tugga
Hall of Famer
- May 9, 2006
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- AFL Club
- Richmond
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Richmond makes the long trek to the MCG this week for an away clash against Geelong.
In a quirk of the fixture, all teams inside the eight are playing teams inside the eight this week and this is no exception.
In what is a logjam for positions in the eight and just outside, this round may well be the one that separates the challengers from the pretenders.
Geelong sits fourth at 9-4 and once again in proving that you don’t need to bottom out to be successful.
Richmond is in sixth place with four sides all at 8-4.
Reportedly Geelong is in a heavy training mode in a bid to ease off and be ripe for finals.
It’s a tactic we have used successfully in the past.
Match ups
You couldn’t want for two more important outs this week with a Balta and Tarrant set for stints on the sidelines with a hamstring and broken knuckle respectively.
They would have been the logical opponents for Cats pair Hawkins and Cameron have combined for 75 goals so far this season and just who their opponents will be remains a mystery.
Grimes might have to take Cameron and Ben Miller is a logical replacement to try his luck on Hawkins.
Josh Gibcus could play on either, but at this stage of his development, I think it would be the wrong move. I’d get him playing the intercept role and get a bit of dash and confidence back into his game.
The midfield
Sam Menegola returned for the Cats this week and played well. He is a big bodied mid who can crash packs and also has some skill so he will be even better for the run.
Dion Prestia is in career best form. The sickeningly underrated mid should be talked about as one of the best in the comp, it continues to evade the praise he deserves.
The goals
I’ve spoken about Geelong’s forward set up, but what about Richmond’s.
Tom Lynch is in the best form of his Richmond career this season.
Young gun Sam De Koning may be given the role on Lynch while Mark Blicavs is another candidate.
One thing I want Richmond to do is make Tom Stewart more accountable and not rack up 40 touches at will.
Changes
Gary Rohan missed with illness and could return.
Balta and Tarant will miss with Miller tipped to come back into the side.
I would like to see Maurice Rioli start. An easy swap of roles with Shane Edwards as the medical sub could be on the cards.
Jack Ross had 34 touches in a best on field VFL clash against Coburg and is pressing for a return. Interestingly he told channel 7 that his role in the VFL is as an inside mid and in the AFL it is as a wingman. Go figure. Bloke gets 34 with half of them contested as an inside mid today and will probably play wing this week.
Dustin Martin missed the easy win against Carlscum although I have heard he is set to miss again. i don’t know why so don’t ask me.
The verdict
The Cats are gettable with their heavy training load and a trip back from the west in which they were less than convincing against the Eagles.
Our outs worry me, but I also think the stage is set for Shai Bolton to completely rip a game apart.
Tiges by 11 points.
In a quirk of the fixture, all teams inside the eight are playing teams inside the eight this week and this is no exception.
In what is a logjam for positions in the eight and just outside, this round may well be the one that separates the challengers from the pretenders.
Geelong sits fourth at 9-4 and once again in proving that you don’t need to bottom out to be successful.
Richmond is in sixth place with four sides all at 8-4.
Reportedly Geelong is in a heavy training mode in a bid to ease off and be ripe for finals.
It’s a tactic we have used successfully in the past.
Match ups
You couldn’t want for two more important outs this week with a Balta and Tarrant set for stints on the sidelines with a hamstring and broken knuckle respectively.
They would have been the logical opponents for Cats pair Hawkins and Cameron have combined for 75 goals so far this season and just who their opponents will be remains a mystery.
Grimes might have to take Cameron and Ben Miller is a logical replacement to try his luck on Hawkins.
Josh Gibcus could play on either, but at this stage of his development, I think it would be the wrong move. I’d get him playing the intercept role and get a bit of dash and confidence back into his game.
The midfield
Sam Menegola returned for the Cats this week and played well. He is a big bodied mid who can crash packs and also has some skill so he will be even better for the run.
Dion Prestia is in career best form. The sickeningly underrated mid should be talked about as one of the best in the comp, it continues to evade the praise he deserves.
The goals
I’ve spoken about Geelong’s forward set up, but what about Richmond’s.
Tom Lynch is in the best form of his Richmond career this season.
Young gun Sam De Koning may be given the role on Lynch while Mark Blicavs is another candidate.
One thing I want Richmond to do is make Tom Stewart more accountable and not rack up 40 touches at will.
Changes
Gary Rohan missed with illness and could return.
Balta and Tarant will miss with Miller tipped to come back into the side.
I would like to see Maurice Rioli start. An easy swap of roles with Shane Edwards as the medical sub could be on the cards.
Jack Ross had 34 touches in a best on field VFL clash against Coburg and is pressing for a return. Interestingly he told channel 7 that his role in the VFL is as an inside mid and in the AFL it is as a wingman. Go figure. Bloke gets 34 with half of them contested as an inside mid today and will probably play wing this week.
Dustin Martin missed the easy win against Carlscum although I have heard he is set to miss again. i don’t know why so don’t ask me.
The verdict
The Cats are gettable with their heavy training load and a trip back from the west in which they were less than convincing against the Eagles.
Our outs worry me, but I also think the stage is set for Shai Bolton to completely rip a game apart.
Tiges by 11 points.
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