Richmond v Geelong
VENUE & TIME: Telstra Dome, Saturday - 14:10 AEST
HEAD TO HEAD: Geelong 85, Richmond 84, 3 draws
COVERAGE: Fox Footy Channel: Perth (12pm), Adelaide (1:30pm), Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane (2pm)
LAST TIME: Geelong 14.12 (96) - Richmond 7.12 (54) at the MCG, Round 13, 2002.
WALKING WOUNDED
Richmond will miss Ray Hall for another 1-2 weeks, while Duncan Kellaway (foot) will be sidelined for a further 2-3 matches, and Darren Gaspar is gone until 2004 with a knee injury.
Geelong is virtually at full strength with Daniel Foster the only player on the sidelines with a knee injury. He will miss the next two weeks, but has yet to crack it for a senior berth this season.
FORM
Richmond has lost its past six matches - the worst current losing streak in the competition. The poor run is even worse than that of the Western Bulldogs, who drew with West Coast in round 11. Although the Tigers started the year in a blaze of glory, winning six of their opening eight games, since then it has been all downhill and they have slipped to 11th position on the ladder with a 6-8 win/loss record.
Geelong produced its fourth and arguably its best win of the season last week with a thrilling one-point upset over ladder leader Port Adelaide. The Cats have now won three of their last six matches, after they recorded just one victory in their opening eight rounds. Geelong is 14th on the ladder with a 4-10 win/loss record.
WHO'S HOT
Mark Coughlan has been one of Richmond’s best players this season and he continued his fine form against Adelaide with 24 disposals, nine marks and eight tackles.
Geelong deputy vice-captain Cameron Ling has been one of the club’s shining lights in an otherwise disappointing season. The 22-year-old notched up 34 possessions against Port Adelaide last round and has been among the team's best almost every week.
WHO'S NOT
Richmond’s Kayne Pettifer has played nine games this season, including eight in a row from rounds two to nine, yet he was the Tigers’ No.1 draftee (No.9 overall) in the 2000 National AFL Draft and has yet to cement a permanent spot in the senior line-up. He has since played just one game in the past five weeks.
Geelong’s Brent Grgic played the opening eight games of the season, but a loss of form has seen him out of the line-up in the past six weeks. The oft-maligned Grgic played just five games in his first season with the Cats last year, after playing 77 matches with Melbourne from 1997-01.
KEY MATCH-UPS
Tigers superstar forward Matthew Richardson will be claimed by Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett, who has had a tremendous season in defence, while the in-form Ben Graham will be claimed by either Andrew Kellaway or Ben Holland. In the ruck, Greg Stafford will be pitted against Steven King.
WE THINK
This is one of th hardest games to pick in Round 15, but surely the Tigers have bottomed out and have more to play for, so they should get the points. Richmond by 10 points.
VENUE & TIME: Telstra Dome, Saturday - 14:10 AEST
HEAD TO HEAD: Geelong 85, Richmond 84, 3 draws
COVERAGE: Fox Footy Channel: Perth (12pm), Adelaide (1:30pm), Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane (2pm)
LAST TIME: Geelong 14.12 (96) - Richmond 7.12 (54) at the MCG, Round 13, 2002.
WALKING WOUNDED
Richmond will miss Ray Hall for another 1-2 weeks, while Duncan Kellaway (foot) will be sidelined for a further 2-3 matches, and Darren Gaspar is gone until 2004 with a knee injury.
Geelong is virtually at full strength with Daniel Foster the only player on the sidelines with a knee injury. He will miss the next two weeks, but has yet to crack it for a senior berth this season.
FORM
Richmond has lost its past six matches - the worst current losing streak in the competition. The poor run is even worse than that of the Western Bulldogs, who drew with West Coast in round 11. Although the Tigers started the year in a blaze of glory, winning six of their opening eight games, since then it has been all downhill and they have slipped to 11th position on the ladder with a 6-8 win/loss record.
Geelong produced its fourth and arguably its best win of the season last week with a thrilling one-point upset over ladder leader Port Adelaide. The Cats have now won three of their last six matches, after they recorded just one victory in their opening eight rounds. Geelong is 14th on the ladder with a 4-10 win/loss record.
WHO'S HOT
Mark Coughlan has been one of Richmond’s best players this season and he continued his fine form against Adelaide with 24 disposals, nine marks and eight tackles.
Geelong deputy vice-captain Cameron Ling has been one of the club’s shining lights in an otherwise disappointing season. The 22-year-old notched up 34 possessions against Port Adelaide last round and has been among the team's best almost every week.
WHO'S NOT
Richmond’s Kayne Pettifer has played nine games this season, including eight in a row from rounds two to nine, yet he was the Tigers’ No.1 draftee (No.9 overall) in the 2000 National AFL Draft and has yet to cement a permanent spot in the senior line-up. He has since played just one game in the past five weeks.
Geelong’s Brent Grgic played the opening eight games of the season, but a loss of form has seen him out of the line-up in the past six weeks. The oft-maligned Grgic played just five games in his first season with the Cats last year, after playing 77 matches with Melbourne from 1997-01.
KEY MATCH-UPS
Tigers superstar forward Matthew Richardson will be claimed by Geelong defender Matthew Scarlett, who has had a tremendous season in defence, while the in-form Ben Graham will be claimed by either Andrew Kellaway or Ben Holland. In the ruck, Greg Stafford will be pitted against Steven King.
WE THINK
This is one of th hardest games to pick in Round 15, but surely the Tigers have bottomed out and have more to play for, so they should get the points. Richmond by 10 points.
