West Coast has won seven of its past eight against Richmond but only three of those wins have come in Melbourne.
FORM: Richmond started brightly in Terry Wallace’s farewell match but they fell away badly in the second half as the Western Bulldogs cruised to a convincing 68-point win. The Tigers are languishing in 15th place on the AFL ladder with just two wins for the season. West Coast pushed an undefeated Geelong side all the way last Sunday, eventually going down by 22 points. The Eagles have lost their past four matches and find themselves in 13th spot with a 3-8 win-loss record.
MEDICAL ROOM: The Tigers welcome back small forward Robin Nahas from a corked thigh but veteran Nathan Brown (groin) and midfielder Matthew White (hamstring) are at least two weeks away. Matthew Richardson is a chance to return in the latter stages of the season following hamstring tendon surgery. For the Eagles, veteran defender David Wirrapanda returns from a hamstring injury but Brent Staker (hand), Andrew Embley (ankle) and forward Ashley Hansen (groin) ) are unavailable. Highly-rated young midfielder Luke Shuey (fractured fibula) will miss eight weeks while rugged utility Beau Waters is out for the season with a dislocated elbow.
KEY MATCH-UPS: Daniel Jackson vs. Daniel Kerr
The return of Kerr from suspension is a major boost for the Eagles as he is able to not only win the football in close but also hurt sides with his creative run.
Limiting his influence on the contest will be a key for Richmond if they are going to starve West Coast’s forwards of quality supply.
Jackson has been a shining light for the Tigers in what has been a dismal season, taking on the competition’s premier midfielders and more than holding his own.
The impressive 23-year-old was his side’s best in the loss to the Bulldogs with 30 possessions, eight marks and eight tackles and will be given the task of running with Kerr on Saturday night.
Not only will Jackson apply relentless pressure but he will also try and hurt Kerr going the other way.
Adam Selwood vs. Brett Deledio
Deledio struggled to have his usual impact against the Bulldogs, managing just 13 possessions – well down on his season average of 22 disposals per game.
When Deledio is at his damaging best he is able to break a game open with his run and carry.
The Tigers will need Deledio to impose himself on the contest if they are going to have any chance of recording just their third win of the season.
However, he faces a tough night at the office with the in-form Selwood expected to be his opponent.
Selwood, who is West Coast’s best stopper in the midfield, is also highly effective at winning his fair share of the football – he has averaged just under 24 possessions per game in 2009.
It is vital for Richmond that Deledio works hard going both ways.
Chris Newman vs. Mark LeCras
LeCras had one of his quietest games of the season last weekend, managing just one goal in the loss to the Cats.
West Coast will need him to fire if they are going to record their first win away from home in more than 18 months.
Newman has the ability to match LeCras in the air and at ground level and looms as the obvious candidate to match-up on the dangerous Eagles forward who has the uncanny ability to create something out of nothing.
The Eagles had their chances last weekend to cause a massive upset but as has been the case for most of the season they let themselves down with their foot skills.
If LeCras is going to have any hope of having an impact he will need his midfield to be clean with their use of the football going forward.
Tyson Stenglein vs. Mitch Morton
Morton started well against the Dogs, booting three goals in the first term but he had no impact on the scoreboard after quarter-time.
Richmond will need Morton to put in a four-quarter performance if they are going to have any chance of kicking a winning score.
Stenglein played his best game for the season last weekend, keeping Geelong star Steve Johnson to just one goal and will most likely be given first crack at the former Eagle.
In last weekend’s loss to the Bulldogs the Tigers had more than half of their possessions in handballs – they will need to get the football quickly into the forward line rather than overuse it by hand to give Morton a chance of having an influence on the outcome of the contest as they simply don’t have the skills to play a possession brand of football for the whole night.
VERDICT: Teams who sack their coach during the season have a habit of winning for their new coach the next week so that is one thing in Richmond’s favour but the Tigers struggle to play four quarters of consistent football. West Coast showed plenty of endeavour against Geelong and if they play with the same level of intensity on Saturday night they should secure the four premiership points with the class of in-form ruckman Dean Cox and Kerr likely to be the difference in what promises to be a tight struggle between two sides desperate for a win.
Eagles by 10 points.
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