tugga
Hall of Famer
- May 9, 2006
- 35,844
- 71,680
- AFL Club
- Richmond
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Richmond, the worst 5-2 side ever, takes on Fremantle, the worst 4-3 side in AFL history, at everyone’s favourite day and timeslot, this Sunday at 1.10pm at the home of football.
Freo is in decent form, having won four of its past five games, with the only slip up, a derby thrashing. The Tigers have dropped their past two in remarkably different fashion – a spanking against the Crows and an ‘honourable loss’ to the umpires’ pets.
The Dockers brushed past a battle weary Essendon on the weekend with the Bombers having played three games in 13 days. In the blistering heat with the temperature nearing 30 degrees at Subiaco and with the Bombers not having illegal injections to give them a leg up, they wilted and Fremantle stormed home.
Richmond jumped out of the blocks but was eventually caught by a Dogs team that hasn’t reached anywhere near their premiership form of 2016.
SCORING POWER
Freo has Cam McCarthy in good form while Matt Taberner booted four goals in his comeback game while Shane Kersten snagged two.
Jack Riewoldt has 10 goals in his past two games and is in ominous touch. The Tigers need more from their small forwards. Dustin Martin has had a quietish past few weeks but still booted two majors against the umpires’ love-ins.
(Every non-Richmond supporter’s favourite AFL player)
THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON...
Apparantely Nathan Fyfe will announce that is he is leaving to play with St Kilda next year. Or at least that was the news last week. The champ responded after a fairly sluggish first half with a brutish third quarter that yielded eight clearances.
(enough to make a straight man turn. That’s about Nat, not Ross, by the way)
Dustin Martin hasn’t had the enormous impact over the past few weeks that he had during the first month. Still, if Martin’s ‘ordinary’ games are 28 disposals and two goals, then he is setting the bar astronomically high.
MILESTONE
Ball magnet and my Supercoach darling Lachie Neale will play his 100th game.
CHANGES
Richmond will rush ruck revelation Toby Nankervis back into the team after serving a week’s suspension. His selection will probably come at the expense of rookie first-gamer Ivan Soldo. Nick Vlaustin will also miss with a shoulder injury, which could earn a recall for the likes of Sam Lloyd, Ben Lennon or Jacob Townsend. Dan Butler or Jason Castagna could be rested, and the Tigers will need more from Anthony Miles and Corey Ellis if they want to stay in the side.
Fremantle looks quite settled. Garrick Ibbotson could find himself out of the team with calls for Sam Collins’s good WAFL form to be rewarded. But let’s hope Zac Dawson earns a recall.
(Zac Dawson has done enough to earn senior selection this week – please Ross?)
KEY MATCH UPS
Nankervis vs Sandilands: Short for a ruckman, Nank the Tank has been arguably the trade of the season while veteran Sandi just keeps on keeping on. Sandilands will dominate the hit outs while Nankervis contributes a lot around the ground. Richmond must not let Sandilands drift forward and take marks in his side’s forward 50.
(Everyone’s favourite recruit and enjoying life at a decent side rather than at the Swans who are 1-6)
The midfields: Fyfe was back to his best in the second half against the Dons while Lachie Neale just keeps taking his game to a new level. Michael Walters showed that is more than just a forward specialist with a 26-possession game in the midfield for Fremantle. Bradley Hill is also in red hot form.
Richmond will miss prized recruit Dion Prestia for at least the next few weeks, which puts the onus firmly on Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Shaun Grigg to perform. Cotchin has had a terrific season, but was down on the weekend with only 8 of his 20 disposals being by foot.
Defence: Richmond back three of Alex Rance, David Astbury and Dylan Grimes is probably one of the more settled defensive combinations in the AFL this season.
Joel Hamling has been a revelation for Freo after crossing from the kennel, where they allow throws and lots of free kicks.
(Joel Hamling hasn’t taken long to adjust to Freo’s game plan of actually handballing the ball rather than throwing it like the reigning premiers do)
Forwards: As stated earlier, Fremantle have plenty of options with Cam McCarthy hitting his stride and the unlikely Matt Taberner along with Shane Kersten scoring freely.
Jack Riewoldt is in superb form, but the Tigers need Dan Butler and Dan Rioli to score more than one goal between them to win this game.
THE X-FACTOR
I’m calling it. Josh Caddy will have his breakout game. He’s been drifting in and out and hasn’t really lived up to the hype that came with his move from the shanty town of Melbourne’s outer western suburbs.
(Josh Caddy feeling safe and secure at Punt Rd as opposed to the Soweto-like conditions in Melbourne’s outer west, otherwise known as Geelong)
THE VENUE
Freo don’t have the same problems at the Colosseum like their cousins from the west do. The Dockers play well at the MCG and have a decent winning record, including their past two at the venue against Richmond. Ironically Richmond has won the past two meetings at Subiaco.
The wonderful timeslot of 1.10pm on a Sunday, and being Mother’s Day nonetheless, will ensure a bumper crowd of around 94,348 (minus about 60,000).
THE VERDICT
Richmond must win if it is to play finals. To slip to 5-3 with a game against the AFL lovechild in GWS the following week simply cannot happen. Win this and 6-2 actually looks decent, although Richmond still won’t have beaten anyone.
Freo will consider themselves a real chance here. A 5-3 record after the dismal first two games of the season would be a massive bonus. Consequently 4-4 would mean there’d be plenty of work to do to make the eight.
Caddy to kick the winning goal in the dying moments, providing Bachar Houli doesn’t kick it to David Mundy first.
Richmond by four points.
Freo is in decent form, having won four of its past five games, with the only slip up, a derby thrashing. The Tigers have dropped their past two in remarkably different fashion – a spanking against the Crows and an ‘honourable loss’ to the umpires’ pets.
The Dockers brushed past a battle weary Essendon on the weekend with the Bombers having played three games in 13 days. In the blistering heat with the temperature nearing 30 degrees at Subiaco and with the Bombers not having illegal injections to give them a leg up, they wilted and Fremantle stormed home.
Richmond jumped out of the blocks but was eventually caught by a Dogs team that hasn’t reached anywhere near their premiership form of 2016.
SCORING POWER
Freo has Cam McCarthy in good form while Matt Taberner booted four goals in his comeback game while Shane Kersten snagged two.
Jack Riewoldt has 10 goals in his past two games and is in ominous touch. The Tigers need more from their small forwards. Dustin Martin has had a quietish past few weeks but still booted two majors against the umpires’ love-ins.
(Every non-Richmond supporter’s favourite AFL player)
THE SPOTLIGHT IS ON...
Apparantely Nathan Fyfe will announce that is he is leaving to play with St Kilda next year. Or at least that was the news last week. The champ responded after a fairly sluggish first half with a brutish third quarter that yielded eight clearances.
(enough to make a straight man turn. That’s about Nat, not Ross, by the way)
Dustin Martin hasn’t had the enormous impact over the past few weeks that he had during the first month. Still, if Martin’s ‘ordinary’ games are 28 disposals and two goals, then he is setting the bar astronomically high.
MILESTONE
Ball magnet and my Supercoach darling Lachie Neale will play his 100th game.
CHANGES
Richmond will rush ruck revelation Toby Nankervis back into the team after serving a week’s suspension. His selection will probably come at the expense of rookie first-gamer Ivan Soldo. Nick Vlaustin will also miss with a shoulder injury, which could earn a recall for the likes of Sam Lloyd, Ben Lennon or Jacob Townsend. Dan Butler or Jason Castagna could be rested, and the Tigers will need more from Anthony Miles and Corey Ellis if they want to stay in the side.
Fremantle looks quite settled. Garrick Ibbotson could find himself out of the team with calls for Sam Collins’s good WAFL form to be rewarded. But let’s hope Zac Dawson earns a recall.
(Zac Dawson has done enough to earn senior selection this week – please Ross?)
KEY MATCH UPS
Nankervis vs Sandilands: Short for a ruckman, Nank the Tank has been arguably the trade of the season while veteran Sandi just keeps on keeping on. Sandilands will dominate the hit outs while Nankervis contributes a lot around the ground. Richmond must not let Sandilands drift forward and take marks in his side’s forward 50.
(Everyone’s favourite recruit and enjoying life at a decent side rather than at the Swans who are 1-6)
The midfields: Fyfe was back to his best in the second half against the Dons while Lachie Neale just keeps taking his game to a new level. Michael Walters showed that is more than just a forward specialist with a 26-possession game in the midfield for Fremantle. Bradley Hill is also in red hot form.
Richmond will miss prized recruit Dion Prestia for at least the next few weeks, which puts the onus firmly on Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin and Shaun Grigg to perform. Cotchin has had a terrific season, but was down on the weekend with only 8 of his 20 disposals being by foot.
Defence: Richmond back three of Alex Rance, David Astbury and Dylan Grimes is probably one of the more settled defensive combinations in the AFL this season.
Joel Hamling has been a revelation for Freo after crossing from the kennel, where they allow throws and lots of free kicks.
(Joel Hamling hasn’t taken long to adjust to Freo’s game plan of actually handballing the ball rather than throwing it like the reigning premiers do)
Forwards: As stated earlier, Fremantle have plenty of options with Cam McCarthy hitting his stride and the unlikely Matt Taberner along with Shane Kersten scoring freely.
Jack Riewoldt is in superb form, but the Tigers need Dan Butler and Dan Rioli to score more than one goal between them to win this game.
THE X-FACTOR
I’m calling it. Josh Caddy will have his breakout game. He’s been drifting in and out and hasn’t really lived up to the hype that came with his move from the shanty town of Melbourne’s outer western suburbs.
(Josh Caddy feeling safe and secure at Punt Rd as opposed to the Soweto-like conditions in Melbourne’s outer west, otherwise known as Geelong)
THE VENUE
Freo don’t have the same problems at the Colosseum like their cousins from the west do. The Dockers play well at the MCG and have a decent winning record, including their past two at the venue against Richmond. Ironically Richmond has won the past two meetings at Subiaco.
The wonderful timeslot of 1.10pm on a Sunday, and being Mother’s Day nonetheless, will ensure a bumper crowd of around 94,348 (minus about 60,000).
THE VERDICT
Richmond must win if it is to play finals. To slip to 5-3 with a game against the AFL lovechild in GWS the following week simply cannot happen. Win this and 6-2 actually looks decent, although Richmond still won’t have beaten anyone.
Freo will consider themselves a real chance here. A 5-3 record after the dismal first two games of the season would be a massive bonus. Consequently 4-4 would mean there’d be plenty of work to do to make the eight.
Caddy to kick the winning goal in the dying moments, providing Bachar Houli doesn’t kick it to David Mundy first.
Richmond by four points.
Last edited:
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