Richmond goes into Friday night’s match against Hawthorn at the MCG confident of causing, what to those outside the four walls at Tigerland, would consider to be a major upset win.

The Tigers have tasted success in three of their past four encounters with the Hawks, and that’s something which will boost their self-belief levels despite a sluggish start to season 2016, according to assistant coach Greg Mellor.

Be there this Friday night as Richmond host Hawthorn under lights at the MCG

“We feel we match up well against them.  We enjoy playing against them.  They’re the best side in the competition, winning the last three flags . . . but we give ourselves a realistic opportunity to win this game,” Mellor said on this week’s edition of Roar Vision’s ‘Opposition Analysis’.

“If we come and play our way, be strong and tough at the contest, and use the ball well, we don’t see any reason why we can’t win the game.

“It’s about controlling the footy . . . If we use the ball, move it on quickly, they’ve shown that they can be scored against (in 2016) . .”

Plenty of planning at Punt Road this week has gone into curtailing the significant influence of Hawthorn’s prolific ball-winning midfield champion Sam Mitchell, who is averaging 34 disposals per game after six rounds of the 2016 season.

“He’s just an incredible player . . . really smart, reads the game really well and uses it,” Mellor said.

“Where he’s really smart is he’ll drag his opponents into a false sense of security.  They think he’s not going to be used, and then he just ducks out the back. 

“The Hawks give him the ball all the time and he uses it really well. 

“So, he’s definitely one player that we’re going to be watching carefully.”

Hawthorn’s talented trio of small forwards – Luke Breust, Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli – also have figured prominently in Richmond’s plans for the match.

“Their pressure points and their tackles inside 50 are elite . . .  They’re something that we, as a forward line, are looking at how we can emulate,” Mellor said.

“It’s about making sure that when we kill the contest in our backline, they’re long spoils, so guys like Rioli and Puopolo don’t get first lick of the ice-cream as it’s coming in. 

“Then, it’s just about being really tight . . . If our midfield pressure’s really spot on, that’s going to help our defenders out . . .

“And, if we’re kicking goals, then they don’t see much of the ball.”