Preview R6 2025: Richmond vs Fremantle [Gather Round]

[ubiquitous226]

Richmond Tigers vs Fremantle Dockers

Sunday 13th April 10:35AM AWST

Barossa Park, Lyndoch​

Gather Round
So it's our annual dose of the South Australian footy festival, this time in the Barossa wine region.

A thus far relatively underwhelming Fremantle take on the rebuilding Richmond on compact Barossa Park.
The capacity has been upped to 10,000, and we'll be the second game at the park after North take on the Suns the day before.


Last Time We Met
Freo took down Richmond to the tune of 51 points at Optus Stadium, with Treacy bagging a career best 5 goals, Bolton kicking 4 of Richmond's 7 goals and us continuing our charge for a top 4 spot (spoiler alert: it didn't turn out so well).



Young Guns
Richmond cut deeper than most teams in recent times, channelling Gold Coast and GWS levels of draftee recruitment, strategically getting in before Tasmania compromises the draft.

We famously paid them a rather large bounty of picks to secure Shai Bolton, which they turned into Hotton, Faull and Trainor while we also got the slight consolation of Murphy Reid.



As a short aside how the f*CK has Murphy Reid not got a rising star nomination yet?

Richmond's number 1 pick from last year Sam Lalor has also had a good start to his career, humbly being compared to Dusty.

Key Matchups
Freo's biggest challenge will be at selection when we decide how many less than fully conditioned players we can bring in, and how we replace the run of O'Driscoll and Wagner.
If we don't get the selections right we'll have the risk of being overrun, so hopefully we go relatively conservative with bringing back players from injury.

In the midfield Serong and Brayshaw will match up on Hopper and Taranto, while the ruck battle will be one to watch, we'll have either a rusty Darcy or a relatively ineffective Reidy up against Nank which could mean our midfielders are on the back foot.
Richmond's forward line is arguably their biggest strength at the moment, although we should match up fairly well against a Lynch yet to fire this year, although their small forwards have had some recent success.

At least we won't be chasing this guy, although we'll sorely miss Jackson as well.



There's also the uncertainty around what happens with Balta and whether the Tigers have the audacity to bring him straight in while awaiting sentencing.


So What?
Coming up against a rebuilding team early in the season is always a bit of an unknown, you may either get a walkover or you may get shocked, while later in the season they tend to get more tired and the performances a little more consistent.

We're looking a little vulnerable with injuries and a tough game last week down the two rotations.
At the MCG Richmond have taken down Carlton and never threw the towel in against Brisbane, but outside of the 'G they've struggled so far so we'll be hoping that's something we can exploit.

Unfortunately these days we don't have our own fine wine in Mundy to serve up in the Barossa, aka Richmond's kryptonite, but even with quite a few injury concerns we should be taking down the Tigers.


Dockers by 24 points.

 

[stax on the mull]

How's Tom Lynch been going. He used to be a tough match up in his prime. 2021 was the last time he's lined up against us. 8,4,5 in contested possessions, 4,4,3 in the marks and 1,1,1 with goals in his first 3 games this season. Is he too old to turn back the clock?

Nankervis has been in the coaches votes for 2 out of the 4 games he's played.

 

[bone2468]

How's Tom Lynch been going. He used to be a tough match up in his prime. 2021 was the last time he's lined up against us. 8,4,5 in contested possessions, 4,4,3 in the marks and 1,1,1 with goals in his first 3 games this season. Is he too old to turn back the clock?

Nankervis has been in the coaches votes for 2 out of the 4 games he's played.

Lynch hasn’t played a game as usual

 

[freodog]

I see the temperature in Adelaide will be 33°C for this week's game. I know that being from Perth and our players are used to the hot weather but this will be our 5th week in a row playing in 30°C+. Could there be accumulative fatigue with playing in such heat?

 

[rgauci]

We go backwards in our starting line up.

NOD and Jackson have been immense.

They get to add Noah Balta.

We will be younger and less experienced.

I’m a bit worried about this match.

 

[Jezzitizle]

We go backwards in our starting line up.

NOD and Jackson have been immense.

They get to add Noah Balta.

We will be younger and less experienced.

I’m a bit worried about this match.

If we lose to Richmond, then our players should be delisted.

No excuses.

Tigers have a few good top line players, but it drops away quickly.

Nod was average v the dogs, and we are getting Young back - who is probably our best midfielder.

Tigers will be better at home, their plan is effort based because of their youngsters. Away I expect a 10 goal win.

 

[ubiquitous226]

Lynch hasn’t played a game as usual

Lynch has been playing but he hasn't had much impact so far.
They've got Armstrong and Faull from last draft filling in KPF spots, plus Bauer who's a little shorter I believe.

They've got the most goals out of Seth Campbell so far this year.

 

[s_wd6]

Balta playing after pleading guilty to assaulting someone and awaiting a sentence is insane. It's not like he has the presumption of innocence anymore. The AFL is a joke. Some bs about protecting the head and then pull shit like this.

 

[mattis117]

Would love to see Reid unleash on the tigers and put on a display of what they missed out on.

 

[stax on the mull]

Would love to see Reid unleash on the tigers and put on a display of what they missed out on.

Would have some mates from Sandringham Dragons playing for Richmond. Hotton, Armstrong, Trainor. (Hotton not in selection yet - listed as an ACL on their injury list).

 

[Perfect Purple]

I see the temperature in Adelaide will be 33°C for this week's game. I know that being from Perth and our players are used to the hot weather but this will be our 5th week in a row playing in 30°C+. Could there be accumulative fatigue with playing in such heat?

No we’re seasoned warriors now. We will fare better in the heat than they do.

 

[Taylor]

Balta playing after pleading guilty to assaulting someone and awaiting a sentence is insane. It's not like he has the presumption of innocence anymore. The AFL is a joke. Some bs about protecting the head and then pull shit like this.

In my fever dreams the AFL tells Richmond they can pick whatever side they want but due to the media and now political backlash making the game look bad - their umpires will be instructed to heavily weight decisions to Fremantle.

 

[Taylor]

Not having Bolton to kick six against us will be a massive boost for Freo this weekend.

 

[Perfect Purple]

Not having Bolton to kick six against us will be a massive boost for Freo this weekend.

And Shai will more than likely turn it on for this game.

That’s the usual thing players do playing against their old side for the first time.

 

[ubiquitous226]

And Shai will more than likely turn it on for this game.

That’s the usual thing players do playing against their old side for the first time.

Can go either way, some get extra motivation and some struggle.

 

[Perfect Purple]

Can go either way, some get extra motivation and some struggle.

Shai will be in the first category.

 

[Taylor]

Shai Bolton v Fremantle History:
2024 Round 17: 4 goals 3 behinds, 4 Inside fifties (LOSS, kicked 57% of Rich goals)
2024 Round 8: 0 goals 1 behind, 5 inside fifties (LOSS, shut down)
2023 Round 13: 1 goal, 33 disposals, 11 inside fifties, 6 clearances (WON, 2 Brownlow votes)
2022 Round 19: 2 goals, 6 inside fifties, 2 clearances (DRAW)

I cannot stress enough how much of a swing for us and against Richmond having Bolton playing for Freo is.

 

[ubiquitous226]

Lalor out is big for them, and they swap Armstrong for the debutant Faull.

 

[Taylor]

Richmond's big weapon is their starting midfield. Nank, Hopper and Taranto.

Nank and Taranto particularly for most of their clearances.

They would be feeling like we are vulnerable though because although Serong averages almost Nank and Taranto combined, our group fall off pretty quick after him.

 

[wakojako]

Johnson had a decent game against the Dogs but his clearance numbers are quite poor for a man of his size. Hopefully he keeps building on that part of his game.

Bolton's first game against his old side, you can expect a big game from him.

Reid is still seething about being overlooked by the team he followed as a child. I have a feeling he is going to put in a performance the AFL can't ignore.

Excited to see Young and potentially Darcy back in the side but shouldn't expect too much from them. Both have had close to zero pre-season.

 

[Raz]

Not feeling confident with the injuries from last week

Lets see how the replacements play.

I hate rushing people back from injury as they only get reinjured again and for longer

 

[Mr Cheese]

Yeah, I'll take a win and no injuries to Young or Darcy for sure.

 

[mightymouse75]

Bolton and Reid with breakout games.
Young to clean up our backline.
Darcey to play half a game and tactically subbed.
Dockers by 3 goals.

 

[mattis117]

Johnson had a decent game against the Dogs but his clearance numbers are quite poor for a man of his size. Hopefully he keeps building on that part of his game.

Bolton's first game against his old side, you can expect a big game from him.

Reid is still seething about being overlooked by the team he followed as a child. I have a feeling he is going to put in a performance the AFL can't ignore.

Excited to see Young and potentially Darcy back in the side but shouldn't expect too much from them. Both have had close to zero pre-season.

What if Johnson's clearance numbers are poor because it's not his role to win the clearance?

 

[wakojako]

What if Johnson's clearance numbers are poor because it's not his role to win the clearance?

That thought has crossed my mind and it's a little concerning. Yes I know we should expect the coaches to know better but I still think we are missing that big bodied midfielder (190+ cm) to help out our other midfielders and that's why I pegged Johnson or Jackson to fill that role. There aren't many 193cm midfielders in the game so I just can't help but feel we aren't getting the most out of Johno by playing him outside the contest.