Richmond’s capacity to win clean clearances, shapes as a major factor in Saturday’s Round 6 clash with North Melbourne at Hobart’s Blundstone Arena.
“It’s one of the big things that we’ve had a look at this week,” Richmond assistant coach Brendon Lade said on this week’s ‘Spotlight’.
“They do score quite well from stoppages. I think they’re nearly the first in the ‘comp’. But going the other way, we can score against them as well.
“So, hopefully, we can score and just restrict them as much as possible.”
Quick ball movement also has been a focus for Richmond leading into this week’s match.
The Tigers managed to finish strongly against Geelong last Saturday, after they adopted a bolder style of play.
“It puts the defence under pressure when you move the ball fast. So whether it’s from defensive 50, or centre back, we’ll be trying to move the ball out of there as quickly as possible, and bring our runners into the game,” Lade said.
“We just want to keep the ball moving as much as possible and make the opposition defend for long periods of time, so when they get the ball back, they don’t feel like attacking.”
Where: Blundstone Arena, Hobart
When: Saturday, May 9, 1.45pm (EST)
TV coverage: Fox Footy (live from 1.30pm), Channel Seven (two-hour delay from 3.30pm)
Radio coverage: SEN, ABC
Click here to see Sportsbet.com.au’s latest odds for each match and their H2H promotion for if your team lead at any break but lose.
The Richmond team
B: Astbury, Batchelor, Rance
HB: Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C: B. Ellis, Cotchin, McIntosh
HF: Morris, Edwards, Miles
F: Riewoldt, Griffiths, Deledio
R: Maric, Martin, Hunt
IC: Grigg, Newman, Gordon, Grimes
Em: Dea, Hampson, Lennon
In: Grimes, Deledio, Gordon, Griffiths
Out: C.Ellis (leg), Lloyd (omitted), Vickery (omitted), Lennon (omitted)
See how North Melbourne is lining up in Round 6 this weekend
Richmond v North Melbourne recent history
Round 12, 2014, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 3.4 10.6 11.8 13.10 (88)
North Melb. 3.3 4.7 12.11 17.14 (116)
Goalkickers – Richmond: Martin 4, Riewoldt 3, Dea, S. Edwards, Maric, Morris, Thomas, Vickery.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Houli 30, Martin 28, Cotchin 24, Thomas 24, Ellis 23, Vlastuin 20.
Goals – North Melbourne: Petrie 4, Harvey 3, Bastinac 2, Nahas 2, Ziebell 2, Black, Cunnington, Goldstein, Greenwood.
Leading possession-getters – North Melbourne: Greenwood 29, Swallow 29, Harvey 25, Goldstein 20, Hansen 19.
Round 15, 2013, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 2.2 2.7 4.15 8.18 (66)
North Melb. 3.3 11.6 15.8 19.14 (128)
Goals – Richmond: Morris 2, Riewoldt 2, White 2, Ellis, Jackson.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Cotchin 25, Foley 24, Grigg 24, Martin 23, White 19.
Goals – North Melb: Tarrant 4, Black 3, Bastinac 2, Harvey 2, Mullett 2, Ziebell 2, Cunnington, Gibson, Greenwood, Petrie.
Leading possession-getters – North Melb: Adams 29, Harvey 27, Greenwood 26, Swallow 26, Wells 25, Ziebell 25, Bastinac 21, Thompson 21, Grima 20.
Round 17, 2012, MCG
Richmond 2.3 5.9 10.12 14.15 (99)
North Melb. 3.5 7.9 9.11 15.13 (103)
Goals – Richmond: Nahas 3, Riewoldt 3, S. Edwards 2, Martin 2, Tuck 2, Cotchin, Houli.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Deledio 31, Tuck 26, Rance 25, Cotchin 24, Jackson 23, Morris 23, Martin 22, Conca 21, Ellis 21, Grigg 20.
Goals – North Melb: Petrie 7, Anthony 2, Harper 2, Campbell, Hansen, Harvey, Macmillan.
Leading possession-getters – North Melb: Bastinac 29, Swallow 29, Anthony 26, Gibson 24, Harvey 24, Grima 23, Adams 20, Wright 20.
Round 24, 2011, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 3.2 9.7 10.10 13.13 (91)
North Melb. 5.3 7.7 12.11 15.14 (104)
Goals – Richmond: Nahas 5, Riewoldt 3, Martin 2, Miller, Vickery, White.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Deledio 23, Martin 23, Cotchin 22, Houli 22, Foley 21, Grigg 18, Tuck 18.
Goals – North Melbourne: Petrie 4, Edwards 2, Harvey 2, Thomas 2, Black, Harper, Macmillan, McIntosh, Swallow.
Leading possession-getters – North Melbourne: Harvey 31, Adams 27, Rawlings 24, Pratt 23, Bastinac 22, Cunnington 22, Thomas 20, Thompson 20.
Round 5, 2011, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 1.3 6.8 10.10 17.10 (112)
North Melb. 5.1 8.6 12.11 14.19 (103)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 5, Martin 4, King 3, Cotchin 2, Edwards, Miller, White.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Martin 33, Houli 30, Deledio 27, Jackson 26, Nahas 26, Foley 24, Grigg 24, Cotchin 23, Conca 22, Rance 20.
Goals – North: Petrie 6, Swallow 2, Adams, Cunnington, Hansen, Harvey, Tarrant, Wells.
Leading possession-getters – North: Swallow 32, Harvey 27, Rawlings 26, Anthony 24, Petrie 20, Wells 20
Richmond v North Melbourne head-to-head
- Richmond and North Melbourne have played 153 times with the Tigers winning 82, losing 69 and drawing two.
- Richmond last defeated North Melbourne in Round 5, 2011 at Etihad Stadium – 17.10 (112) to 14.19 (103).
- Richmond has lost seven and drawn one of its past 10 matches against North.
- Richmond and North Melbourne have met in just one league Grand Final – in 1974 – with the Tigers winning by 41 points (18.20 to 13.9).
- Richmond and North Melbourne have met in five finals all-up, with the Tigers winning two and North three.
- Richmond and North Melbourne have played two drawn matches – Round 8, 1966 at the MCG, and Round 16, 2009 at the MCG.
- Richmond’s best winning sequence against North Melbourne is 18, from 1925-36.
- Richmond’s longest losing sequence against North Melbourne is seven, from 1990-93.
- Richmond’s highest score against North Melbourne is 30.19 (199) in Round 2, 1931 at Punt Road.
- Richmond’s lowest score against North Melbourne is 3.8 (26) in Round 3, 1960 at Arden Street.
- Richmond’s greatest winning margin against North Melbourne is 168 points in Round 2, 1931 at Punt Road.
- Richmond’s greatest losing margin against North Melbourne is 141 points in Round 2, 1990 at the MCG.
- The most goals kicked by a Richmond player in a match against North Melbourne (and every other team for that matter) is 14 by Doug Strang in Round 2, 1931 at Punt Road.
- Richmond’s biggest-ever crowd against North Melbourne is 113,839 in the 1974 Grand Final.
