Roar Guru
Richmond have sewn up third spot on the AFL ladder, comfortably defeating by 41 points a disappointing St Kilda outfit who arguably played merely one great quarter in Nick Riewoldt’s final ever game.
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Final score
Richmond Tigers 19.8.122
St Kilda Saints 12.9.81
The Richmond Tigers remain well and truly in the hunt for a top four spot, but they must win today’s match against a sentimental St Kilda Saints outfit at the ‘G. Join us on The Roar for live scores and a blog from 3:20pm AEST.
The last time these two teams played, St Kilda utterly dominated a shell-shocked Tigers’ outfit in a purely awesome first half.
The young team from Moorabbin posted a half time lead of 82 points – Josh Bruce’ sole score of 1.5 for the half was more than Richmond’s! – before letting their foot of the accelerator to win by ‘only’ 67 points.
Since that night, though, St Kilda have had four losses and two wins – a disappointing stretch of games by all accounts. Richmond have gone five wins, one loss, and are heading into this game with a very good form line.
It’s going to be a sentimental night for St Kilda supporters, and an exciting yet nervy night for Richmond supporters.
For the ‘away team’, legend Nick Riewoldt is playing what is almost certainly his final game for the club; closing the curtain on a hugely decorated career.
Richmond fans, though, will turn out in their thousands, you’d have to expect, for their final game before what is appearing to be their most promise finals run in years.
A key point heading into this game will be St Kilda’s inaccuracy, which has arguably played a large part in their season’s derailment.
Put simply, they must kick straighter. To kick straighter, though, they need to get supply to the forwards.
Unfortunately for the Saints’ – the 12th most potent team in the competition – they’ll be up against a miserly defence ranked as a Richmond side which has conceded the second most points in the league.
Richmond have made no changes, taking an unchanged side in from last week’s massive win over Fremantle, whilst St Kilda have made just one change.
Jack Lonie is back in the side, replacing veteran Sam Gilbert, who is out with an abdominal strain.
Prediction
With St Kilda’s finals aspirations disappointingly all but gone, and Richmond on the verge of playing finals, you’d expect this one to be a comfortable win for the Tiges.
The Saints, though, would love nothing more than to send Riewoldt out in style in what is only their second game at the ‘G this season.
While I can definitely see the potential for an upset, I just can’t see Richmond dropping such an important game. Richmond will win, but it’ll be close.
Richmond Tigers by 15 points.