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Footy is back! AFL returns to the MCG on Thursday night as the Carlton Blues take on the Richmond Tigers. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:20pm (AEDT).
Richmond have been quiet in the off-season. They didn’t get involved in any major trades and only added Geelong recruit Taylor Hunt to their list, preferring instead to go to the draft and access some youth.
Last year Richmond severely missed Ivan Maric, Alex Rance and Brett Deledio with injury early on, and this saw them languishing at the bottom end of the ladder. However after Maric returned they rattled home to make the finals.
After crashing out of the finals last year, Richmond will need to come out of the blocks firing in 2015, and show all the doubters that they are still on the rise.
On paper, they are placed for a much more even start this year.
Their opponents tonight had a minor clean-out over the off season, they recycled Kristian Jaksch and Liam Jones from other clubs, and promoted youngster Clem Smith. But will this help them climb up the ladder?
It is difficult to say.
After copping a blunt blow from Jonathan Brown mid-week, big-man Tyrone Vickery has missed the cut for the season opening and as a result Richmond look light up forward – this is one area Carlton could close them down. The Tigers will want to move it quickly through their forward line and will not mind if the ball is on the ground a lot of the game.
Prediction
The corresponding game last year saw the Tigers lead all night to hold on and win by 10 points. Richmond is the better team and should kick-start their year with a win here.
Richmond to win by 21 points.
Can Carlton fire up in the first round and justify Mick Malthouse’s optimism for the season, or will Richmond wipe out the memory of their finals loss with a solid first-up win?
Join The Roar from 7:20pm for live score updates and debate in our live blog.
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