Regaining contested-ball ascendancy, will be a major focus for Richmond when it confronts Geelong at the MCG on Saturday.
The Tigers pride themselves on their ability to win the contested-ball, but were found wanting in this crucial area against a more determined Melbourne outfit last Friday night, which was a major factor in the disappointing 32-point loss.
“It’s been a real strength of ours. Since ‘Dimma’ (Damien Hardwick) has been here we’ve had a big emphasis on it, and it’s something we work hard towards getting and winning each week,” Richmond assistant coach Brendon Lade said on this week’s episode of ‘Spotlight’.
“We’ll come out and do what we normally do, and hopefully do it better than they do.
“It’ll be a bit of heat on early and it’ll be good to see how our ‘mids’ go in the heat and see how their mids go . . . Whoever comes out on top will obviously get the ball inside 50 more.”
Where: MCG
When: Saturday, May 2, 1.45 (EST)
TV coverage: Fox Footy (live from 1.30pm), Channel Seven (90-minute delay, from 3pm)
Radio coverage: 3AW, SEN, Triple M, 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.
Round 5 Richmond Team
B: Astbury, Batchelor, Rance
HB: Houli, Vlastuin, Chaplin
C: B. Ellis, Cotchin, McIntosh
HF: Morris, Edwards, Miles
F: Riewoldt, Lloyd, Vickery
R: Maric, Martin, C. Ellis
IC: Grigg, Newman, Hunt, Lennon
Em: Grimes, McDonough, Arnot
In: Newman, Chaplin, Vickery, C. Ellis, Lennon
Out: Gordon (quadriceps), Griffiths (calf), Drummond (knee), McDonough, Arnot
New: Corey Ellis, 18, 184cm, 76kg, inside midfielder from Keilor/PEGS/Western Jets. Richmond’s first pick (No. 12 overall) in the AFL’s 2014 National Draft
See how Geelong is lining up in Round 5 this weekend
Richmond v Geelong recent history
Round 7, 2014, MCG
Richmond 0.1 4.3 8.3 12.4 (76)
Geelong 3.3 7.8 8.10 11.15 (81)
Goals – Richmond: Lloyd 3, S. Edwards 2, Riewoldt 2, Vickery 2, Cotchin, Deledio, Martin.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Jackson 34, Conca 28, Martin 28, Ellis 27, Cotchin 23, Deledio 23, Vlastuin 22, Grigg 20.
Goals – Geelong: Duncan 2, Hunt 2, Murdoch 2, Bartel, Johnson, McIntosh, Selwood, Varcoe.
Leading possession-getters – Geelong: Stokes 30, Johnson 29, Bartel 24, Enright 24, Duncan 21, Kelly 20.
Round 3, 2013, MCG
Richmond 4.1 8.4 11.7 13.9 (87)
Geelong 3.3 9.3 15.7 20.11 (131)
Goals – Richmond: King 4, Riewoldt 3, Martin 2, Ellis, Grigg, Knights, McGuane.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: S. Edwards 30, Grigg 25, Knights 24, Martin 22, Deledio 20, King 20, Vlastuin 20.
Goals – Geelong: Christensen 3, Bartel 2, Duncan 2, Hawkins 2, Johnson 2, Smedts 2, Stokes 2, Blicavs, Enright, Murdoch, Selwood, West.
Leading possession-getters – Geelong: Johnson 31, Christensen 28, Enright 28, Stokes 28, Bartel 27, Duncan 27, Corey 23, Selwood 23, Kelly 21.
Round 4, 2012, Simonds Stadium
Richmond 3.1 3.6 7.10 9.11 (65)
Geelong 4.1 7.3 10.4 11.9 (75)
Goals – Richmond: Nahas 2, Foley, Grigg, Jackson, I, Maric, Riewoldt, Vickery, White.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Deledio 31, Grigg 28, Tuck 27, Cotchin 24, Foley 24, Martin 23, Newman 23, Houli 22, Conca 21.
Goals – Geelong: Chapman 2, Stokes 2, Christensen, Duncan, Hawkins, Hunt, Motlop, Podsiadly, Selwood.
Leading possession-getters – Geelong: Taylor 29, Selwood 27, Enright 25, Christensen 23, Bartel 22, Johnson 21, Motlop 20.
Round 18, 2011, Etihad Stadium
Richmond 1.2 1.4 5.5 7.9 (51)
Geelong 4.2 11.5 16.9 17.11 (113)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Nahas 2, Foley, Vickery.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Cotchin 38, Deledio 34, Tuck 32, Foley 27, Jackson 24, Nahas 23, Martin 21, Houli 20.
Goals – Geelong: Hawkins 3, Varcoe 3, Byrnes 2, Christensen 2, Stokes 2, West 2, Bartel, Corey, Duncan.
Leading possession-getters – Geelong: Kelly 32, Corey 28, Scarlett 27, Selwood 27, Christensen 26, Duncan 26, Bartel 25, Mackie 22, Stokes 22.
Round 6, 2010, Simonds Stadium
Richmond 0.2 2.5 4.9 7.11 (53)
Geelong 7.2 13.7 19.10 24.17 (161)
Goals – Richmond: Riewoldt 3, Nason 2, Farmer, Nahas.
Leading possession-getters – Richmond: Tuck 38, Deledio 34, Newman 28, Cousins 26, Collins 19.
Goals – Geelong: Johnson 5, Mooney 5, Podsiadly 5, Byrnes 3, Chapman 2, Duncan 2, Hawkins, Varcoe.
Leading possession-getters – Geelong: Selwood 37, Chapman 33, Kelly 29, Enright 28, Johnson 26, Bartel 25, Mackie 25, Varcoe 24, Hogan 22, Milburn 22, Byrnes 21, Wojcinski 21.
Richmond v Geelong head-to-head
- Richmond and Geelong have played 188 times with the Tigers winning 85, drawing three and losing 100.
- Richmond last defeated Geelong in Round 9, 2006 at Simonds Stadium – 17.8 (110) to 12.18 (90).
- Richmond has lost 17 of its past 18 games against Geelong, including the last 10 in-a-row.
- Richmond and Geelong have met in nine league finals all-up, with the Tigers winning seven and losing two.
- Richmond and Geelong have met in two league Grand Finals, with the Tigers winning one (1967) and losing one (1931).
- Richmond’s best winning sequence against Geelong is 10, from 1939-47.
- Richmond’s longest losing sequence against Geelong is 10, from 1990-96, and 2007-14.
- Richmond’s highest score against Geelong is 25.23 (173), in Round 7, 1944 at Punt Road.
- Richmond’s lowest score against Geelong is 4.5 (29), in Round 5, 1910 at Corio Oval.
- Richmond’s greatest winning margin against Geelong is 118 points, in the 1969 first semi-final at the MCG.
- Richmond’s greatest losing margin against Geelong is 157 points, in Round 6, 2007 at Telstra Dome.
- The most goals kicked by a Richmond player in a match against Geelong is eight by Kevin Bartlett in the 1980 second semi-final at Waverley Park, and eight by Michael Roach, in Round 10, 1986 at Kardinia Park.
- Richmond’s biggest-ever crowd against Geelong is 109,396 in the 1967 Grand Final at the MCG.
