TonyK
CibbuanoRound sixteen preview: Richmond v North Melbourne
July 18th 2009 15:26
VENUE and TIME: MCG, Sunday 19 July, 2.10pm (AEST)
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 146: Richmond 81, North 64, Drawn 1
LAST TIME: Richmond 13.16 (94) d North Melbourne 7.16 (58) at Etihad Stadium, Round 5, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: North Melbourne has won six of its past eight matches against Richmond.
FORM: North Melbourne has lost its past six matches but they have been very competitive in the three since Darren Crocker took over as caretaker coach following the resignation of Dean Laidley. The Kangaroos are in 13th spot with a 4-11 win-loss record. Richmond have lost their past three but have been competitive in the past fortnight against Adelaide and Carlton. The Tigers have won three games for the year.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Tigers will be without key defender Kelvin Moore (calf) while vice-captain Nathan Foley remains on the sidelines with an ankle/calf injury sustained in round 14. Veteran Matthew Richardson is a couple of weeks away from returning from a hamstring tendon injury. For the Kangaroos, youngster Gavin Urquhart (groin) will miss while star midfielder Daniel Wells is sidelines indefinitely with a groin injury. Jack Ziebell and Ben Warren are out for the season with fractured fibulas.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Daniel Jackson vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey was well below his best in the loss to the Hawks, managing just 14 possessions.
North will need a lift from their skipper if they are going to have any hope of snapping a six-game losing streak.
When he is on song Harvey is able to hurt sides with his ability to break the lines, pump the football inside 50 and kick goals.
Richmond will be keen to shut-down the drive he provides and will use the in-form Jackson in a run with role.
Jackson was once again among his side’s best against the Blues, helping himself to 32 disposals.
Harvey will need to be switched on and work hard both ways otherwise Jackson who has averaged 24 touches per game so far this season will hurt him going the other way.
Brady Rawlings vs. Brett Deledio
The last time these two sides met in round five Deledio was among his team’s best with 25 possessions, one goal and five inside 50’s.
Deledio is an integral part of the Richmond midfield with his ability to break the lines, deliver the football inside 50 and kick goals.
Quelling his influence in the middle will be a key for the Kangaroos if they are going to have any hope of starving the Tigers’ forwards of quality supply.
Rawlings is North’s number one stopper in the middle and looms as the obvious candidate to tag last year’s best-and-fairest winner in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
Deledio has shown at times this season he still struggles to cope with a tight tag so expect Rawlings to apply relentless pressure all day and not give the Tigers young gun any time or space at the stoppages.
Will Thursfield vs. David Hale
Hale has struggled in recent weeks, managing just one goal in the past fortnight.
If the Kangaroos are going to have any hope of kicking a winning score they will need Hale to lift and make the most of his chances in front of goal - he has kicked a wasteful 1.5 in the past two games.
Thursfield had nine goals kicked on him by Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola last weekend and will be keen to redeem himself with a good performance on Hale on Sunday.
The 23-year-old defender is giving away 10cms to Hale so if North Melbourne use the corridor and get the football quickly into the forward line the Kangaroos forward could kick a bag if his radar is on.
Josh Gibson vs. Jack Riewoldt
Riewoldt was his side’s most productive forward in the clash between these two sides earlier in the year with three majors and was also the Tigers most dangerous forward against the Blues last weekend with three majors.
The cousin of St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt has shown some promising signs so far this season and the Tigers will need him to fire if they are going to have any chance of recording just their fourth win of the season.
Gibson has been a solid performer down back so far in ‘09 and will most likely be given first crack at Riewoldt.
The Tigers had their chances to record a win against the Blues but they let themselves down with their kicking in front of goal.
It is vital for Richmond that the likes of Riewoldt make the most of their chances early and apply scoreboard pressure.
VERDICT: Dating back to 1990 Richmond has only defeated North Melbourne twice in the one season on one occasion - in 2001. Expect the Tigers - who accounted for the Kangaroos earlier in the year - to do the double over the Roos on Sunday as the men from Arden St will be a little flat after playing in atrocious conditions in Launceston last weekend and will struggle to contain Richmond’s run through the middle. Tigers by 21 points.
RICHMOND v NORTH MELBOURNE
RICHMOND
B: Jake King, Will Thursfield, Chris Newman
HB: Dean Polo, Luke McGuane, Matthew White
C: Trent Cotchin, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Robin Nahas, Jack Riewoldt, Jayden Post
F: Tyrone Vickery, Mitch Morton, Ben Cousins
Foll: Angus Graham, Daniel Jackson, Richard Tambling
I/C: Tom Hislop, Alex Rance, Shane Edwards, Jarrod Silvester
Emg: Adam Pattison, Jordan McMahon, Mark Coughlan
In: Silvester
Out: Kelvin Moore (calf)
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Brady Rawlings, Scott Thompson, Nathan Grima
HB: Scott McMahon, Josh Gibson, Michael Firrito
C: Levi Greenwood, Liam Anthony, Drew Petrie
HF: Leigh Harding, Lachie Hansen, Lindsay Thomas
F: Brent Harvey, David Hale, Corey Jones
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Adam Simpson, Andrew Swallow
I/C: Sam Power, Leigh Adams, Todd Goldstein, Daniel Pratt
Emg: Daniel Harris, Ben Ross Aaron Edwards
In: Goldstein, Pratt
Out: Gavin Urquhart (groin), Daniel Harris
HEAD TO HEAD: Played: 146: Richmond 81, North 64, Drawn 1
LAST TIME: Richmond 13.16 (94) d North Melbourne 7.16 (58) at Etihad Stadium, Round 5, 2009
RECENT HISTORY: North Melbourne has won six of its past eight matches against Richmond.
FORM: North Melbourne has lost its past six matches but they have been very competitive in the three since Darren Crocker took over as caretaker coach following the resignation of Dean Laidley. The Kangaroos are in 13th spot with a 4-11 win-loss record. Richmond have lost their past three but have been competitive in the past fortnight against Adelaide and Carlton. The Tigers have won three games for the year.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Tigers will be without key defender Kelvin Moore (calf) while vice-captain Nathan Foley remains on the sidelines with an ankle/calf injury sustained in round 14. Veteran Matthew Richardson is a couple of weeks away from returning from a hamstring tendon injury. For the Kangaroos, youngster Gavin Urquhart (groin) will miss while star midfielder Daniel Wells is sidelines indefinitely with a groin injury. Jack Ziebell and Ben Warren are out for the season with fractured fibulas.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Daniel Jackson vs. Brent Harvey
Harvey was well below his best in the loss to the Hawks, managing just 14 possessions.
North will need a lift from their skipper if they are going to have any hope of snapping a six-game losing streak.
When he is on song Harvey is able to hurt sides with his ability to break the lines, pump the football inside 50 and kick goals.
Richmond will be keen to shut-down the drive he provides and will use the in-form Jackson in a run with role.
Jackson was once again among his side’s best against the Blues, helping himself to 32 disposals.
Harvey will need to be switched on and work hard both ways otherwise Jackson who has averaged 24 touches per game so far this season will hurt him going the other way.
Brady Rawlings vs. Brett Deledio
The last time these two sides met in round five Deledio was among his team’s best with 25 possessions, one goal and five inside 50’s.
Deledio is an integral part of the Richmond midfield with his ability to break the lines, deliver the football inside 50 and kick goals.
Quelling his influence in the middle will be a key for the Kangaroos if they are going to have any hope of starving the Tigers’ forwards of quality supply.
Rawlings is North’s number one stopper in the middle and looms as the obvious candidate to tag last year’s best-and-fairest winner in what shapes as being a pivotal duel.
Deledio has shown at times this season he still struggles to cope with a tight tag so expect Rawlings to apply relentless pressure all day and not give the Tigers young gun any time or space at the stoppages.
Will Thursfield vs. David Hale
Hale has struggled in recent weeks, managing just one goal in the past fortnight.
If the Kangaroos are going to have any hope of kicking a winning score they will need Hale to lift and make the most of his chances in front of goal - he has kicked a wasteful 1.5 in the past two games.
Thursfield had nine goals kicked on him by Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola last weekend and will be keen to redeem himself with a good performance on Hale on Sunday.
The 23-year-old defender is giving away 10cms to Hale so if North Melbourne use the corridor and get the football quickly into the forward line the Kangaroos forward could kick a bag if his radar is on.
Josh Gibson vs. Jack Riewoldt
Riewoldt was his side’s most productive forward in the clash between these two sides earlier in the year with three majors and was also the Tigers most dangerous forward against the Blues last weekend with three majors.
The cousin of St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt has shown some promising signs so far this season and the Tigers will need him to fire if they are going to have any chance of recording just their fourth win of the season.
Gibson has been a solid performer down back so far in ‘09 and will most likely be given first crack at Riewoldt.
The Tigers had their chances to record a win against the Blues but they let themselves down with their kicking in front of goal.
It is vital for Richmond that the likes of Riewoldt make the most of their chances early and apply scoreboard pressure.
VERDICT: Dating back to 1990 Richmond has only defeated North Melbourne twice in the one season on one occasion - in 2001. Expect the Tigers - who accounted for the Kangaroos earlier in the year - to do the double over the Roos on Sunday as the men from Arden St will be a little flat after playing in atrocious conditions in Launceston last weekend and will struggle to contain Richmond’s run through the middle. Tigers by 21 points.
RICHMOND v NORTH MELBOURNE
RICHMOND
B: Jake King, Will Thursfield, Chris Newman
HB: Dean Polo, Luke McGuane, Matthew White
C: Trent Cotchin, Shane Tuck, Brett Deledio
HF: Robin Nahas, Jack Riewoldt, Jayden Post
F: Tyrone Vickery, Mitch Morton, Ben Cousins
Foll: Angus Graham, Daniel Jackson, Richard Tambling
I/C: Tom Hislop, Alex Rance, Shane Edwards, Jarrod Silvester
Emg: Adam Pattison, Jordan McMahon, Mark Coughlan
In: Silvester
Out: Kelvin Moore (calf)
NORTH MELBOURNE
B: Brady Rawlings, Scott Thompson, Nathan Grima
HB: Scott McMahon, Josh Gibson, Michael Firrito
C: Levi Greenwood, Liam Anthony, Drew Petrie
HF: Leigh Harding, Lachie Hansen, Lindsay Thomas
F: Brent Harvey, David Hale, Corey Jones
Foll: Hamish McIntosh, Adam Simpson, Andrew Swallow
I/C: Sam Power, Leigh Adams, Todd Goldstein, Daniel Pratt
Emg: Daniel Harris, Ben Ross Aaron Edwards
In: Goldstein, Pratt
Out: Gavin Urquhart (groin), Daniel Harris
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