My usual Richmond preview time has come. Turns out the Tigers are on the brink of being the real deal. They've lost five games and excluding the Crows game they'd have been by a total of 15 points.
Nonetheless they're a very young side with energy and a core of elite seniors that can worry any side on their day (except in September). They've rejuvenated their squad with a mosquito fleet that is adding just about the competition's best forward pressure and showing that despite the lack of talent on paper for the likes of Castagna, Lambert etc - effort trumps all.
Our Blues aren't far behind in the pressure and effort stakes but we're still missing that top end elite talent and polish it seems. They took us to the cleaners in round 1 but we're a vastly different side from that day while I think the Tigers are about that level with more self belief.
Going to be a closer game than round 1 and like we showed against the Suns, our early form isn't indicative of how well we structure up now - though our fitness still worries me.
LAST TIME WE MET (R1 2017) TIGERS DEF BLUES 132-89
PREDICTED LINE UPS:
FB Plowman, Jones, Weitering
HB Docherty, Marchbank, Simpson
C Murphy, Gibbs, Petrevski Seton
HF Thomas, CCurnow, Wright
FF Silvagni, Casboult, Lamb
R Kreuzer, Cripps, ECurnow
IC Fisher, Pickett, Cuningham, Williamson
EMG Macreadie, Palmer, Graham
From last game
OUT: Macreadie, Rowe, Armfield, Smedts, White, Pickett**
IN: Williamson, Jones, Lamb, Fisher, Cuningham, Boekhorst**
FB Grimes, Rance, McIntosh
HB Ellis, Astbury, Houli
C Edwards, Cotchin, Grigg
HF Lambert, Lloyd, Caddy
FF Rioli, Riewoldt, Bolton
R Nankervis, Martin, Prestia
IC Menadue, Castagna, Butler, Short
EMG Chol, Miles, Lennon
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Kreuzer v Nankervis: Pundits raved about Nank in rd1 but I thought Kreuzer won that battle. Ever since both lads have done wonderfully for their teams but I expect big Special K to come away with the chocolates.
Dustin Martin: No flank to flank torps pls, got 4 Brownlow votes in round 1
Casboult on Rance: Do we drop the momentum killer in Cas or trust he'll come good? He still presents well and it's not like Harry McKay was a dead eye in the VFL. Weitering did okay against him in round 1 but that luxury has been lost, or maybe with the sole tall in Jack Riewoldt we can swing Weiters fwd again.
Mosquito fleet defense vs business as usual: We've struggled the most against small fwds but do we fix a defense that isn't broken? Doc and Simmo might create more goals than we give up.
Tip, closer than round 1 - Tigers by 23
Nonetheless they're a very young side with energy and a core of elite seniors that can worry any side on their day (except in September). They've rejuvenated their squad with a mosquito fleet that is adding just about the competition's best forward pressure and showing that despite the lack of talent on paper for the likes of Castagna, Lambert etc - effort trumps all.
Our Blues aren't far behind in the pressure and effort stakes but we're still missing that top end elite talent and polish it seems. They took us to the cleaners in round 1 but we're a vastly different side from that day while I think the Tigers are about that level with more self belief.
Going to be a closer game than round 1 and like we showed against the Suns, our early form isn't indicative of how well we structure up now - though our fitness still worries me.
LAST TIME WE MET (R1 2017) TIGERS DEF BLUES 132-89
PREDICTED LINE UPS:
FB Plowman, Jones, Weitering
HB Docherty, Marchbank, Simpson
C Murphy, Gibbs, Petrevski Seton
HF Thomas, CCurnow, Wright
FF Silvagni, Casboult, Lamb
R Kreuzer, Cripps, ECurnow
IC Fisher, Pickett, Cuningham, Williamson
EMG Macreadie, Palmer, Graham
From last game
OUT: Macreadie, Rowe, Armfield, Smedts, White, Pickett**
IN: Williamson, Jones, Lamb, Fisher, Cuningham, Boekhorst**
FB Grimes, Rance, McIntosh
HB Ellis, Astbury, Houli
C Edwards, Cotchin, Grigg
HF Lambert, Lloyd, Caddy
FF Rioli, Riewoldt, Bolton
R Nankervis, Martin, Prestia
IC Menadue, Castagna, Butler, Short
EMG Chol, Miles, Lennon
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Kreuzer v Nankervis: Pundits raved about Nank in rd1 but I thought Kreuzer won that battle. Ever since both lads have done wonderfully for their teams but I expect big Special K to come away with the chocolates.
Dustin Martin: No flank to flank torps pls, got 4 Brownlow votes in round 1
Casboult on Rance: Do we drop the momentum killer in Cas or trust he'll come good? He still presents well and it's not like Harry McKay was a dead eye in the VFL. Weitering did okay against him in round 1 but that luxury has been lost, or maybe with the sole tall in Jack Riewoldt we can swing Weiters fwd again.
Mosquito fleet defense vs business as usual: We've struggled the most against small fwds but do we fix a defense that isn't broken? Doc and Simmo might create more goals than we give up.
Tip, closer than round 1 - Tigers by 23
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