Thursday night footy takes us to Melbourne for a top of the table clash between the Richmond Tigers and the Sydney Swans. Join The Roar for live commentary and scores from 7:20pm AEST.
Oh my. What a clash this is: the reigning premiers taking on possibly the most consistent team of the past few years.
This season, they’re one and two on the ladder as it stands, and this clash should be a great one. Oh, did I mention it’s at Eithad Stadium?
Ignoring the confines of the much maligned AFL-regulated game at Docklands, this game could go a long way towards dictating who becomes the minor premier at the end of the season.
There’s a few similarities between these two. Both teams are fresh out of the week off, and both were victorious against final aspirants in their games before then: Sydney against a resurgent West Coast, and Richmond against Geelong.
Both are also 10-3, but it’s Sydney who have the five straight wins before today, whereas Richmond have dropped two recent games.
I’m of the thinking that this will be a reasonably high scoring clash. Offensively, it’s the Tigers who pack the bigger punch, given they’ve second in total and average goals scored this season and have the likes of an in-form Jack Riewoldt, Josh Caddy and Jason Castanga slamming home goals left, right and centre.
Then again, Sydney are more than comfortable with a forward set-up headlined by Lance Franklin, and youngsters Ollie Florent, Will Hayward and, of course, Ben Ronke doing a heap in their early careers.
Those youngsters will be important for the Swans, as will Tigers rookie Jack Higgins and his side’s defensive mainstay, Alex Rance – who’ll be up against Franklin.
Teams wise, both squads have gained a few vital players after the bye. Sydney’s made two changes – they’ve lost Tom Papley to injury, whilst Harry Marsh has been omitted. Veteran Jarryd McVeigh is in, as is James Rose.
Richmond’s omitted Ryan Garthwaite and Kamdyn McIntosh, whilst adding a big duo in Dion Prestia and David Astbury to their squad.
Prediction
This’ll be a very good match, any way you look at it. Sydney’s in the arguably better form, but we’ve seen Richmond – time and time again – win, and win by plenty.
The Swans will not be easybeats, and will be taking plenty of encouragement from last year’s meeting wherein Richmond dominated early but substantially faltered late to allow the Swans a win.
This will be a close one, befitting it’s (somewhat) primetime slot. It feels like a game for a last gasp goal to win it. I’ll back the premiers to sneak a win here, but I won’t be surprised if the four points head the other way.
Richmond by 4 points.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting from 7:20pm AEST.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Hey anon, I've had a chance to have a closer look at those 7+ u50 game player stats and just in case you're moseying on back here (but don't worry I'lll make sure you find them elsewhere if you don't. Here's the list of average numbers each team has played of u50 game players this year: Fremantle >>>>>>>>>>>>>> 11.38 Western Bulldogs >>>>>>>> 10.38 Carlton >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9.92 Geelong >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9.77 Melbourne >>>>>>>>>>>>>> 9.23 St Kilda >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8.31 Gold Coast >>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8.23 Brisbane >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 8.08 Collingwood >>>>>>>>>>>>> 7.69 Adelaide >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7.62 Greater Western Sydney >>>> 7.62 Richmond >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7.64 Essendon >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 7.54 North Melbourne >>>>>>>>>> 7.54 Hawthorn >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6.38 Port Adelaide >>>>>>>>>>>>> 6.23 Sydney >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6.14 West Coast >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 6.00 As we can see, again around 80% of teams average over 7 u50's per game, while the lowest is 6 per game, with Richmond well and truly sitting in the lower half of comparative numbers in u50's stakes at 12th. Good job.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Shameless XD . What we have established is that stat is not an indicator of a rebuild and that you aren't much chop at stats, logic or integrity. Once again, congrats on your choice of avatar. You absolutely nailed the perfect choice for you.
Don Freo
Guest
You can do that yourself. Most of us just know footy clubs and their players. You only need to look at team lists and you'd know.
David C
Guest
Well spotted. HaaHaa.
anon
Roar Pro
Reaffirming that virtually 80% of teams have 7 players or more in the under 50 games category in that round. Are you sticking by this as a definer of “rebuilding” status? Ergo 80% of teams are rebuilding? I'm glad we've established that having inexperienced players is not a valid excuse. Some clubs are better at developing inexperienced players than others. Those that a no good at it have 5 year rebuilds.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Reaffirming that virtually 80% of teams have 7 players or more in the under 50 games category in that round. Are you sticking by this as a definer of "rebuilding" status? Ergo 80% of teams are rebuilding? Ergo you are incompetent and/or dishonest in your use of stats.
anon
Roar Pro
You had better contact the admins at footywire because apparently all there 2018 stats are wrong then. These are the actual numbers.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Your numbers are all wrong anon. How about naming the players you think have played under 50. You will be surprised by what you find. Hint: Use the 2018 team lists, not 2012.
anon
Roar Pro
Alcohol is legal. Illicit drugs are not. You are the company you keep.
anon
Roar Pro
My mistake. The updated list from round 1 this year (everyone has a full, injury-free list playing their best 22) Players under 50 games Carlton 11 Melbourne 11 Essendon 10 Western 10 Geelong 10 Richmond 8 Port Adelaide 8 Fremantle 8 Collingwood 8 Sydney 8 Adelaide 7 St Kilda 7 Gold Coast 7 North Melbourne 7 Brisbane 6 GWS 6 West Coast 6 Hawthorn 5 You can see that the Fremantle rebuild excuse doesn't really cut it. Started the season with similar inexperience to Richmond. Melbourne and Geelong much more inexperienced.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Sorry? So...wait...are you saying the Tiges are juicers or that they're good at rebuilding? Or are you saying being a juicer is a solid plank of rebuilding?
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
Anon, I spend a lot of time around friends and workmates who don't necessarily follow all laws in relation to alcohol and drugs. Doesn't mean I'm addicted to either. You're just getting a little ridiculous now.
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
So 14 out of 18 teams had 7 or more players in the under 50 games category (that's nearly 80%), so how is that stat an indicator of "rebuilding". Are you suggesting 80% of clubs are rebuilding? It's incompetent/lacking in integrity to use it as such. It also directly contradicts your point about getting "games into the kids" criticism as many of those in the u50 games category are either fringe players and/or players who have spent a fair time developing in the seconds. It's so (Trump of) you to double down on a gimmick :D , even after the facts show it to be bogus, while also claiming integrity above.
Cat
Roar Guru
Only 16 teams in the comp now Anon?
anon
Roar Pro
From round 1 this year (everyone has a full, injury-free list playing their best 22) Players under 50 games Carlton 11 Essendon 10 Western 10 Richmond 8 Port Adelaide 8 Fremantle 8 Collingwood 8 Sydney 8 Adelaide 7 St Kilda 7 Gold Coast 7 North Melbourne 7 Brisbane 6 GWS 6 West Coast 6 Hawthorn 5 Richmond doing incredibly well for a side still in a rebuild. Lot of untapped potential there. You have to ask what was going on with a team like Fremantle who got smashed by a Port team with a similar amount of youth. Why can a team like Richmond play so well with so many inexperienced players? Kind of throws the idea of a 5 year rebuild on its head.
anon
Roar Pro
He spends a lot of off-season time around Dane Swan. We've all heard the rumours about Swanny. Some people are naive.
Murphy
Guest
its just you
Murphy
Guest
nice try sneaking freo into that list bahahahaha
Dalgety Carrington
Roar Guru
Let's not confuse things by getting off the point. The stark facts are using u50 games has no bearing on whether a side is rebuilding or not. It's just another gimmick, to try to make the facts (however irrelevant) fit the story (rather than have the facts tell the story, which by the way is the way to establish integrity, not gimmicks like hiding a very relevant thing like which footy team you support and cherry picking distractions). The stats show that around 7 or 8 u50 game players fits the mode amount profile for AFL teams. Much more pertinent to the idea of rebuilding or development is the age ratio of u21's to the number of 24+y.o. players, this actually is related to win/loss stats. Last night for example, Sydney had 4 u21's, while Richmond had 2.
Paul D
Roar Guru
https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/brownlow-medal-winner-dusty-martin-how-a-young-bloke-pulled-his-head-in-20170919-gykkxa.html perhaps it doesn't add up for an oaf who relies on outdated information to make smears and libellous claims, but for those of us who actually seek to discuss facts it makes plenty of sense. You really should read that article. Might illuminate the fug in that pitiful mass of grey known as your brain