Richmond goes into the Round 3 clash with the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium as a warm favorite, but it will need to be on guard against the determined Dogs’ outfit on their home ground.

The Western Bulldogs pushed the highly-fancied North Melbourne side for almost the entire match at the same venue last Sunday, only running out of ‘gas’ in the final few minutes, following their trip to Subiaco to play West Coast the previous weekend.

They have last year’s All-Australian ruckman in Will Minson and a strong, contested ball-winning midfield group, headed by new captain Ryan Griffen, ex-skipper Matthew Boyd and young gun Tom Liberatore.

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The Tigers will miss star midfielder Brett Deledio, who is sidelined for the first time in seven years, although his absence is offset somewhat by the return of reigning Jack Dyer Medallist Daniel Jackson.

Where Richmond could have an advantage in this match is at both ends of the ground.

Jack Riewoldt, Ty Vickery and Ben Griffiths, along with ‘resting’ midfielders Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin loom as dangerous targets for the Tigers up forward, while their defenders appear capable of keeping the Dogs to a losing score.

Where:  Etihad Stadium
When:  Saturday, April 5, 1.45pm (EST)
TV coverage:  Fox Footy (live from 1.30pm) and Channel 7 (3pm – a 90-minute time delay)
Radio coverage:  Triple M, 3AW, ABC

The Richmond team
B:  Chaplin, Astbury, Grimes
HB:  Houli, Vlastuin, Morris
C:  Grigg, Jackson, Conca
HF:  Martin, Griffiths, King
F:  S. Edwards, Riewoldt, Vickery
R:  Stephenson, Thomas, Cotchin
IC:  Ellis, Newman, Petterd, Gordon
Em:  Arnot, McDonough, Lloyd 

In:   Jackson, Stephenson, Gordon
Out:  Deledio (inj – ankle), Hampson (inj – knee), Foley
New:  Gordon (Sydney Swans)


The Western Bulldogs team
B:  Picken, Roughead, Wood
HB:  Johannisen, Morris, Murphy
C:  Cooney, Griffen, Stevens
HF:  Dahlhaus, Crameri, Wallis
F:  Hunter, Jones, Giansiracusa
R:  Minson, Boyd, Liberatore
IC:  Higgins, Stringer, Macrae, Jong
Em:  Bontempelli, T Williams, Dickson


RICHMOND v WESTERN BULLDOGS RECENT HISTORY

Round 13, 2013 at Etihad Stadium
RICHMOND                        4.8          8.13        13.16       17.19  (121)
W. BULLDOGS                   3.3          5.9          5.11          8.13  (61)

Goals – Richmond:  Riewoldt 3, Conca 2, Grigg 2, Vickery 2, Cotchin, A. Edwards, Foley, Houli, Jackson, Martin, Vlastuin, White.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  Deledio 25, Houli 25, Jackson 23, Martin 23, Conca 21, Grigg 21.
Goals – W. Bulldogs:  Stringer 2, Boyd, Cooney, Giansiracusa, Hunter, Jones, Murphy.
Leading possession-getters – W. Bulldogs:  Griffen 38, Boyd 34, Macrae 27, Cooney 23, Murphy 23.

Round 3, 2013 at Etihad Stadium
RICHMOND                        4.9          7.11        13.14       20.15  (135)
W. BULLDOGS                   2.1          3.3          6.5          10.8  (68)

Goals – Richmond:  Riewoldt 5, Deledio 3, McGuane 3, S. Edwards 2, Martin 2, Houli, Jackson, Knights, Maric, Tuck.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  Cotchin 36, Martin 35, Deledio 27, Grigg 26, Houli 26, Tuck 22, Jackson 20.
Goals – W. Bulldogs:  Jones 4, Cooney 2, Dalhaus, Giansiracusa, Griffen, Stevens.
Leading possession-getters – W. Bulldogs:  Griffen 30, Cross 23, Murphy 22, Wallis 22, Stevens 19.

Round 20, 2012 at the MCG
RICHMOND                        6.4    10.10           17.16       22.18  (150)
W. BULLDOGS                   2.3          6.4          12.5           12.8  (80)

Goals – Richmond:  Riewoldt 5, S. Edwards 4, Cotchin 3, McGuane 3, Grigg 2, King 2, Martin, Nahas, Newman.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  Cotchin 35, Deledio 31, Martin 30, Houli 25, S. Edwards 22, Newman 22, Tuck 21, King 20, Riewoldt 20.
Goals – W. Bulldogs:  Giansiracusa 3, Lake 2, Skinner 2, Addison, Dickson, Hooper, Smith, Wallis.
Leading possession-getters – W. Bulldogs: Boyd 33, Picken 23, Wallis 21, Murphy 20, Smith 20.

Round 8, 2011 at Etihad Stadium
RICHMOND                        1.4          6.8          11.8          18.10  (118)
W. BULLDOGS                   7.2          12.4        18.11       23.15  (153)

Goals – Richmond:  Riewoldt 4, Miller 3, Foley 2, Martin 2, Vickery 2, Graham, Helbig, Jackson, King, Nason.
Leading possession-winners – Richmond:  Nahas 31, Deledio 30, Grigg 26, Martin 26, Conca 22, Cotchin 22, Jackson 22.
Goals – W. Bulldogs:  Gilbee 6, Minson 4, Grant 3, Jones 2, Liberatore 2, Cooney, Giansiracusa, Hargrave, Moles, Murphy, Ward.
Leading possession-winners – W. Bulldogs:  Boyd 32, Cross 28, Cooney 27, Ward 27, Hargrave 25, Liberatore 25, Hudson 22, Murphy 21, Sherman 20.

Round 2, 2010 at the MCG
RICHMOND                        2.0          4.5          6.6             7.6  (48)
W. BULLDOGS                   6.2          9.6          14.11        17.18  (120)

Goals – Richmond:  Morton 3, Martin, Nahas, Post, Vickery.
Leading possession-winners – Richmond:  Newman 24, Connors 22, Cotchin 22, Deledio 22, Jackson 22, Martin 21, Moore 20.
Goals – W. Bulldogs:  Hahn 3, Hill 3, Cooney 2, Cross, Everitt, Giansiracusa, Griffen, Hall, Higgins, Lake, Moles, Picken.
Leading possession-winners – W. Bulldogs:  Gilbee 30, Cross 28, Boyd 26, Cooney 26, Akermanis 25, Giansiracusa 25, Hahn 25, Higgins 25, Griffen 23, Murphy 22, Moles 21, Everitt 20, Hargrave 20, Lake 20.

Richmond v Western Bulldogs head-to-head

  • Richmond and the Western Bulldogs have played 149 times with the Tigers winning 78, losing 69 and drawing two.
  • Richmond last defeated the Bulldogs in Round 13, 2013 at Etihad Stadium – 17.19 (121) to 8.13 (61).
  • Richmond has lost seven and drawn one of its past 10 matches against the Bulldogs.
  • Richmond and the Bulldogs have never met in a league final.
  • Richmond’s best winning sequence against the Bulldogs is 8, from 1927-31.
  • Richmond’s longest losing sequence against the Bulldogs is 8, from 1960-64.
  • Richmond’s highest score against the Bulldogs is 27.18 (180) in Round 7, 1980 at Western Oval.
  • Richmond’s lowest score against the Bulldogs is 2.11 (23) in Round 13, 1958 at Western Oval.
  • Richmond’s greatest winning margin against the Bulldogs is 115 points in Round 18, 1980 at Waverley Park.
  • Richmond’s greatest losing margin against the Bulldogs is 115 points in Round 1, 2006 at Etihad Stadium.
  • The most goals kicked by a Richmond player in a match against the Bulldogs is 11 by Michael Roach in Round 7, 1980 at Western Oval.
  •  Richmond’s biggest-ever crowd against the Bulldogs is 68,447 in Round 11, 1974 at the MCG.
  • Some Bulldogs-turned-Tigers: Robbie McGhie, David Thorpe, Chris Burton, Michael McKenna, Leon Cameron, Paul Hudson, Patrick Bowden, Nathan Brown.

Fast fact:  Star Tiger forward Jack Riewoldt has kicked 17 goals in his past four games against the Bulldogs.