In-form Richmond tall forward Ty Vickery’s anticipated duel with talented Essendon big man Jake Carlisle shapes as a major highlight of Saturday night’s clash between the two teams at the MCG.

Vickery is coming off a league career-high six goals against Collingwood last Saturday and a combined total of 10 in the past two games, while Carlisle appears a more effective performer back in a key defensive role for the Bombers.

“Ty’s been marking really well and competing hard, so it brings him into the game and our small players, for sure,” Richmond assistant coach Brendon Lade said on this week’s ‘Spotlight’ episode.

“They (Vickery and Carlisle) will probably both being going for the marks at the same time and whoever gets their bodywork right will probably mark the ball. 

“It’s a big match-up for Ty.”

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Up the other end of the ground, All-Australian key defender Cale Hooker has become a dangerous forward option in Essendon’s line-up.

“He (Hooker) doesn’t leave their forward-50 too often, but he gives them that beacon in attack . . . he’s really big and strong and jumps at the ball, and he doesn’t get outmarked either,” Lade said.

“Whether it’s ‘Rancey’ (Alex Rance) or ‘Chappy’ (Troy Chaplin) who’s playing on him, they’ve got a big day because he does provide that target and can kick some goals for them. 

“He can swing to the other end of the ground if Vickery gets out of control, so they’ve got a bit of flexibility with their two ‘talls’ at the moment.”

Lade emphasised the importance of Richmond placing the Essendon midfield under extreme pressure . . .

“If their midfield gets some easy ball inside 50, they will kick some goals, so we need some good pressure from our ‘mids’ this week,” he said.

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“It’s stopping it back at the source, so they can’t get those uncontested handballs and kicks through the middle of the ground. 

“They do kick the ball into paddock a bit, so for us, it’s about our defenders playing smart and in the dangerous space.  If you give them time and space, they’ll cut you up. 

“They’ve got some good players who use the ball well, so for us, it’s about stopping them in their tracks straight away.

“They’re a high handball team, high disposal team . . . They have been going backwards in the past, but they probably tidied that up a little bit last week (under caretaker coach Matthew Egan) and went forward a bit more . . .

“They’re just playing with a bit more freedom.

“We have to be on our game with our pressure, that’s for sure.”

Get all the match day information for Saturday night's match against Essendon at the MCG

Where:  MCG
When:  Saturday, August 29, 2015, 7.20pm (EST)
TV coverage:  Channel 7 (live from 7pm), Fox Footy (live from 7.15pm)
Radio coverage:  3AW, Triple M, ABC

Click here to see Sportsbet’s latest odds for each match and CASH BACK special on Head to Head bets if your team lead at any break but lose.

The Richmond team

B:  Newman, Batchelor, Rance
HB:  Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C:  B. Ellis, Thomas, McIntosh
HF:  Martin, Lennon, Lambert
F:  Riewoldt, Deledio, Vickery
R:  Maric, Grigg, Hunt
IC:  Grimes, Miles, Lloyd, Edwards
Em:  Morris, Knights, Hampson

In:  Thomas, Grimes
Out:  Cotchin (back), Morris (omitted)
Milestone:  Ty Vickery’s 100^th game

Find out how Essendon is lining up for Round 22 this weekend

Richmond v Essendon recent history

Round 9, 2015

Richmond            3.2          5.6          7.10        10.12 (72)
Essendon            1.4          3.7          6.8          8.11 (59)
Goals – Richmond:  Cotchin 2, Grigg 2, C. Ellis, Griffiths, Martin, McIntosh, Morris, Riewoldt.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  B. Ellis 33, Deledio 27, Edwards 25, Martin 25, Cotchin 24, Grigg 20.
Goals – Essendon:  Colyer 2, Daniher 2, Carlisle, Chapman, Merrett, Watson.
Leading possession-getters – Essendon:  Goddard 27, Heppell 25, Stanton 25, Hibberd 24, Melksham 21, Merrett 20.

Round 20, 2014, MCG

Richmond            1.2          7.4          9.8          14.11  (95)
Essendon            3.2          6.4          8.7          11.11  (77)
Goals – Richmond:  Deledio 2, S. Edwards 2, Gordon 2, Riewoldt 2, Cotchin, B. Ellis, Griffiths, Houli, Maric, Martin.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  B. Ellis 28, Miles 28, Cotchin 22, Martin 21, Deledio 19, S. Edwards 19, Petterd 19.
Goals – Essendon:  Carlisle 2, Chapman 2, Melksham 2, DellOlio, Goddard, Heppell, Merrett, Winderlich.
Leading possession-getters – Essendon:  Heppell 32, Zaharakis 32, Stanton 25, Goddard 24, Chapman 23, Dempsey 20.

Round 11, 2014, MCG

Richmond            0.1          3.5          3.8          7.12  (54)
Essendon            4.4          9.8          11.11     15.14  (104)

Goals – Richmond:  Riewoldt 3, Martin 2, Cotchin, S. Edwards.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  Martin 28, Ellis 26, Cotchin 25, Houli 25, Thomas 23, Chaplin 21, Deledio 20, S. Edwards 20.
Goals – Essendon:  Howlett 5, Daniher 3, Merrett 2, Bellchambers, Chapman, Fletcher, Heppell, Hibberd.
Leading possession-getters – Essendon:  Watson 36, Zaharakis 31, Goddard 30, Stanton 27, Fletcher 25, Merrett 22, Heppell 21, Carlisle 20.

Round 23, 2013, MCG

Richmond            4.1          5.7          11.9        15.14  (104)
Essendon            2.4          3.6          5.8          9.11  (65)
Goals – Richmond:  A. Edwards 4, Vickery 4, Jackson 2, King 2, Grigg, Martin, Tuck.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  Ellis 35, Jackson 30, Cotchin 29, Martin 26, Deledio 25, Petterd 24, Conca 22, Grigg 22, Foley 20.
Goals – Essendon:  Hurley 2, Jetta 2, Melksham 2, Dalgleish, Howlett, Lovett-Murray.
Leading possession-getters – Essendon:  Stanton 33, Hibberd 26, Goddard 25, Watson 25, Lovett-Murray 23, Melksham 20.

Round 9, 2013, MCG

Richmond            2.2          4.5          6.5          9.8  (62)
Essendon            2.3          7.7          11.9        13.13  (91)
Goals – Richmond:  Riewoldt 2, Cotchin, S. Edwards, King, Martin, McGuane, Nahas, Vlastuin.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond:  Jackson 29, Grigg 27, Newman 27, Houli 25, Cotchin 23, Chaplin 22, Martin 22, Vlastuin 22, S. Edwards 21.
Goals – Essendon:  Crameri 3, Watson 3, Zaharakis 2, Hibberd, Howlett, Melksham, Stanton, Winderlich.
Leading possession-getters – Essendon:  Stanton 39, Goddard 34, Hibberd 29, Dempsey 28, Watson 28, Heppell 27. 

Richmond v Essendon head-to-head

• Richmond and Essendon have played 196 times, with the Tigers winning 88, losing 104 and drawing four.
• Richmond last defeated Essendon in Round 9, 2015 at the MCG – 10.12 (72) to 8.11 (59).
• Richmond has won five and lost five of its past 10 games against Essendon.
• Richmond and Essendon have met in nine league finals, with the Tigers winning five and losing four.
• Richmond and Essendon have met in two Grand Finals, with the Tigers winning one (1943) and losing one (1942).
• Richmond’s best winning sequence against Essendon is 11, from 1914-21.
• Richmond’s longest losing sequence against Essendon is seven, from 1987-91.
• Richmond’s highest score against Essendon is 25.22 (172), in Round 3, 1982 at the MCG.
• Richmond’s lowest score against Essendon is 3.11 (29), in Round 2, 1911 at Punt Road.
• Richmond’s greatest winning margin against Essendon is 74 points, in Round 21, 1970 at the MCG, and Round 18, 1983 at Windy Hill.
• Richmond’s greatest losing margin against Essendon is 125 points, in Round 2, 1960 at Punt Road.
• The most goals kicked by a Richmond player in a match against Essendon is 10 by Dick Harris, in Round 3, 1944 at Windy Hill.
• Richmond’s biggest-ever crowd against Essendon is 90,564, in Round 3, 1982 at the MCG.