With 39 goals in his past seven full games against St Kilda, star Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt clearly will be a major factor in the outcome of Sunday’s twilight clash between the two teams at Etihad Stadium.
Riewoldt, however won’t have the valuable assistance of talented ‘talls’ Ty Vickery (suspended) and Ben Griffiths (shoulder injury) in the team’s forward line, so the Tigers will have to find some other avenues to goal.
“Jack has played well against them. He’s had lots of different match-ups . . . Hopefully he can get three or four goals again. That’s important for us,” Richmond assistant coach Brendon Lade said on this week’s edition of Roar Vision’s ‘Spotlight’.
“We’ll look to him, but we’ve also got some other guys we need to kick goals as well.”
Watch: Damien Hardwick spoke to the media at the ME Centre on Thursday
Up the other end of the ground, the Tigers are particularly mindful of the damage caused to opposition sides this season by St Kilda’s Josh Bruce, who sits in equal-third place on the competition’s goalkicking table alongside Jack Riewoldt, and is ranked No. 2 overall for marks inside 50 (J. Riewoldt is third).
“He’s been a target inside 50 double what Nick Riewoldt has, so it just shows the change in their game plan and game style to not rely on Riewoldt as much inside 50 and to go to Bruce a lot more,” Lade said.
“So, whether it’s ‘Rancey’ (Alex Rance) or ‘Batch’ (Jake Batchelor) that play on Bruce, they’ve got a big job this week.”
Richmond also is fully aware of the importance of limiting the Saints’ uncontested marks – an area of the game where they rank highly.
“The GWS did it really well (last weekend) – they shut them right down,” Lade said.
“We’ve just got to make sure there’s enough pressure on their backs, so that they don’t get easy possessions, and we hope to turn the ball over in our forward half to give our forwards a chance to kick goals.”
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Sunday, July 19, 4.40pm
TV coverage: Fox Footy (live from 4.30pm)
Radio coverage: 3AW, SEN, Triple M, ABC
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The Richmond squad
B: Grimes, Batchelor, Rance
HB: Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C: Ellis, Cotchin, McIntosh
HF: Martin, Hampson, Miles
F: Riewoldt, Deledio, Gordon
R: Maric, Grigg, Hunt
IC (from): Dea, Newman, Lambert, Morris, Lloyd, Lennon, McDonough
In: Dea, Maric, Lloyd, Lennon, McDonough
Out: Edwards (inj – leg), Vickery (suspended)
Find out how St Kilda is lining up for Round 16 this weekend
Richmond v St Kilda recent history
Round 22, 2014, MCG
Richmond 6.0 8.3 13.5 15.8 (98)
St Kilda 2.2 4.7 5.9 10.12 (72)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 6, Deledio 2, Griffiths 2, Batchelor, Ellis, Foley, Maric, Petterd.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Chaplin 29, Houli 29, Deledio 26, Miles 25, Petterd 23, Batchelor 22, Cotchin 22, Grigg 21, Newman 21, Rance 21, S. Edwards 20, Ellis 20.
Goals – St Kilda: White 3, Riewoldt 2, Armitage, Fisher, Murdoch, Newnes, Shenton.
Leading possession-getters – St Kilda: Armitage 26, Riewoldt 24, Steven 23, Montagna 21, Ray 20.
Round 15, 2014, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 6.2 10.4 13.7 18.9 (117)
St Kilda 1.2 5.4 9.7 11.7 (73)
Goals – Richmond: Cotchin 5, Newman 2, Riewoldt 2, Vickery 2, Conca, Deledio, S. Edwards, Ellis, Grimes, Thomas, Vlastuin.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Ellis 36, Cotchin 31, Deledio 30, Miles 27, Conca 26, Martin 24, Foley 22, Thomas 22, S. Edwards 20.
Goals – St Kilda: Minchington 2, Stanley 2, Hayes, Longer, Milera, Riewoldt, Shenton, Simpkin, Steven.
Leading possession-getters – St Kilda: Montagna 27, Savage 26, Steven 23, Gwilt 20, Ross 20.
Round 14, 2013, MCG
Richmond 4.4 10.9 15.13 17.17 (119)
St Kilda 3.2 4.4 7.5 8.7 (55)
Goals – Richmond: Jackson 3, Riewoldt 3, Deledio 2, Foley 2, Grigg 2, Conca, A. Edwards, Ellis, King, Vickery.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Cotchin 24, Deledio 24, Foley 23, Martin 23, Conca 22, S. Edwards 21, Jackson 21.
Goals – St Kilda: Dennis-Lane 2, Dal Santo, Jones, Montagna, Murdoch, Riewoldt, Steven.
Leading possession-getters – St Kilda: Armitage 25, Dal Santo 25, Jones 24, Steven 23, Montagna 22.
Round 2, 2013, MCG
Richmond 4.5 8.10 12.12 14.15 (99)
St Kilda 3.1 6.6 11.7 12.10 (82)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 7, McGuane 2, Conca, King, Maric, Newman, Vickery.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Cotchin 31, Deledio 27, Conca 25, Martin 24, Chaplin 22, Grigg 21, Tuck 21, Petterd 20.
Goals – St Kilda: Riewoldt 4, Maister 2, Saad 2, Gilbert, McEvoy, Milne, Stanley.
Leading possession-getters – St Kilda: Montagna 27, Dal Santo 25, Hayes 24, Jones 24, Steven 23, Riewoldt 20.
Round 10, 2012, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 3.7 9.8 12.11 18.13 (121)
St Kilda 3.4 9.6 10.14 16.17 (113)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 8, Edwards 2, Nahas 2, Deledio, Ellis, I. Maric, Martin, Tuck, Vickery.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Cotchin 29, Deledio 29, Grigg 26, Martin 26, Tuck 24, Batchelor 22, Foley 20, I. Maric 20, Morris 20, Riewoldt 20.
Goals – St Kilda: Riewoldt 3, Saad 3, Armitage 2, Gram 2, Milera 2, Dal Santo, Goddard, Koschitzke, Milne.
Leading possession-getters – St Kilda: Gilbert 25, Goddard 25, Hayes 24, Armitage 22, Dal Santo 22, Gram 22, Montagna 21.
Richmond v St Kilda head-to-head
Richmond has played St Kilda 179 times for 107 wins, 69 losses and three draws.
Richmond last defeated St Kilda in Round 15, 2014 at Etihad Stadium – 15.8 (98) to 10.12 (72).
Richmond has won five (the last five) and drawn one of its past 10 games against St Kilda
Richmond and St Kilda have never met in a Grand Final.
Richmond and St Kilda have met in just three finals all-up, with the Tigers winning one and the Saints two.
Richmond and St Kilda have played in three drawn games - Round 3, 1978, Round 3, 1980 and Round 2, 2011.
Richmond’s best winning sequence against St Kilda is 15, from 1940-49.
Richmond’s longest losing sequence against St Kilda is 13, from 2003-11.
Richmond’s highest score against St Kilda is 34.18 (222), Round 16, 1980 at the SCG. This is the Club’s all-time record score.
Richmond’s lowest score against St Kilda is 0.8 (8), Round 16, 1961, at Junction Oval.
Richmond’s greatest winning margin against St Kilda is 152 points, Round 16, 1980 at the SCG.
Richmond’s greatest losing margin against St Kilda is 103 points, Round 17, 2006 at the MCG.
The most goals kicked in a match by a Richmond player against St Kilda is 10 (twice) by Michael Roach - Round 18, 1979, and Round 16, 1980.
Richmond’s biggest-ever crowd against St Kilda is 102,494, in the 1971 preliminary final at the MCG.
