A fixturing anomaly for the upcoming Round 14 of the AFL season sees all the teams that had a bye in Round 13 meeting opponents who played last weekend.
A rested Richmond side hosts a Brisbane team, that’s coming off a 49-point loss to West Coast at the Gabba, this Saturday afternoon at the MCG.
The Tigers have planned accordingly, to ensure they aren’t in any way disadvantaged by the break, as they go into their clash with the Lions.
Although key Richmond ruckman Shaun Hampson doesn’t believe it matters too much whether a team has played or had the bye, he outlined the Tigers’ intensive preparation for the Round 14 match.
“We still had a hard training session on the weekend that was almost game-like, so in our minds it’s like we played a game . . . We thought that was the best way to prepare for the weekend,” he said.
Despite Brisbane struggling in second-last spot on the league ladder, having suffered nine consecutive losses, Hampson is adamant Richmond will not be taking the Lions lightly.
“You can’t approach any team differently to another team . . . Week to week, slight strategic changes are made, but if you go out there treating any team differently to another team, it’s not how you get the win,” he said.
“You’ve just got to go out there as if you’re playing a Hawthorn . . . You can never take your foot off the pedal in this style of footy that’s being played now.”
