The Old Dark Navy's
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The Blues and Tigers go into this game in vastly different form. The Blues having won four on the trot, and the Tigers winning an uninspiring game against the winless Dockers after three straight losses. What does that mean? Well, the Tigers are rank outsiders and the Blues will have to be on alert. We can't afford to let last week's training session against the Eagles affect our concentration here as the Tigers have the personnel to make us pay.
Some late concerns about the fitness of Anthony Koutoufides combined with the return of Tiger spearhead Matthew Richardson may just turn this game into a closer spectacle than recent events may suggest. If Kouta plays the named half back line of McKay, Kouta and Beaumont looks impassable. There would have to be doubts however of Silvagni lining up at full back in his 300th game. He has provided a useful distraction for the likes of Whitnall, Lappin and Hickmott to capitalise up forward. The Blues will need to decide if they want to continue using Brendan Fevola as a pinch hitter off the bench or trust in the scintillating form he exhibited in the last quarter against West Coast.
The midfield and on ball match ups are once again the key here. Across the centre we have Franchina, Ratten and Freeborn against Duncan Kellaway, Knights and the dangerous Joel Bowden. In the ruck duels Porter, Bradley and Camporeale compete with Ottens, Campbell and Daffy. Daffy has been under the pump around Tigerland of late and must be needing a good performance here. Hard to see it happening against Campo though. In reality, very few of the matchups announce will eventuate. For one, logic suggests that the two tagging leaders for their respective sides, Duncan Kellaway and Anthony Franchina will not have a taggers conference in the middle of the 'G'. More than likely they will slot onto each others centremen, more than likely causing a traffic jam until a coach's hand is forced.
Overall, the Tigers lineup looks very talented and more than capable of taking the game up to the Blues in that regard. One would think that a return to the form of the early rounds is just a matter of attitude but on the flip side, Richmond have portrayed a soft image during their form slump and a game against possibly the hardest team in the competition is unlikely to help their cause.
The Tigers may pull off an upset here but then I may win Lotto on Saturday and be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean when the scores come through!! Hmmm, better to keep that hard earned cash in the pocket for at least another week Tiger fans. The Blues are on a roll and will not let Richmond cause them more than just fleeting annoyance. By final siren time, Stephen Silvagni can celebrate a milestone befitting the champion that he is and the Blues fine record in these games will continue.
Blues v Tigers Preview
Some late concerns about the fitness of Anthony Koutoufides combined with the return of Tiger spearhead Matthew Richardson may just turn this game into a closer spectacle than recent events may suggest. If Kouta plays the named half back line of McKay, Kouta and Beaumont looks impassable. There would have to be doubts however of Silvagni lining up at full back in his 300th game. He has provided a useful distraction for the likes of Whitnall, Lappin and Hickmott to capitalise up forward. The Blues will need to decide if they want to continue using Brendan Fevola as a pinch hitter off the bench or trust in the scintillating form he exhibited in the last quarter against West Coast.
The midfield and on ball match ups are once again the key here. Across the centre we have Franchina, Ratten and Freeborn against Duncan Kellaway, Knights and the dangerous Joel Bowden. In the ruck duels Porter, Bradley and Camporeale compete with Ottens, Campbell and Daffy. Daffy has been under the pump around Tigerland of late and must be needing a good performance here. Hard to see it happening against Campo though. In reality, very few of the matchups announce will eventuate. For one, logic suggests that the two tagging leaders for their respective sides, Duncan Kellaway and Anthony Franchina will not have a taggers conference in the middle of the 'G'. More than likely they will slot onto each others centremen, more than likely causing a traffic jam until a coach's hand is forced.
Overall, the Tigers lineup looks very talented and more than capable of taking the game up to the Blues in that regard. One would think that a return to the form of the early rounds is just a matter of attitude but on the flip side, Richmond have portrayed a soft image during their form slump and a game against possibly the hardest team in the competition is unlikely to help their cause.
The Tigers may pull off an upset here but then I may win Lotto on Saturday and be sitting on a beach in the Caribbean when the scores come through!! Hmmm, better to keep that hard earned cash in the pocket for at least another week Tiger fans. The Blues are on a roll and will not let Richmond cause them more than just fleeting annoyance. By final siren time, Stephen Silvagni can celebrate a milestone befitting the champion that he is and the Blues fine record in these games will continue.
Blues v Tigers Preview
