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Ah, Richmond. The club that loves to break their supporters' hearts. All the time.
This year though, they've started the season in reasonably good form, with two wins, albeit over opposition that aren't really the bees knees (the Pies and Blues), but it makes for an intriguing clash between two unbeaten teams.
Squads |
| West
Coast Ruck |
B |
Shannon Hurn (25)
|
Tom Barrass (37) |
Sharrod Wellingham (12) |
Richmond
Ruck |
| Jonathan Giles (22) |
F |
Dustin Martin (4) |
Jack Reiwoldt (8) |
Jason Castagna (46) |
Toby Nankervis (25) |
| Luke Shuey (13) |
HB |
Jackson Nelson (30) |
Jeremy McGovern (20) |
Elliot Yeo (6) |
Trent Cotchin (9) |
| Sam Mitchell (1) |
HF |
Daniel Rioli (17) |
Todd Elton (43) |
Dan Butler (40) |
Josh Caddy (22) |
| |
C |
Mark Hutchings (34) |
Matthew Priddis (11) |
Andrew Gaff (3) |
|
| |
C |
Kamdyn McIntosh (33) |
Dion Prestia (3) |
Shaun Grigg (6) |
|
| |
HF |
Mark LeCras (2) |
Jack Darling (27) |
Jack Redden (8) |
|
| |
HB |
Reece Conca (30) |
Bachar Houli (14) |
Brandon Ellis (5) |
|
| |
F |
Nathan Vardy (19) |
Josh Kennedy (17) |
Josh Hill (33) |
|
| |
B |
Alex Rance (18) |
David Astbury (12) |
Dylan Grimes (2) |
|
|
|
| West
Coast Interchange |
Lewis Jetta (23), Jamie Cripps (15), Chris Masten (7), Brad Sheppard (5), |
|
|
Ben Lennon (7), Jayden Short (45), Kane Lambert (23), Nick Vlastuin (1), |
Richmond
Interchange |
Weather |
 |
Chance of a shower
Maximum Temperature:27
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Changes |
The Eagles have made one change, recalling Lewis Jetta while returning Dom Sheed to East Perth.
Richmond have made two changes, bringing Kamdyn McIntosh and Todd Elton in for injured duo Shane Edwards and Ben Griffiths. |
Injuries and Suspensions |
No new injuries to report this week, though Lewis Jetta returns from a strain so slight he still played restricted minutes last week.
Richmond come into this game losing Shane Edwards to a hip injury and Ben Griffiths to concussion, while Dustin Martin is attempting to play with a fractured cheekbone. |
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Lead up |
This match brings two unbeaten teams together with the Eagles in uncertain form against North Melbourne and St Kilda, while Richmond have defeated out of form sometime-Victorian powerhouses Collingwood and Carlton.
Between the four beaten clubs (all of who now sit 0-2), only St Kilda are seen as potential for finals appearances, and likely should have defeated the Eagles last week other than disappointing form in front of goals that kept West Coast in the game long enough to overrun the Saints late. |
Matchups |
The Eagles were well beaten in the ruck last week, which gave the Saints a big edge - though you couldn't really argue with the efforts of either Giles or Vardy. Richmond's ruck is led by journeyman Toby Nankervis though, so it could be a more even battle than the last couple of weeks. With the clearance machines at foot level in Mitchell and Priddis, the Eagles should be able to win enough of the ball to compete around the ground.
If so, then the job will fall to the forwards to kick a winning score. As the Eagles most potent section, there would be hope that Josh Kennedy will appear before three quarter time this week (though his last quarter last week was match winning). However Kennedy has to face up against AA full back Alex Rance this week in a most interesting clash.
Defensively, the Eagles need to tighten up a bit. Sharrod Wellingham had a dog of a day last week with a few key mistakes, but wasn't alone with normally reliable Shannon Hurn and Jeremy McGovern both coughing up simple goals to the Saints. It's all a bit untidy defensively at the moment, and there'd be a few players wanting to perform (particularly with veterans Will Schofield and Sam Butler both waiting as emergencies!) |
Recent Meetings
|
| The Eagles comfortably accounted for Richmond in the one encounter last year at home, as well as the last MCG clash in 2015. |
| 2016, Round 4 |
Subiaco Oval |
| West Coast |
|
6.8 |
|
10.13 |
|
13.16 |
|
18.17 (125) |
| Richmond |
|
2.0 |
|
3.1 |
|
6.3 |
|
9.3 (57) |
| Fri 15th Apr 2016 |
West Coast by 68 |
| 2015, Round 12 |
MCG |
| West Coast |
|
4.3 |
|
7.6 |
|
12.8 |
|
13.12 (90) |
| Richmond |
|
4.2 |
|
8.3 |
|
10.6 |
|
10.10 (70) |
| Fri 19th Jun 2015 |
West Coast by 20 |
|
Head to Head |
| Overall: |
|
West Coast |
25 |
|
Richmond |
16 |
|
Draws |
0 |
| At MCG |
|
West Coast |
8 |
|
Richmond |
7 |
|
Draws |
0 |
| West Coast biggest win: |
96 points; West Coast 20.15 (135) d Richmond 5.9 (39) at MCG, 1994, Round 3 |
| Richmond biggest win: |
77 points; Richmond 24.8 (152) d West Coast 11.9 (75) at Subiaco Oval, 2008, Round 15 |
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Summary |
| If the Eagles turn up ready to play, Richmond are a team that is always vulnerable. It could go any way, depending on whether Richmond are going to be the real deal for a change in 2017 or not, but it's a chance for four more points on the road, and the Eagles will want to bring this one home |
Prediction: West Coast by 15 points. |
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