The Tigers have started to make their run after a resounding win over the in-form Swans at the MCG, and the Bombers last week took another big scalp by trouncing the West Coast Eagles.
On current form, Essendon seem to be the hottest team in the competition right now, so this is arguably the Tigers biggest test so far, in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd at the MCG for the Dreamtime clash.
The Tigers had so many positives of their own last week. They owned the football for the majority of the game, and again, most impressively kept the Swans to only 62 points for the game.
Richmond have done extremely well keeping the opposition to low scores this year and that is a credit to Dylan Grimes, Alex Rance, Chris Newman, Bachar Houli, Steve Morris, and Jake Batchelor plus the midfielders dropping back like Shaun Grigg.
The forward line has been the Tigers weak point so far this season, but I think we’re slowly seeing it come together with Jack Riewoldt beginning to find some form with eight goals in the last two weeks. Jake King’s pressure in the forward line has been a massive boost and coincidently Nahas has played better alongside him.
Ivan Maric has been huge so far this season, but he’ll have to go solo this week against Bellchambers and Ryder because Vickery is still on the sidelines.
The midfield battle is where the game will be won and lost. The Bombers midfielders run and spread better than any other in the competition, with the likes of Brent Stanton, David Zaharakis, Ricky Dyson, Leroy Jetta, Jake Melksham, Nathan Lovett-Murray and Dyson Heppell getting out in space on the outside.
Essendon then have inside grunt of Ben Howlett, Jobe Watson, Heath Hocking and Sam Lonergan, so the Tigers mids will have to be right on their game.
You’d think Hocking will put a hard tag on Cotchin, and I think similarly Shane Tuck will go to Jobe Watson.
The Tigers midfielders will have to be accountable and not allow that spread so there isn’t any easy entries into the forward line.
The Bombers forwards have had a great run due to the entries given by their midfielders. Stewart Crameri is a really good one on one player and Michael Hurley is back into the side.
Alwyn Davey and Leroy Jetta have been great with their forward pressure and scoreboard impact, so Steve Morris will get the job on one of those guys.
It’s the battle of the midfields ultimately. Whoever gets clean possession on the outside and delivers into the forward 50 quickly and efficiently will win the game and the Tigers will use their possession game plan to try and stop the Bombers run as much as possible.
Go Tiges!
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