occasions. Dustin Martin is the only two-time winner of the Yiooken Award for best on ground.

The match-up: Sydney Stack v Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
An unlikely match-up at the start of the season, but it's set to be a highly entertaining one. The pair are as tough as nails, with Stack the fourth-highest first-year player in the AFL Player Ratings (516th overall), while the Bomber is rated 82nd overall.

It's a big week for: John Worsfold
It's been a strange season for Essendon, recording wins over Melbourne, Brisbane, North Melbourne and Fremantle interspersed with disappointing losses. Knocking off a confident Richmond side would be a real feather and a step towards being a legitimate finals contender.

Can the Bombers ease the pressure on coach John Worsfold? Picture: AFL Photos

Big call: Daniel Rioli will force his way back into the side and kick three goals wearing the Dreamtime guernsey he designed with his parents.

Prediction: Tigers by 25 points

Source: AFL Website

 

[telsor]

Curious that the AFL site has Soldo listed as out due to "Club Suspension".

If Richmond is running the MRO, it's doing a pretty crappy job at it!

 

[Xtreme]

Richmond by 99

 

[Great8]

Could get very ugly tonight. I’d be very surprised if we can get within 7-8 goals of them

 

[telsor]

Could get very ugly tonight. I’d be very surprised if we can get within 7-8 goals of them

Richmond will be using it's 3rd choice ruckman (all of 19yo), missing more than half it's first choice inside mids (indeed, much of the time our 'inside mids' will be flankers roped into the job).

Add the other outs we have, and you really should be converting a lot of that first use of the ball.


If not....There is something seriously wrong with your team.

 

[Great8]

If not....There is something seriously wrong with your team.

We already know that to be the case.
We are mediocre

 

[telsor]

We already know that to be the case.
We are mediocre

No, a mediocre team would beat Richmond in their current state. To be "lucky to get within 7-8 goals" would make Essendon a very bad team

 

[Great8]

No, a mediocre team would beat Richmond in their current state. To be "lucky to get within 7-8 goals" would make Essendon a very bad team

It’s more that having few players missing though. Richmond has a good structure and game style that your players coming up from the VFL adapt to easily and everyone plays their role. We look like headless chooks out there at times and appear to have zero structure or game plan

 

[nahnah]

Should be a good game, Tigers by 18

 

[Chinacats]

Tipping tigers based on trust, yet no Cotchin and now lambert. If they limit dusty to a reasonable game then tigers look a bit thin in the middle especially if Bellchambers gets the kid. Bombers have a sniff, yet just can’t tip them.

 

[Sterge]

I would let ccj have the centre bounces and then push forwards while balta uses his pace and endurance to stretch bell around the ground.

 

[Lsta062]

I am going with Richmond by 16 points

 

[PerthBoy86]

Tiges by 22 in a low scoring scrapfest in the rain. I'm expecting a scoreline like 64 to 42.

 

[HTT]

Bombers capable of playing damn good footy (just don’t do it enough yet) and our ruck situation is a big unknown. Lambert is also a huge out. I’m pretty confident we can cover it but there’s always bit of uncertainty.

Like any week, if our opposition are on and we don’t bring our pressure, we’ll probably lose.

 

[Strange Cat]

Tigers by 48

 

[BuffDog]

Tigers by 66

 

[juss]

Bombers by 14. Our ruck/midfield division should be smashed by theirs. If not would be seriously surprised.

 

[mellowyellow]

Im confident of the win Tigers by 27

 

[TigerTime_89]

Essendon by 30+, sadly.

 

[freddy mercury]

Can see the MCG from my inlaws house balcony, about 5 min walk away. IT is going to PI55 down. Put this in the book Tiger fans. We're not a wet weather footy side.

 

[JayJ20]

It’s more that having few players missing though. Richmond has a good structure and game style that your players coming up from the VFL adapt to easily and everyone plays their role. We look like headless chooks out there at times and appear to have zero structure or game plan

Cmon. Richmond have a ton of injuries. It'll be alarm bells ringing if we lose by 7-8 goals.

 

[Macca18]

We could start now and still wouldn't win this.

Haven't beaten the Tigers since 2014 and we just don't perform when it's wet.

The Tigers missing a fair chunk of quality from their best side... but their structure is sound. We are a mediocre side who can't and won't cover the likes of Devon Smith, Daniher & Orazio Fantasia.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Can see the MCG from my inlaws house balcony, about 5 min walk away. IT is going to PI55 down. Put this in the book Tiger fans. We're not a wet weather footy side.

Wet weather requires getting in and playing hard

The very antithesis of Essendon

 

[gavaniacono]

Bombers by a straight. Tiges to get a reality check.

 

[Adz]

Looking forward to hearing about Rioli like he’s not the most over exposed AFL player ever.