Shutting down Port Adelaide’s ‘slingshot’ style of play is a major factor in Richmond’s planning for Sunday’s big elimination final clash at Adelaide Oval.
The Power thrive on quick transition of the ball, from their backline all the way down the ground, and they have the capacity to cut opposition teams to shreds by doing so, as they have regularly shown, particularly during the first half of this season.
“Our ability to pressure up on them and win the football first, and foremost, is going to be crucial for us. We just can’t allow them to get easy outs from the defensive-50,” said Richmond assistant coach Danny Daly on this week’s ‘Roar Vision Spotlight’.
“When they’re up and about, and you allow them to get the football out of their back half, you’re in for a long day defensively, just chasing tail all day . . .
“It’s crucial that our defenders and our midfielders remain goalside of them, so we don’t allow them to get past us.
“That’s going to be a big key to the game.”
The contested-ball battle also looms as critical to the outcome of Sunday’s elimination final.
“It’s been a strength of ours over the last 10 weeks and, obviously, a strength of theirs in the first 10 weeks,” Daly said.
“So, it’s going to go a long way to determining the game, I think . . .”
Where: Adelaide Oval
When: Sunday, September 7, 3.20pm (EST)
TV coverage: Channel 7 (live from 3pm), Fox Footy (live from 3pm)
Radio coverage: 3AW, SEN, Triple M, ABC
The Richmond team
B: Chaplin, Batchelor, Rance
HB: Houli, Newman, Morris
C: Foley, Cotchin, Miles
HF: Conca, Griffiths, Deledio
F: S. Edwards, Riewoldt, Gordon
R: Maric, Ellis, Martin
IC: Petterd, Vlastuin, Grigg, Grimes
Em: Dea, Lloyd, Lennon
No change
The Port Adelaide team
B: Trengove, Carlile, Jonas
HB: Broadbent, Hombsch, Pittard
C: Cornes, Wines, Hartlett
HF: R. Gray, Westhoff, Monfries
F: Neade, Schulz, Wingard
R: Lobbe, Boak, Ebert
IC: O’Shea, White, Polec, Moore
Em: Impey, Mitchell, Newton
In: O’Shea
Out: Impey
Richmond v Port Adelaide recent history
Round 17, 2014, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 4.2 11.6 14.7 19.12 (126)
Port Adelaide 3.3 8.4 12.6 16.10 (106)
Goals – Richmond: Lloyd 3, Riewoldt 3, Chaplin 2, Petterd 2, Vickery 2, Cotchin, Deledio, S. Edwards. Houli, Jackson, Martin, Vlastuin.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Ellis 29, Miles 28, Cotchin 26, Deledio 26, Martin 25, Houli 23, Petterd 22, Riewoldt 22.
Goals – Port Adelaide: R. Gray 4, Broadbent 2, Schulz 2, White 2, Boak, S. Gray, Hartlett, Polec, Wines, Wingard.
Leading possession-getters – Port Adelaide: Boak 39, Cornes 26, Wines 25, Hartlett 21, Logan 19.
Round 7, 2013, AAMI Stadium
Richmond 8.2 11.5 15.6 18.6 (114)
Port Adelaide 2.1 4.5 6.10 10.13 (73)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 5, King 3, Grigg 2, Newman 2, Knights, Martin, McGuane, Nahas, Tuck, Vlastuin.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Martin 33, Deledio 32, Houli 24, Ellis 23, Vlastuin 23, Rance 22, S. Edwards 21.
Goals – Port Adelaide: Schulz 3, Mitchell 2, Broadbent, Gray, Monfries, Moore, Wingard.
Leading possession-getters – Port Adelaide: Cornes 29, Boak 24, Ebert 19, Wingard 18.
Round 23, 2012, MCG
Richmond 5.1 6.6 11.8 16.10 (106)
Port Adelaide 2.5 6.7 12.8 16.10 (106)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 6, Edwards 3, McGuane 2, Astbury, Grigg, Nahas, Post, Tuck.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Cotchin 31, Houli 26, Tuck 26, Jackson 24, Deledio 23, Grigg 20, Morris 20.
Goals – Port Adelaide: Schulz 4, Ebert 3, Broadbent 2, Pearce, Rodan, Thomas, Wingard, Young.
Leading possession-getters – Port Adelaide: Cornes 29, Broadbent 23, Ebert 22, Boak 21, Cassisi 21.
Round 6, 2012, AAMI Stadium
Richmond 3.2 8.7 9.10 13.13 (91)
Port Adelaide 1.2 2.2 6.4 8.6 (54)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 4, Nahas 3, King 2, Conca, Deledio, Miller, Newman.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Tuck 28, Grigg 25, Deledio 24, Martin 24, Rance 24, Houli 23, Morris 21, Batchelor 20, Conca 20, I. Maric 20.
Goals – Port Adelaide: Broadbent 2, Renouf 2, Butcher, Jacobs, Stewart, Young.
Leading possession-getters – Port Adelaide: Ebert 30, Boak 25, Hartlett 24, Jacobs 23, Cassisi 20.
Round 10, 2011 at Marrara Oval, Darwin
Richmond 1.2 4.9 7.10 10.14 (74)
Port Adelaide 1.4 3.6 9.9 13.11 (89)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 3, King 2, Grigg, Jackson, Martin, Nahas, Vickery.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Foley 34, Houli 31, Jackson 24, Deledio 22, Nahas 20, Martin 18, Rance 18.
Goals – Port Adelaide: Gray 4, Schulz 3, Boak, Broadbent, Jacobs, O’Shea, Phillips, Westhoff.
Leading possession-getters – Port: Boak 23, Westhoff 22, Pearce 20, Broadbent 19, Thomas 18, Trengove 18.
Richmond v Port Adelaide head-to-head
- Richmond and Port Adelaide have played 24 times, with the Tigers winning nine, losing 14, and one draw.
- Richmond last defeated Port Adelaide in Round 17, 2014 at Etihad Stadium – 19.12 (126) to 16.10 (106).
- Richmond has won five, lost four, and drawn one of its last 10 matches against Port.
- Richmond and Port Adelaide have never met in a league final.
- Richmond’s best winning sequence against Port is two, from 1997-98, and 2013-14.
- Richmond’s longest losing sequence against Port is seven, from 1999-04.
- Richmond’s highest score against Port is 22.14 (146), in Round 21, 1997 at the MCG.
- Richmond’s lowest score against Port is 3.12 (30), Round 11, 1999 at AAMI Stadium.
- Richmond’s greatest winning margin against Port is 85 points, Round 21, 1997 at the MCG.
- Richmond’s greatest losing margin against Port is 84 points, Round 12, 2002 at AAMI Stadium.
- The most goals kicked by a Richmond player in a match against Port is six by Nathan Brown, Round 6, 2005 at Etihad Stadium, and six by Cleve Hughes, Round 13, 2008 at AAMI Stadium.
- Richmond’s biggest-ever crowd against Port is 37,674, Round 22, 2010 at Etihad Stadium.
