TonyK
CibbuanoRound one preview: Richmond v Carlton
March 24th 2010 14:47
VENUE and TIME: MCG, Thursday 25 March, 7.10pm (AEDT)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 203: Richmond 84, Carlton 117, Drawn 2
LAST TIME: Carlton 16.13 (109) d Richmond 12.17 (89) at the MCG, Round 15, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: Carlton has won four of its past five matches against Richmond.
FORM: The Tigers were thumped to the tune of 73 points by Hawthorn in the first round of the NAB Cup before accounting for an under-strength Geelong outfit in a practice match in the Victorian country town of Yea. It was their only win during the pre-season as they were soundly beaten by Collingwood and Essendon in their final hit-outs prior to the season proper. Like Richmond, Carlton was bundled out of the NAB Cup in round one and managed just one victory during the pre-season - a 13-point win over Brisbane.
MEDICAL ROOM: Nathan Foley is the only notable absentee for Richmond with a troublesome ankle injury. No date has been put on the Tigers vice-captain’s return. For the Blues, forward Brad Fisher will miss a large chunk of the home-and-away season with a serious knee injury sustained in the NAB Cup loss to Sydney.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Daniel Jackson vs. Marc Murphy
With skipper Chris Judd sidelined for the first three rounds of the season due to suspension, Murphy will most likely cop a tag.
The Tigers will want to limit his influence as he is not only capable of setting up scoring opportunities for his teammates with his clean use of the football but he is also able to hurt sides with his goal-kicking capabilities - he booted 31 goals in 23 games last year.
Jackson was one of the most-improved players in the competition last season. The 23-year-old quelled the influence of some of the premier midfielders in the AFL and finished second in Richmond‘s best-and-fairest award.
It is vital for Carlton that Murphy works hard going both ways as Jackson showed in 2009 he able to win his fair share of the football.
Paul Bower vs. Mitch Morton
Morton led the Tigers’ goal kicking last season with 41 goals in 21 matches and will need to have a significant impact once again in 2010 otherwise Richmond will struggle to kick enough goals to win games of football.
Bower looms as the obvious candidate to line-up on the former Eagle as he has the ability to match him in the air and is also mobile enough to go with him when the football hits the deck.
The Tigers were ranked 12th for clearances and 16th for inside 50’s last year, and were also one of the worst sides in the AFL when it came to using the football.
If Morton is going to have any hope of having a meaningful impact he will need his teammates to be switched on at the stoppages and also be precise with their delivery into the forward line otherwise Richmond will be punished on the rebound by the likes of Bower who averaged 19.5 disposals per game in 2009.
Luke McGuane vs. Lachie Henderson
Traded to the Blues as part of the deal which saw spearhead Brendan Fevola join the Brisbane Lions, Henderson struggled to have much of an impact during the pre-season and will be keen to put in a big performance on Thursday night.
McGuane is arguably the Tigers’ best key defender and will be given first crack at Henderson who has the potential to be a 10-year player for the Blues.
In 2009 Richmond was ranked 13th in the AFL for tackles per game.
They will need to deliver on their promise of a more disciplined, defensive brand of football otherwise the Carlton midfield will continually provide Henderson, who is quick on the lead and has a good set of hands, with silver service.
Aaron Joseph vs. Brett Deledio
Deledio was Richmond’s most damaging midfielder last season, racking up a team-high 533 possessions and booting 20 goals.
The reigning best-and-fairest winner also led the Tigers for total inside 50’s with 99.
Shutting down the drive Deledio provides through the middle of the ground will be a major focus for the Blues as it will help them starve Richmond’s forwards of quality supply.
Joseph was impressive in a tagging role in his debut season last year and will be given the task of trying to negate the Richmond young gun.
A criticism of Deledio in the past has been his inability to break a tight tag. The Tigers will need him to get on his bike and utilise his pace otherwise Joseph will dictate terms.
VERDICT: Despite their poor record against Carlton in recent times, Richmond will see this match as being winnable given that Fevola is no longer with the Blues and Judd is out. However, they lack experience after saying goodbye to 14 players during the off-season - including their greatest ever forward of the modern era in Matthew Richardson - while their defence is nothing to write home about. Carlton's forward line is very much a work in progress but the likes of Eddie Betts, Chris Yarran, Mitch Robinson, Setanta O’hAilpin and Henderson should be able to kick enough goals between them against a Tigers backline that conceded more points than any other side in the AFL last season to lift their side to victory. Blues by 23 points.
RICHMOND v CARLTON
RICHMOND
B: Shane Edwards, Kel Moore, Chris Newman
HB: Mitch Farmer, Luke McGuane, Will Thursfield
C: Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio, Ben Nason
HF: Tom Hislop, Jack Riewoldt, Richard Tambling
F: Relton Roberts, Mitch Morton, Robin Nahas
Foll: Troy Simmonds, Daniel Jackson, Trent Cotchin
I/C: Ty Vickery, Ben Cousins, Daniel Connors, Adam Thomson
Emg: Dean Polo, Graham Polak, Matthew White
New: Mitch Farmer (Port Adelaide), Dustin Martin (Bendigo U18), Ben Nason (Central District), Relton Roberts (NT Thunder)
CARLTON
B: Bret Thornton, Michael Jamison, Aaron Joseph
HB: Paul Bower, Jarrad Waite, Jordan Russell
C: Ryan Houlihan, Marc Murphy, Heath Scotland
HF: Andrew Carrazzo, Lachie Henderson, Kade Simpson
F: Setanta O’hAilpin, Matthew Kreuzer, Eddie Betts
Foll: Robert Warnock, Bryce Gibbs, Brock McLean
I/C: Joe Anderson, Mitch Robinson, Andrew Walker, Chris Yarran
Emg: Shaun Grigg, Sam Jacobs, Kane Lucas
New: Lachie Henderson (Brisbane Lions), Brock McLean (Melbourne), Robert Warnock (Fremantle)
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